Tiniest Beam of Hope

What the hell am I doing here?

That was the only thought going through Dave Karofsky's mind as he stepped into the halls of McKinley High School for the first time since he had left high school, ten years before. He wasn't even sure why she called him. He wasn't the most successful person in his graduating class. Hell, he wasn't even in the top five, considering he graduated with Rachel Berry, a bonafide Broadway star, and Kurt Hummel, who had become a famous fashion designer.

Dave smiled at the thought of Kurt. He hadn't thought about him in years. He still couldn't believe that he and Kurt had been able to put aside their differences when they went away to college, and while they weren't best friends, they were cordial and had an easy friendship when they saw each other in Lima during hometown visits.

Dave had wanted a fresh start away from everyone, a place to be someone new and find himself, so he chose Florida State University. He had loved living there so close to the beach. He found himself going regularly. It's where he had met Linc; a happy-go-lucky surf pro who had a youtube series about how you can surf in the Atlantic Ocean when everyone thinks the best waves are in the Pacific. Linc was only the second guy he had ever flirted with, and the second he had ever gotten butterflies with. Linc was also the guy who introduced him to Miami nightlife.

After graduation, Dave moved to New York City. For some reason, he could never let go of the dream Kurt had shared with him after his suicide attempt. The dream of being a sports manager, the dream of finding a husband, and having a kid.

It took him a while to get out of the cubicles and from being an intern, but he finally had an office. He was just getting his first clients, and he was pretty happy with his career.

I guess I'm more successful than I initially thought.

Dave pulled himself from his thoughts of success and self-doubt and found Santana's office. She had become a guidance counselor, which, even though she was a prickly pear for most of her high school years, under the tough veneer was a heart of gold, who loved helping other kids find their place in this world, especially a safe place for those who were lgtbq+ or outcasts. Dave and Santana's friendship was still going strong nearly ten years later. Dave had become close to Brittany as well.

He knocked on Santana's office door, and he heard her muffled yell to come in. He opened the door and saw Mercedes Jones, another successful McKinley graduate. She was now in LA and a pretty successful singer and musician. Lauren Zizes, a world-renowned photojournalist, and Kurt Hummel were also standing in her office. He was shocked Rachel Berry wasn't in attendance as well. As soon as that thought left his mind, Rachel was clearing her throat and shoving past him to hug Kurt and Mercedes.

He felt all eyes on him as if he was the odd man out, once again, but they smiled warmly and greeted him. Kurt smiled the widest, however, and quickly bounded over to him. He seemed to have a thousand questions about David's new office and his job. Dave just laughed and let Kurt grill him. If there was one thing he valued about his friendship with Kurt is that over the years, Kurt made it evident to him that he genuinely cared about him, and it was nice to know that someone knew him and cared about him. He had always tried to reciprocate, and when Kurt and Blaine had gotten divorced, Dave flew to Lima and spent a weekend with Santana and Brittany trying to cheer him up. And that's one thing Dave had come to realize and appreciate, that even despite his past, despite what he had done or who he had been in high school, he was accepted and welcomed with the Glee kids. He had never thought in high school he'd ever come to appreciate them to the level he did, but they, especially Santana and Kurt, had made an effort to be there for him and spend time with him after everything he'd gone through in high school. Others came around too, and even Rachel was cordial to him now. The turning point was when she realized he could sing and convinced him to do three duets with her during a drunken karaoke night. Dave looked around at the people in Santana's office and smiled. It was good to be home.

Dave hadn't found the man or had the kid yet, but honestly, he had hope that it was still out there for him. He didn't mind waiting, knowing he had the friendships he did and a father who loved and supported him for who he was. Not everyone had that, and he recognized that.

Santana looked at him then and smiled,

"Are you ready to speak to the kids, Dave?"

Dave grimaced and shrugged,

"I don't even know why you called me, to be honest."

Santana looked shocked,

"How could I not? Dave, did you not think I would find out about your volunteer work with It Gets Better? Do you know how much some of our kids need to hear about your story and how far you've come? Your success story is the most important one the kids are going to hear today, and I think everyone here would agree with that, right?"

Santana stared daggers at Rachel, who shrugged while everyone enthusiastically agreed. Kurt squeezed his hand,

"Sorry, Dave, I had to tell her. I'm so proud of how far you've come since high school and how you're giving back even though barely anyone knows. You give us all hope."

Dave smiled and took a deep breath, and stepped in the hallway toward the auditorium suddenly nervous, but also excited. This wasn't what he was expecting, but he was happy to be there. He was thankful for his friends who had made him see when he was at his lowest point that it did get better and that life was worth living. His only hope was he could pay that hope forward.

The following week, Dave sat in Central Park listening to the birds' chirps and listening to the trees rustling in the wind. It was a beautiful and warm May day. He was waiting for Kurt to join him for their weekly chess game. They had "I began playing when Dave had moved to New York City. Dave had learned in college and was very good. He always won, and he knew it drove Kurt crazy. Kurt showed up with donuts and coffee, and they played a few games. They noticed an older man watching them from a bench.

The man smiled and walked up to them,

"I hope I'm not interrupting too much, but I wanted to say that you remind me so much of my former partner and me. It makes my heart happy to see a younger generation fighting for love."

Dave nearly swallowed his saliva and began choking. Kurt looked at him with concern, "Are you okay?"

