Title: You Could Save me
Author: Fatebegins (http:// fatebegins .livejournal .com/)
Rating: NC-17 / M
Pairing: Puck/Kurt (Purt/Puckurt).
Summary: Puck is a bodyguard who takes on a privileged client. Sparks of all kinds fly.
Disclaimer: No Glee don't belong to me or to fatebegins, this history is not mine! But I have permission to post it here! (The original post: http:// fatebegins .livejournal .com/15730 .html )
Warning: AU, violence, angst
Review? Please? *puppy eyes*
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The night bore on in a series of dances and reintroductions to long lost relatives and acquaintances that Kurt scarcely remembered. After Burt arrived it only got worse. His father immediately took hold of his arm and guided him through every crowd of elderly people he could find. If Kurt heard one more person reminisce about him being in diapers he would scream. The worst part was that Chad, Mike and Puck were obliged to follow at a discreet distance. Sometimes Chad and Mike would split to watch the room at large but Puck always stayed at his back. Kurt could tell by his small smile that he was enjoying hearing every adolescent memory.
"Last I saw you, you were yay high!" Mrs. Driscoll was saying, raising her hands in the air to illustrate her point. "You ran through the parlor naked, singing 'I'm a little tea pot'! You couldn't have been more than three years old." She dissolved into dry giggles at that, her heavily jeweled hand patting Kurt's arm as if to say 'way to go'. "Your mother couldn't get you out of there fast enough. But after she got you settled away and clothed, she just raved about how on key you were while you sang! In her eyes you could do no wrong."
Kurt looked at the elderly woman with interest now. He had just assumed that Mrs. Driscoll was a friend of his father's not his mother's. Kurt was avidly interested in hearing any new information about his mother. He hardly remembered her.
"Yes, Kurt was somewhat of a dare devil." Burt smiled at his son. "My wife encouraged that sort of behavior but not when we had company, of course."
"Caroline was a sweetheart. " She turned to Kurt fondly, her faded blue eyes wet. "You look just like her, you know, that same sweet face and smile."
"Thank you." Kurt smiled sincerely.
"You raised him well, Burt. Hopefully we can catch up properly over the weekend." Mrs. Driscoll excused herself and Kurt beamed.
"How do you know her, Dad?"
"She's your mother's godmother." Burt explained. "When you were born, she spent weeks at the house. We waited a long time for you to arrive, we gave up on fertility treatments and then wham, exactly two months later, we find out she's pregnant. Caroline didn't quite know what to do with you because you were so small and helpless. " Burt laughed, reminiscing. "All she knew was that she would raise you herself no nannies, none of that fuss. She was adamant about that fact. That's why even after she died I raised you on my own." Burt paused, signaling the bartender. "Lila, Mrs. Driscoll, stayed with us for a time, being that your grandparents were in Texas. If it wasn't for her…she…" Burt dissolved into laughter and Kurt looked at him questioningly. "I wanted to take you to the emergency room when your belly button fell off! I was that clueless. Lila had to calm Caroline and I down often."
"Really?" Kurt wanted to prolong the memories. His father rarely spoke about his mother. Kurt had just accepted that it hurt too much but that didn't mean he didn't hunger for information of his mother.
"Sure did." Burt looked toward the direction Mrs. Driscoll had disappeared in. "She hasn't been back to New York in ages. I'm glad you could finally meet her." The bartender arrived and after Burt ordered he changed the topic to the stock market which meant Kurt listened with only half an ear.
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"I've got to say this soiree isn't half bad." Puck teased, hand caressing the inside of Kurt's knee under the table. He'd been waiting all evening to talk to his boyfriend. Watching Kurt being shuttled from man to man had worn on his nerves. "The shrimp could've been better."
"It's not the worst I've ever had." Kurt smiled.
"I think I'm spoiled by your cooking."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, I don't think I can eat something that you didn't make." Puck flicked a shrimp tail and Kurt laughed.
"You're not supposed to eat at all, aren't you working?"
"Slave driver."
"You bet."
"In and out of bed." Puck elaborated. A blush suffused Kurt's cheeks and he moved his hands under the table to stop Puck's upward crawl up his thigh. Puck relented, turning his hand over palm out and Kurt responded by lacing their hands together. He was sure no one could see their intertwined hands as they were hidden from view under the table.
