Disclaimer: I do NOT own rights to any of the characters from Glee. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: As per every other chapter thus far, there are Season Two spoilers – but then if you've read everything up til now then you probably don't care about that.

Thank you to all of you for your reviews on the story thus far, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm now recovering a little from my food poisoning freak-out but I'm signed off work until Thursday of next week just to be sure I'm better. All that means is that I have loads of extra time to focus on writing my three – count 'em – three active stories!

Special thanks to Maxari for giving me a boost when I got a little stuck on where to take this story – his assistance means I'll be moving from Chapter Nine to writing Chapter Ten immediately. You're a star! XD

"An Unlikely Angel" by The Jellybaby Bandit

Chapter Nine


'The atmosphere was electric...'

'You could cut the atmosphere with a knife...'

Puck had never understood the meaning of those phrases before. How exactly were you supposed to cut atmosphere with a knife? How did you know that an atmosphere was electric without getting electrocuted and ending up in the hospital?

Both questions however had been answered for the jock during the course of that evening.

Dinner had been a quiet affair – both he and Kurt had kept their eyes down and fixed on their plates as they'd eaten. Neither had found the desire to address the elephant in the room, only occasionally speaking at the same time, or as part of the same conversation when prompted by a question from Sarah.

Puck could tell from Kurt's white knuckled grip on the wheel of the Navigator as they drove home, that the brunette was just as affected by what had passed between them in the kitchen as the half-back himself was.

As they had both been saying their goodbyes to Sarah, Puck hadn't missed the look of apprehension in Kurt's eyes as the little girl had wished them fun playing 'Mommies and Daddies'.

And now they were on their way through the blizzards yet again towards Kurt's house where they'd most likely end up snowed in and living in close confines for the next however many days.

The sun was just dipping beneath the horizon and the blizzard was showing no signs of letting up any. Massive snowdrifts could be seen littering the side-walks and though Puck could see the evidence of the snowploughs having been at work, the roads were becoming more and more treacherous.

"I must be bat-shit crazy...", mumbled the half-back.

"What?"

Puck started when Kurt replied to him and realised he'd spoken aloud instead of maintaining his internal monologue. Glancing at the driving teen, Puck could see the strain of everything the brunette was facing painted clearly on his face for all to see.

"Nothing."

"..."


The silence dragged out between the pair as Kurt concentrated on driving and making sure that he kept the Navigator on the road. Determined that he was not going to get stuck in an uncomfortable conversation with Noah, Kurt turned the volume up on the radio.

"This is KACL 780 – on the air come rain, shine or white-out. Now a request from 'Lovestruck' in our very own Lima, Ohio who asks – 'Jerry, could you please play something by the King for my boyfriend Lawler who I love very much'... Well 'Lovestruck', how about this?"

Kurt cringed as the first strains of music drifted out of the Navigator's sound system. Of all the songs in all of creation Kurt had to turn the volume up just as the DJ chose that one! If the brunette were to turn the volume back down again, Noah was sure to notice given that Kurt had made no secret of the fact that he had turned the volume up to prevent any further conversation.

'Shit shit shit shit shit...'

"Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be..."

Kurt kept his eyes fixedly on the road ahead of him as he prayed for some kind of electrical short that would knock out the radio and spare him the torture of listening to the remainder of the song. Sadly his Dad's service of the Navigator before he was taken ill meant the chances of anything going wrong were remote.

"Take my hand
Take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be

Take my hand
Take my whole, life too
For I can't help falling in love with you
For I can't help falling in love with you..."

The second that Elvis' voice had faded away and the song had finished playing, Kurt could take no more. Reaching out blindly, the brunette mashed the keypad on the stereo and sighed as one of his digits must have connected with the power button as silence returned to the inside of the Navigator.

Kurt turned his attention back to the road and tried to ignore the presence of the half-back in the seat next to him. Thankfully the weather was becoming severe enough that Kurt did not have to pretend to have to give keeping them on the road his top priority – it was wild on the other side of the glass.

As if to punctuate his observation, the Navigator hit a particularly slippy patch of road at that second and Kurt was forced to take hurried remedial action to prevent them from fishtailing into a parked car.

"This is stupid!"

The sound of Noah's voice seemed to stir a latent anger and resentment within Kurt, as the brunette glared at the jock and snapped,

"I'm sorry I'm not a perfect driver, Noah! In case you haven't noticed there's a blizzard at the moment!"

