Disclaimer-still don't own Glee

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Chapter 12-Handprints and Bruises

After finishing up some homework one Friday evening, Kurt received a text message from Sam. With a groan he read the message that said Sam was looking forward to the cinema tomorrow. Kurt wrinkled his nose in confusion for he was certain he had not planned any such cinema trip with his boyfriend. Shaking his head he quickly typed a reply asking what time they should meet up.

A minute or two later Sam replied with a time of 1pm. Kurt made his mind up then and there that he would finally break up with Sam when he saw him tomorrow afternoon.

No sooner had he made such a decision when his dad yelled out to him saying that Noah was round. Quickly checking his reflection to ensure he looked presentable, Kurt made his way upstairs to meet his friend. He reached the front door with a wide smile on his face that instantly faded when his eyes landed upon Leanne who was wrapped around Noah with a smug expression on her face.

Scowling at the girl slightly, Kurt pursed his lips before focusing his attention on Noah. If the Jewish teen noticed the animosity flying between his best friend and girlfriend, he didn't comment on it. Instead, Noah simply stepped over the threshold bringing Leanne with him. Noah then headed straight to the kitchen and poured himself a drink then made himself a sandwich.

Kurt didn't mind, he was used to Noah doing this. He liked it in fact; it was nice that Noah felt so comfortable in his home. However, he did not like it when Noah prepared a sandwich for Leanne. He didn't even want the girl inside his house let alone feed her his food. Of course, Kurt kept quiet and said nothing, just watched through narrowed eyes as Leanne dropped bread crumbs all over the kitchen floor.

After the two had eaten, Noah washed the plates up then dried them and put them away before taking Leanne's hand and leading her downstairs to Kurt's basement. Kurt followed behind them, glaring daggers at Leanne's back and wanting nothing more than to push her down the steps so she'd crack her skull.

The couple made themselves comfortable on Kurt's bed whilst Kurt perched himself on his desk chair. This was his basement, his bedroom, his personal place to escape the rest of the world, and there was Leanne, sat upon his bed in Noah's arms, mocking him as she tainted his special place.

He knew that Noah was speaking for he could see his lips moving, but Kurt wasn't listening. He wasn't in the mood to converse, not even with his best friend whom he loved, all he wanted to do was shriek and smash things or hit things, like Leanne. Hitting her would certainly improve his mood. It would be wrong to hit a girl, he knew that, but with Leanne he was sure he could do such a thing and feel guilt free. In his opinion, she didn't count as a girl; she didn't even count as human.

After several uncomfortable minutes, it all became too much for Kurt to stand. The fact that Leanne breathed bothered him enough, but to have her in his house, in his room and making out with Noah on his bed, that was the final straw.

"Get out." Kurt ordered, his voice dangerously low and sounding a great deal like his father.

Breaking the kiss, Noah turned to look at Kurt.

"What?" Noah asked.

"I said get out." Kurt repeated firmly. "Both of you."

"Babe, what's wrong?" Noah asked him.

"Don't call me babe!" Kurt snapped as he grabbed the nearest thing to him, his Biology text book, and launched it in the direction of the two on the bed.

The book missed Noah completely but one of the sharp edges smacked Leanne in the face just below her eye. She let out a mewl of pain and Kurt couldn't help but laugh.

Noah however was not amused. He gently cradled Leanne's face as he inspected the damage before he moved off the bed and stalked towards Kurt.

From his sitting position on his desk chair, Kurt felt an uncomfortable sensation journey up his spine. He stood up to meet Noah, already knowing exactly what would happen. He probably knew what would happen before Noah or Leanne did. After being bullied by 'Puck' for so many years in the past, Kurt could easily detect the signs that indicated an oncoming attack.

What he could not predict was just how painful a punch in the jaw would be. As Noah's fist collided with Kurt's face, it felt like he was being hit by a sledgehammer and the force of it made him stumble backwards hitting his tailbone on the edge of his desk.

He let out a sharp wince from the shooting pain before his own hand curled into a fist and he swung his arm round punching Noah in the side of the head.

Letting out an angry growl, Noah curled his fingers around Kurt's throat and violently smashed his head against the wall. A small yelp escaped Kurt's lips and he clawed at Noah's hand latched around his throat, his lungs fighting for oxygen.

Tears sprang to his eyes and he was sure his face was turning a flaming red colour as he looked up at the angry expression on Noah's face.

The word 'fag' reached Kurt's ears just before the grip on his throat loosened. As Noah moved his hand away from Kurt's neck completely, Kurt gasped and spluttered for breath as he sagged weakly against the wall. Massaging his neck, he noticed how Noah's irises had darkened in fury before he lashed his body round no doubt glaring hard at Leanne.

"Don't you fucking call him that." Noah seethed. "Ever."

"But Puck I…" Leanne tried to say but the words died in her throat as Noah stepped towards her then grabbed her arm before hauling her off the bed then shoving her towards the stairs.

"Get the fuck out!" Noah roared. "It's over bitch!"

Scrambling to her feet, Leanne fled from the basement like a frightened animal. A few seconds later, Burt came stampeding into the room wondering what was going on. He took in Noah's angry form and Kurt cowering by his desk with his hand on his throat and tears streaming down his face.

The older man's eyes darted between the two teens as though waiting for an explanation.

"Dad." Kurt whimpered and Burt was at his son's side in an instant.

"Fucking hell, Kurt." Burt swore as he took in the sight of the already forming bruise on his son's jaw as well as the red handprint around his throat.

He folded his son into his arms and gently rubbed his upper back comfortingly.

"Puck." Burt said. "You have ten seconds to get out of my sight before I beat you to death."

"I'm not leaving." Noah replied stubbornly.

