Kurt tossed and turned all night. He would get a few minutes of sleep and then wake right back up. The only reason he was even getting out of bed instead of asking his dad for a sick day was because of glee later that day. He had worked too hard on the perfect song for Noah to give up now. Kurt skipped part of his morning make-up routine and decided to go with a more natural look that day. He felt a little stronger and didn't feel like he had to hide his flaws as much. Not that his face had flaws. After all, he had taken excellent care of it until Noah snuck into his life. It had taken him a while to get all his props into a bag mostly because they were all over the place but he was still very ahead of his usual schedule.
He didn't feel that hungry after the confusing, depressing ride home last night so he grabbed a banana and left the house. While he drove, he noted that the sky seemed to agree with his mood as it was dark and gloomy as well. He noticed that there was only one person waiting for him and it was his mohawk sporting friend. He got out of his car and watched Noah walk up to meet him. Noah grabbed Kurt's props bag and flung it over his shoulder. Kurt looked closely at the other boy and noted that he was also worse for wear that morning. It made Kurt feel better knowing that he wasn't the only one who had had a long night.
"So what's in the bag?" Noah asked.
Kurt tried to smile as if it was any other day. "I'm not telling you. It would ruin the surprise."
Noah smiled softly. "How about you tell me and I'll pretend to be surprised?"
Kurt's smile became more genuine. "Only if you sing 'If I Were Gay' to Finn in the cafeteria today."
Noah laughed for a second. "I'd get killed by so many people."
Kurt laughter sounded a little hollow to his ears. He tried to play to the other teen's off kilter sense of humor as he said, "Yeah but it would sure be a way to go."
Noah looked at Kurt with a mischievous grin. "Nope, I want to go out in an orgy with two midgets and a true hotty on my cock."
Kurt wrinkled his nose. "There's not enough soap to get that image out of my head."
Noah laughed as the pair walked up to the dumpster. Noah stopped them there. "Hey, did Karofsky ever apologize?"
Kurt snorted. "That'll happen when I start wearing Walmart T-shirts."
Noah whipped out his phone and sent out a message. Kurt looked at him inquisitively. Noah let Kurt see the outgoing message. It said, "Appointment stands."
He gave looked back at Noah. "Who did that get sent to?"
"The whole football team minus Finn, who I think blocked my messages a few days after he found out I was Quinn's babydaddy." Noah said.
Kurt thought back to the day before. "So that's how you knew Karofsky was about to throw me into the dumpster again."
Noah looked oddly at Kurt. "Did you think your special fairy power sent out a wave of panic to the football team?"
Kurt pushed Noah. "No, I just hadn't thought about it much. I was too happy about not being in the dumpster and trying to figure out how not to be nicknamed the gay tomato for the next two years to figure out how everyone knew where to be."
Noah laughed. "Gay tomato. I am so using that."
Kurt was about to say something when he noticed Karofsky being lead out of the school by a dozen guys from football. He didn't look happy about the situation at all. Kurt moved closer to Noah, a little frightened about the look in the football player's eyes.
Noah didn't notice Kurt's movements. He was too focused on Karofsky. "So are you going to apologize?"
"No," Karofsky said, "And if you toss me in there, I'll tell the principal who did it."
Noah laughed. "So you are saying that after one day, you can't hack it but Hummel managed for a year and a half. Dude, you are weak. Boys, you know what to do."
Karofsky was put into the dumpster and the team dispersed. Noah went over to the dumpster. "I'll see you tomorrow, same time, same place."
Kurt walked with Noah to his locker, where he put his props until they were needed later. Hopefully, his song turned out half as good as Noah's last night. Kurt started giggling just thinking about it.
Noah gave him an odd look. "What's so funny?"
"Oh if I were gay..." Kurt started singing.
Noah's eyes widened comically. "NO! No singing that song to me especially at school."
Kurt smirked. "Oh, so there are places I might be able to sing it too you?"
Noah shook his head vigorously. "NO! Sing it to Finn. Only to Finn."
Kurt tried to frown. "Aww, Noah. It's like you don't love me anymore. Come on let's hug this out." He used the jocks words against him and took a step towards Noah.
Noah turned and booked it down the hall, leaving Kurt leaning against his locker clutching his sides as he laughed.
"Hey Kurt, what's so funny?" Kurt heard Finn say behind him.
The voice sobered Kurt up quickly. "Nothing much, Finn. How was your night?"
"But it looked really funny." Finn persisted.
Kurt rolled his eyes. "It was a 'have to be there' joke, Finn. Really, it wasn't that funny."