Noah's expression showed shock at the level of anger in Kurt's tone of voice before that morphed into anger of his own as the jock snapped right back at him,

"No. Not that...", Kurt didn't let up any on his glare, if Noah wanted a fight he'd give him one, "... This. Us."

Kurt's stomach did a back flip at what Noah was suggesting - the brunette really didn't want to talk about it though – not now and preferably not ever.

"There is no us...", hissed the brunette with venom.

Despite his anger, Kurt felt truly awful a second later as Noah's eyes seemed to lose a little of their sparkle and the jock snapped his jaw shut with an audible click.

Neither boy spoke again for the remainder of the journey.


As Kurt forced the Navigator up the drive and pressed the clicker on the dash for the garage doors his heart dropped.

"Shit!"

Kurt slammed his fists against the wheel in anger, as he watched the garage door attempt to open before it appeared to get caught in the snowdrift before it could open properly.

'Why won't anything go right for a change?'

Before the brunette could do anything, a gust of cold air distracted him and he turned to see the back of Noah's jacket, as the jock climbed out into the storm.

"Yeah that's right Noah, just leave me here!", shouted Kurt as the door slammed shut leaving him feeling foolish for shouting in an empty car and staring out into a blanket of white.

"... stupid jock.. leave me here...", grumbled Kurt as he tried to work up the nerve to get out and go try to clear away enough snow to get the garage door open.

It was just like Puck to see to himself and leave him to struggle with the garage door – Kurt was an idiot for thinking that the half-back could ever really change.

'Back to Puck is it?'

Kurt squashed the annoying commentary from his conscience and the feeling in the pit of his stomach that tried to point out to him that his anger was being aimed at the wrong person. He was angry at the jock for forcing him to like him against his will. If Puck had just minded his own business, Kurt could have gone on as normal and wouldn't now have to admit to himself that he was attracted to Noah Puckerman.

'Crap...'

Kurt dropped his head onto the wheel and groaned as his anger bled away leaving behind an emotionally exhausted teenager.

"Why me?...", Kurt asked nobody in particular and was not surprised when no answer was forthcoming.

A loud knocking on the drivers side window caused Kurt to jump in shock and inadvertently hit the horn letting out a loud 'parp'.

Fumbling with the controls, Kurt rested his thumb on the button for the driver's side window and waited as the glass inched its way down to reveal the snow encrusted face of the half-back.

'He didn't leave...'

"It's not the snow stopping the door opening – there's no power. I think the whole street is out...", shouted the jock over the howling of the wind.

Kurt suddenly felt terrible for having shouted at Noah for leaving – the jock had promised that he'd stick around for as long as his Dad was in the hospital – it was just, hard sometimes for Kurt to accept that he didn't have to be alone in this.

'I need to stop trying to push Noah away... regardless of my feelings...'

Nodding Kurt pressed the button and the window retraced it steps before Kurt killed the engine and pulled the keys from the ignition. Before the brunette could grab the handle the door was opened from the outside by the waiting Noah.

The brunette pulled his hat down over his eyes and turned his collar up as he hopped from the Navigator, grimacing as his feet sank into the cold mush of the driveway.

'Another pair of shoes ruined no doubt...'

"Come on – let's get inside!"

Noah was clearly shouting however Kurt could barely make the jock's voice out over the maelstrom around them. The brunette went to take a step and lost his footing on the slippery surface and again felt Noah's strong arm wrap around his waist and catch him before he could fall.

Kurt's breath caught in his throat as he felt himself being pulled backwards to lean against Noah's chest. A ghost of warm air, something Kurt hadn't expected brushed over the tip of his ear a second before Noah's deep voice whispered,

"Easy Hummel... don't want to ruin those pretty clothes now..."

Kurt's heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest as Noah nudged the the brunette from behind to start moving. Just like before the larger boy shadowed Kurt and protected him from the worst that the storm could throw at them.


While he'd been sitting in silence in the Navigator after their mini-argument, Puck had been thinking.

About Kurt.

And about his life in general.

It was clear to Puck now that something about Kurt called out to him. Ever since the brunette's Dad had been taken into hospital -

'No. That's not true...'

It had started earlier than that – over a year earlier in fact.

