See Chapter 1 for warnings, still not a nice happy fiction.
Battered Knight In A Letterman Jacket
08
Oh god I am such an idiot. Tomorrow came way too quickly and I have a fucking fantastic black eye. I have no idea or plan of what to do today other than avoid Kurt as much as possible, good thing we have no lessons together and now we've broken up I can dodge booty camp.
Huh guess there is a silver lining.
Parking on the opposite side to where I normally do I duck into school and try and stay out of the way. Sneaking up the hallway I head towards my locker and at the corner I peer around it to see my locker is Kurt free. Hurrying I swap things in my bag for the locker and back again, then I slam it shut and make my escape.
"David!" A familiar voice calls and I hesitate for a second.
Spinning around I point to my watch, "Sorry gotta go, catch you laters," and then I barrel down the hallway dodging kids and fleeing the kid I know I can pick up and throw around like a rag doll, the thought of hurting him ever again makes my stomach heave.
For the whole of the morning I successfully stay away from him, this is the great thing about knowing his schedule so well, and the better thing of him not knowing my schedule at all. I have the advantage for once, it won't last but by then he'll have moved onto Puckerman and I can relax and hang myself.
At lunch I speed through the canteen, nab some food and vamoose off. They should all be in Glee for lunch but I don't trust Kurt not to ambush me and I walk down a corridor to find an abandoned classroom I can hide myself away in.
"Karofsky," a voice barks, it's the hockey coach Tanner. "A word," and I have to follow him to the locker room and into the sports office there where coach Beiste is already waiting for me.
"Hey boy," she smiles and I smile back, I like her, I always have.
"Hey Coach," I take the seat offered and tense wondering what they want.
"Dave," Coach Beiste leans forward, "You haven't tried out for any of the sports teams this year."
They leave it at that and I stare that them incredulous, "Well yeah, my 'team mates' would beat the shit of me, so I'm gonna work on my grades this year and then clear out of Lima."
Exchanging glances Tanner hedges, "How about the fact you love hockey? I saw you on the ice a few days ago," oh shit, "I was only in for a few minutes to sort out bookings but you're a natural, you move like the ice is part of you." Thank god he didn't get to witness me being kicked out of the rink. "I wish those lunk heads I have on team had one tenth of your ability to skate."
Not sure what he wants I just stare and hope this isn't what I think it is, because there's no way in hell those 'lunk heads' will accept me on the team they'll all quit.
"Course," Tanner settles back in his chair, "If I added someone they couldn't stand and forced them all to put up or get out I might end up with an empty team, one I could re-recruit for so I'd get some talent in there…"
"What's that got to do with me?" I hedge and start thinking of plans to get out of this.
Eagerly he leans forward, "I'm offering you a star spot on the team, I don't give a rat ass about the idiots I got now, they won't take me or the game seriously, they skip more practices than they attend and I refuse to lose every single game from now until the end of the season."
"They won't accept me," I tell him seriously, "Can you really protect me? Will you be in the locker room every time I gotta shower? Or get changed? Hell you'll have to escort me from lesson to lesson and probably drive me to and from practice and games because those 'lunk heads' will do their best to drive me off, and they're jocks, it won't take long until they turn physical and I hate hospital."
Loud noises crash from the locker room behind us and Beiste gets up to see what it is, she closes the door and I settle back to see Tanner glaring at me. "Kid, I don't like your faggy little ass but I need you on my team, if that means I have to protect you and your fairy girlfriend I'll do it. But you've chosen to be gay, deal with the shit you're gonna have slung at you, don't whine about it, or else change back and be straight, be a proper man, until then I will have you on the hockey team one way or another."
Glancing at the door behind me he carries on, "She's managed to turn her team around, she's gonna win the Championship again this year and I'm fucked if my team is gonna be last again. People here owe me a hell of a lot of favours Karofsky, I can destroy you and that bitch you're seeing. Oh and I got a jump on the rumours as to why you eye is all," he waves his finger at his face.
"Not only are you a fucking queer but a frigid one too, do you even know how to use your junk like a man? Don't answer that, I don't wanna know, so you are joining my hockey team and I will make the guys leave you alone, if that means I can kick 'em out, fantastic, but I will not accept total failure anymore," when he leans forward it's very threatening, "I also know a lot of coaches in colleges all round the country, imagine how easy it would be for me to torpedo college applications…"
Shit.
He's a total piece of fucking work. And he has the juice to hurt Kurt and his future. Bastard, and there's nothing I can do because the asshole's setting himself up as wanting to help the poor little gay kid.
God does NYADA even have a sports team? I don't know but what if he knows a teacher there, or he writes a bad review for Kurt? What the hell am I supposed to do now?
