So, I worked all weekend and then I got a cold. It's also my birthday. So, I get to stay home on my birthday, without being too miserable, and write fanfiction! Overall, I'd call that a win!
Chapter 11 – Kisses and Chimeras
As Kurt sat in his dorm room, packing his things and saying goodbye to the dream that had been Dalton Academy, he (just for a second) doubted his decision to move back to Lima. Puck was right, he had gotten out and the opportunity was nothing to sniff at. And yet, Kurt had faith that he would still be leaving Lima to make it big. Talentless guys like Karofsky and Azimio would be cleaning his septic tank, while Kurt and Puck worked hard to obtain successful careers and raised their child to be happy and loved.
Besides, when had Kurt ever taken, "You can't do that, homo," seriously? He could do a million things, like performing a duet with himself. Why not this? And it felt so good, taking care of Puck and their baby. Every time Puck looked up at him with that soft, grateful smile, Kurt knew he was doing the right thing.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his open door and Blaine's bright smile fading into a frown. "What are you doing?" he asked as he looked around the half-packed room like he already knew the answer. "How's your ... friend?"
"I believe the word you're looking for," Kurt replied flatly, turning back to folding his socks and underwear into a cardboard box, "is 'baby mama.' And he's okay. On bed rest until the kid comes, but no longer at death's door."
"Well, that's good," Blaine nodded, letting himself into the room and dropping down on the bed, one upraised eyebrow directed at the box Kurt was packing.
Ignoring Blaine's questioning look, Kurt turned to him and said, "Thanks again for the ride last week. It meant a lot to me."
Giving Kurt a sort of half-smile, Blaine nodded and when Kurt looked away, he thought he heard Blaine scoff, "Not enough," but he wasn't sure. Then louder, Blaine asked, "No really - what's with all the boxes?"
Sighing as he closed the underwear box and moved to sit on his desk chair, Kurt replied, "I'm moving back home. Puck and the baby need me."
Blaine shifted to lean forward, elbows to knees, closer to Kurt as he asked, "Is that really what you want, Kurt? I mean, our plan for you to stand up to the bullies back in Lima didn't work out so well."
"It doesn't matter," Kurt shrugged. "After everything... It feels so long ago, you know? Besides, Puck and I are taking our classes online for the rest of the year. Bullies won't be an issue."
Blaine nodded in understanding, sighing as he got up and stacked the box Kurt had just finished onto a pile of similar boxes. "You sure I can't convince you to stay? Here," he said with a grin as he kneeled down on the floor before Kurt's feet, clasping his hands together, "I'll even beg. Please stay, Kurt! Please?"
Muffling a laugh at Blaine's antics with one hand on his mouth, Kurt shook his head determinedly. "Nope. I'm sorry, Bl-"
Shuffling forward, Blaine draped his clasped hands, the arms they were attached to and the top half of his torso over Kurt's lap and begged with a winsome smile, "Please? I've gotten all used to having you around, Kurt. Dalton just won't be the same without you."
"Well," Kurt laughed, clasping Blaine's hands and directing him backwards, which was difficult because Blaine's warmth radiated all the way through his dress shirt and Kurt's skinny jeans and Blaine's smile was absolutely dreamy. "You'll just have to learn to get along without me - the only gay boy in history to knock up his boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?" Blaine asked, his smile disappearing into an expression that looked almost like regret. "Last time we talked about it, you two were just…"
"I know," Kurt agreed, trying to keep the besotted smile off his face and failing. "He kissed me. We're planning a future together. I know it doesn't mean everything and Puck has a reputation and this whole thing might not work out the way I want it to, but I have to try, Blaine. I have to."
"Damn," Blaine breathed, still not backing off as far as Kurt would have liked, but keeping his eyes with Kurt's. "I'm too late, aren't I?"
"What?" Kurt asked, feeling supremely stupid for being so surprised. "Too late for what, Blaine?"
