"Kurt, I'm home."
As soon as that door slid opened Kurt and Puck turned away from each other. Each taking a silent breath. 'What was that?' they both thought. 'I was just about to...' 'What was I going to do if he...' Both still sitting next to each other and both turning a slight shade of red.
Rachel continued.
"Hey... oh look, he's awake. Great, now he can leave." Rachel was of course referring to Puck. As soon as she woke up this morning all she found was Puck on the couch and a note from Kurt on the breakfast bar.
'Puck's here. Don't wake him. Will explain later.'
Rachel didn't like the idea of leaving Puck alone. After all, knowing Puck, he'd steal the most expensive thing he could find and sell it for half its price. But she didn't have time to worry about Puck as she was already late for her next class at NYADA. So with her things gathered she left the apartment but as she left she made sure to let the sliding door bang on her way out. Too bad it didn't wake him.
"Rachel, be nice" Kurt finally said with a sigh and got up from his spot next to Puck. "Look, Pucks told me everything. He's had a fight with his brother and he needs a place to stay for a while."
"I don't care Kurt. Beside why doesn't he stay with one of his girlfriends? I'm sure they'd be happy to have him over." Rachel stared at Puck as he got up from the couch.
"Look Berry," Puck explained, "I've already explained to Kurt that I don't want any trouble. So if you don't want me here I'll leave." "Good! There's the door," she said cheerfully as she pointed towards the door. "Try not to steal anything on your way out."
"Rachel stop… look, I invited him. So if you want to be mad at someone let it be me." There was sudden silence in the room but Kurt continued. "Look, your hardly here at the moment. So, Puck being won't affect you and him being here might be a good thing... He could cook something for us when we get home." Kurt suddenly turned to Puck and whispered "you do know how to cook right?"
Puck was a little taken a back but answered "err. Yeah, I cook up a mean storm." Puck said with confidence in his voice. "See, and it'll save us paying for takeout or eating at 7pm for a while" Kurt said with a 'come on' pleasing look on his face. He even added the puppy eye look to help.
"Honestly Kurt… Fine, he can stay. But, I only eat kosher and he has to pay his way" warned Rachel giving up the fight. She didn't like to fight with Kurt; after all she did love him. Kurt was like little brother wrapped in a faithful boyfriend wrapped again and packaged as her gay-best friend. "I'm going for a shower. Miss July has been giving us drills in dance today and I've built up an unhealthy sweat." And with that Rachel left the two boys in the living room.
Kurt sighed and turned to Puck. "Sorry Puck, she would have probably acted differently if she knew you were coming." Puck shrugged in reply knowing whatever mood Rachel Berry was in it always turned bad whenever he was around. "Anyway, is that ok? Will you be able to pay your way? I don't think she meant rent but maybe we can start with the groceries," said Kurt trying to say his words correctly. He didn't want Puck to 'all of a sudden' start paying for stuff. He was only there a few hours and already he had kitchen duty. "Err. Yeah. That should be ok. I don't have much on me at the moment but I'll find a part- time job while I'm here. That ok?"
'Finding a part-time job? Is he really low on cash? Or maybe he's planning ahead and thinking of staying?' Kurt smiled at Puck. "You sure? I don't want to pressure you" Kurt asked while playing with his hands; holding them up as to say 'no pressure from me.' "It's fine," Puck replied as he stood up from the couch, placed his hands in the back pockets of his black jeans and rocked backwards and forwards on the balls of his feet. "So want to show me around?" asked Puck trying to change the subject. He didn't want the mood from the previous moments to go away so quickly.
…..
Kurt took Puck on a little tour round the apartment. He stared with the essentials; kitchen, bathroom, his room. "What? I thought you said this room was nothing special," said Puck as he looked into the spare room.
The room was spotless. Pained walls, the couch/bed is there all done up with throws and pillows. A single wardrobe with a mirror on the door. "Have you finished or is there more to be done?" Kurt giggled, "well Rachael thinks we just need to add a few accessories. You know a side table, maybe a picture or two and a chair. We don't need all those things straight away. Just something's we can look out for... for a bargain of course." Puck just nodded and went along with Kurt ideas. He didn't really understand the need for all that 'glitz and glam' of stuff.
"So, where are Berry and your rooms?"
Kurt took Puck a few more steps across from the spare room and they reached Rachel's room. Puck looked inside and saw the girls room. 'Yep, this is Rachel's.' The room was painted in a light purple colour and had her iconic step-machine in the corner. With all her goals written in craft paper and attached on the wall opposite. A double wardrobe was next to her double bed and all her 1st place ribbons and trophies were on her night stand and on the wall surrounding it. 'Not showing off or anything' thought Puck.
