Kurt had never been a huge fan of football. But he had to admit, there was something about seeing one's boyfriend in tight white pants, running so that the muscles and his legs and arms flexed, that could really get the blood pumping. And so Kurt was out here, dressed in team colors, screaming just as loud as his father and jumping up and down like every other avid football fan.
And despite the initial problems, this week had been the best one he had had in awhile. Dave had asked the Glee club for their official permission to join them. They had all accepted; welcoming him with open arms and much back slapping, and Dave had just smiled and smiled; so happy.
He was asked to sing something, mostly because they wanted him to, and had chosen to sing 'Save the Last Dance' to Kurt. Afterwards, Kurt had walked around with a big goofy smile on his face that nothing could shake. Santana had called them 'sickening' But Dave assured Kurt that that was just 'Tana's mark of approval.
In the meantime, Kurt and Dave had started to notice something subtly blossoming between Blaine and Alex, and were trying to help things along without being too obvious. It was clear that they'd started to hit it off during the many rounds of bully whips but both were a little shy to come out and say they were interested. Dave and Kurt decided to work both sides: Dave would talk to Alex, and Kurt would talk to Blaine.
Dave had even had a very long and intense chat with Kurt's father. Kurt had waited up in his room dying of worry until finally he just had to come down and look. When he had, he had found Dave and his father calmly watching football together as if nothing had ever happened between them. He had scolded the hell out of them for not telling him things had been settled, then sat on the sofa and leaned his head on Dave's shoulder.
And now, half an hour ago Kurt had kissed his boyfriend good luck before the game, ignoring the glares of some of the less then pleased football players (mostly the pair from before, who had thrown that blue slushie) and shooting a thumbs up at Puck and his grinning brother. Yes, Kurt had never cared much for football. But he supposed it was all a matter of perspective.
"GET HIM! GET HIM!" Yelled Kurt and his father as what would be the other teams final point ran for the goal. The score was tied. It was a close call but at the last second the boy was tackled hard to the ground and their team had the ball again. A pass, a short sprint, Kurt and everyone else yelling,
"Go! GO!", then reeling back for a throw and the arc of the ball right into the arms of their team member waiting just over the goal line.
"YES!" Kurt and every other McKinley high football fan jumped into the air screaming and clutching each other. The time on the clock ran out.
"We won! We won!" Kurt was sprinting down the stairs, out the gate and onto the field, boots slipping slightly on the turf. And Dave was sprinting to meet him, snatching him up and throwing him into the air; catching him and swinging him around as they both laughed and yelled. Then he tilted his head up to kiss Kurt on the mouth, smiling and bursting with enthusiasm.
When they broke apart he stroked Kurt's face and grinned.
"Take you home after I get showered up?"
"Looking forward to it." Kurt pecked him on the cheek "Let me go tell Dad and I'll see you soon."
He blew a kiss as he trotted back off the field and Dave pretended to catch it. As Kurt watched with a skeptical frown, Dave continued the act further by opening his hand and making a face of terror at what was inside. Then he pretended to juggle the kiss between his hands, still looking scared, and then throw it away from him just as he pretended it had exploded in his face. He turned to give Kurt a mock resentful expression, and then grinned. Kurt laughed and shook his head.
"No later than 11." Burt Hummel said firmly.
"Dad…"
"And don't do anything in that truck of his you wouldn't show your grandmother."
"Dad!"
"All I'm saying is you are a teenage boy, I was one once and I know how they work." Kurt was blushing beet red.
"We've been dating a week Dad! And Dave is a perfect gentleman!"
"All right, well don't forget; 11 o'clock Kurt. "
"Yes Dad."
Kurt walked back through the halls of McKinley high almost in a daze, looking around at all the hallways and classrooms. That was why it took him a moment to realize that he was being followed. Two lumbering shapes were trailing behind him, smirking in a way that he didn't care for.
"What do you want?" He asked finally.
"What do you think?"
"What-"
"Will your new little Knight in Shining Armor come save you this time?" asked Strando.
"What?-"Yelled Kurt, but they had rushed him, slamming him backwards against the lockers and to the floor. Then they had grabbed him and were shoving him into the closet, locking the door and laughing and Kurt scrambled to his feet.
"Let me out of here! What are you going to do to him?" He screamed and they laughed.
"We're just going to wait for him to come to fetch his princess. Then we'll have a little fun."
