A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and read the last chapter. Your patience and dedication means so much to me. Hope you enjoy Part II.

Also my I commissioned by dear friend starkurt on tumblr for some amazing art from the last chapter that you can check out here:

ktfranceebee . tumblr (. com) / post / 172544737780 / i-didnt-wake-you-did-i-kurt-texted

(Remove spaces and fix the dotcom because fanfictiondotnet still sucks, I mean, doesn't support links...)

Chapter Nine

Duly Noted

Part II

oOo

Tuesday, 10 December 2024

5:47 pm

After what seemed like an eternity in the cab ride from hell, Kurt found himself stumbling out of the smoke-filled back seat of the vehicle after it pulled to a stop in front of the glass doors of his apartment. Kurt paid the less-than-courteous driver, as was evident from his colorful language utilized during a traffic jam a few minutes earlier, and strode wearily to the entrance.

Kurt was exhausted now that he was back home after all of his work meetings, articles read, and crucial emails forwarded. There was nothing he wanted more than to go up to his apartment and take a nice hot bath. As he pushed the elevator button his mind drifted to the one fault in his plan.

Dave.

Kurt looked down at his Swarovski crystal-encircled watch. He was fifteen minutes late, thanks to traffic. Entering the elevator, he thought to devise a plan. He could let Dave know how tired he was and maybe they could plan to hang out some other day, he thought as he leaned his head back against the wood panels of the elevator. Dave would understand. After all of their plans were on such short notice.

The doors chimed open and Kurt exited the elevator. Towards the end of the hall, he saw Dave standing in front of the door to his apartment. His back faced him and it seemed he was looking down at something in his hand. Kurt's lips twitched with amusement as he saw the box of popcorn tucked under his arm. As if they would need an entire box.

Kurt guiltily chewed on his bottom lip at the sight of seeing Dave camped out outside his apartment like a stray puppy, and his plans on postponement dissipated like the thought never had a chance to fully form in his mind.

oOo

Dave readjusted the box of popcorn under his arm as he stood uneasily outside the apartment directly below his. He had already knocked three times, so knocking a fourth was no use.

Dave pulled his phone out of his pocket for the tenth time as he stared at the time. Kurt still wasn't home from work and was running late. While he considered himself to be a patient man, he was hardly an optimist. What if Kurt was stuck in a meeting and wouldn't be home for hours? What if he had forgotten about their plans entirely? Or the worst possibility that Dave didn't allow his mind to linger on...

But there was no use in loitering outside his apartment. He would go upstairs and come back later, he decided, tucking his phone back into the pocket of his jeans once more. Once he got home, Kurt could let him know whether still wanted to hang out. Though he hated the idea of Kurt coming home and assuming he had forgotten about their plans.

"Hey."

Dave jumped slightly and turned around. He had to catch the box of popcorn that slipped out from under his arm at the movement. He was pleased to see that his reflexes from playing football in high school hadn't completely disappeared.

"Hey," Dave returned the greeting as Kurt strode towards him, keys in hand. There was a minute smile on the man's lips and Dave felt his cheeks heat up knowing Kurt had seen his fumble. Dave cleared his throat.

"I was about to text you to make sure everything was okay." Kurt cocked his head, surprised.

"Oh… Yeah," Kurt waved him off before sorting through his keychain for the right keys. "Sorry. Everything is fine. I should have let you know I was running late. Traffic was terrible."

"Don't worry about it," Dave said as he gave Kurt a once over. He was wearing a suit of rich, plum-colored fabric. His crisp midnight blue undershirt was buttoned up to his pale throat in stark contrast and had a pleated ruffle. Despite his usual fancy dress, Kurt looked tired, and Dave felt a wave of guilt was over him. He had been home all day ignoring his work, while Kurt had undoubtedly a full day. Though he knew he would probably regret it, Dave spoke up.

"Listen, Kurt, if you wanted to hang out some other day that's fine. It's... Not like I haven't seen Die Hard fifty times already." He tried not to sound too disappointed but failed miserably.

"What?" Kurt's head whipped towards him, looking taken aback and, if Dave didn't know any better, slightly hurt. "No, I mean… If you have other plans I understand..." He dragged the end of the statement out as if trying not to form it into a question.

"No. No other plans," Dave interrupted. "I figured you had a long day and would prefer company some other time."

"Am I that transparent?" Kurt gave a weary laugh the cringed outwardly. "Not about not wanting company. Just that…" he sighed. "It was a long day, but I wouldn't mind watching one of my favorite action movies. Whether you still care to join me is up to you." Kurt pushed the door open and went inside, holding it open for Dave.

"Yeah, of course." Kurt didn't even have to ask. But as he was about to step across the threshold, Dave was overcome with a bout of nervousness he wasn't expecting. When he agreed to hang out with Kurt, he neglected to realize that it would just be the two of them. By themselves. Did Kurt truly have no reservations about being alone with him?