"Owen and I broke up two weeks ago," Blaine whispered, still so close that Kurt could feel the breath from his shaky laugh on their jumble of hands above Kurt's lap. "You didn't notice."
Realization hit Kurt hard as Blaine's brown eyes blinked and looked away, and guilt settled heavily in his stomach. "Oh," Kurt whispered, at a loss for anything further to say. Blaine was single, and Kurt hadn't noticed. Even if it wasn't painfully apparent that Blaine was begging Kurt to stay for the possibility of a relationship, Kurt felt like a crap friend for not noticing something so big happening in Blaine's life. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Blaine nodded, still not looking at Kurt as he unthreaded their hands. "You've been preoccupied. I understand."
"I feel like the worst friend ever," Kurt insisted, following as Blaine made his way to the door and realizing what Blaine probably thought he was too late for. But, Blaine didn't think of Kurt that way, did he? "I'm sorry, but you are too l-"
Blaine stopped Kurt with a salty finger to his lips and whispered, "Don't. Don't say it yet. Just let me...?" Blaine took his finger away and leaned in closer, and Kurt knew Blaine meant to kiss him. Kurt knew that he shouldn't; he knew that his relationship with Puck was important for the baby, but something in his head told Kurt to take this one last, little thing for himself, so he allowed the kiss.
Blaine kissed Kurt's lips gently and his skin under Kurt's nose smelled just different enough from Puck's that Kurt turned away with a sharp noise of disappointment. "I'm sorry," he told Blaine. "I can't..."
"I know," Blaine nodded, backing away from Kurt. "But I figured one last Hail Mary was my prerogative. Good Luck, Kurt."
As much as Kurt wished his friendship with Blaine would survive this, the boy's words sounded like a final goodbye. Kurt pressed his lips tougher and nodded, giving Blaine a half-hearted wave as the boy turned around once before leaving Kurt's room. When Burt got back three minutes later, Kurt was still staring at the doorway, trying to prevent his tears by remembering that he had something better than Blaine and Dalton and dorm-room kisses. He had a family.
"...everyone, see you tomorrow," Mr. Talbot, Puck's math teacher was saying as Finn closed the computer to carry it to the next class. Mr. Berry had delivered a laptop and hooked it up to Puck's living room TV so he and Kurt could both see what was going on in the classroom and be seen via the built-in web cam. It'd be kind of cool if it didn't mean Puck had to focus on school again. It was only the end of second period and already Puck was sick of class. If Kurt and the baby didn't need Puck to graduate so badly, he was sure he'd drop out. Come on, the only reason he still went to school was because he got to play sports. Oh, alright and because Puck's nana told him she wanted to see him graduate before she died. Puck's mom had definitely learned guilt-tripping from the master.
"Dude," Puck said, turning to face Kurt, who was sitting on the couch beside him, school books and papers spread out on the coffee table, "what's next?"
"English," Kurt replied, pulling a book out of his backpack and handing it over to Puck. It was some sort of novel with trees and snow on the cover and it looked dumb. "Do you need anything?"
Puck smiled. Kurt was just so thoughtful, like all the time, Puck knew he was in for a shock when he got back on his feet and had to start getting stuff for himself again.
"Nah, I'm cool," he replied. "You okay? I mean, I'm right here, available for making out, if you want."
Kurt laughed and stood up, saying, "I'm not sure you're well enough for that, Puck, but thank you for the offer." He pressed a quick kiss to Puck's lips and slipped away again before Puck could catch him and hold him there.
And then the computer came back to life as Finn opened the laptop on his end, giving Puck an up-close view of Finn's nose hairs before turning the camera around to face the whiteboard. Students piled into the classroom, some of them staring at the computer and Puck felt an overwhelming urge to smile and wave at everyone, but he didn't. Badasses do not smile and wave.