Ever since Kurt had joined Glee club, Puck had started to see the soprano in a different light. Before Glee, Puck had picked on Kurt simply for being who he was. As cruel as that sounded now, the jock knew that it was never meant as anything personal against Kurt – it was just with Kurt being who and what he was – he made himself an easy target.

It wasn't a pretty truth but it couldn't be denied.

'Doesn't feel so good now you could be a fag to huh?'

Puck ignored the sarcastic comments his conscience was flooding him with at that moment in favour of keeping to his train of thought.

Being involved with Glee club had allowed Puck to see Kurt as Kurt and not just solely as the gay kid that he and the other jocks tossed in the dumpster each morning.

Kurt was – Kurt was a million different things, Puck realised. Kurt was made of up all these little itty-bitty parts like a million different facets on a diamond. Kurt Hummel was just like an expensive jewel.

'Shit Puckerman you sound like a chick...'

What Puck meant was, Kurt was complicated. Much more complicated that anyone seemed to have appreciated – even him. Puck suspected that even Aretha had only just scratched the surface and had never truly met the real Kurt Hummel.

Seeing Kurt in pain however, seeing the soprano with his defences down as he had cried over his Dad's prone body – Puck had seen past the mask to the real Kurt Hummel – and something about the real Kurt Hummel called out to Puck to protect him at all cost.

That was why by the time Kurt had pulled the Navigator into the drive at his house, Puck had let go of his anger at the brunette's earlier harsh words. Whether there was an 'us' or not was a discussion for another time. For now, Kurt needed Puck's support – and so Puck would provide it.

Puck had been all ready to hop out of the Navigator in the sheltered environs of the garage when Kurt had slammed his fists into the wheel and sworn. Having peered out of the windshield it was obvious what was wrong.

So he'd gone to fix it.

Puck had heard Kurt shouting something as he'd stepped out into the storm, however the wind carried his words away before they could register.

'If it was important he'll tell me again...'

Reaching the garage door, it quickly became apparent that it wasn't stuck in any way, it was just that there was no power going to the motor. Puck trudged his way down the drive to the street and stood directly under a street light.

'Nothing... must be a power cut...'

The jock retraced his steps up to the Navigator's driver's side and rapped solidly on the window.

A loud blaring from the horn caught Puck off guard as he jumped backwards in surprise and fell into the boundary hedge between the Hummel's and the house next door.

"Shit!..."

Puck grumbled as he clambered unsteadily back to his feet just as the window on the Navigator began to descend.

'Please don't let Kurt have seen that...'

Thankfully, one positive thing about the weather was that it hid Puck's indiscretion and so it appeared Kurt hadn't seen his unscheduled visit into next door's garden. Puck shouted over the wind about the power being down and saw Kurt nod in understanding.

Kurt had hopped out of the Navigator without a further word and Puck had begun to look forward to getting inside and into some warm and dry clothing.

The instinct to reach out and grab Kurt before he could fall, had Puck responding before he realised the compromising position he would be putting them both in. Especially considering what had happened back at his apartment.

Still – if he was going to seriously explore whatever his was with Kurt – he had to start somewhere.

Puck's mouth then decided that it wanted to take a slight detour away from what his brain had prepared for it to say as he had whispered into Kurt's ear about keeping his clothes looking pretty.

As the jock tried to puzzle out exactly what had motivated him to want to say that he realised. It wasn't unusual for Puck to whisper sweet nothings into a chick's ear when he wanted into her pants.

'You're totally going gay for Hummel...'

"Ah shit..."


Kurt looked up in concern at Noah's exclamation, twisting his body to as to be able to look the jock in the eye.

"Noah?"

'Shit...think of an excuse...'

"Stubbed my toe...", explained the jock hurriedly covering for his outburst, "... must be a rock or somethin'..."


Kurt nodded absently and turned his attention back to getting into the house – and from preventing himself from fixating any longer on the dimple in Noah's chin that Kurt just wanted to nibble on.

'Oh this is so not good...'

Because the urge was there.

Really there.

And it scared Kurt a little just how strong the urge was.

Just a day earlier Kurt had never even entertained the thought that he might become attracted to Noah Puckerman. Hell even just six hours earlier, if anyone had asked, Kurt would have sworn until he turned blue in the face, that if he'd was even to try to pull something on the jock, the likes of which his imagination was currently conjuring, he'd have ended up beaten down so badly the soprano would likely never be able to hit on another guy again.