"Do we understand each other?" He growls.
Double shit.
I have to stall him, and agreeing shouldn't hurt Kurt, after all once I hang myself this asshole's on his own. Hmm maybe I can talk to coach Sylvester she has a sweet spot for Kurt.
"Yes," I say clearly and hope to god I can survive this long enough.
"Good," he crosses his arms, "I've looked up the Glee kids schedule and Shannon's helped me come up with new training times for you and your team," he hands me a slip of paper, and yep I can do booty camp with days and evenings to spare to do hockey.
Awesome.
I hate my life so fucking much.
The very last thing he does before he lets me go is hand me a letterman, "Welcome back to being a jock Karofsky, try not to be too gay and girly while you wear it, I don't what the image ruined."
Stumbling out of the office I flee the locker room and finally find that classroom to hide in. "Fuck," I swear and wonder how I'm supposed to get out of wearing the jacket.
Last year it was my armour, it didn't matter what else I wore I had to have the jacket, as long as I had it I was safe, invincible, nothing could touch me. And I could hide behind it as I threw Kurt about, as I hurt him, as I frightened and terrified him into changing schools because I was some out of control monster.
Touching my face I wince at the stab of pain and then I do it again, it felt good in a sick way, does that make me sick too? Christ can my life get anymore fucked up than it already is? And I know the answer is yes, in some way my life can be more of a screwed up mess.
The bell rings scaring the crap outta me and I have to leave the safety of the classroom for the jungle of the halls. Wading through the kids I'm not thinking as I go to my locker.
"David," oh fuck it's Kurt, "What are you doing with that jacket?" He's glaring at the rolled up letterman in my hand.
Shit I was gonna stuff it in my locker and hope it vanished, "Um, I kinda joined the hockey team, I'm kind of a jock again," if anything he glares harder at it and then at me.
"David I do not have nice memories of you in that hideous fashion fatality jovially called a jacket, and why did you join the hockey team? You said you were going to concentrate on your grades," his chin comes up and I know I'm in serious trouble now. "David I have been trying to talk to you since last night," he flushes and looks down, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have assumed you were interested in doing that with me, and I want to apologise to you and I do not appreciate your suggestion of Puckerman."
Huffing he glares at the jacket again, "I sincerely hope you aren't intending to wear that monstrosity and I'll see you later in booty camp," storming off in a way only true Glee kids can, and I count idiots like Hudson in that camp, he rounds the corner and I'm left standing at my locker wondering what the hell that was about.
Are we still dating?
"Yo Karofsky, guess you just beat Hummel to the title of ice queen," someone jokes loudly and the whole corridor sniggers as ice cold slushy hits my face.
Fuck. My. Life.
Pushing my jacket into my locker I have to duck into the boys' toilets to wash my face and most of my hair. Short and unstyled is so easy to look after. In class I concentrate on notes and when the teacher asks a question I deliberately put my hand up and then answer it as fully as I can, she hated me before I came out, he hates me more now and she grits her teeth as she compliments me.
At the end of the afternoon I find Kurt standing by my locker again, shit, I was hoping I'd hallucinated him earlier and I hunch up my shoulders as I get closer. He eyes me up and then smiles, "I see you ditched the jacket, I appreciate it David, I'm sorry I blew up on you, only I really hate the jacket, it's taken me a while but I've badgered the other boys into not wearing theirs. Forgive me?"
"Sure," but now I can't open my locker or he'll see the jacket.
We stand there awkwardly and then he looks at my locker, "Aren't you going to get your things?"
"Um, no. Not while you're standing there, the jacket's in there and I don't want to upset you," I huff and look away.
"I think I can survive the trauma as you stuff the jacket into the bottom of your bag David, and thank you, for thinking of me," he smiles gently and I take him at his word. Opening my locker I do just that and try to hide it at the bottom of my bag.
"Done," I close my locker.
"Walk with me to booty camp?" He asks and seems shy.
"Okay," guess he's not that upset with me if he wants to go there together.
Moving off we walk in silence and then he clears his throat as we get close to the auditorium, reaching out he stops us and we have some privacy as no one else is around.
"About last night," he hums and shifts his weight, "I'm sorry I jumped you like that, I should have asked first, it's just you've been saying things and I must have misread the signals you were giving. But that's no excuse and I want to apologise to you properly," he holds his hand out to me.
"Um… What?" I'm confused.
"David I'm apologising for pushing my attentions on you when you're not interested or attracted to me in me that way…" He's flushing and his eyes are getting red like he's gonna cry.
"What the hell? Dude you're fucking gorgeous why wouldn't I be attracted to you?" Oh shit I'm doing it again.
"I don't understand," he frowns, "Why did you say no and push me away?"