"What's this shit?" a voice asked and Azimio stepped into view, bending down to get a better look at the screen. Knowing he'd be on camera that day, Puck had let Kurt help him get dressed, though Puck was still in bed-ridden with a light blanket over his lap. "Puckerman? We thought you were dead, man!"
"Not yet," Puck called back, wincing when Kurt came back into the room and Azimio's eyes widened.
"What's that fairy doin' in your living room, dude?" the jock asked, waving someone else over until Karofsky and some other jock showed up, too. "You guys catch the AIDS or somethin'?" Kurt scoffed loudly and rolled his eyes, but Puck could tell he hated having to face his bullies this way, with Internet wires separating them. Puck could relate. He really wanted to punch Azimio's face in. "I knew it was only a matter of time before that glee club messed with your brain and made you a homo, man!"
"Gross!" Karofsky added, though Puck saw that little glimmer of fear for himself. The dude didn't want his friends to know how not-gross he found the thought of two guys together to be. "It's a good thing you're not here in person, Puckerman. Or I'd..."
"What?" Puck asked with a smirk in Kurt's direction. "Give into the irresistible urge to suck my cock? You wish, Karofsky."
"Dude!" Karofsky cried, pushing the other jocks out of the way. "That's not funny, Puckerman!" He pointed at the camera and mouthed, "I will end you!"
Realizing he was in no position to be pissing off guys in his condition, Puck replied, "No, you're right. I was outta line. But gimme a break here, dudes. I just had surgery, like, a week ago."
"What for?" Azimio asked skeptically as Karofsky backed away from the camera.
The third jock grinned at the camera and said, "Santana Lopez told me it was a sex-change. You turnin' into a girl, Puckerman?"
Kurt opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but Puck knew he would only make it worse, so he waved the other boy off and replied, "Why are you so interested, Smith? Huh? Admit it, if I was a chick, you'd totally want to get with this!" The boy blushed and floundered, so Puck said, "Too bad, 'cause I'm all dude. Relax, guys. I had my appendix out and something went screwy. In six months I'll be fine."
"So what's Hummel doin' there?" Azimio asked, ignoring the teacher's polite request that he sit down now, please. "Rumor was he transferred to some fancy, gay prep school."
"It was too gay," Kurt replied with a straight face. "There were rainbows and sequins everywhere and my eyes couldn't take it anymore. Can we please start class now?"
Puck sniggered behind a hand and rearranged the things on his TV-tray-turned-school-desk while Azimo gaped like a fish and the others left. "Azimio!" a voice said from off camera as it turned around to face Finn again. "Sorry about that," he insisted, "I had to pee."
"Mr. Hudson, may I start the class please?" the teacher's voice came over the line as Finn nodded and turned them around again, checking to make sure they could see everything.
As Mrs. Ward started talking, Kurt got Puck's attention and mouthed, "Appendix?"
Shrugging, Puck jotted down on a stray piece of paper, "Seemed like a good cover story, babe. Don't want those guys knowing what a freak I am," and passed it over to Kurt.
Before the guy even opened the note, Mrs. Ward cleared her throat and said, "Please remember I can see you passing notes, Mr. Puckerman. If I'm going to put up with this computer-learning exercise, I expect you to take this seriously."
"Yes, ma'am," both boys replied and Kurt stashed the note under his books.
"Ready to have those staples out?" A nurse asked Puck brightly as she closed the examination room door behind the three of them.
Kurt almost laughed when Puck gave her a look that clearly said, "Duh!" but managed to hold it in. He'd been surprised at how much fun he was having hanging out with the jock practically all day every day. Of course, since rejoining the New Directions, Kurt had to leave Puck alone with his sister for a few hours after school three days a week, but it also let him pick up and drop off their assignments. Puck kept trying to convince Kurt to do his homework as well, but not even the temptation of making out was enough to get Kurt to agree. Puck had to do his own work if he was going to get anywhere in life. Besides, Puck seemed to want to make out more often than not, so there was no reason to do anything but wait until Puck couldn't take it any longer.