And that would just be tragic.

'Uh- hello? Have you seen my ass?'

"Uh – is that a trick question?", asked a confused Puck as they climbed the steps to the porch and the added shelter meant being heard didn't require shouting anymore.

Kurt blushed despite the freezing temperature as he hurriedly slammed his keys into the lock and opened the door.

"Just... just... ugh!"

'This is going to be Hell...'


Puck however was left wondering what the Hell he'd done as Kurt practically sprinted away from him and down the dimly lit hallway.

Sighing to himself, Puck decided to cut the kid a break and leave him alone for a few minutes.

'We could both do with a chance to cool off...'

Puck smirked at his joke considering that the Hummel house was colder than an ice-box in Hell on the day Hell froze over. Deciding to test his theory about the power outage, Puck slapped his hand against the light switch and nodded to himself thoughtfully as nothing happened.

"Yup... power's out...", the jock mumbled to himself.

A thump from down the hall drew the half-back's attention before Kurt's high pitched yelp pierced the silence,

"Kurt?"

Before Puck realised what was happening, the jock was making his way down the hallway in the direction of the kitchen.

'Kurt calls – you run – damn you're whipped...'

Puck squashed the annoying soundtrack that seemed to have developed in his head. Maybe that was it though? Maybe he'd had some kind of psychotic episode? Maybe he was locked up in a rubber room at some psych hospital and this whole being hot for Hummel thing was a drug induced delusion?

"Ow..."

Puck stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and leant against the door jamb as he looked down at the smaller boy.

"What's up? Or down? Or whatever?", Puck quipped with a smirk.

From his position sitting on the floor and rubbing his elbow, Kurt glared at the jock causing Puck to chuckle. Taking pity on the smaller boy, Puck offered his hand to the brunette and smiled as Kurt accepted.

'Maybe this will be OK after all...'


"Power's out...", grumbled Kurt as he glared at the leg of the chair which he'd failed to see in the gloom.

"Yup... heating too...", said Puck as he blew into his hands which felt like ice.

Kurt paused for a second before a bright smile lit up his face.

"What?", asked the jock warily.

"I know where we can find a heater!"

"You do?", asked Puck before hastily adding an addendum, "... it better not be back out in the storm!"

Kurt ignored the jock in favour of finalising the plan blossoming in his mind. If he and Noah took the old heater from his Dad's hunting gear, they could set it up in the basement. The more Kurt thought about it the more excited he got – his Dad's gear had gas powered cooking equipment too, which meant they wouldn't have to go hungry either.

'I am gooood...'


When Kurt had finally, after weeks of niggling from his Dad, announced what he wanted for his thirteenth birthday – a space of his own in the basement – his Dad had been reluctant to agree. After all what self-respecting parent allows their thirteen year old son the entire basement level for a bedroom – let alone the ability to lock the bedroom from the inside?

However Kurt's relationship with his Dad had always been one of logical reasoning. If his Dad said no to something, it was because he wanted Kurt to persuade him of the merits of the argument. And over the years Kurt had become very skilled at setting out and winning any argument.

'I wonder why I never joined the Debate club? Oh yeah – Debate club was run by creepy Mr Karlsson...'

Kurt shuddered at the thought.

The point was – when his Dad had finally been persuaded to allow Kurt the basement – he'd had it properly fitted out. That included enough wall cavity insulation to ensure that the brunette's bedroom remained cosy no matter the weather conditions outside.

Of course – that was before the power went out and the heating went off – but with the heater in the basement, at least that room would hold the heat in better than anywhere else in the house.

"Follow me..."

Without thinking, Kurt snatched up Noah's hand and began dragging the jock through the house in the direction of his Dad's study.


Puck's throat closed tight as Kurt dragged him bodily through the house and up the stairs. The feeling of electricity passing up his arm was just as strong this time as it had been back at his apartment.

Kurt however appeared to be immune to the sensation, most likely because he'd become consumed by his mission.

"Woah... easy Kurt – ", the jock pulled back gently on the brunette and slowed his pace a little as they reached the first floor landing, "... I have things I need my wrist for y'know... not often but sometimes..."