Kurt noticed Josh and Anderson coming down the hall and saw his chance to make an escape. "Hey, I have to go talk to Josh and Anderson so I'll see you in class."
Not waiting for Finn's response, Kurt closed his locker and walked briskly over to the boys. "Hey, guys, what's up?"
Josh shrugged, "Nothing much but it seems like you just pissed off our quarterback."
Kurt looked back to see Finn looking in their direction annoyed. He knew he was being a little rude but he didn't feel like spoon feeding information to Finn because he decided he deserved to know. "Not a big deal."
Anderson looked at Finn and then back to Kurt. He moved Kurt so that Finn's view of Kurt was blocked by his body. "Look Hummel, I know Hudson's not like Karofsky. He wouldn't intentionally hurt you but since his mom's dating your pops, he could make things uncomfortable."
Kurt snorted thinking about how it already was uncomfortable for him.
Anderson started to push Kurt down the hall. "No, seriously, Hudson holds a grudge. Look at Puck."
Kurt's eyes flew to Anderson's face. "What did he do?"
"Nothin' serious. Just made everyone take sides. I mean Puck knew he was in the wrong with that whole baby-daddy thing but Hudson wouldn't let it lie. He kept pushing and pushing until most of the team started to say he was right just to get him to shut up. He kept dissin' Puck's tries to bury the hatchet. We all hated choosing but Puck never got pissed at us. That made us all feel more like dicks especially since Puck would go the distance for anyone of us. I mean Hudson's our quarterback but Puck's more like our captain. This whole thing with you and Karofsky made him pulled any rank over Hudson. He hadn't done that for a long time. Long before this whole baby momma thing happened. It made us feel like he wasn't as pissed at us as we were at ourselves."
Josh nodded. "That's why we didn't tell Finn what was going on. He'd probably bring up how Puck wronged him and that we shouldn't listen to Puck because of one drunken mistake." Josh paused. "Don't get me wrong. I'm Finn's friend but I hate him a little for making me choose especially since he would go on and on about how Puck is an asshat. It's even worse when Finn is drunk. It makes you seriously want to knock the guy out just so he would shut up. It's not that Finn is trying to be an ass, it's more like he only sees two sides of things: his side and his arch-nemesis, who's played by Puck. Everything his arch-nemesis does is wrong and everything he does is right."
Kurt was a little worried. He hadn't thought of this angle when he set up Carole and his dad. Okay, so he was a little too blown away by Finn's good qualities to really think rationally but he didn't need a step-brother with ruining his life. He started to breath quickly and became flushed.
Anderson looked questioningly at Kurt then at Josh. "Dude, I think we broke him. Go grab, Puck."
Josh dashed down the hallway trying to find Noah while Anderson tried to calm Kurt down. "Calm down. We were just joshing with you."
The five minute bell rang as Noah got to the two teens' sides. "What's going on?"
"Dude, we broke Hummel. I'm sorry. Don't kill me." Josh said as he jogged up next to the group right behind Noah.
Noah looked at the two jocks and glared. "What did you do?"
Anderson answered as he backed away. "Nothing, we just put him in the know about Hudson."
"Meaning..." Puck growled.
"You know about how he holds a grudge and all. That's it." Josh said following Anderson's lead and moving slowly away.
"Both of you, beat it. Come on, princess. We have to talk." Noah said leading Kurt to the boys' bathroom. Noah checked if it was empty before locking the main door.
Kurt was still freaking out about his possible step-brother being so petty that he didn't really notice the change of venue for his freak out.
Noah tried to call Kurt out of his daze but finally resorted to pinching the smaller boy. Kurt jumped back and stared at Noah. "What was that for?"
"Oh, so you're finally with me, princess?" Noah said.
Kurt looked around the bathroom confused. "What am I doing in here?"
"You're in here because Josh and Jason freaked you out and I get to set the record straight." Noah said as he paced.
"Jason?" Kurt questioned.
"Anderson?" Noah replied.
"Oh." Kurt said as he leaned up against a sink.
"Okay, I don't know what those guys told you but Finn is not a bad guy and he does not hold grudges." Kurt tried to interrupt but Noah continued. "Oh, he stays pissed for a good while but that's not because of a grudge but more of his inability to move people in and out of categories quickly. Finn likes things neat and simple. This chaos with the baby and me being the dad threw him for a huge loop. He just needs time to think about things is all." Noah said.
"The baby's due in a few months." Kurt replied.
"Yeah, and he's only known about me and Quinn for the last two. Trust me, I know Finn. When something bad happens, he retreats away from the people associated with what happened." Noah tried to reason.