"Don't you dare lay a finger on him! Let me out of here!" Kurt slammed into the door with his full body; to no avail.
"He should be here any second. We texted him as we were leaving. We even brought him a little present, new shiny sluggers." Strando laughed and tapped something against the door; a baseball bat.
"I'll kill you! Understand? Don't you dare touch him!" But they weren't listening anymore, they were talking to someone else who had just arrived.
"Hey Dave!"
"You guys have some car trouble?" Dave responded.
"Oh we got trouble all right, but not with the car."; the first swish crack of the bat.
Kurt screamed as Dave's body hit the lockers with the sound of clattering metal.
"DAVE!" Dave coughed harshly and scrambled to his feet yelling,
"Kurt? Are you ok? Are you- " He was at the door his hands on the knob, then he was being pulled back, has nails scrabbling on the metal handle. Crunch.
Dave gave a howl of pain and Kurt was screaming, pounding on the door and screaming Dave's name over and over.
"Dave! DAVE!"
"What have you done to him-"Dave grunted, and drooped to the floor as the bat struck him in the stomach.
"Kurt!" He yelled hoarsely. There was struggling, Dave gave another cry of pain. On the other side of the door Kurt was sobbing, pounding his fists against the door.
"Shut up! We'll get to him next." Dave let out a sob of pain as one of them kicked him.
"Kurt!" He said again, and Kurt could hear him crawling for the door again.
"Dave! Get out of here! Please god run!"
"Kurt I-"Dave gave a choked gasp as the bat hit him in the back. Kurt screamed, trembling as he slumped against the door.
"No, no no no! DAVE! DAVID!" Kurt's hands were red and stinging from hammering on the door but his body wasn't thinking about that. The pain didn't register when his heart was being ripped from his chest at every noise, every whimper, every cry. Then there was another voice, a familiar one yelling,
"HEY! What are you doing?" Running feet and then, "Get off of him man!" a struggle and a grunt and the bat rolled away across the floor with a clatter.
"Azimo? AZIMO! Let me out of here!" Kurt pounded his fists furiously on the door, voice panicked. More struggling, then the bigger man threw open the door and Kurt was out, feet moving on their own as he ran forward and preformed a solid kick to Strando's stomach with the soul of his boot, sending him flying back into the lockers with a clatter.
"I said I'd kill you!" He screamed, and he had grabbed up the bat in both hands. Azimo had knocked the other boy out and as Kurt raised the bat a second time he ran forward to stop him.
"Dude stop!"
"T-They hurt Dave!" Kurt screamed, tearing his hand away and starting to swing the bat once more,
"DUDE! No! You have to help Dave!" Kurt stopped mid swing, his arms shaking as the bat clattered from his hands and he ran over to the slumped form of David Karofsky.
"Dave?" He whispered. His hands shook as he brushed them over Dave's bruised face. "Dave? Hey, say something all right?" He said as tears welled in his eyes and his hand shook harder.
"I-I'm so glad…your…ok…" Dave whispered haltingly. He cracked a faint trembling smile as Kurt put a hand to his mouth.
-:-
The sound of ambulances, the hospital; the same awful feeling Kurt had always felt about hospitals. He had never come here for something that he had liked. The waiting and the tears; his dad came. Azimo was sitting motionless in a chair, staring blankly into his lap. Dave's parents came, and Paul hugged Kurt while Dave's mother cried.
Then the doctor came out and spoke at last.
"He was pretty broken up, but he's stable now, resting. It might be awhile before he's ready to go back to school but the damage doesn't look permanent." They all breathed a sigh of relief. Kurt was allowed to see Dave first, they could see the look his eyes, a hollow fear and guilt that had been hanging over him since their arrival.
They watched through the window for several minutes as Kurt sat on the bed, cradling Dave's head and crying. After a few more minutes, Azimo joined him, sitting in the corner with the same blank expression.
"It's my fault." He said "I shoulda stuck by him, shoulda had his back. Shoulda come sooner." He finished and put his head in his hands with a whimper.
"Shit." He murmured.
Kurt had lapsed into a strange calm, stroking Dave's forehead in a methodical, yet tender manner.
"It's ok." He said quietly "It's all going to be ok."
Dear god I'm so sorry! I was writing it and it just happened and I was crying and thinking "What the hell are you doing?" But I couldn't stop! OH MY GOD!