Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.
A/N: Sorry this took a little longer to write and post, I've taken to alternating between this and my fic 'Strung Together.' I want to note that writing in italics will be used for thoughts in this fic, like in my other, unless stated otherwise. I've also decided that with my fics I'd not have them take place during specific years (for example: the class of 2012). I'm doing this so that, if need be, I can use any song even if it's one that's been released since the ending of the show. Anyways, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy =)
Disclaimer 2: I don't own Dear No One by Tori Kelly
PREVIOUSLY ON HERO, SAVIOR , MINE: While Kurt and Puck enjoyed a near perfect weekend with an absent Finn, Finn was busy complaining to the other glee boys about Puck's appearance at this house. Luckily Mike gave the boys warning. Now they wait and wonder what his next move will be.
**Puck & Kurt**
When Puck arrived at the Hudmel home, he was glad to hear that Finn had already left. Some music emergency Rachel was having which wasn't too surprising since they had glee club that afternoon. He couldn't say he was too excited for that. It would be Kurt's first glee club meeting since his attack and he hoped it would go as smoothly as he had planned.
"Babe?" he called as he made his way down the basement stairs.
Kurt smiled wide at him. "Hi, Noah," he greeted, "let me just grab your jacket and I'll be ready to go."
"No need to hurry. You seem to be in a good mood this morning," the jock noticed.
"I am! Morning sickness hasn't been an issue surprisingly. I'm taking it while I can get it."
"Fair enough."
"All set. Actually, one thing."
"What's that?" Puck asked, tilting his head. Kurt didn't bother with words. He walked up to the jock and wrapped his arms around the boy's waist. Puck happily embraced the pale teen. "I think we should start all mornings together like this."
Kurt chuckled, "absolutely." He reluctantly pulled himself out of the jock's embrace. "We should probably get going."
"Yeah." When Puck tried to take the boy's satchel out of his hands, Kurt let it go with a roll of his eyes. He was having too good of a morning to get into a discussion about carrying things and their heaviness.
Burt had Kurt's morning buttered toast ready for him when the boys emerged upstairs in the kitchen. "You boys have a good day at school, okay?"
Kurt gave his dad a quick hug before grabbing his toast. "Thanks, Dad. Don't forget we have glee club this afternoon so we won't be home right after school."
"Don't try to push yourself, you hear me, Kurt? If you're not ready, or don't think you can handle it, I don't want you sticking around. There's nothing wrong with you not going."
"I'm ready, Dad, but I know. I promise."
"Good. Now, you boys get out of here."
"Later, Mr. H."
The day started out well for the boys, but they did have a little hiccup. After first period, Puck and Kurt met up with Tina so she could walk with Kurt to their shared second period class. Tina and Kurt were discussing a song that the Asian girl was wishing she could sing in glee club when Kurt came to a sudden halt in the middle of the hallway. "Kurt?" she asked. The boy's hand flew to his mouth and he raced into the girl's bathroom that was, thankfully, just ahead of them. What do I do, follow Kurt or get Puck? She barely spared a moment before turning around and racing back down the hallway to find Puck still at his locker talking to Mike. "Puck!"
His head snapped around; eyes widening upon realizing Kurt wasn't with her. "What happened? Where's Kurt?"
"I don't know what happened. He just stopped out of nowhere and raced into the girls' bathroom."
"Fuck!" He slammed his locker door. "I got this. Do me a favor, and wait outside the door. Don't let anyone in." He didn't bother waiting for her response and burst through the bathroom door. "Kurt, babe?" All he got was the sound of heaving in response. "Shit." He checked under the stalls until he found Kurt's shoes, and slowly eased the door open. "Oh, babe." He kneeled next to the boy and slowly rubbed circles in his back.
It took a few moments for Kurt to stop gagging. "Shoulda seen that coming," the boy rasped. Puck rose and helped the pale boy to his feet. He went and rinsed his mouth out at the sink. "I gotta start carrying a tooth brush or some mouth wash in my bag."
Puck propped his bag on the counter. "One step ahead of you." He pulled out a pouch that contained a travel tooth brush and some tooth paste. Kurt shot him a confused but thankful look. "What? I figured it was bound to happen at least once."