"Kurt Hummel, I thought that was you!" Kurt resisted the urge to cringe when Nathaniel strolled up to their table. "You're looking good."
"Thank you." Kurt replied politely.
"Well," Nathaniel stood there for a few seconds and then pulled out a chair. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" He motioned toward Puck who was watching him icily.
"Nathaniel, this is Noah Puckerman, Noah this is Nathaniel Archibald."
"Nice to meet you." Nathaniel offered his hand and Puck just looked at it, making no move to accept the handshake. Kurt struggled not to laugh at Nathaniel's expression.
"We were actually in the middle of a very, very private conversation so…." Puck allowed his voice to trail off pointedly.
"Of course. Nathaniel straightened his tie and got to his feet, a blush creeping up his neck. Kurt would bet his entire trust fund that no one had ever spoken to him that way before in his life. "I'll just excuse myself as not -"
"Yeah, you don't want to be rude so…" Puck gave him a cold smile and Nathaniel all but scurried way. As soon as the other man was out of earshot Kurt began to giggle.
"You have nothing to worry about." Kurt squeezed Puck's hand, his finger tracing patterns into his calloused palms. "That guy was and is a complete jerk."
"Ex boyfriend?" Puck tried to sound casual even as a flare of jealousy went through him.
Kurt nodded, not offering anymore information and Puck tried to think of a way not to be insanely jealous. Puck liked to think that he'd been the first of everything for Kurt, than you very much, now a floppy haired idiot had shattered his little fantasy. For the first time in a long time, Noah Puckerman was being eaten alive by jealousy. Puck watched Nathaniel throw back his head in laughter when a dark haired man said something to him.
"Would you stop with the death glare?" Kurt asked teasingly.
"He's a good looking guy, charismatic - seems to be the type that everybody would fall for…."
"He's also a dishonest cheat." Kurt admitted quietly. "We were together for about two months before I found out."
Puck was dumbfounded. Knowing Kurt, having him as his own now, he wondered who would be stupid enough to let Kurt go. "I'm sorry." He offered insincerely.
"You're not." Kurt told him. "But that's okay because now I have you and you're so much better than that loser."
"I wish I could kiss you now." Puck whispered heatedly, his eyes boring into Kurt's. "I wish I could kiss you in front of all these people and especially in front of him."
"I wish you could too."
"Kurt!" Artie wheeled up to the table. "Can you believe Tina had the nerve to show up here?" He pointed to the opposite side of the room. "She's right over there!"
"You okay?" Kurt asked as he looked in the direction Artie was pointing to. "Wait." A flurry of yellow caught his yes and his insides turned to ice. "Isn't that Mr. Fabray?" Kurt watched the older man glide across the dance floor, his wife in his arms as they danced a graceful waltz.
"Yup." Artie sounded bored. "I swear they take lessons on how to capture everyone's attention." He paused, studying the blond couple. "But I'll hand it to them, they still make a stunning pair."
"But… b-but I thought they were getting divorced?" Kurt's mind was racing, repeating what his father had told him of the Fabrays.
"Divorced?" Artie was scandalized. "Those puritans? I doubt it. The only way out of that marriage for any of them is in a coffin."
"That can't be right." Kurt watched his father at the bar, saw the older man turn around and stiffen when he caught the couple on the dance floor.
"That's just how some people are." Artie shrugged. "They don't believe in divorce."
Kurt didn't answer, he was still watching his father, trying to decipher whether the man was surprised at his wrong information or surprised that he would be caught in his lie so soon. When Burt's head immediately turned swiftly in Kurt's direction, obviously to see if his son had seen the couple, Kurt knew. His father had made up everything he'd told him about the Fabrays.
Kurt wanted answers and he was going to get them now. He strode up purposefully to his father. "I'd like to speak with you in private, Dad."
Burt studied him carefully but conceded, setting his cocktail down at the table on the way to the hallway. Kurt could see Mike following him out of the corner of his eye but at that moment he didn't care, he was more grateful that it wasn't Puck who would have to witness this. Who knew what his father would say in the heat of his anger at being confronted. If there was one thing that Burt Hummel hated, it was being cornered.
As soon as the door closed behind them and the orchestra's music faded to a muted melody, Kurt rounded on his father. "You want to tell me what that is all about?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Kurt."
