Catalyst

Chapter 4

By Dani J.

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Summary: Kurt and Blaine have decided to just be friends, the dapper boy realizing he really missed Dalton Academy so he's gone back. No Klaine-bashing is intended, it just wouldn't have worked for this fic. However, Kurt has an admirer in a new kid… and Puck isn't happy at all but doesn't seem willing to step up.

Disclaimer: I own nothing whatsoever. Blame RM and company for this unfairly attractive and addictive group of characters. Well, except for my cute, original character, Kristopher.

…

Last chapter: Kris had a feeling a couple of people were not as welcoming as Mr. Schuester but he really didn't care. He had always been pretty self-confident and right now, there was no reason for anyone here to have a problem with him. Yet…

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Kris stood before the glee club and thought for a bit but although he really, really wanted to sit up beside Kurt, it was probably best if he just took a seat in the front row. He nodded at Mr. Schuester and went over to sit beside the Asian couple, nodding and smiling brightly at Tina as she giggled.

Kurt took a deep breath as he watched Kris talking to Tina and then to Mike. He had seen the way most of the guys reacted to Kris and he knew the boy was probably bound for a bit of hazing. Nothing too bad; those days seemed to have come to an end at McKinley. The slushy facials and dumpster tosses that used to be part of the everyday life of some of the kids were a thing of the past. However, there were still occasions when nasty slurs were whispered – or slung about loudly when no teachers were around. Kurt just hoped that Kris was strong enough to handle it.

Will had moved on to introducing his project; to the sound of the usual groans and complaints, he told his kids he wanted them to research and present a song from an era that was different from what they would normally choose. The songs didn't necessarily have to be romantic or full of high drama; they had to be songs that had hit the charts and not show tunes or songs from the movies, either. That narrowed it so much that Kurt and Rachel automatically objected.

"Mr. Schue!" Rachel and Kurt's voices harmonized unexpectedly and there was a pause in the room followed by a couple snorts of laughter. Rachel surged ahead of Kurt, saying indignantly, "Some of the greatest songs are show tunes or have been used in or written for the movies!"

Will shook his head. "Guys, the point of the exercise is for you to move out of your comfort zone, at least a little. Okay, enough; let's go through some exercises and see if you remember anything from the last semester."

Kris settled back as he listened to the group being put through their paces, joining in when he got the idea. He had never had formal music or voice lessons but he was inherently musical so it was a breeze. As he participated, enjoying himself, he thought of the project Mr. Schuester – Mr. Schue, as he heard the other kids call him – had outlined. His mind skipped ahead to the songs he'd heard and loved throughout the years and then, suddenly, a thought came to him. He raised his hand, interrupting Mr. Schue in the middle of explaining some chords to the guitar players in the group.

"Uh, Mr. Schue, about the project; is there anything against doing duets – or does it have to be solos only?"

There was a look of surprise on the teacher's face and maybe a look of grudging respect there and Kris felt a surge of pride as he waited for the answer.

Will was a little impressed with Kris's question. The other kids hadn't thought to ask; they had all assumed they had to do solos, especially Rachel Berry. Maybe he had somehow taught them to think that way, but the new kid had a good question and now he smiled as he replied.

"Good question, Kristopher! I'm kinda surprised none of the others thought to ask," and he looked around the room with a teasing little glint in his eyes. "No, there's nothing against doing duets; maybe if even three of you want to get together, that's fine. But you have to work out the parts yourselves; the harmonies must be perfect."

There was a ripple of subdued chatter around the room as the kids put their heads together, one or two of them pausing to look at Kris who was staring quite pointedly at Kurt.

Kurt, not noticing that Kris was staring at him, was shaking his head at something Mercedes was saying. He threw his head back and giggled, scrunching up his nose slightly and Kris was certain he heard a soft, "Ewww!" from him.

Mercedes giggled with Kurt and then she called out, "Mr. Schue, can we dedicate them to people? Like if I sang a song my dad loved, I could dedicate it to him and say why I chose it?"

Kurt looked at her and grinned as they listened to Mr. Schue agree with her. Her suggestion that he sing to his absent ex-boyfriend had caused him to crack up unexpectedly. Ugh, she acted as if he were pining away for Blaine, which was so far from the truth it was ridiculous. He giggled as she pushed him lightly and he pushed her back, only stopping when Mr. Schue told them all to settle down and get back to the voice exercises.

Kris, who had been watching the interchange between Mercedes and his beautiful boy, smiled absently but he jerked around when he realized someone was standing – no, looming over him. He looked up to see two of the letterman-wearing jocks glaring at him. The unusually tall one had a narrow-eyed, suspicious look on his face but the other one, whoo! If Kris didn't know better, he would think he'd insulted the guy's mother or something. The dark hazel eyes bored into his so venomously that Kris found himself straightening up unintentionally.

"Hey," the tall one – Finn, Kris remembered – said in a mutter, "what's your story? Why've you been staring at my brother like that?"

Kris stared at him, his jaw dropping and then he glanced quickly at Kurt who was now looking over at them. Kris looked back up at Finn and shook his head, puzzled. "Your brother? You guys don't look alike at all!"

The tanned, muscular jock snorted softly and lowered his head so that he looked even more menacing. He stuck his hands into his front jeans pocket and if Kris hadn't been so taken with Kurt, he would be sooo into this guy posturing before him. Still, he didn't know where this hostility was coming from but he had been warned the day before about the jocks' territoriality. Maybe it even extended beyond family.

"Look," tanned and muscular stud gritted out, "Kurt's just getting over breaking up with his ex, okay? We don't need some kid just out to get into his pants, playing games with him, get it?"

Kris relaxed in his seat. He was pretty good at reading body language and whereas the overly tall jock exuded only a vague sort of threat, this other dude was definitely sending out totally different vibes. Kris decided to take a shot in the dark and let his face settle into a vague challenge.

