Chapter 2- Coming Around Again

Jesse presses his back flat against the wall, breathing hard.

God damn it.

He had spoken to Walt that night about their next move evading the police. The older man had vehemently advised to just keep to himself and stay inside, but Jesse was adamant to leave to see how Kurt was doing. He had left it a few days, but he couldn't sit idly by without knowing if justice had been served.

Jesse doesn't know when he turned into such a do-gooder, but he finds that he didn't exactly mind that too much, especially if Kurt's wellbeing was concerned. He doesn't know what the deal was with that, but something about Kurt makes him feel attached. Maybe he reminds him of his little brother, maybe he just doesn't like to see people getting hurt. That doesn't sound very Jesse Pinkman of him, though.

It's hard to stay on the run, Jesse thinks. Especially when the area's law enforcement know exactly who you are and exactly where you've been. Jesse's still suspicious of whatever information Schrader might be getting from Walt. The only problem with their partnership is that Walt would sell him out in a heartbeat if his secret was in jeopardy. It isn't a very stable way to go about it, but it's worked well enough for them so far. And Jesse's making money so he can't complain.

But he had underestimated how much the owner of one of his hideouts was going to intrigue him. Everything about Kurt manages to make his brain ache. The way he talked, the way he moved, the way he was. His eyes had held so many secrets but managed to be as transparent as glass at the same time. The boy is truly an enigma. And Jesse wants desperately to figure him out. Call it curiosity, call it attachment, whatever, Jesse doesn't know how to classify it. All he knows is that Kurt's safety is suddenly a priority for him. He's not sure he minds that, but it would be nice to know that he doesn't have to actually worry about Kurt. Despite his protests, Jesse is sure that Kurt can more than handle himself in a fight. According to him, he has a decent knowledge of how to fire a shotgun, so a fist fight is a piece of cake compared to that. Jesse doesn't care how tall or buff Finn might be. Hey, Kurt can always kick him in the groin.

Jesse ducks and vaults over the wall, landing hard on the grass. He darts behind a tree to avoid being seen by anybody besides Kurt in the Hummel household. Now wouldn't that be a disaster.

Making sure the coast is clear, Jesse flits forward and latches onto the treehouse steps. He climbs quickly, sure that Kurt knows he's going up there. That's not important, Jesse thinks, since he's there for the purpose of actually seeing Kurt.

He only has to wait minutes before a shadow looms over him.

"I thought I might find you here again, but I never would have thought you would bring binoculars."

Kurt is stood, crossing his arms and smirking down at Jesse.

Jesse drops the binoculars and scrambles away from them.

"God Kurt, you startled me. But It isn't what you think. I was trying to get a good look inside so that I might see Finn. And I did. You really hit him?"

Kurt raises an eyebrow. "Did you think I wasn't going to?"

"You protested when I said it."

"Look, I got angry, okay? He made a scene at Friday night dinner and that's not okay with me. They're a tradition between me and my dad. After he had his arrhythmia, I started to take them more seriously. And Finn seriously fucked it up. So I picked up the infamous faggy lamp from the story and hit him in the eye with it."

Jesse gapes, clapping slowly and laughing. "Shit, that's hard-core! Congratulations. He's never gonna antagonise you again."

Kurt groans. "I wish that were true. Now my friends think I'm some deranged masochist and my father wants me to start anger management therapy."

"That sounds…dramatic."

"Oh, believe me it is. Anyway, enough about me. I'm glad to see that you haven't been incarcerated yet. How's the meth trade?"

Jesse exhales, remembering why he had first stumbled upon Kurt in the first place. There was always something about his visits to the treehouse that brought him into a haze of distraction. "Slow, if you'd believe that. My partner and I are having some issues. His brother works for the DEA and…"

"Wait a second. This guy's brother works for the DEA and he's making meth right under his nose? That's…both genius and completely stupid at the same time. He's basically setting himself up to fail."

"Loving this vote of confidence."

Kurt rolls his eyes "You know what I mean. You're surely considered that this might blow up in your face."

"I have. Believe me, when I found out I was furious. But we've been clever so far."