"The Fabrays! You told me that they were divorcing, that Mr. Fabray robbed his company and fled town!" Kurt glared. "I may not be a business expert, Dad but I think it's safe to assume that if a man committed such a crime he wouldn't be at the club's winter formal, dancing with the wife he so publicly cheated on!" His voice was rising as he continued.
"You lower your voice!" Burt fumed, looking about him frantically to see if anyone had heard the exchange. "I never said that the Fabrays were divorcing!"
"No, you didn't." Kurt laughed harshly. "But you told me that the man stole millions and left his family destitute. You made me believe that Quinn was manipulating me!"
"What the hell else did you expect me to do as a father? You were about to just hand over fifty million dollars, Kurt!"
"That's what this was about? Money?" Kurt's stomach turned in disgust, a bitter taste in his mouth. "Quinn is my friend Dad, and I could've helped her because that's what friends do, real friends, not like your fake golf partners. The ones you look straight in the eyes even as you know you're buying out their stocks to take over their companies.
"Everything I've done, I've done for you!"
"I've heard that line before dad, and it's bullshit."
"You watch your tongue -"
"No!" Kurt faced off at his father. "I won't watch my tongue! I'm sick of you trying to control my life! I'm tired of the manipulations!" Kurt cried passionately, he was shaking he was so angry.
"There are things you don't understand -" Burt began plaintively.
"I don't care, Dad." Kurt stepped back, lifting his chin. "I'm done with hiding and I'm done with listening to every little thing you say."
"Kurt, maybe you should -" Mike could see where this was heading and tried to stop the ill timed confession.
"Noah and I are together." Kurt blurted out.
Burt blanched. "Excuse me?"
"We're together and after he's done working for you, we'll still be together."
"What in the hell-"
"I love him."
Burt's faced purpled with rage, his eyes flashing as he addressed Mike. "You're all fired, every single one of you."
"You can't do that." Kurt insisted. "They didn't do anything wrong."
"This breaks the moral clause of the contract." Burt's face was made of stone. "Not only are you all fired, but I'm not paying any of you one red cent."
Mike's face was ashen. "Sir-"
"And good luck fighting the charges of assault in court!" Burt ranted as he pulled out his cell phone. "I'm withdrawing my lawyers from the case."
"Dad!" Kurt shouted. "When will you just stop? Stop trying to use money to control everyone and everything around you!"
"I specifically spoke with you about this and yet this is how you repay me? By causing a scene in a public venue? By running headfirst into a relationship with a man that's almost ten years your senior, who's probably using you…" Burt let his hand drop, and Kurt could here the dim ring of the phone. "You think I'm just some old man who spouts nonsense because he wants his way? Believe me Kurt, if I wanted my way I would have gotten it a long time ago. You have no idea the lengths I've gone for you… I'll forgive you this time, you're young and he took advantage of you-"
"No one took advantage of anyone." Kurt stated. "I love him, Dad." This time Mike didn't interfere.
"They're all fired, do you get that?" Burt asked. "They'll all be gone by morning."
"Then…then I'll pay them." Kurt crossed his arms across his chest. "I have more than enough to pay their salaries and…." He hesitated but then bore on; it was high time he stood up to his father. That he stood up for what he wanted. "And the manor is Mom's and she willed it to me so…if you don't approve of my choices…." His voice broke. "You can leave."
"Kurt!" Mike was shocked.
Burt didn't move for several minutes and Kurt could literally see every layer of his father collapse until he was faced with a tired man. "Now who's using money to control everything?"
"It's y-your choice, Dad."
Burt Hummel opened his mouth to say something but then decided against it, instead he shook his head and walked away. Kurt stood in the hallway for long moments after, hearing the sharp rap of his father's shoes disappear into the parking lot.
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The glittering lights made Kurt's head spin as he re-entered the ballroom. Mike was silent next to him, withdrawn. He didn't want to know want the other man was thinking. Kurt saw Puck notice their entrance and push away from the wall, noting the tension but before Kurt could even decide what to say to the other man, Quinn came into his line of vision. The blonde was looking at the dance floor desolate, her pretty face somber. Kurt had some amends to make.
"Quinn?"
"Hi, Kurtie," She looked up and offered him a thin smile. "You having a good time?"
"Not exactly," He sat down next to her. "I just had a huge fight with my father told him about Noah and me."
"Wow." Her blue eyes went round in surprise. "I can't imagine your father taking that very well."