Puck could have kicked himself a moment later as Kurt ducked his head sheepishly realising the position he was in and dropped the half-back's hand entirely.

"Uh – yeah so – heater?", said Puck suddenly fighting the urge to tilt the brunette's head up and press his lips against Kurt's.

Kurt took a shuddering breath before he straightened up, his eyes shining with renewed determination.

"Yeah... c'mon!"

Puck chuckled at the brunette's sudden mood swing as Kurt hared off in the direction of the room at the end of the hallway.

Following Kurt at a more sedate speed, Puck stood in the doorway and just watched as Kurt tried to find his Dad's old camping gear.

"C'mon... it's gotta be in here somewhere...", Kurt was on his knees beside an old travelling trunk as he dug around inside, the contents rattling as they were shifted around.

"What's with the wizard's trunk, Harry Potter?", quipped Puck in a dreadful mockery of a Malfoy-esque British accent.

"Hush you and help me look...", said Kurt throwing an old alarm clock back into the trunk before slamming the lid, "... unless it's..."

Kurt got back to his feet and crossed the room coming to a stop beside a cabinet under the window.

Puck was about to ask where to look when Kurt bent at the waist and pulled open the bottom drawer.

'Holy crap...'

Puck's breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight of Kurt's tight trousers stretching tauntingly over what appeared to be the firmest globes of ass the half-back had ever seen.

'Crap... I'm definitely hot for Hummel...'

Puck coughed as he surreptitiously reached down to readjust his cock, which had taken a sudden interest in trying to force it's way out of the jock's pants. Closing his eyes Puck pictured Quinn giving birth and sighed in relief as his cock reacted and swiftly began to soften.

The jock had just enough time to open his eyes and adopt a nonchalant pose before Kurt's exclamation filled the air. His breathing however and the fact that his heart was beating a mile a minute the jock couldn't do anything about.

"Found it!"


Kurt hauled the heavy bag out of the drawer and heaved it onto the bed where it bounced a moment before settling.

Turning to the jock with a look of triumph on his face, Kurt blew one of his bangs out of his eyes and smiled.

"My Dad used to use this when he went night fishing... it's gas powered."

Kurt's smile dropped slightly as he took in Puck's cool expression, suddenly feeling stupid for reasons he didn't quite understand.

"I mean... it's not much but..."

Puck cursed himself blue internally as Kurt's smile fade at his lack of response. Smiling warmly, Puck entered the room and crossed to the bed to inspect Kurt's prize,

"It's perfect."

Kurt's shy smile was exactly the reward that Puck had hoped for as he hefted the bag onto his shoulder without another word and turned to the door.

"W-where are you going?", Kurt's voice was unsure and confused as he stood looking a little lost boy in the middle of the room.

Puck stopped in the doorway as he turned around, wincing as the bag connected with the door jamb, momentarily knocking the jock off balance.

"Basement – I figured that's where you'd want this set up right?"

Kurt smiled as he nodded and Puck returned the smile with an ease he'd never have imagined just a few short days earlier.

"Well – I'll play Daddy and get this all set up...", Kurt blushed at the reference and Puck chuckled, "... and you can find the cooking stuff and make us dinner like a good Mommy."

As Puck swiftly descended the stairs with the bag securely over his shoulder, he chuckled at as he heard Kurt's grumbling, coupled with the sound of yet more drawers being opened and closed in search of the cookery gear.


"Oh come on!"

Kurt rolled his eyes as he descended the basement stairs, the bag of camping equipment held out in front of him like it might bite him – or worse – stain his clothes.

"What's wrong Noah? Can't the big bad jock make the itty-bitty heating machine work?"

Puck growled as he threw down the instruction sheet on the floor and sat back crossing his arms.

"Stuff it, we'll just have to freeze to death!"

Kurt set down the dusty and dirt encrusted bag filled with camping equipment and put his hands on his hips.

"And to think they call me the drama queen..."

Kurt crossed the room and bent over to retrieve the instruction sheet before glancing at the jock as Noah made a strange noise in the back of his throat.

'Was... was Noah checking me out?'

Deciding to set the question aside in favour of feeling something other than the impenetrable cold, Kurt quickly skimmed over the outlined steps,

"Seems simple enough...", Kurt mumbled to himself as he picked up the first two sections and effortlessly put them together.