Kurt quickly brushed his teeth and spit into the sink. "Now I'm really convinced you think of everything."
"Nah. I just want to take care of you."
"You do, Noah. Thank you. Would it be okay if I keep this in my bag now? In case I need it again?"
"Go ahead. I'm just glad I had it. How you feeling?"
"Better. A little shaky."
"Well, how about we stop by your second period class and let your teacher know what happened? Then we can go sit in the choir room until third. And I have some crackers in my bag for your stomach if you need to nibble on some."
"Sounds like a plan." The boys grabbed their bags and headed towards the exit. When Puck pulled the door open, he was surprised to see Tina standing outside.
"Oh, shit, I forget you were out here Tina," Puck confessed, hand running through his mohawk.
"You told me to keep watch. You okay, Kurt?" she asked with concern.
"Breakfast didn't agree with me," he lied. "I'm feeling better. Sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad it's nothing serious."
"Tina, Kurt and I are gonna walk you to your class and talk to your teacher. Then we're gonna go chill somewhere, okay?"
"Sure." Tina linked her arm with Kurt's as the three made their way to the history classroom. "You sure you're okay, Kurt?"
"I'm okay, I promise. My stomach has already settled, and I'm gonna eat some crackers just to make sure. Noah will take good care of me," the pale teen assured her.
"Good. I'll send the teacher out so you can talk with her a moment." She gave the teen a hug before going to converse quietly with her teacher, pointing her towards the hallway.
The teacher, Mrs. Mackey, hurried to the hall in concern, pulling the door to behind her for privacy. "Everything okay, boys?"
"Sorry to bother you, Mrs. M, but Kurt's not feeling well. I thought it'd be best to go sit somewhere and try to get his stomach to calm down. I just wanted to keep you in the loop," Puck informed her.
"I'm sorry to hear that Kurt. Don't worry about my class. I'll have Miss Cohen-Chang pass the homework on to you, okay? I hope you feel better." She placed a comforting hand on the pregnant teen's shoulder before taking her leave.
The teens quietly made their way to the empty choir room, closing the door behind them. Puck deposited his bag on top the piano and dug out a pack of saltine crackers. He took them to the smaller teen who had taken a seat in one of the chairs in front of the risers. "Here you go, babe."
"Thank you, Noah."
"Pop open those bad boys and I'll be right back." He quickly made a trip to his locker and returned with a bottle of ginger ale. "This should help too."
Kurt shook his head at the jock in amusement. "Thanks. I never thought I'd feel ravenous when it came to saltines, but sweet Gaga these are good."
Puck chuckled as he retrieved his guitar from where he had it stored and took a seat next to Kurt. "I'm glad I asked my mom about morning sickness and what kinda stuff helps with nausea. She's been a huge help."
"I love your mom."
"Yeah, she's pretty awesome." Kurt sat back, closed his eyes, and just sank into listening to the jock strum his guitar. He felt absolute peace. He was brought out of his doze when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, babe, but the bell's about to ring." The boys gathered up their things in silence, and set out to continue their day.
**Puck & Kurt**
Puck and Kurt arrived back in the choir room during lunch where they could eat in private. They quickly took up their positions from Friday. "Kurt, would you be mad if I invited someone to join us?"
The pale teen turned to look at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I kind of invited Tina, Artie, and Mike to join us."
"Really?"
"Please don't hate me. I thought you'd like some time to just hang out with your friends. I know how much you've missed them. And I thought you'd like for things to feel like they used to. If you don't want to, I can totally text them that it's not a good time. Shit, I should've asked you first." The jock was cut off when Kurt flung his arms around his neck. "Kurt?"
"Thank you, Noah. That sounds wonderful. Not that I'm tired of it just being me and you!" he hastened to add.
Puck chuckled. "I know, Angel, I know."
They were brought out of the moment when a throat cleared at the doorway. "Bad time?" Tina asked. She, Mike, and Artie stood there a little unsure.
