Title: what mirror to render
Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Adrienne Rich
Warnings: AUish; dark
Pairings: pre-Kurt/Puck
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 290
Point of view: third
Prompt: intolerant
Blood drips into the sink. Kurt's hands are trembling and he avoids looking in the mirror—he knows what he'd see. Adrenaline courses through him, and he's sure that he should regret it, that he should feel bad about it…
But he doesn't. He can't. He's tired of taking it and taking it and taking it, and he's done being afraid.
His cell rings, the obnoxious tone that means Noah Puckerman is calling.
(He'd watched with wide eyes and sworn to clean up the evidence. Kurt decided to trust him. There was a new respect in Puck's gaze, and Kurt met it straight-on.)
"On my way," Puck says. "You and me need to have words."
Kurt hangs up and goes back to washing his hands.
He killed a boy tonight. Dad's on a date with Carole; they'll be back late. Finn's out with Quinn. He'll be back later.
And Kurt will be talking to Puck about murder. He can't believe this is happening.
He also can't regret it.
Kurt meets his reflection's gaze and dries his hands. A good host offers refreshments, so he goes downstairs to raid the pantry.
He's done taking harassment and abuse. He's done raising his chin and surviving it. Yeah, he's getting out of this town someday, but he doesn't have to hurt all the time.
Puck lets himself in and Kurt calls, "The kitchen!" He looks up with a smile; Puck's scrubbed clean and he nods, so Kurt knows the scene is, too.
"I had fun tonight," Puck says.
Kurt smiles again, setting a plate of fruit and crackers on the counter in front of Puck. "Me, too," he says.
A heartbeat of silence, then Puck asks, "Any plans to do it again?"
Kurt's still smiling.