"I appreciate it though," Kurt thanked him with a tight-lipped, but still welcoming smile as Dave crossed the threshold. When Kurt shut the door behind him, Dave let out the breath he was holding.

"Your place is nice," Dave offered, looking around at the abode that was entirely Kurt. The decor was primarily black and white, with a few splashes of color here and there from the red accent pillows and matching fuzzy throw on the eggshell-colored leather couch, to his white bookshelf adjacent to the television set that housed books that seemed to neglect any particular order other than color, as the spines were arranged in a spectrum of color transitioning from one hue to the next. The lowest row, however, was completely white and, from what Dave could assume from where he was standing, were all Vogue magazines. Dave admired the chandelier shaped like a three-dimensional asterisk with bulbs of light that poked out from each exploding end. That definitely didn't come with the apartment and had to be a Kurt Hummel addition.

"Thanks." Kurt brushed past Dave, and he realized he was still standing in the apartment foyer as he took in his surroundings. His eyes moved to Kurt who was slipping off his jacket.

"You can put the popcorn in the kitchen. And thanks for bringing it by the way. You really didn't have to." Kurt chuckled and neatly folded and draped the blazer over his arm.

"It's no problem," Dave said, moving towards the kitchen. It was almost identical to his with its white cabinets and opposing black countertops, if not slightly smaller and missing the bar area. "You want me to pop any yet or…?"

"Yeah, that will be fine. I'm just going to change if that's okay? I feel like I absorbed an entire pack of cigarettes into my clothes on the cab ride here. Also, there's soda in the fridge. Help yourself." Kurt called out from the doorway of his bedroom as he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.

Dave hastily looked away, as if he were observing something indecent.

"Thanks, um… Do you want me to grab you anything?" Dave asked. He walked to the fridge with its myriad of pictures of Kurt, Rachel, and Finn as well as his parents, various magazine clippings of recipes, stuck messily on the surface with a variety of magnets. A small whiteboard was at eye level, but devoid of any reminders or messages. He pulled the door open and saw the contents inside did not match the jumbled exterior, which was tidy and organized by containers and food types. In the corner were a few rows of Pepsis, Dr. Peppers, and Sprites.

"Yeah, just a Pepsi, please." Kurt's voice was muffled as if he was pulling a shirt over his head. Dave realized he hadn't bothered to shut his door to his bedroom. Dave grabbed two of the blue cans before tackling the box of popcorn.

"So, I didn't see you as a Die Hard fan." Dave pointed out as he tore open the cardboard box and pulled out one of the waxy and lumpy paper packets. He went ahead and put it in the microwave and set the timer for three minutes and pressed start.

"Oh yeah, why is that?" Kurt's voice was accusing.

"I don't know, just didn't picture it." Dave could hear his footsteps coming from around the corner of the kitchen. When he turned at the sound of the voice, he had to do a double take. He was surprised to find Kurt wearing a plain, fitted white shirt and soft looking blue pajamas, and his feet clad in white socks. Dave glanced down to see the pants had a design repeatedly covering them with the words "you'll shoot your eye out", Ralphie Parker's bespectacled face, and the famous Red Ryder BB gun. Dave snorted, but for some reason, he felt a rush of something akin to honor that Kurt would trust him enough to allow him to see him dressed so… Casually.

"Just like I wasn't expecting those pajamas," Dave smirked beguiling.

"Shut up, I love these." Kurt frowned, tugging on the loose-fitting fabric by his thigh.

"I didn't mean anything by it. I'm actually jealous," Dave said, holding up his hands in defense.

Kurt narrowed his eyes dubiously.

"Well, thank you. Finn got them for me for Christmas last year. And it was Finn who got me to love action movies, in case you were wondering," Kurt acknowledged.

"Really?" Dave asked in wonder.

"Well, no. Not directly." Kurt grimaced, lost in a memory. "I guess you can say it was an accident."

"How so?" Dave inquired, crossing his arms in interest as he leaned against the counter. The popcorn began to pop away enthusiastically behind him.

"Well…" Kurt copied Dave's movements opposite him. "It started when I managed to play cupid and get my dad and his mom to start dating. And then my dad and Finn bonded. And then I got jealous." Kurt picked a piece of lint off his fleece pants absentmindedly. "Tried to fit in and join their 'man time'." He motioned with air quotes sardonically. "I tried listening to the same music they listened to, watched the same movies they did, I even subjected myself to hours of…" Kurt made a disgusted face and shivered, "...sports before I came to my senses."

"Wait," Dave narrowed his eyes in recollection, "was this our sophomore year when you started to dress like a trucker for a week?"