"Simple? Try sadistic...", Puck held out his hand as if in evidence and Kurt snorted seeing the red welts on the jock's skin.

"Awww... poor Noah... want me to kiss it better?"

Kurt didn't have to wait for a response from the half-back as he had quite remarkably managed to psyche himself out and found himself stuttering and blushing profusely.

Ignoring the gaze of the jock, which if Kurt didn't know any better he would have classed as 'predatory', the brunette went back to studying the diagrams on the page in front of him. Attaching the gas tank and fitting it into his clamps, Kurt shuffled up onto his knees as he stood the heater upright.

"There – just the back plate and then it's ready. I don't know what you had a problem with Noah, it was all there in the instructions."

Puck grumbled and rubbed at his sore hand as he replied,

"I'm more of a tab 'A' in slot 'B' kinda guy...", Kurt rolled his eyes at the jock's complete lack of DIY ability, "... or slot 'C' if the chick is dirty..."

Kurt choked on his own spit as the true meaning of Puck's words sunk in and the jock chuckled loudly. However as they did and the brunette's choking died away, it left behind a painful hole in Kurt's chest.

'Chick... I was stupid to think Noah could like me...'


Puck wasn't sure what exactly he'd done to upset the brunette – but it was clear from the way that Kurt's mood changed like someone had flipped a switch that he'd done something.

'You could apologise...', suggested his annoying inner monologue that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

'Apologise for what?'

Puck shook his head in disbelief at his own thought process – he was arguing with himself!

'And losing...'

The jock got to his feet and picked up the final piece to the heater, carrying it over to stand beside the kneeling soprano as Kurt motioned to the grooves,

"Just slide it in there... it might be a little tight but just keep at it and it'll fit..."

Puck smirked devilishly at the brunette as he did as instructed and noted that the backplate did stick a little on the way in,

"That what you tell all the cute guys, Hummel?..."

Kurt squeaked at his unintentional double entendre and Puck wondered how exactly the soprano could be cold with that much blood clearly heating his face.

"If it was – why would I tell you?"

Puck finished sliding the backplate into position as he stood and rubbed his chin thoughtfully,

"True I suppose..."

'Wait for it...'

A second turned into two before a smug expression spread across Kurt's face at his apparent victory.

"I am more devilishly handsome, don't you think?"

Puck chuckled as Kurt's blush returned even as the brunette got to his feet and tried to brush him off.

Sobering slightly, Puck looked at the now assembled heater. The temperature in the basement wasn't half as bad as the jock had expected – Kurt must have had some serious work done to insulate the place before converting it to a bedroom – even so, Puck thought it might be nice to be able to feel his fingers again.

"Well – switch it on then..."

Kurt grumbled under his breath about taking orders from jock's as he stooped down, arching his back and leaving his ass wiggling in the air as he turned the nozzle to on, and pressed the pilot light.

Puck meanwhile took the opportunity to admire the view – Kurt really did have a killer ass – it was right up there with Santana.

'How did I never notice before?'

Oh right – because he wasn't gay or bi or whatever he was before. Puck sighed as he realised his life had become so much more complicated than it used to be.

The hiss of gas met the click of the pilot light before the heater kicked into life and Puck signed once again – this time in relief – as he basked in the sudden heat being generated no more than six inches from his skin.

"Quit Bogarting the heat..."

From his position on his knees, Kurt's hip connected with Puck's calf knocking the jock a little to the right. Puck aimed a soft-glare at the brunette which Kurt matched with a smirk as he curled himself up like a cat in front of the fire.

Deciding once again to cut Kurt a break – something that Puck found he was doing more and more frequently – the jock decided to investigate the muddy bag that Kurt claimed contained the equipment to make their dinner.

Puck dragged the bag across to sit beside the fire as he unzipped it and began to examine the contents.

"... carpet needed broken in anyway...", muttered Puck as he studiously ignored the horrified and affronted look on Kurt's face as a result of the muddy smear now adorning his pristine white carpet.

"Y-you... you... you..."

"M-me... me... me...", parroted Puck before shaking his head, "... woah, de ja vu... ow!"

Puck rubbed his arm where Kurt had finally had enough of his wisecracking and had smacked him quite solidly.

"What the Hell, Hummel?"

Kurt ignored the jock's pouting and sulking in favour of peering into the bag and withdrawing the single hob burner.