"He's still talking to Quinn." Kurt pointed out.
Noah shrugged. "She's about to pop. It would be a real dick move to be pissed at her. Also with the hormones, she might actually kill someone by accident." Noah took a deep breath. "Look, he's the same guy who in the first grade gave me half of his chocolate milk, who in the third grade gave me his favorite video game and in sixth grade gave me his autographed baseball for getting a coach fired. Once, he gets over some of his anger, he'll come around, ask some questions and the whole thing will fix itself. He's a good guy. I'm not going to let you think otherwise especially since he's decided to be friends with you."
"Decided to be friends?" Kurt said.
Noah nodded. "That's what the weird stalker like questions he is probably asking are coming from. He likes to know everything about his new friends. Think of it like a dog with a new bone. It's how the goofball makes friends." Noah laughed slightly.
Kurt watched at Noah as he laughed and saw the pain in the other boy. Noah was hurting from loosing his best friend. Without thinking, he went over to Noah and gave him a hug. At first, Noah froze but soon relaxed into the hug. A few seconds later, Kurt moved back. "I'm sure he'll be asking you stalker like questions soon, too. If not, we can always replace him with a new best friend. I'm thinking Berry or Anderson. They seem to have best fashion sense on the team. Well outside of me, of course. But that isn't saying much, now is it?"
"This is why I locked the door. Not only did you hug me, you started to talk about fashion right after. If someone came in, they would think we're getting off in here." Noah laughed and swung an arm onto Kurt's shoulders.
"Eww. I have standards." Kurt said as they left the bathroom.
Noah scoffed. "This is USDA prime right here, princess. You aren't getting any better than this."
Kurt shook his head. "I'm amazed you can after lift your head off your bed in the morning."
Noah smiled. "You wanted to give me head in bed this morning? Thanks, princess for sharing your fantasies with me. I'm sure with that dirty mind you'll make some man a good wife."
Kurt smack him on the chest as they walked to Kurt's history class.
"Seriously though, he's still the guy you have a raging hard on for so don't sweat what happens between me and him so much. The last thing you need is for him to get pissed at you, too." Noah said at the door to the class room.
Kurt laughed. "Out all that ways you could have said, that raging hard on wins? Anyway, not so much anymore. Plus if you don't stick up for your friends, who is going to?"
Noah sighed and drew away from Kurt. "God, princess, keep the feelings crap for private times."
Kurt smiled wickedly. "So I can keep feeling you in private?"
Noah laughed. "Awesome and no. See ya later."
Kurt went into the class with a smile. That was not what he saw on Finn's face. It was something between a pout and a frown. Kurt straightened up and decided to be the better man and talk to Finn before he actually hurt the football player's feelings. Also, it seemed like Noah would be happier if they made nice.
"Hey Finn, sorry I had to run out on you before class." Kurt said as he sat down. "I have a thing with Jason and Josh after school so I was just checking in."
Finn turned a little to face Kurt, though he was clearly still upset. "Who's Jason?"
"Sorry, Anderson?" Kurt replied.
"Oh, yeah." Finn's face cleared up. "I forgot that was his first name. So what was up?"
"Just some stuff for after school." He wasn't about to invite Finn to his study session with the boys. If Noah heard that Finn was coming, he probably would stop showing. After the last few days, Kurt wasn't going to pick Finn over his friendship with Noah. "So you ready for glee?"
Finn nodded. "Yeah, I got a pretty good song though it is going to be a little awkward."
"Oh," Kurt said. He didn't know what to say without asking who it was for. Kurt was sure it was either Quinn or Rachel by the uncomfortably look on Finn's face. "Well, do your best."
Mr. Kirk cleared his throat and class began. He started to review for the exam coming up tomorrow but with his study session that night, Kurt wasn't too worried. Instead, he tried to craft a way for Finn and Noah to be friends again. After all, he got his dad a new love interest. Manipulating teenagers should be a walk in the park after that.
GLEEGLEEGLEEGLEE
Instead of letting any of the other football players, Noah took over Kurt's protection detail. When asked about the change, Noah said that until they got their heads right about certain people, he was going to walk Kurt back and forth. The only problem was Noah's disappearance during lunch when the pair saw Finn sitting with the glee kids. Noah just nodded to Kurt, walked over to the jock table and pushed Michaels over for his seat. Kurt was about to get up and move over to the jock table when he saw Finn smiling up at him. Kurt sighed and sat back down.
