Angst. You have been warned. It'll only really last in this chapter though, so do not despair! Remember to review, because reviews are better than the smell of old books, and peanut butter combined.


4. Be strong

Lying in the bed of a truck and watching the stars with Kurt Hummel is an experience Dave won't soon forget. When you can hear the breath of the person you love drawing in and out slowly in otherwise calm silence, you feel a certain beauty in your life.

One that you don't experience even when you stuff three Reese peanut butter cups in your mouth.

"I'm so glad you thought to come here, Dave," Kurt said softly, moving his hands up to rest behind his head. "It's completely peaceful, and exhilarating at the same time. I know I shouldn't be here right now, and I should be worrying about the thousands of things I have to do, but for now, I'd rather just sit here."

"Hmm," Dave said. Because really, one can't come up with the greatest of responses when you can feel the body heat of the person you love radiating onto your side.

"You know what would be great right now?" Kurt asked.

"What?"

"Ice cream."

"Kurt, it's still February. It may not be as cold as it was a month ago, but I'm fairly sure you might catch pneumonia if you eat anything even mildly cold right now," Dave replied. "Besides, you're so skinny, you could catch anything even if you didn't try."

Kurt swatted Dave's hand away as it moved to poke him in the stomach, laughing. "I'm sorry my BMI isn't high enough for you, David."

"You should be. We have to get some meat on your bones." Dave said.

Kurt turned his head to look at him, his eyes big and beautiful, shinning in the darkness.

"I'm glad we talked that night at Scandals, Dave," he whispered.

Dave looked at him, and swallowed loudly, turning his head away and smiling softly.

The stars have never shined the way they do now, and maybe it's because Kurt is laying next to Dave and telling him he's happy to be with him, or maybe it's the fact that it's one of the warmer days they've had in the past two months, but what Dave understands from all of this is that it's not that weather that's making Dave shiver slightly it's Kurt; and it's not the stars that are shining brightly, it's Kurt's exuberantly happy face.

Dave wants to tell Kurt that he loves him more than he's ever loved anyone else, and that he would happily ride off into the sunset with Kurt, but instead he replies simply with "I'm glad, too."


"Lima has its own kind of beauty," he says. "Only when other people aren't around, though."

Dave chuckles.

"I can't wait to get out of here."

Dave turns his head sharply, staring at Kurt. "What?"

"Dave, you've always known that I'd leave here as soon as I could. New York is where I belong. Broadway is where I belong. This hick town will never be good enough for me."

Dave turned away as he felt his eyes water, sniffing in sharply to make sure no moisture escaped onto his cheeks.

"Once I leave, I'll never look back. Whether I'm on the Broadway stage, or waiting tables, I'll be happy, because I'll be away from here."

"And forget all about me," Dave whispered thickly.

"What?" Kurt asked.

"I said, you'll forget all about me." Dave said louder.

This isn't the time to be angry at Kurt. This isn't the time to feel hurt that Kurt would leave him behind, for a life Dave didn't even know existed. He didn't understand being happy with whatever one had. All of his life, he'd wanted too much. Wanted to fit in, wanted to hide who he was, wanted to change who he was. Wanted Kurt, needed Kurt, loved Kurt.

"Of course I wouldn't, Dave, I meant for you-" Kurt began.

"No, I get it, Kurt," Dave said, sliding off of the truck and staring at Kurt. "I get it that you only cared enough to help me find my way, and then after that just leave me behind. For once, I thought someone valued me enough, hell, liked me enough to think about maintaining their friendship with me. I thought I mattered to you, Kurt. I thought we mattered."

"Dave, I never said I would leave you behind!" Kurt's voice rose higher, as he got off the truck to face Dave. "You didn't even let me finish!"

"Sorry, I didn't exactly want to hear you talk about New York and how life would be so much better without this hick town, which by the way, includes me."

"See, this is why you've never understood how I feel about you!" Kurt screamed. "You never let me finish, you never actually understand what I'm trying to say."

"Tell me what you're trying to say, Kurt" Dave sarcastically replied.

"I wanted to tell you to come with me," Kurt said angrily. "I wanted you to be a part of my life in New York, in Lima, in freaking Zimbabwe! But you're too busy ignoring everything I say!"

"Ignoring you?" Dave asked angrily. "I'm in LOVE with you."

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

"Wait, no, I didn't-"

"I know."

"You what?"

"I know you love me. You don't think I do? You don't think I love you back?"

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because you were too busy doing God knows what instead of actually telling me how you feel."

"I was trying to tell you, I just didn't know how."

"Just take me home, Dave."

"Kurt, look-"

"Dave. Please just take me home."

Be strong, Dave thought to himself. Being strong means you will not throw fits, you will not go against what someone wants you to do. Just listen to him.

Dave quietly walked over to the front of the truck and pulled the door open for Kurt, watching him get in before shutting it and walking over to the other side.

The car ride was quiet, as both of them looked out of the window, the silence tense.


As Dave shut the car off and got out of the door, he realized that this might be the last time he'll get to walk Kurt to his door.

Kurt turned to face him as they got to the front door, his expression blank.

"If you knew me," he whispered, "You'd know that I love you too."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means maybe you don't know me well enough."

With that, Kurt closed the door, leaving Dave outside.