"Depends on what you mean by well." Kurt felt the prick of tears behind his eyes. "He fired everyone, actually."
"That's terrible." Her voice was contrite.
"It is but it's not like I don't have enough money on my own to pay their salaries. They deserve to be compensated for their work."
"Right." The corners of her red mouth turned down a bit and she looked back at the dance floor.
"I'm going to call my grandparents tomorrow, Quinn." Kurt blurted out.
"Why?"
"My father won't sign off on the money but if I just asked them I know they wouldn't turn me down." Kurt suddenly missed his grandparents very much, His grandmother especially, she smelled like his mother. He really wished she was here. "My grandparents have always supported me in everything I choose."
"Why didn't you do that before?" If anything Quinn sounded even sadder at that information. "When I asked you…for the money?"
"My father told me some things, about your family. "Kurt blushed. "Obviously, I know now that they're untrue but…at the time I believed them."
"What'd he say?"
"It was malicious stuff designed to make me doubt you and I'm ashamed to say it worked."
Quinn looked down at her red clutch, her hands tightening on the material as she thought the new information over. When she looked up her eyes were filled with tears. "Are you really going to help us out?"
"Of course," Kurt put his hand over her manicured fingers and squeezed encouragingly. "I just wish I had done it before."
"That's just so awesome, Kurt." A tear leaked out from the corner of her eyes and Kurt watched it slip down her cheek unheeded.
"Quinn." Kurt was worried. "I thought this would make you happy. Why are you crying?"
"Because…you're just…" She sniffed. "I'm just so relieved and happy and …you've always been my best friend Kurt, I swear it." Quinn threw her arms around Kurt, hugging him tightly. Kurt could feel the warmth of her tears against his bare neck. "You are my best friend."
"Don't ruin your make up!" Kurt lightly scolded her. He grabbed a linen napkin off the table and dabbed underneath his friend's eyes, careful not to smudge her eye liner.
"I'm sorry I'm such a mess." Quinn gave a watery laugh, taking the napkin from Kurt and patting at the rest of the moisture on her cheeks. "People must think I'm a lunatic!"
"Save your tears! Tonight is a night for celebrating!" Kurt got to his feet and offered his hand grandly. "Let's dance the night away." But Quinn just sat in her seat, looking back up at him glumly.
"You're so happy now, Kurt …and you've helped me." Quinn took a shaky breath. "That's why I hate that I have to tell you this."
"Tell me what?" Kurt sat back down, confused even as a sense of dread spread through him.
"I saw Puck and Tripp on the balcony." Quinn looked away, her tone embarrassed and Kurt's heart began to pound. "They were kissing, Kurt. I… it was more than once. I'm sorry."
And just like that, Kurt's world collapsed.
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Kurt walked into the powder room, Puck following him closely and closing the door behind them.
"So what is this? Bathroom sex?" Puck grinned lasciviously, his hands reaching out to encircle Kurt's waist. Kurt slapped his hands away angrily. Puck stepped back confused. "So this is…angry bathroom sex?"
Kurt wanted to laugh, scream, cry - anything to get rid of this maelstrom of emotions churning inside of him. This night had taken him on an emotional roller coaster he was already over wrought and now this, the final blow. The worst part of it was that he couldn't believe it. Kurt had trusted Puck completely and he'd never thought that he'd be in this situation.
"Baby…?" Puck's voice was so sweetly hesitant, it infuriated Kurt.
"How could you do this to me?" Kurt yelled. He felt like his heart was breaking and half believed it probably was. "I was willing to give up everything for you! I would've given you everything…." Tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes and he wiped them away, furious that Puck could see physical evidence of his pain.
"I have no clue what you're even talking about!" Puck was looking at him as if he'd grown two heads. The lying, cheating bastard.
"Oh that's rich! I know about you and Tripp!" Kurt spat out the name.
"What does Tripp have to do with us?" Puck demanded, confused. "And why the hell are you so pissed off at me?"
"You're going to pretend nothing happened between you two tonight!"
"Tonight?" Puck was appalled. "Hell no, why the fuck do you think -"
"You're a liar! I trusted you and this is what you do to me."
"Your jealousy is making you crazy-"
"Just shut up!" Kurt covered his ears, trying to will down his hysteria. "Shut the fuck up and stop lying to me! Someone saw you two…out on the balcony, you were kissing him."