He listened to the chatter at his table but his eyes kept on wandering over to the football table. The guys were horsing around, grabbing each others food, and cracking jokes. For the first time in a long time, he looked longingly at the table of popular kids wishing he was there.
When lunch was almost over, Mike and Matt grabbed Kurt's things and lead him away from the others. When they reached a usually empty stairway, they turned to face Kurt. Neither of the boys had looked him in the eye since they grabbed his things which clued Kurt in that this was not part of his normal jock bodyguard system. Both of the boys were upset about something. Finally, Mike spoke up though he keep this gaze locked on the floor. "I...we're sorry we didn't stop Karofsky."
Kurt saw Matt nodding his head along with Mike.
Mike looked up from the floor to Kurt. "We didn't know it was as bad as it was. When Puck got upset last week and showed us the bruises... We didn't know, man."
Kurt tried to smile at the boys. They looked like kicked puppies. "It's fine, guys. No one knew."
The quiet Asian eye's flared with anger. "Yeah, but you're one of us. You're in glee and a jock. You're a glock. We should have done something."
Kurt put a hand on Mike's arm. "Hey, you guys are doing something. I saw you at the dumpster yesterday and you are walking me to class now. That's enough."
Matt finally spoke up. "So we cool?"
Kurt tried to deepen his voice. "We cool." Kurt giggled then abruptly stopped. "Hey, is that why you guys missed movie night on Monday?"
Mike toed the floor. "Yeah. We didn't know if you were pissed at us."
Kurt frowned deeply. "I am now since I know why two of my friends decided not to show up for movie night at my house because they were silly enough to think I was mad at them for no good reason."
Mike laughed. "Next time, we'll be there. Front row even."
Kurt smiled and lightly pushed Matt. "We just have to do something about Matt though. The way he is, he'll probably talk the whole time."
The silent football player smiled and threw his arm over Kurt. Kate Spade, did he have a sign on him saying, "Please use me as an armrest?" He really needed to get that taken can of.
On the way to class, Kurt saw Azimio walking down the hallway by himself. It was amazing a guy that big could look so small. Kurt felt bad for his former nightmare and in a move that could be seen as masochistic, Kurt moved towards him after signaling his two friends to wait.
Azimio must have seen him coming because he stopped and tried to look as miniscule as possible. Though with the looks that Kurt saw a few of the passing football players gave Azimio, Kurt could understand why. "Hey, Azimio. How's it going?"
Azimio keep on glancing side to side as he spoke. "I haven't done anything. I swear."
Kurt put his hands up to try and placate the larger man. "I didn't mean anything like that." He took a step closer. "Look, some of the guys are coming over for a study session. I know you are a junior but maybe you could come and give us some tips. I heard that Ms. Nelson hasn't changed her tests since the stone age."
Azimio was shocked but then again so was Kurt by what was coming out of his mouth. He had come over to make sure that his old tormentor wasn't going to slide back, he hadn't meant to extend that friendly of a hand. Then again he was going to have a good chunk of the football team in the house with him so Azimio couldn't do that much damage.
"Are you for real, Hummel? On Monday, I threw you into a dumpster." Azimio stated.
Kurt started to think maybe he shouldn't have come over in the first place. "Look, I'm just asking if you wanted to come. You don't have to if it's too weird to be seen with me or something. I'll see you around." Kurt quickly walked over to Mike and Matt, who were glaring at the linebacker.
Kurt had gone halfway down the hallway when he heard Azimio yell out. "Do I need to bring anything?"
Kurt froze. Azimio just publicized his meeting with Kurt loud enough that everyone would know he was hanging out with Kurt. Kurt slowly turned and smiled. "Food is always a good addition to a party. Get the details from either Mike or Matt."
Azimio nodded and straightened up a little as he continued walking. Kurt felt that he had just done his good deed for the week. It was good for the karma which was good for the skin.
Mike turned to Kurt as they continued on their way. "What details?"
"Oh yeah, um, some of the guys from football are coming over to my house for a study session. Tonight, we are working on Science, Spanish and others. You two are totally welcome to come. It's at my house and it's after glee so you could make if you wanted." Kurt said hesitantly. Matt and Mike were pretty good students so didn't really need the help but a few extra friendly faces in the group wouldn't hurt, especially since Azimio was coming.
"I'm in." Mike said smiling as Matt nodded.
"Great! See you at glee." Kurt was floating high from the good luck coming his way. Not only was there glee but he got to hang out with his new friends tonight. And it was a responsible hang out session since there would be studying so his dad couldn't be too upset. Though, it probably would have been nice to give him the heads up. He would have to text him between classes. In addition to all of that, he might have been able to strengthen Azimio resolve to stay on team Kurt. It seemed like everything was going his way right now.