Dave coughed a few more times and then addressed the man,

"We're just friends, sir."

The man smiled an almost knowing smile,

"That's what you may think, but I've never seen a friend look at you the way this young man looks at you,"

Dave looked at the man in shock and then at Kurt, who was blushing.

Kurt smiled sheepishly,

"It's that obvious, huh?"

The man grinned,

"It sure is, young man. I know that look because that's how I looked at my Albie." Kurt shrugged then and smiled at Dave, who still was in a state of shock,

"I honestly can't deny it. I'm just so proud of him. It's made me see him in a totally different way, but it's just never been the right time to bring it up. Timing has never been right, you know?"

Dave shook his head in disbelief,

"What are you saying?"

Kurt just looked at him with a look of annoyance,

"Don't be obtuse, Dave."

The man smiled wider and squeezed Dave's shoulder

"Just go with it, son. Today is the day your life changes."

Dave watched as the man walked down the path and disappeared around a corner. He looked back at Kurt, who looked at him with uncertainty,

"So, this is awkward. How long have you felt this way?"

Kurt shrugged and drank his coffee.

"Kurt, don't ignore me. You brought this up."

Kurt sighed and slumped his shoulders,

"Since you told me about the kids you used to help counsel in Florida while you were in college. I was still married then, and honestly, I felt like I was using you as a crutch to get over the fact that my marriage was imploding. I chalked it up to thinking you were the greener grass "on the other side, but the thing was, the feelings never left. They grew into more, so much more, but I couldn't leave Blaine. I was a coward. And then he made the decision to leave me for someone else, and I was relieved, but then I thought about how you'd be a rebound for me, and I honestly didn't want that. Like… if I was going to be with you, I wanted it to be for real, you know, something we could both look back at and be proud of how we started, and I didn't want to hurt you. I guess I didn't want to get hurt either."

Dave sat in stunned silence as he processed Kurt's ramblings. He finally relaxed his shoulders and grinned at Kurt.

"So, you know how I would always tell you about Linc and our crazy nights in Miami? The nights were fun, and I definitely found Linc hot, but truthfully most of our nights were just me obsessively talking about you. Linc got so annoyed he once told me to shut the hell up about this random Kurt guy he'd never met. He was mad because he had put a lot of effort into a relationship with me, only for me to be hung up on you, Kurt. And the thing is, it's always been, you Kurt. Even in high school. Who do you think I was picturing standing with me when I became a sports agent, or who I married and had kids with? It's always you, Kurt. It's not going to be you. So, if you're willing, I'd love to see if our timing is finally right-"

Before Dave could even finish that thought, Kurt was running towards him and kissing him passionately.

He finally broke away and laughed at a very flustered Dave.

"I thought you'd never ask, Dave."

Dave felt euphoria for the first time in his life, or that's at least what he thought that feeling was. It was like flying and feeling free and feeling like all of your dreams are coming true at the same time. Kurt grabbed his hand and asked him to take a walk with him in the park.

Dave squeezed Kurt's hand and smiled at him. Kurt grinned back at him with the goofiest grin he'd ever seen on his face. He looked like his face was shining with the light of a thousand brilliant suns illuminating his face. At that moment, Dave never felt more protected, more at peace, or more known.

Kurt grabbed his hand and began pulling Dave with him,

"Okay, I want to show you my favorite place in the park, but it's a bit of a hike. Do you trust me to lead you?"

Dave smiled and responded,

"As long as you promise to look at me just like that for the rest of your life, you can lead me anywhere you want, fancy."

Dave laughed as Kurt all but dragged him to his favorite secluded bench where he loved to watch people. They sat in comfortable silence until Kurt looked at Dave, who was staring at Kurt with so much love and admiration for the boy who had given him hope to the man who now sat before him, making his dreams come true.

Dave grabbed Kurt's hand and looked at him with all the sincerity he could,

"I'm so happy, Fancy. So fucking happy. I'm happier than I've ever been in my entire life. You're a big part of the reason why. You gave me my hope back when I needed it, Kurt. You have no idea how much your friendship had meant to me over the years; even when I never thought we'd be anything more than that, you still made me feel special and loved, like I was the luckiest person in the world to be your friend. Do you know who rare that is? I just want you to know that I love you. I know it's way too soon to say that, but I do. I just wanted you to know."

Dave sat back and watched as young families walked past with strollers and couples holding hands.

Kurt looked at Dave with tears in his eyes and a huge smile plastered over his face,

"I love you too. And I'd say it's not too soon for us. It took us a while to get where we are today. I'd say years even, but it was worth the wait."

Dave nodded and turned his whole body to face Kurt,

"You're right. Here we are ten years after high school. Everything you and I talked about in my dream of a better life is happening. I have the job, and now I have the man. Who knows, maybe one day we'll even have the kid?"

Kurt's eyes got wide at that, and he grabbed a pen from his satchel and a notebook. Dave looked confused for a minute until Kurt opened the notebook,

"Well, it's time to start a new bucket list for us, now that almost everything has come true. Let's put a wedding on the list. Maybe some family vacations?"

Dave's heart felt like it was bursting into a million tiny pieces of happiness. He grabbed Kurt's face and kissed him passionately. As he gave himself over to the kiss, the last thought that crossed his mind was this.

It really does get better if you can just cling to the tiniest beam of hope.