"Puckerman." Burt warned as he craned his neck round to glare at him. "I don't know what the hell's going on right now, but my kid has a nasty bruise on his jaw and someone obviously tried to strangle him. Now that's a large handprint on his neck, too large to be the work of that little whore of yours and I'm guessing Kurt didn't strangle and punch himself. So that only leaves you and that means you sure as hell aren't in my good books right now so get the fuck out."

"Dad, it's ok." Kurt spoke up quietly. "We need to talk."

"Dammit, Kurt." Burt groaned.

"Dad, please." Kurt begged looking pleadingly into his father's eyes.

"I'll be upstairs if you need me." Burt told him before sending one last threatening look to Noah then leaving them to it.

Both teens waited until they could no longer hear Burt's footsteps before moving. Kurt crossed the room to sit on his bed with his back against the headboard and a pillow cuddled to his chest. Noah took to pacing the length of the room with his eyes on the floor.

Although Kurt had told his dad that he and Noah needed to talk, neither of them seemed close to verbalising whatever thoughts may be surfing through their brains.

Drying the last of his tears away, Kurt looked to the part of his bed where Leanne had been sat. His face morphed into an expression of disgust and he made a mental note to change the bed-sheets as soon as Noah left.

Cocking his head to the side, Kurt watched his friend walk back and forth across the carpet. It had been so long since he'd seen Noah lose his temper like that. The last time the muscular teen had exploded so violently had been the final time the football team had beat him up for being friends with Kurt.

Still, even though Kurt had seen Noah angry on more than one occasion, his anger had never been directed at him, not like that. Not even during the days when Kurt was Noah's favourite bullying victim had he seen such fury in the larger boy's eyes.

Truth be told, it had scared him. It had scared Leanne too, that much was obvious by the way she had scarpered. And judging by the way Noah was now sitting cross-legged on the floor and shaking, Kurt guessed that his violent outburst had scared Noah himself.

Cautiously, Kurt slipped off his bed and kneeled at Noah's side. Slowly, he reached his hand out and rested it atop of Noah's head. He stroked his fingers lightly through his friend's hair and soon enough Noah moved so his head was in Kurt's lap.

As Kurt tenderly rubbed Noah's head, the Jewish male stopped shaking. He let out a deep sigh before opening his eyes and looking directly into Kurt's greenish blue orbs.

With their eyes locked on one another, Kurt moved the hand that wasn't stroking Noah's hair to rest over the part of Noah's head he had punched. In return, Noah lifted a hand and lightly traced his fingers along Kurt's throat before travelling up to the bruise on his jaw line, the movement making Kurt shiver.

"I'm sorry." Noah murmured. "So sorry."

He sat up and pulled his eyes away from Kurt as he placed his head in his hands.

"You hit me." Kurt stated quietly, disbelief ringing in his voice even though he knew it was true, the bruises were proof of that.

"I know." Noah replied weakly. "I'm sorry."

"I forgive you." Kurt told him softly and Noah lifted his head up to look at him once more. "But Noah, don't you dare do anything like that again."

Dropping his eyes to the ground in shame, Noah simply nodded.

"You're my best friend." Noah said though he kept his eyes downwards, speaking to the carpet. "The last thing I wanna do is hurt you. I might beat the shit out of other people sure, but… not you. And especially not over some chick, fuck. Bro's before hoe's right. Damn, I don't even know why I got back with the bitch. I must have been feeling lonely, I guess that's stupid."

"It's not." Kurt assured him as he smoothed his hand through his hair. "I mean look at me, the only reason I've stayed with Sam this long is because I don't want to go back to being alone. But I'm starting to realise that it's better to be alone then with a guy who physically repulses me."

"Come on, the freak ain't that bad." Noah replied though there was very little conviction in his voice.

"I know he's a nice person." Kurt said as he shifted closer to his friend. "And I know I could do a lot worse, I always understand that it's highly unlikely I'll do much better, at least not in this town. I'm meeting Sam tomorrow; I'm going to break up with him then."

"That's good." Noah told him. "You're doing the right thing, babe."

"Noah, I've told you, don't call me 'babe'." Kurt replied as he picked imaginary dirt off of his sleeve.

"Why not?" Noah asked in confusion.

"Because," Kurt answered calmly as he could. "It hurts too much."

"Huh?" Noah questioned unintelligibly. "I really don't get you sometimes. You're like math."

"Oh well that's flattering." Kurt muttered sarcastically.

"I just mean, I don't understand you." Noah sighed. "Like I don't understand math. I mean, I used to think I got math, but then they confused me when they added the alphabet."

Kurt made a show of rolling his eyes before picking himself up off the floor. He walked over to his dressing table and tilted his head back to look at his neck. The red handprint had faded now but Kurt could see the blossoming of a few faint bruises.

As he turned his head to look at his jaw, Noah stepped up behind him. They locked eyes by means of the mirror.

"Kurt, why does…" Noah began but Kurt cut him off.

"Don't." Kurt interrupted. "Whatever it is you're planning to ask… don't."

"Why not?" Noah asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"Because I don't think I can lie to you." Kurt answered honestly. "But I'm not ready to tell you the truth. So, no questions."

"No questions." Noah agreed.

Kurt's cell phone started ringing and both boys pulled their eyes away from the mirror.

"That'll be Sam." Kurt sighed. "He probably wants to tell me how much he's missing me and how wonderful I am and other such romantic things."

"What a bastard." Noah deadpanned. "You gonna answer him or not?"

"Not." Kurt replied. "I sort of want to be alone right now. I have some major moping to do and I need to look my best when I do it."

Kurt then turned away from Noah and began applying make-up to his bruises. Recognising his dismissal, Noah said a quiet goodbye and squeezed Kurt's shoulder lightly before leaving.

To Be Continued

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