Kurt shrugged. "As long as you know what you're doing. Or think you do."

Jesse thinks of something suddenly, curiosity killing him. "How did you know about the gas station?"

"I beg your pardon?" Kurt challenges him, flashing his teeth slightly.

"Last time you told me I could hide out in the gas station. It looked like one of those things that you wouldn't know about unless you really knew about it."

"So what's your question?"

"My question is, how did you know about it?"

"Just because I'm not a high profile meth dealer doesn't mean I've never had to run away before."

"Why do I get the feeling that 'Tragic Life Tales With Kurt" is about to become a tradition?"

"Shut up. Do you want to know or not?"

Jesse nods a curious head.

"A few years ago, I was getting bullied quite badly by some jock. He moved to Arkansas last year but before that he was quite vicious. He followed me home and I didn't want my dad to find out so I skipped through a shortcut and ended up at the abandoned gas station. I broke in and hid inside it until he stopped looking for me. I came home late and lied to my dad about it. I don't even know why I'm telling you this."

"Yes you do," Jesse replies knowingly.

"Yes. I suppose I do."

"You needed to tell someone. Someone who doesn't know you well enough to judge you but knows you well enough to listen."

Kurt turns his head as he hears his father's voice from inside the house.

"Kurt? Dinner."

He winces, thinking about the interrogation that was going to be waiting for him once he returned to the house. He would rather just stay up here with Jesse.

"That's my cue. You'd better wait a few minutes before leaving. Trust me, you do not want my dad finding you here."

"Noted. Shotguns and all that."

"Exactly. So, I guess I'll see you some other time, the next time you wanna hide out in my treehouse."

"Later, Kurt. Don't let your friends give you shit. Why am I even saying that, you can evidently take care of yourself."

"I'll see you soon, Jesse. Thanks for listening to me. Again."

"Best part of my day."

The next day, Kurt found himself on the receiving end of a Rachel Berry attack. It wasn't the first time this has happened but it was definitely one of the most infuriating. She turns to him as she sits down and scowls deeply before speaking.

"Kurt. Finn just recounted the story of how his beautiful face was damaged and I think that you have some explaining to do. Finn's face had better heal by the time Sectionals rolls around or else our loss will be all down to you and then you will really be out of sorts with the rest of the club."

Kurt opens his mouth, but Santana has already started speaking.

"Calm down, Berry. Hummel just gave Hudson what's been coming to him for a long time, that's all. And we're not going to lose Sectionals because of a facial deformity. If we were, we wouldn't have won last year's Sectionals as soon as your gigantic toucan beak stepped up to ruin yet another Barbra Streisand classic."

Kurt smiles, grateful for the girl's brutal interjection. "Thank you, Santana. Perfectly put. And whatever happened between Finn and I is between us, not the rest of you. So, I'd thank you Rachel, if you avoided butting in as you usually do. It's getting even more annoying than usual. Anyone else have an issue while we're trading barbs?"

Rachel drops silent.

"Not to agree with Rachel, but we really don't ned any more grievances between club members," Artie pipes up. Santana stares him down.

"Yeah dude, this really isn't cool," Finn acquiesces.

"Good god, this is an intervention!" Kurt chuckles. "I resent being targeted because I have an issue when last year I sat and watched a baby drama, sorry Quinn, cheating scandals, fights over who owns which boy, certain people quitting the club because they couldn't have a solo and lots of other things which I did not make a comment about. So before you get on all of your high horses about me making grievances, take a hard look at yourselves and maybe realise that you're all the pot and I'm the kettle in this little scenario!"

And with that, Kurt storms out of the room, far more dramatically than Rachel had ever done it. He shoots a text to Santana as he stalks through the school, eyes darting about for signs of jocks ready to slushy him.

Skipping school for the day. Be my eyes and ears?

Satisfied, Kurt pushes through the main doors and exhales deeply as he skips school for the first time in his life because of Finn Hudson.

"Jesse? You up here?" He knew that he wouldn't be, but there was a part of him that wanted him to be.

Spotting a scrap piece of paper he recognised as his own parchment, Kurt retrieved it from the floor.