"Great...", drolled Puck as he realised the limitations in only being able to heat one thing at a time, "... more beans?"

A giggle escaped Kurt's tightly pursed lips as he replied with a smile,

"I'm all out of authentic frontier gibberish..."

"Hell yeah!", chuckled Puck as he stretched out his legs and leaned back against the side of the bed, "... so what we eating Mommy?"

Kurt scowled at the nickname – somehow knowing that it wasn't going away anytime soon – as he thought about it. With a single hob, Noah was right – cooking anything complicated really wasn't an option.

"Uh – how bout some soup to warm us up?", Puck shrugged at the same time as his stomach rumbled ominously causing Kurt to giggle again, "... you had stir fry less than ninety minutes ago – how can you possibly be that hungry?"

Puck scoffed at the brunette as he stretched his hands above his head, his tee riding up to expose the bronze abs just visible above the jock's pants.

"What can I say? Being this sexy burns up calories..."

Kurt rolled his eyes as he got up off his knees and brushed his trousers down.

"Yeah right – keep telling yourself that Noah – it'll make the rejection easier..."

"Ain't nobody rejected me once they've seen Puckzilla..."

Puck grabbed his junk with one hand and jiggled it as if to punctuate his statement. Kurt squeaked and averted his eyes before the soprano took flight up the basement stairs,

"Gross!"

Puck's laughter echoed in Kurt's ears.


Their before bed supper was a meagre affair as Kurt cooked up a batch of vegetable soup which they each devoured quietly with some saltine crackers.

Puck remained quiet mostly because he was starving – but also because he didn't know what to say – there was an elephant in the room and neither he nor Kurt seemed to want to address it.

The jock's spoon clinked as he set it down inside his now empty bowl which he sat on the carpet beside him.

"That was good...", said Puck as he patted his swollen belly and smiled lazily at the brunette.

The little heater that could was working overtime trying to raise the temperature above frigid, but even so the basement was a lot of floorspace for one heater to cover.

'Won't be sleeping naked tonight that's for sure...'

"It's not exactly haute cuisine..."

Puck wrinkled his brow as he stared at Kurt,

"I have no idea what that means...", the half-back admitted with a sheepish look on his face.

Kurt smiled softly as he scooped up the last of his soup with his last cracker before popping it into his mouth,

"It's not fancy but it filled a hole..."

Puck nodded as he let his head drop back and closed his eyes.


The jock had no idea whether he had only just closed his eyes or had been asleep for several minutes when Kurt's voice permeated his consciousness,

"Noah?"

Puck didn't bother opening his eyes as his eyelids felt like someone had attached little lead weights to each of his eyelashes.

"Uh huh?"

A few seconds passed where Puck could hear Kurt's steady, soft breathing and hushed muttering. The jock was about to press Kurt to say whatever it was he wanted when the brunette did, his voice small, soft and vulnerable,

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier..."

Puck cracked open a single eye – an act which took effort of Herculean proportions – and looked at the soprano.

"It's about time!...", exclaimed the jock, "... I knew you were lying when you said I wasn't sexy!"

Kurt's sombre expression cracked for a moment as the brunette giggled before becoming serious once again,

"No – you're still not sexy – about the whole 'us' thing..."

Puck opened a second eye and pushed himself up into a sitting position, drawing his legs up protectively to his chest,

"So we're going to do this now huh?"

Kurt swallowed pronouncedly as Puck waited – if Kurt wanted to do this then he was going to make the first move.

"I uh...", Kurt paused and growled softly as the right words seemed to escape him, "... I felt something."

Puck didn't have to ask what as he knew what Kurt was talking about.

"Yeah – I felt it too..."

The jock snorted in amusement at the shell-shocked expression on Kurt's face at the admission before Kurt's eyes switched and seemed to show fear.

"I uh – I don't...", a single tear escaped Kurt and tracked down his cheek.

Puck had to hold himself back from going to comfort the brunette instinctively knowing that he had to keep himself in check if they were going to resolve anything. The jock settled instead for a verbal reassurance,

"It's OK."

Kurt looked up at Puck again, tears in his eyes as he shook his head from side to side,

"No it's not. I shouldn't -...", Kurt's breath hitched and he took a steadying breath, "... I don't want..."