Of course, they hadn't been making out so much as kissing gently until Kurt inevitably jostled Puck too much and the boy's pain made them stop. It was nice, though, and more Kurt's speed to be honest. Yes, he was no longer a virgin, but that didn't mean he was ready to do much more than kiss while he was sober. And part of him wanted to take advantage of the fact that Puck couldn't push the issue of taking things farther, hoping that maybe this slow pace was leading them into a strong, stable relationship.
Kurt was in a freaking relationship!
Now they were at the doctor's office, missing study hall so that Puck could get the staples out of his belly. All week, Puck had been frowning at his stomach and told Kurt he hoped the scars would look badass, but Kurt could tell he wished there weren't going to be scars in the first place. Loving the way Puck looked at him and kissed him every time he did something nice, Kurt had stayed up late researching the best creams for avoiding scars. The best thing was a prescription salve, so Kurt wrote down the name and was planning on accosting Dr. Van der Hausen until she prescribed it.
After taking Puck's pulse, temperature, and blood pressure, the nurse left, and Kurt was alone with his (freaking!) boyfriend. "You good?"
"Yeah," Puck agreed casually. "Why wouldn't I be? You good, babe?"
Blushing like he did every time Puck called him that, Kurt admitted, "I'm nervous about the ultrasound. What if it's a boy? What if it's a girl?"
"Dude," Puck laughed, kicking Kurt's leg a little bit with his sneakered foot, "don't get your panties in a twist. It is what it is."
"It is what it is," Kurt mumbled. "Right…"
"I mean, personally I'm hoping for a boy," Puck admitted with a sly grin. "'Cause then I could teach him how to be all badass or whatever."
Kurt laughed and said, "If we have a boy, I refuse to let you give him a Mohawk."
"What if he comes out with one?" Puck countered. "That'd be too awesome to mess with."
Shaking his head, Kurt insisted, "Well, I'm hoping for a girl. She'd be so much more fun to dress and…"
Kurt trailed off as Puck's face darkened and he muttered, "I don't want a girl."
"Why not?" Kurt asked gently, taking a chance and brushing his hand down the back of Puck's Mohawk in that way that always seemed to calm him down.
Puck shrugged, but didn't answer and Kurt thought it probably had to do with Quinn's baby. Beth was a girl, so maybe Puck thought it would be too hard having another one.
Trying to lighten the mood while they waited for the doctor, who was taking forever, Kurt asked, "Do you want to bet on it? How about if it's a girl…" he said with a smirk, "you let me give you a facial."
Puck's eyes went wide and then he barked in laughter, covering his eyes with one hand as he snickered, "Kinky, dude! Not really my thing, though…"
"No!" Kurt insisted, hitting Puck lightly on the shoulder and feeling himself blush all the way down to his neck. "Not what I meant, you jerk! I meant an avocado and mud face mask not … not that!" He hit Puck twice more for good measure.
"Alright, alright!" Puck agreed. "I'll let you put some fruity gunk on my face. But if it's a boy – which it is – you have to …" Kurt was afraid Puck was going to suggest something sexual and vaguely uncomfortable, but instead he said, "…do all my homework tonight. That's the deal."
Kurt pondered the possibility for a few seconds, but again seeing the ghastly state of Puck's pores, Kurt stuck out his hand and they shook on it.
"Alright, boys," the doctor said as she came back into the room. "Let's look at this wound and get those staples out. Sound good?"
"You have no idea," Puck groaned, and Kurt blushed again at how that tone in the boy's voice diverted his mind straight into the gutter.
The process didn't take very long and then Dr. Van der Hausen pulled a machine up to the side of the exam table, saying, "Now, before we dress the wounds again, let's have a look at the baby, okay?"
"Sure," Puck nodded. "And if you could tell us whether it's a girl or a boy, we totally have a bet riding on the answer, doc."