Kurt smiled at Mr. Schu as he went into Spanish. The glee teacher smiled back and walked over to Kurt.
"You seem especially chipper today. Anything new?" Mr. Schu asked.
As nice of a teacher as Mr. Schu was, he usually had too much drama going on in his personal life to really get too involved with his students' lives. For once, Mr. Schu's obliviousness did not bother Kurt. "Not really, but I was wondering if I could go first today in glee. I have props and a costume so..."
Mr. Schu's eyes widened. While Kurt was always willing to go the distance for glee, asking to go first was more a Rachel thing to do. "Sure, I don't see why not."
Kurt beamed at his teacher. "Thank you. It's not the most musically challenging song I could have chosen but the person who it is for should enjoy it."
Mr. Schu smiled and nodded. "That's all I'm looking for."
Kurt smiled and walked back to his seat. Actually, he was taking a gamble whether Noah would like the song or not. The choreography wasn't his best work either but he hadn't had time to fix any of it since the weekend. Suddenly, he was nervous and he had volunteered to be first.
Kurt spent most of Spanish class going over the pros and cons of pretending to be sick for glee. He realized that he couldn't skip since that would mean that he had to cancel the study session to make the illness believable. If he cancelled, Azimio might get upset. While he said he was on the side of not beating Kurt to a pulp, it was a new development. Kurt didn't want to push too hard and loose his "get out of the dumpster" scot free card.
He was finally calming down when the bell rung for the end of class. Kurt packed his things and saw Noah waiting for him looking not so happy. When Kurt got within speaking distance for inside voices, Noah hissed at him. "Did you really invite Azimio or is there a trip to the dumpster in his future?"
Kurt laughed. "I invited him as an olive branch..." Kurt leaned closer to Noah "...plus he looked a little sad and pathetic while he was walking down the halls." When he saw that Noah was not impressed by his reasoning, he leaned back. "It's positive reinforcement. I am rewarding him with friendship for not throwing a slushie at me today. Plus I am hoping some of the positive examples the rest of guys set will rub off on him."
Noah shook his head. "You're going to get your hand bit if you keep this up."
"Pish-posh. I'll be fine. But I do have a bone to pick with you." Kurt said glaring at Noah.
Noah gestured with his hands for Kurt to continue.
Kurt stepped in front of Noah, forcing the other boy to stop as well. "You are not going to disappear every time Finn is around. If you want me to be his friend, well, he's going to have to deal with you." Kurt announced.
Noah leaned against the lockers, not looking at Kurt as he answered. "I think I am a non-negotiable exclusion in anything doing with Finn."
Kurt stepped closer to Noah and almost put his hand on Noah's arm before he remembered he was in a crowded school hallway. "Then it's his lose. I happen to be a fabulous friend." Kurt moved his body so he was in Noah's direct vision. "After all you did for me in the last few days, did you really think I would pick Finn if he made me choose?"
Noah shrugged. "Guys I've hungout with for a long time started to treat me like a plague after the Quinn and me thing came out. Plus I used to toss you in the dumpster and slushie you too once upon a time, so why would you choose me?"
Kurt rolled his eyes. "First of all, I'm not one of the guys. Second, Finn did that stuff too until he joined glee so he has no right to throw stones about that. Third, you didn't just stop, Noah. You got the whole team on my side and you got me some pretty cool new friends. Fourth, are you or are you not Puckzilla?"
Noah snorted as he heard one of his nicknames come out of Kurt's mouth. "Damn straight, I'm the Puckzilla. I'm da bomb, too." Noah lightly pushed Kurt towards his class. "Come on, let's get you to class."
They walked to class peacefully except for the soft pushes and jabs they gave each other. When they reached Kurt's class, Noah grabbed Kurt's shoulder. "Thanks, princess."
Kurt shrugged. "Sometimes, it's the knight in shining armor that needs the saving."
Noah nodded and walked off.
The rest of the day moved quickly for Kurt. Finn had unknowingly became his guard since they had their last two classes together. Kurt was a little annoyed that he hadn't seen Noah but he didn't want to other teen to feel like he had to babysit Kurt. He would see Noah soon enough in Glee.
When school ended, Kurt ran from class to his locker. He grabbed his bag and sprinted to the room glee met in. He placed his props and extra cloths in spots that would be easy access for the song. After he queued up his music so Mr. Schu would just have to press play, he quickly ducked into the closest bathroom and changed. He waited until he was sure everyone was in the classroom before venturing out and entering the room.