"Oh, God." Kurt covered his face with his hands in horror. "Please don't tell me you actually remember that." He peeked at Dave between the spaces of his fingers.

"Only like it was yesterday," Dave snickered. He remembered that week... Far better (and far more embarrassingly) than he liked to admit.

Kurt removed his hands, revealing his red cheeks the same shade of red on his pants.

"That's lovely," he bemoaned and stuffed his hands into his pockets indignantly.

"I thought it was a good look," Dave said with a shrug.

"It was atrocious," Kurt said flatly.

"Well, if anyone could it off you could. Though I much prefer your usual look," Dave added brightly.

Kurt stared at Dave his eyebrows raised.

Then he coughed, and the redness in his cheeks from before returned.

"I… Thanks." His voice was soft and he seemed visibly taken aback at the compliment. Dave could imagine why, though. He only spent half of high school teasing Kurt based on the ostentatious outfits he wore alone.

"Oh," Kurt broke out, standing up straighter motioning behind Dave. "Don't let the popcorn burn."

"Shit," Dave said, pulling himself out of his reverie. While popcorn had stopped popping, the microwave was still on. Turning around, he yanked the microwave open. The bag was plump and hot steam projected through the thin slit at the opening. He carefully took a corner so as to not burn himself and removed it from the microwave.

Kurt searched the upper cabinet filled with Tupperware next to Dave.

"Here's a bowl," Kurt said. He placed a bright green bowl on the counter before fixing his shirt to cover the thin strip of exposed skin by his hipbone from having stretched to reach the top shelf.

"I'll find the channel the movie is on. I think it already started." Kurt darted back to the living room, slipping slightly on the linoleum floor thanks to his socks. Mouth suddenly dry, Dave cracked open his Pepsi and took a swig.

"Did it burn?" Kurt asked over the broken sound of dialogue and commercial themes as he flipped through the channels. Dave chuckled as he carefully pulled on the opposing corners of the popcorn bag.

"No, it's perfect," Dave said after reaching into the bag and popping one of the warm, fluffy white morsels into his mouth. It was the ideal ratio of salty to buttery.

"Good," Kurt said as Dave stacked the two sodas, his on top of Kurt's, and grabbed them both with his one free hand and took the snacks to the living room. It sounded like Kurt found the right channel.

"Dammit, we missed the first couple of minutes," Kurt deplored. He was plopped on the end of the couch closest to the window, his feet tucked underneath him. Dave looked at the screen and saw John McClane carrying the giant stuffed bear through the airport as he lit a cigarette.

"Aw, I guess we'll never know what happens in the beginning," Dave teased, knowing how many times the two of them had already seen the movie. Kurt scrunched his nose playfully as Dave held out the unopened cold can of soda. Kurt took it with a word of "thanks" and Dave sat down on the other end of the couch.

"So," Dave said as he scooped up a handful of popcorn. "What we were talking about before… When you said you tried to conform and go along with your dad and Finn's interests... How was it you discovered you actually liked some of the things they were into. Like Die Hard."

Kurt snorted.

"Oh, don't get me wrong… I still can't stand more than half of their weird obsessions. But sometimes you have to look past all the violence and raging testosterone to find something enjoyable and poignant. Take this movie for example." Kurt carefully pulled the tab open on his soda and took a sip.

"John McClane. Obviously incredibly devoted to his job. I can relate," he said in an afterthought. "But he is also married and he and his wife live on opposite sides of the country. And yet he is still so in love with her he goes back to California to surprise her on Christmas. And then there is the fact that he is this badass cop who takes it upon himself to save everyone at the Christmas party from the terrorists," Kurt explained as Dave listened with rapt attention. "But then you have this symbolism of his vulnerability. The stuffed bear," Kurt pointed at the screen as John sat in the front seat of the limo while the bear sat in the back. "His fear of flying…"

That one Dave could relate to.

"Right?" Dave interjected. "And then the whole being barefoot pretty much the entire movie? And bleeding from stepping in the glass, exposed and raw."

"Exactly!" Kurt said, sitting up straighter against the arm of the couch. He was leaning forward slightly, engrossed in their discussion.

"But then there is the most obvious reason of all, why this movie is so great," Dave started before Kurt cut in.

"Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber?" Kurt asked beaming.

"Yes! One of the best villains of all time!"

"He's so suave and yet calm and cold and calculating… And that death scene."

Kurt stared at Dave, his cheeks flushed with enthusiasm, and Dave stared back similarly enthralled. He found it hard to believe that the two of them would have anything in common other than their sexuality. Which reminded Dave...

"And not to mention Bruce Willis was hot as fuck," he added.

"Guh…" Kurt groaned and half laughed as his eyes rolled back. "I mean… Why do you think I bothered to sit through it in the first place?"