"Nah, y'all are good. Come on in." Puck was about to ask Mike to shut the door, but the skinny jock beat him to it. Kurt placed a quick kiss on Puck's cheek before jumping up and embracing the goth girl. He took her by the hand and pulled her to a chair on the risers before reclaiming his position in front of the Jewish teen. Puck pulled out the lunch his mother had packed for him and Kurt, and listened to the boy talk.
"I'm so glad you guys are here! I had no idea Noah planned this. It's been forever since we've been able to just hang out."
"I can't remember the last time we've done this. Especially since you tended to not join in on guys' night," Artie pointed out.
"I don't think I ever really felt welcome," Kurt mused. "Not like that's against you and Mike of course. And video games were never my thing. Plus, with Finn off with you guys, I would use the time to be with my dad; have him to myself." He absentmindedly started to pick through the food, passing some on to Puck.
"I'm glad you were able to do that. I am sorry, though, that you didn't feel as if you'd be welcomed. It's guys' night. You are a guy, Kurt. You had every right to be there," Mike stated.
Kurt's eyes started to tear up, and he mumbled a quiet "hormones" under his breath, cause the three teens to share confused looks. "Thanks, Mike," he whispered.
Tina decided to change the subject. "Are you looking forward to glee club, Kurt?"
He took a moment to chew the grape in his mouth. "Yes and no. I've missed glee club, but I'm kinda nervous. It's the first time I'll be in a room with everyone. Are they going to notice me? Are they going to realize it's my first appearance in a while? Is someone going to say something to me? I honestly don't know."
"It'll be okay, Kurt," Artie tried to reassure him. "Puck's already planned for us to be surrounding you like a fortress. You're not in this alone. And if someone does say something, we've got you're back. But I don't think that'll be a problem."
Puck rubbed his hand along Kurt's back. "He's right, Kurt. We can do this. You can do this," he emphasized. "They're in no position to say shit. Fuck them all if they do."
"Okay, Noah."
"Any idea for a song you want to sing this week?" Tina questioned.
"I don't think I'm going to sing."
"What?! But, why?"
"I don't want to bring attention to myself. And I honestly don't feel like I'm ready to do it in front of them. I just can't do it."
"Nobody's going to make you, babe," Puck assured him. "If you're not ready, then you're not ready. Remember what your dad said this morning? Don't try to rush it." Kurt rolled his eyes in reply making Tina giggle.
"Well, what if we sing something now Kurt?" the girl asked.
Kurt got a twinkle in his eye, and made his way to the girl, whispering a song in her ear. "What do you think? Will you sing it with me?"
"It would be my pleasure." She grabbed her iPod and hooked it to the docking station in the front of the room. Puck sent a smile to an anxious-looking Kurt, mouthing 'you've got this', making him blush. Taking her place next to the pale boy, she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
**Kurt -italicsTina - bold both – underlined**
I like being independent
Not so much of an investment
No one to tell me what to do
I like being by myself
Don't gotta entertain anybody else
No one to answer to
But sometimes, I just want somebody to hold
Someone to give me the jacket when it's cold
Puck smiled when Kurt wrapped his borrowed jacket tighter around him.
Got that young love even when we're old
Yeah, sometimes, I want someone to grab my hand
Pick me up, pull me close, be my man
I will love you till the end
So if you're out there, I swear to be good to you
But I'm done lookin' for my future someone
'Cause when the time is right
You'll be here, but for now
Dear no one, this is your love song
Ooh oh oh
Kurt curled into himself, turning his back towards Tina.
I don't really like big crowds
I tend to shut people out
I like my space, yeah
Tina swung her skirt, wistful smile on her face.
But I'd love to have a soul mate
And God'll give him to me someday
And I know it'll be worth the wait
So if you're out there, I swear to be good to you
But I'm done lookin' for my future someone
'Cause when the time is right
You'll be here, but for now
Dear no one(Dear nobody),this is your love song
Ooh ooh ooh oh
Sometimes, I just want somebody to hold
Someone to give me their jacket when it's cold
Got that young love even when we're old
Tina grabbed Mike by the hand and pulled him up to dance with her.