Holy crap this is seriously embarrassing, "Um… I've never…" I blurt it out in one go, "You're the only guy I've ever kissed."
"Oh!" Kurt going all bug eyed is kinda funny and cute. "Oh David I am so sorry," he steps closer, "I shouldn't have pushed you like that." Taking my hand in his he squeezes it gently, "I'll talk to dad, I'm currently grounded for jumping you anyway…"
"Huh?" Now I'm confused.
"After you escaped the mayhem last night, I had to explain what had happened and dad stopped being mad at you for getting all handsy with me and now he's mad at me for getting all handsy with you." Kurt's face is bright red, "And we had a little talk about respecting yourself and your partner, to not push boundaries, and I'm grounded for a week. Dad wants to apologise to you for punching you, and we're banned from my bedroom for a few days."
"Oh…" Kurt's dad wants to apologise to me? Why?
"So I'll talk to dad and he'll probably increase the time I'm grounded for and I'll miss the sale I want to go to but I don't care. I promise I will not do that to you again. Are you opposed to cuddling with the occasional kiss?" He gazes up and me and all I'm hearing is kissing him and being close.
"That's fine," I think, oh god, what the hell am I agreeing too?
"Yes," he dances on the spot, "Thank you David, you won't regret this."
"'Kay," I let him tug on my hand and lead me to the hell that is booty camp.
With the rumours of me being frigid and refusing to put out for Kurt circling the school I'm unsurprised when Sebastian sneers at me and makes fun of me. Tripping over a dance move I land flat on my face.
The auditorium explodes into laughter and I really don't want to get up and carry on. "David, come on," Mr Schue moves over to me, "Try it again but without the falling down," he smiles and I resist the urge to punch him, last year he was nice and encouraged me, now he only wants in Miss P's pants and a National trophy. He and Coach S should hang out more they're a match made in hell.
Getting to my feet I check my watch, not long and I can escape to go babysitting.
"Okay from the top people," Mr Schue claps his hands and I groan inwardly as I try all over again and then in exactly the same place I go down like a frecking rhino.
Swaggering over to me Sebastian Smythe peers down, "Oh what's the matter Karofsky? Your tiny little brain can't cope with the easy choreography? Or maybe it's the fact you're too fat and chubby to dance, I told you once you needed to lose weight. But hey at least you got Blaine's cast off that gay face twink, and you two ice queens can freeze each other's balls off."
Rising to my feet I scowl at the boy in front of me, "What the hell did you just call him?" How fucking dare he pick on Kurt!
"Are you deaf as well as stupid?" He pulls himself up and blisters off some words about Kurt and how his fashion sense is better suited to something but now I'm seeing red.
Grabbing Sebastian's shirt I lift him off his feet with one hand, guess all those gym visits have paid off, "I'm only going to tell you this once, you do not ever disrespect him," I rattle the kid slightly from side to side. "He's faced up and overcome so much more than you'll ever have to face you fucking piece of shit. He's worth thousands of you. He's the strongest, sweetest, nicest, bitchest, snarkist, prettiest guy I've ever met." I pull Sebastian closer to me and bite out, "You do not talk about or to him like that, ever."
"Or what?" The kid squirms in my grasp but I'm far stronger than him.
Or what? Damn good question and I let my full on scowl out while I think, ow that caught my eye again. And there is the perfect answer.
I know I have an evil face and I don't hold it back, some of my former victims actually step back, "Kurt's too nice sometimes, he tries to be friends with people, to get a long. I'm a nasty fucking bastard Sebastian and I am more than happy to tell his dad what you call Kurt."
Gasps fill the auditorium and a few of the Glee kids look impressed.
"Now don't get me wrong, Kurt's more than capable of dealing with a useless piece of trash like you, but there's no way in hell I am gonna stand there and let you put him down like that, the point of being his boyfriend is to have his back and support him," showing off a bit I sorta throw the lanky brat a few feet from me and he stumbles to fall flat on his ass.
Blaine drifts over to him but he's looking really guilty for some reason and Smythe is not happy with him in the slightest.
Kurt drifts over to me and touches my hand, "Thank you David, for defending me, you're right I can do it myself," he sighs and steps closer, "But it's nice to have someone step up and help me for once."
Mr Schue makes us do the routine again and I'm riding high on making Kurt smile for once, when we reach that point and I stumble hitting the stage with a very loud thump.
Fuck my life.
A/N: Sorry for any and all mistakes, I've tried to catch those I could, but I'm only human.
Hi, some of you have asked so I will clarify, yes Kurt and Dave did start dating at the end of summer as Kurt wanted Blaine back… As you may have noticed Kurt's priorities appear to be changing, perhaps Dave should stop being such a naturally good boyfriend (or not).