They both laughed, their voices covering the dialogue from the television.

"Hey," Kurt said suddenly, as he scooted towards Dave. Dave looked at him questioningly. "Stop hogging all the popcorn." Kurt snagged the bowl off of his lap, and Dave gave him a sheepish grin.

"Sorry… I can make more," Dave offered.

"Uh huh," Kurt said, popping a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "But if we run out you're buying more if we plan on watching the other four Die Hards this week."

"You want to?" Dave asked, unable to keep the disbelief out of his voice.

"Yeah, of course? Why not?"

"No reason," Dave said quietly, fully knowing the reason, which always lingered at the back of his mind whether he was around Kurt or not.

The two continued to watch the movie in almost complete silence save for the sound of rustling through the popcorn that now sat between them and their occasional snort at McClane's dry humor. Dave tried not to think about the strange circumstance that was him and Kurt sitting on a couch together, eating popcorn while watching a movie from before they were both born and, instead, just enjoyed the company. It was honestly more fun than sitting upstairs alone waiting for Travis to return home.

"No fucking shit lady, does it sound like I'm ordering a pizza?" Dave mimicked along with the character on screen who cursed at the police dispatcher. It was probably his favorite line in the whole movie, after the famous yippee-ki-yay line. He had expected Kurt to join in with his mirth, but next to him, he heard a different, unexpected noise from Kurt. Looking over at the man in confusion, another soft snore had confirmed his suspicion: Kurt had fallen asleep. Dave looked back at the TV and at then back at Kurt, biting his lip and unsure what to do. It felt wrong to stay there and continue watching the movie while Kurt was asleep, unable to enjoy it with him. And he sure as hell didn't have the heart to wake him, after his long day at work.

Very quietly, Dave set the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and picked up the remote off the middle cushion between them. He pointed it at the TV and pressed the off button. He glanced at Kurt, curled up in a ball with his head resting on the cushion and his one hand trapped under his cheek like he had tried and failed in keeping his head up before falling asleep. Another soft sigh escaped his full, parted lips.

Dave tore his eyes away as he stood up carefully, so as not to wake up Kurt. The movie would be on again tomorrow, he reminded himself. And so would the second movie too.

Dave was about to turn to go to the front door when he saw the throw on the couch and gently tugged it off, draping it over Kurt's body. Considering it was the middle of winter and Kurt was nearest the living room window, he didn't want him to get cold.

Picking up the half-empty soda cans on the table, Dave drained his in one gulp and took Kurt's to the kitchen in case he woke up in the middle of the night and bumped it, causing it to spill everywhere.

After setting them on the counter he glanced up. Kurt had started to shift in his sleep and Dave held his breath thinking he was going to wake up. But he had only grabbed onto the corner of the throw and pulled it tighter over his body to his chin.

Dave slowly let out the breath he was holding when he remembered the whiteboard attached to the refrigerator. He didn't want Kurt to think he had ditched him, but also didn't want to text him and wake him up, so he picked up one of the dry erase markers that were stored in the magnetic pencil holder on the side of the fridge and wrote a quick note. Feeling satisfied, he recapped the marker and put it in its original place. He hesitated slightly, wondering if he should take the box of popcorn with him, but decided to leave it, hoping they could use it tomorrow.

With one last glance at Kurt, Dave silently pulled open the door to the apartment before he turned the lock to the door handle so it would secure itself behind him, and saw himself out.

oOo

"Dave?" Kurt mumbled sleepily, sitting up slowly in the quiet apartment. The TV screen was black, and he was alone on the couch. After rubbing his eyes from the sleepiness, he caught sight of the red blanket on his lap. He must have tugged it over himself in his sleep.

"Dave?" he called out again futilely while shuffling towards the kitchen, but only the silence answered. Dave must have taken off when he fell asleep. A wave of embarrassment washed over him at not being able to stay awake through a two-hour movie as he stared at the clock on the kitchen stove. It was only 8 o'clock, but he knew the movie was close to being over. He wondered what time Dave decided to take off.

Kurt yawned, stretching his hands over his head. Sleeping on the couch was a bad idea, he realized as his back popped. Rotating his neck to eliminate some of the stiffness, he spotted words on the whiteboard that he had been blank just hours before.

"Same time tomorrow?"

Kurt's smile was accompanied by a strange cartwheeling sensation in his chest. He attributed it to feeling less terrible than he did when he woke up knowing he hadn't completely driven Dave away.

Picking up the marker, Kurt wrote a reminder to text Dave the next day in a small script underneath Dave's message rather than just erasing it.

Deciding to call it a night, Kurt went into his bedroom to shower, brush his teeth, and partake in his usual nighttime facial routine before heading to bed early. At least that way he could try to stay awake when Dave came over the next day.