"Ah," she nodded with a smile before squirting some goo onto Puck's belly, which seemed to be getting a little bigger every day and looked much better without all the staples. Spreading the goo around with the ultrasound wand, Dr. Van der Hausen flicked on the machine and said, "Now, I'm not an expert in determining sex of the baby, especially this early, but I'll give it a shot."
After a few moments, Puck grabbed Kurt's hand without even looking for it, since his eyes were glued to the machine. Kurt meanwhile, almost couldn't look, preferring to watch Puck, with his stupid haircut and his perfect cheekbones, and the dimples that made themselves apparent when the doctor pointed to a fluttering motion in the black-and-white image and said, "Heartbeat looks good. The fetus is the right size for its age, too. It's a good thing you got to the hospital right away, Noah. There was probably minimal damage to the brain. Oh, and look! I'm fairly certain it's a boy!"
Kurt looked up then, ignoring Puck's cry of, "I fu-freaking told you so, Hummel!" and staring at the image. He could maybe make out the big round head when the doctor pointed it out to them, but otherwise, he couldn't tell the kid's ass from his elbow. But, if Dr. Van der Hausen said it was a boy, then it was probably a boy.
Tears sprang up into Kurt's eyes and his throat closed up a little, making it hard to take deep, calming breaths. That was his baby in Puck's belly. Kurt knew it was there, he had seen Puck growing bigger over the past month, but he hadn't fully realized until this moment, that the baby wasn't just an idea, something you talked about and planned for. It – he – was very real and very small, and before too long, Kurt would be one of the two people in charge of him. Kurt repressed an excited, nervous, helpless shudder at the thought.
After taking a few still shots, the doctor turned off the machine and asked, "Do you think you and your mother would consent to letting me write this up for publication? Your identity would be held privileged, of course…"
"So," Puck asked as the doctor cleaned off his belly and put a big dressing over it, securing everything with medical tape. He met Kurt's eyes briefly like he was asking for an opinion, to which Kurt shrugged, before he continued, "no one would know you were talking about me?"
"No," she replied. "It's just, I've done a lot of reading since your surgery and reproductive hermaphrodites like yourse-"
"What? I'm not some herma-whatsit!" Puck cried, looking like he was about to punch her or something. Carefully, Kurt squeezed Puck's hand and stroked the back of his head again, hoping that he would remember to stay calm for the baby's sake.
"It's just a clinical term for your condition, Noah," Dr. Van der Hausen insisted. "It just means that you've got both sets of reproductive gonads working. It's really interesting, because it means you're mostly you, but your one ovary and perhaps some of your other tissues came from a sister-embryo that fused with yours before you were born. We think – and this is why your primary physician suspected pregnancy – this happens more often in certain Jewish populations. You're what we call a chimera."
"Isn't that, like, a dragon or something?" Puck asked her, still looking a little upset, but maybe if this chimera thing was badass enough, he'd be okay with it.
"It's a mythical beast, yes," the doctor nodded, taking a sheet out of the chart and giving it to Puck. "Your case could be very important for our general scientific knowledge of human reproduction. If you decide to let me write the paper, just fill this out, have your mother sign it and send it back to me. Okay?"
"Whatever," Puck replied. "Do we get a picture of the kid, or what?"
"Of course," the doctor replied with a smiled. "I made you a DVD, too." She handed the items over and then left to let Kurt help Puck down from the exam table and out to the car.
When they were sitting in the Navigator, which was silent before Kurt started the engine, he whispered, "It's a boy, Noah."
"Told you so," Puck whispered in reply, aiming a fond smile down at the bump hidden under his coat. Kurt wondered if that smile was just for the baby, or if maybe someday Puck would look at him like that, too. Because that baby and that smile were worth a thousand maybe-relationships with guys like Blaine.
Please, let me know what you thought of the chapter. I really appreciate everyone's feedback and input, it really keeps this story going at a time when all my other fics are more or less on hiatus. Thanks again!