"Oh, I get it, saving him for yourself, eh? That's not a bad idea – for a pussy!"

!

The words were said so quietly that only Finn and Puck heard but all the other kids knew was that suddenly Puck was lunging at Kris and Finn had to grab both his arms from behind so that he wouldn't tear off the other guy's head.

"PUCK – NO!" Finn's shout brought everyone's head up and they all froze where they were.

"Guys, guys! Break it up! Come ON!"

Will's shout finally brought the other kids up out of their seats and Mike jumped in to help a struggling Finn hold back Puck who was yelling a string of obscenities. Sam inserted his body between the struggling trio and the new kid, just in case Puck overpowered Finn and Mike. The new kid just sat there with his eyes wide, surprise and a little fear flickering over his face before he blanked it.

Kurt, who had been one of the last kids to jump up at the sound of Will's yelling, was just in time to hear Puck yell, "Fuck you! I'm no fag!"

The silence that fell then was profound.

The kids of The New Directions turned, almost as one and looked at Kurt who stood there, stricken. He bit his lips, his lashes fluttering as if fighting the sting of sudden tears and he stared at Puck. With a single nod, Kurt took up his messenger bag and without looking at anyone, left the choir room.

Finn shoved Puck away with a disgusted look that he divided between Puck and the new kid and dashed after Kurt, yelling at him to stop.

Mercedes walked up to Puck who had stopped trying to bash in Kris's face and stared at him for a second. Her shoulders slumped and she turned away, only to turn back and punch Puck hard on one shoulder.

Puck barely felt the hit, he was that muscular, but what got him was the look in her eyes – and in the eyes of his fellow glee clubbers. He felt his heart sink right down into his stomach and he knew he was screwed.

Kris held the smug expression as he watched Puck stalk away but as soon as everyone's attention turned from him, he slumped into his seat. It had not been his intention for Kurt to get hurt in his and Puck's little pissing contest. Now he was going to have to try and find some way to make it up to Kurt without making himself look too bad. He was a naturally honest person; he had no qualms about telling Kurt what he'd said to piss Puck off so badly. Still, he had no idea how Kurt would react and that was what was worrying him now.

Up on the last riser, by himself, Puck sat slumped over with his hands dangling between his knees. His head was in a whirl because he had never wanted to hurt Kurt like that – never. The way the slender boy had stared at Puck with tears beading on his lashes – Puck knew he would never forget it. His stomach clenched just as his fists did and he looked up to see some of the other kids looking at him either pityingly or still with disgust but he didn't care, not really. Only one person's opinion was important right now and Puck didn't know how he was going to straighten this mess out.

His mind wandered to where Kurt was and he wondered what Finn and Mercedes were doing. No doubt Mercedes would be hugging the pale-skinned boy; she was his best friend, after all. Finn would probably be hovering and trying to soothe Kurt with stupid observations or comments, par for the course for Finn.

In his heart, though, Noah knew that he had shamed not only Kurt but himself. He had never hated Kurt for being gay; he didn't know why he had blurted the 'F' word when that douchebag had said what he had. His heart boiled and his mind raged and he stared at the back of the kid's head. If Kurt started dating that kid, Noah didn't know what he would do. He wasn't blind, he saw the way the kid looked at Kurt and Kurt was vulnerable right now to any attention he got.

He lowered his head as he realized how much damage he'd done to the same boy he'd just thought of as vulnerable. He blinked back tears he would never admit to and promised he would make it up to Kurt, no matter what. He lifted his head, ignoring the continuing glances and stared straight ahead. Making up his mind, he got up, nodded at Mr. Schue and headed out of the choir room.

Deciding that Kurt would more than likely head out front to the parking lot, he turned in that direction. Before too long he came upon the three students, standing in the afternoon sunlight with Kurt leaning against a pillar while Mercedes stroked his arm and Finn lounged on a step at his feet.

Puck slowed down, glad that the sneakers he had on were so old they didn't make any squeaking noises anymore. He wasn't above eavesdropping on the trio because he wanted to know how badly he'd mucked things up with Kurt.

Mercedes was speaking: "You know he probably didn't mean it like that, boo?"

Kurt sniffled, his voice sounding muffled but the anger came through clearly: "I thought we were beyond this, 'Cedes! God, what is wrong with these people!"

Puck could see Finn's shrug from where he was peeking from behind the last bank of lockers. "Kurt, I don't like it, either, but Puck never picked on you because you were gay, y'know…"

He cringed as Kurt more than likely threw a glare at him. Puck could hear how hard his voice sounded as he replied to his stepbrother.

"Right, toss me in a dumpster because I'm what_ better than all of you? That certainly makes me feel better, Finn!"

Kurt's high-pitched voice was almost strident and Puck knew he was building up a head of steam. Kurt's temper was legendary but so was his soft-heartedness. Puck knew that if he apologized wholeheartedly, maybe even sang a song, it wouldn't be long before the little diva forgave him. He let out a relieved sigh as he realized that about Kurt. He knew Kurt pretty well after all this time and maybe that was the problem.

Kurt had wormed his way into his mind without him realizing it and when the Kristopher kid had said what he did, it was as if a bomb had gone off in his mind. He was interested in Kurt; he just hadn't realized it until the asshole taunted him with it.

Puck leaned back against the lockers and then slid slowly to the floor. Shit! He didn't think he was gay; he couldn't be gay because he loved fucking girls. Yet, as he sat there, an uncomfortable thought came to him; maybe he liked Kurt because he looked and sounded like a girl.

Shit, he really was fucked! Puck's head bowed towards his knees and he prayed to the God he'd often ignored, asking him fervently to please, please, make him straight again.

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TBC