Yeah, sometimes, I want someone to grab my hand
Pick me up, pull me close, be my man
I will love you till the end
Kurt stood in front of Puck with his hand outstretched. Puck took it, and wrapped his arms around the boy's waist.
So if you're out there, I swear to be good to you
But I'm done lookin', for my future someone
'Cause when the time is right
You'll be here, but for now
Dear no one, (Dear nobody) this is your love song
Dear no one
No need to be searching, no
Dear no one
Ooo-ooo-ooh
Dear no one, oh-oh-o-oooh
Dear no one
This is your love song
As the song ended, Artie, Mike, and Puck erupted in applause. Kurt and Tina shared a hug and took a bow. The teens all jumped at the sound of hands clapping at the door. Mr. Schue grimaced, "Sorry. I loved your performance. You two sounded great."
"Thanks, Mr. Schue," Tina said.
"It was great to hear you sing, Kurt. I've missed hearing your voice."
Kurt blushed. "Thanks, Mr. Schue. That's actually the first time I've sung in a long time. It was nice to just sing. I've missed music. It's one of the reasons why I wanted to come back to school."
"We're all thrilled to have you back. I'll leave you kids to finish your lunch." The teacher left for his office with a wave. The teens settled down, dug into their food, and genuinely enjoyed each other's company. Puck, especially, enjoyed listening to Kurt's laughter. Next to the sound of the baby's heart beat, it was the most beautiful sound he's heard in a long time.
**Puck & Kurt**
Kurt, Puck, Mike, Artie, and Tina met up at the Jewish teen's locker after school let out. The shaking of Kurt's hands was noticeable to all of them. Puck placed his tan hands on the pale ones. "Are you sure you wanna do this, Kurt?"
"I want to. I'm just nervous."
"It'll be okay. Don't forget our plan." The teens set themselves up when they reached the choir room door where Puck and Mike went first, then Tina and Kurt, with Tina in between Kurt and other possible glee members, and Artie bringing up the rear. They got lucky in that the only person present in the room was Mercedes who was focused on her phone. The four teens took up their positions to keep Kurt from view. One by one, as their fellow gleeks arrived, the teens relaxed a little more. It worked. They were none the wiser to Kurt's presence. Puck grabbed for Kurt's hand, twining their fingers, with a self-satisfied smile on his face. "Told you it'd be okay." The glee club meeting went smoothly, Kurt enjoying every minute of it. He loved hearing Quinn and Artie sing. Hell, he even somewhat enjoyed listening to Rachel's annoying psychobabble about her being the most talented one there. Kurt rested his head on Puck's shoulder. Glee club was something that Kurt didn't know if he'd be able to have back in his life, but Puck managed to make it happen. The jock had no clue what that meant to him.
**Kurt & Puck**
When Kurt and Puck arrived at the Hudson-Hummel house that evening, Kurt didn't hesitate to fill his dad in on his day. His excitement was palpable, and Burt basked in the pure joy his son was exhibiting. He's always been proud of his boy, but witnessing the amount of strength he possessed awed him. When the teens left to start homework downstairs, Burt dug the heel of hands into his eyes. Today was a good day, but he knew more bad ones were on the horizon.
Thirty minutes later Kurt whistled to himself as he went to the kitchen to get a snack, Puck having stayed behind in the basement. He was so into his task that he nearly jumped out of his skin when a voice spoke up from the doorway. "What are you doing?" Finn asked.
Kurt spun around, hand held to his chest. "Jesus Christ, you scared me half to death. Don't you know you shouldn't sneak up on people like that?"
"What are you doing?" Finn repeated.
"I'm summoning spirits. What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting something to eat." He turned his back to Finn and resumed constructing his turkey sandwich. "Did you want something, Finn?"
"Yeah, I wanna know what the deal is with Puck. Why was he here those few times?"
"He told you we were working on a project."
"This is Puck we're talking about. The dude doesn't do school work."
"Finn, it's nothing. You only saw him for like two seconds. I don't see what the big deal is. Let it go."
"Damn it, Kurt," Finn placed his hand on his step-brother's shoulder.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Kurt screamed, sending Finn scrambling backwards.