The brunette broke off from his explanation as his face crumpled and he quickly hid himself behind both hands, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed silently.

Puck's stomach felt like he'd just swallowed a brick – at least in a way, Kurt's declaration made things simpler – if Kurt didn't want him then that was fine. Plenty more fish in the sea.

Problem was though – Puck was just getting used to wanting Kurt – and the jock didn't know whether he could just switch that off. Seeing that Kurt was having a harder time with it than he was, Puck again took up the role of protector – this time protecting Kurt from emotional pain.

"It's cool – we'll just work round it, pretend it never happened – no problem."

Kurt looked up from his hands and Puck's heart cracked seeing the look of devastation on the soprano's face.

"No!"

Puck was shocked at the vehemence in Kurt's tone but also a little thrilled by the fire that ignited in the brunette's eyes.

"I don't want to pretend it never happened."

Puck was confused and his expression clearly showed it as Kurt chuckled despite his tears.

"So what then? I'm a little confused."

Kurt drew in a gulping breath as he crawled towards Puck. The jock remained still – he had watched enough documentaries on Animal Planet to know what not to do when presented with a spooked animal – and that was pretty much what Kurt was at that moment.

Puck's breath was coming in shallow bursts and his heart was pounding harder than after he'd run fifty-yards for a touchdown in the heat of a game. The jock had effectively handed the reigns of their relationship – whatever that might be – over to Kurt to do with as he wanted.

"I... I...", Kurt paused and screwed his eyes shut before taking a deep breath and quickly muttering, "... screw it."

And he kissed him.


The moment Kurt's soft lips connected with Puck's a riot of colour exploded behind the jock's eyes. Puck wound his arms around Kurt's waist and pulled the smaller boy towards him, settling the brunette onto his lap as he deepened the kiss.

Kurt's kisses were hesitant – experimental – and all at once the jock realised that this was a first. Kurt's first kiss – and it was him. Breaking contact with the brunette's lips, Puck leaned his forehead against Kurt's.

The soprano was breathing heavily and his eyes were closed, though Puck could clearly see a blissful expression on Kurt's face.

"That good huh?"

Puck chuckled as Kurt smacked him on the arm and blushed.

"I'm - ...", Kurt paused and sighed unable to find the right words.

"It's OK...", reassured Puck as he reached up a hand and brushed away the residue of tears from Kurt's skin, enjoying how Kurt leaned into the touch.

Puck leaned back in to peck the brunette softly on the lips and smiled as Kurt's baby blue's fluttered open to look at him in surprise.

"You're – you're OK with this?"

"What? Kissing you?"

Kurt shyly nodded in the affirmative and Puck took a moment to try to put into words everything he'd been feeling of late.

"I – uh... this probably won't make any sense but I'm going to just get it out there...", said the jock as Kurt settled himself in and leaned his head against Puck's chest, "... I've never been attracted to a dude before – ah shit, I'm not explaining this well at all..."

"It's OK, Noah...", whispered Kurt softly.

Puck however was on a roll and wanted to get this – whatever it was – off of his chest.

"Bottom line – I don't know if I like dudes now or what. But what I do know is that I like you."

Kurt smiled against Puck's chest as the jock wrapped his arms around the brunette more securely.

"That'll do – for now...", answered the soprano with a sigh.

"For now?", asked Puck suddenly scared that Kurt was going to push things faster than he was comfortable.

'I'm usually the one doing the pushing...'

"Until I get tired of you – or you get fat!"

Kurt squealed as Puck dug his fingers into the soprano's sides for a moment in warning,

"You take that back...", grumbled Puck with a scandalised look on his face, "...I will not get fat!"

"Less grumbling more kissing Mr...", ordered Kurt with a grin, "... I'm high maintenance..."

Puck's smirk was positively predatory as he eyed up the soprano like a Lion eyes up an Antelope,

"Don't you know who I am? I'm Puckzilla... maintaining you is not an issue..."

Kurt's giggle was swallowed up as Puck's lips met his in a passionate kiss.

For the rest of the night neither teen had cause to complain about the cold.


A/N: Awww... my four favourite words in all of fanficdom – it seems no matter what I write I always end up writing those four little words – And – He – Kissed – Him. So simple, yet so effective and it always tends to lead to slashy goodness XD

Song credit goes to Elvis Presley and "Can't Help Falling In Love With You"

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