Kurt's room was right next door. Puck, again, stuck his head in and saw a sight. Kurt's room had the original brick work showing and only had one wall that had colour on it; white. A 'feature wall' he remembered someone saying once. He had New York artwork on one wall. A wall filled with pictures of the Glee club, his dad and their new family. Puck did noticed an empty space on the wall but paid it no mind... he'll ask later. He continued; he saw Kurt's large bed, a chest of draws a manikin in the corner that seemed to be wearing clothes? The room just screamed Kurt and Puck liked it. He could just image Kurt on his bed reading a book and listening to some music, so peaceful.
"So, what's with the empty space by the pictures?" Puck pointed to the wall of photos while asking Kurt the question. "Oh, that area was filled with photos of Blaine and me." 'Awkward,' thought Puck. "After I got back here the first time I just went a little crazy and stated tearing up the photos. Childish I know..." "No" Puck interrupted. "You were mad and you didn't want to see his face. It's ok." Puck explained while putting a hand on Kurt's arm. "That just means you have more room for new photos... new memories"
Kurt nodded and looked up at Puck. "Yeah, you're right."
…..
A few days later things had been going well for the trio of the New York apartment.
Puck had found a part time job the day after he arrived. Thanks to some luck. He was walking around the neighbourhood while Kurt and Berry were away doing their thing. He walked into a sandwich shop to get some lunch for himself when he noticed a wanted sign;
'Person wanted. $7 an hour. Will meet interesting people.'
So Puck asked about it. Turned out it was a job he never considered before.
So there he was, 3 hours later, outside in the streets of New York. Pucks new job was… being a human sign or as Puck liked to call it 'a human noticeboard.' He was promoting stores that were around the area he was living in. The sign he was wearing today was for Subway. 'Its $7 an hour, I shouldn't complain.' And he wasn't it. The wanted article was true… That he would meet some 'interesting' people. Mostly sightseers who wanted lunch. But it also came with the opportunity for Puck to practise some flirting. Getting extra customers in the store might mean he'd get a little bonus for his trouble.
This got Puck thinking, after he continued doing this type of work over the next few days… Who else wants some promotion? So, after his hours had finished, he went round to different other stores and asked if they wanted 'a sign for hire.' So there he was, each day and at different times, Puck would place 2 large cardboard signs on his body and walk different areas of New York, each time promotion something different. He was promoting Subway, Bus Tours, Gadget Stores and if he decided to work some nights he would promote 'Girls, Girls, Girls' or 'Boys, Boys, Boys.' He had lots of interest from those kinds of signs.
…..
A week went by very quickly and already Puck had a new routine.
Not only was he doing his human sign gig but he made it a priority to always be back, at the apartment, for Kurt and Berry when they got home. Usually after 'being a sign for a day' he'd make his way back home down a small ally. There he found some vendors selling fresh vegetables. Including a butcher and a fish monger; the fish was mostly for Rachel.
He would get home and cook up to two separate dishes. One kosher, one normal. Even though Puck wasn't a kosher person he thought he put up appearances. Mostly to get on Berry's good side. So he would eat a few kosher meals during the week.
Even though she didn't want to admit it, Rachel was starting to love having a freshly cooked meal at the end of a hard day… and Kurt would agree. Truth be told, Puck was an alright cook.
…..
"I'm home," Kurt announced as he came through the door.
"Hey, welcome back. How was work?" Puck asked from the kitchen. He was preparing yet another hot meal for the duo and he was just beginning to plate up.
"Oh you know the usual 'Kurt copy this' and 'Kurt take notes' and 'Kurt I don't care where you go, just find me a dam chocolate bar'..." Kurt laughed as he put his book bag down and walked over to Puck. "Hmmm, this smells good. What you making tonight?" Kurt asked smelling the aroma of the kitchen smell.
"Grilled chicken steaks, kosher of course. And they're marinated in their own sauces. With tomato and onion or potato salad for the side," said Puck with a hint of pride in his voice.
"That sounds lovely." Kurt didn't mind eating kosher meals, it just when it came to the fish Kurt would usually ask for something else. Usually Puck would share a pizza with him if he was planning to cook Rachel some fish. "Well, make the table and I'll start serving. Berry should arrive back soon anyway."