In case you ever need it, here's my number. J.

Kurt smiled at the note and didn't think twice before fishing his phone from his jeans' pocket and calling the number.

"Well, I didn't think you'd call so soon, Kurt."

"How'd you know it was me? Is this your special drug dealer phone?"

"Trust me, nobody ever calls me on this number." Kurt can practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"Ah, of course. That would require having friends."

"Ouch, I'm wounded."

"Shut up."

"What did you need? Are you okay?"

"Rough day at school. I'm being persecuted for causing drama with Finn. I'm getting it from all sides right now. And don't you dare make a joke about that, Jesse."

Jesse chuckled. "Okay. I won't. Do you need to get away for the day?"

"I have school?"

"So ditch, Cameron."

"I already ditched, how do you think I found your note?"

"Touché. Want me to come and pick you up?"

"That'd be great, Jesse. As long as you aren't busy."

"Is your dad in? I can park around the corner if you need me to."

"He's at work. I'm the only one here, you should be fine."

"I'll see you soon, Kurt."

Kurt wondered where Jesse lived, or whether he was just exaggerating the time like Kurt himself often did. He doesn't have to wait long, Jesse's text message coming through roughly thirty minutes after Kurt's phone call.

Outside :)

Kurt takes a second to collect himself before leaping from the treehouse and dashing through the house, excitement in his chest to see Jesse.

Uh oh.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself."

Kurt straps himself in and appraises the boy next to him. "I have to say, it's weird to see you outside of my den. You know, which sunlight above your head. And clothed this time."

"I love how you didn't ask how I lost my shirt. It could've been anything."

"And that's precisely why I didn't ask. I believe we covered the whole 'accomplice in attempted murder' situation last time."

Jesse pales. "So we did."

"If you want to talk about that, 'Tragic Life Tales With Jesse' can become a thing if you need it to."

Jesse shakes his head. "Let's just…drive somewhere first. This is about cheering you up, not me spilling my deep dark thoughts all over the floor of my car. But I appreciate you being here to listen, Kurt."

"Just returning the favour, Jesse. You listened me and gave me advice when we didn't even know each other. That meant a lot to me. Some of my closest friends don't even listen to me."

"The more I hear about your friends in Glee Club, the angrier I get. They seem like awful people."

Kurt shrugs. "They're not so bad…for the most part. My best friend Santana is great, I think you'd like her. She's very much like you in some ways."

"Then I definitely hate her," Jesse chuckles. "Can I ask you a question though?"

"Fire away."

"Why did you continue speaking to me? You know, after you found out?"

"Because none of my other friends have killed people or spend their days making methamphetamine and you did more for me in one hour than they've done in six years. You couldn't be too bad. I'm an excellent judge of character; I wouldn't have spoken with you if I believed you to be a bad person."

Jesse pouts fondly. "I guess that makes sense."

"Can I ask you something in return?"

Jesse shrugs.

"Why don't you care that I'm gay?"

Jesse blinks. It's not much of a question. In fact, he's not entirely sure he even has an answer outside of his own sexuality. Love is love, after all. "I'm bisexual. Even if I wasn't, it's common sense to let people love who they love. Obviously there are some boneheads that don't catch on, but they're not the ones worth worrying about it."

Kurt coughs and says nothing, giving a firm nod in response.

"Why do I get the feeling that you've never heard anybody say that before?"

"Because I haven't," Kurt replies, exasperated. Not with Jesse, but with the situation. "Everybody who has ever accepted me has explained that they've done it because they love me, not specifically because they approve of who I am.

"My dad said he would always love me no matter what. Which is nice, in sentiment, but it doesn't necessarily say that he'll support me or approve of my first boyfriend. It just means that he loves me. It doesn't really make me feel any better about it."

Jesse shakes his head. "I don't know what to tell you, man. Sorry. Kurt. I guess your dad just needs a little education. My…business partner didn't really understand it when I told him, he just needed to do some research. Maybe that'll help the situation."

Kurt purses his lips and stares ahead at the road. "Yeah. Maybe."