This was their new routine. Kurt would come home first and make the table ready to eat. Puck would cook and afterward Rachel and Kurt would wash up. Kurt always liked eating as a family and now that Puck was here, cooking almost every night, he could enjoy the atmosphere more rather than just the 'Family Friday Night' meals he had back home.
The three of them would sit around and talk about their day then go over to the couch and watch some TV. Usually that's when Rachel would go and have her daily shower… which meant it left Puck and Kurt in the living room alone. Sitting next to each other. Watching anything that was on. 'Perfect' they thought.
…..
Another week went by and then it was Friday night and Puck wanted to go out. They had finished dinner and Rachel was in her shower when Puck asked Kurt a question. "So, fancy going out tonight. I've found a nice bar you'd like."
Kurt was a little taken-a-back. He wasn't really planning on going out tonight. "Well, we could always go to that NYADA hang out, which is just down the street from here. NYADA students go there so it'll be nice to mingle."
"What?" said Puck trying to change Kurt's mind. He didn't want Kurt around some of his NYADA acquaintances. He wanted him all to himself for night. To see what he was like all alone and not around Berry. Sure Kurt was fun but Puck wanted to see Kurt with a drink in his hand, dancing on the dance floor, just relaxing. "That... would be nice. But I was thinking about this club I found." Kurt didn't seem interested and turned his view away from puck. "Come on Kurt, this is New York we should go out to a strange bar and just have a laugh."
Kurt shook his head in amusement. 'There's the Puck I haven't seen for a while, always looking for the next place to pick up a girl.' Kurt slightly turned away from Puck for a moment and looked down. 'I knew he go back to his old ways. He hasn't changed… what was I thinking. He doesn't have feelings for me. I should have known from the start.'
Kurt was staring to notice, during the week Puck was there, how much fun Puck actually was. He only knew the Puck that tossed him in a garbage dumpster and the Puck who rocked Rock 'n' Roll. 'I was stupid to think for a second he came all this way just to see me… Why do I always fall for the straight guys? First Finn, then Sam. Even Blaine had a straight experience for a week.'
Puck noticed Kurt's turned face and asked "hey, what's up? We don't need to go out. I mean we can just stay here and have a few drinks, if you want."
"Oh... well. I wasn't really thinking about going out tonight anyway," replied Kurt as he looked back at Puck. "But if you want to go out… you're perfectly capable of going out by yourself, right?" Kurt continued with a smile on his face.
'Out by myself? Doesn't he want to hang around with me?' Puck thought suddenly feeling a little hurt. "Well sure I could go out myself but I just wanted to know if you wanted to come along. Paint the town pink or something..." 'Is he trying to get rid of me already? Didn't he hear me say 'we'? I wanted to take Kurt out for a night. See what he's like on his own.' "You don't want to come with me?"
Kurt was surprised with the question. "Oh, no. Listen you don't want me to be dragged along. I mean, what if you meet someone? I don't want to be a third wheel."
'Third wheel. Does he expect me to hook up with someone? Fine, if that's the way he wants to play.' "Fine... I'll go without you," said Puck angrily. He grabbed his coat and made his way out. "Don't wait up," and with that Puck stormed out the door.
"Huh... wait Puck," :SLAM: Too late. Kurt sighed heavily. 'I didn't want him to get mad… I just don't want to be around him when a girl comes up to him. I didn't want to cramp his bad-ass style.' Kurt sighed and slouched back into the chair he was sitting in. 'Great Kurt. You've chased another guy away… still there was no point in getting your hopes up. After all, what would a guy like Puck see in me, other than a gay-nuisance?'
…..
"Damm it" said Puck grudgingly as he slammed the glass he was holding down on the bar. He was on his 3rd beer and he still wasn't feeling any better. 'All I wanted to do was to take him out... didn't he get that? Maybe I just wanted to show him off. I mean, who wouldn't be proud to have someone like Kurt on their arm?'
Puck was just about to finish the beer he had, go home early and see if Kurt was still awake. 'It's only 11:30pm, maybe we can stay up for a little while and watch a movie?… Man that sounds girly.' Puck groaned and let his head fall onto his chest. 'Come on Puck, I need to get out of this slump… maybe I should give up on Kurt for a while. I mean, I've been trying to give some hints that I like him; complement him on his outfit before he goes to work, trying to make the meal to his satisfactory each night, making the apartment look clean as soon as I get back. What else can I do?'
Puck was just about to call it a night but as he got up to leave temptation came walking up to him.
"Hey."
TBC
Sorry to leave you on yet another cliff hanger, I seem to like doing that. Thanks again for all the followers and reviewers. Please keep them coming.