Puck froze, his face proclaiming his guilt. "That did happen but it meant -" Puck's head snapped back under the force of Kurt's blow. The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the powder room in the deafening silence that followed.
Kurt stared from his stinging hand to Puck's reddening face in horror.
"You …hit me?" Puck sounded dazed, his hand going to his marked cheek disbelievingly.
"I…." Kurt didn't even recognize himself. Puck was turning him into this twisted ball of rage that lashed out on people. He'd severed ties with his father for this man and now he'd lost everything. "You cheated on me."
"Listen Kurt, Tripp followed me outside and I'm not going to deny the kiss but he kissed me. I pulled away as soon as I recovered from the shock of the guy's nerve."
"Don't bother." Kurt remembered what Quinn said. She had told him the Puck and Tripp had stayed outside for more than ten minutes, that she had witnessed them kiss several times. Kurt didn't know why it hurt him so bad. This was the Puck he had met, the Puck who fucked random guys. Puck's words drifted back to him, mockingly. "I should've known, right? You warned me yourself. What was it that you told me; 'you like guys and you like to fuck them, I can't fix or reform you?"
"That was another guy. I'm not him anymore."
"Right, now you're just the guy who tongue fucks Tripp Vanderbilt on the balcony while your stupid boyfriend-"
"Are you kidding me? I fucking told you things I have never told another soul! I want to introduce you to my child! Does that sound like me playing around?" It was Puck's turn to be enraged. "If all it takes is some bullshit rumor through one of you stuck up friends to make you doubt me, then fuck you, Kurt."
"My father was right." Kurt admitted numbly. "He told me about you, tried to warn me."
"What?" Puck was surprised. He'd had no idea Hummel knew about them.
"He is right. I deserve better. You're not good enough for me!" Kurt choked on a sob. "You never were." Kurt waited for something, anything. He wanted Puck to go after him, plead his case but there was only silence. Kurt turned away, unwilling to cry in front of the other man and he rushed out of the room.
Puck watched him go, unmoving.
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Blinded by his tears, Kurt stumbled into the cool night air, gasping for breath. Puck had cheated on him with Tripp, all of the dreams, all of the feelings they'd build over the past months were a lie. It hurt so much.
Kurt jumped when a hand went around him. He'd thought he was alone.
"Shh." Quinn soothed, brushing his hair away from his damp face. "It's alright."
"He l-lied to me!" Kurt sobbed out, relieved that it was his friend rather than Mike or Chad. "He made me think that it was okay to love him, I thought that he loved me too…even though he never said it b-but he…the way he treated me it was like he did." Quinn continued to rub his back in slow circles. "We were supposed to be a family…I thought with…A-aidan…" Kurt couldn't continue anymore, giving into the tears.
"He had us all fooled, Kurt." Quinn held him closer. "I thought he cared about you too." She drew back, thumbs swiping over his tears. "You know what would be fun? How about you come back to my house? We can drink hot cocoa and make voodoo dolls out of Noah Puckerman's hair?" The suggestion garnered a sob instead of the laugh Quinn was expecting.
"I can't…I have to get back inside…the guys don't know I'm out here."
"Screw them. They were all probably in on it." Quinn proclaimed. "I say we ditch the crew and make it just the two of us tonight."
Kurt wiped his eyes, his tears chilling against his face in the cold. It wouldn't hurt to go home with Quinn just for the night. He didn't want to have to ride in a car with Puck while his eyes were red and swollen from crying. It'd be better to sleep it off and face them all - his father included - in the morning. Kurt was sure they would understand and if they didn't - well, he couldn't care less about their feelings at the moment.
"Kurt? Is that okay with you?"
"Y-yeah." Kurt nodded. He thought about his bed, where he had slept with Puck just the night before. He couldn't bear to see it even less sleep in it. "I really don't want to go home right now."
"Perfect." Quinn's smile widened. "I'll just go grab my parent's car keys, you wait out here okay? Don't move."
Kurt nodded, shivering in the cold. He really should have taken his coat with him. A fresh wave of tears accompanied that thought. How was he to have known that he would end up in this position? The saddest part was that even knowing what he did about Tripp and Puck, Kurt still wished he could go back in time to when he was happy and oblivious.
Kurt was so lost in thought that he didn't hear someone come up behind him until it was too late. A wet rag was clamped over his mouth and nose before he could scream. Kurt struggled, his vision blurring as the chloroform took effect.
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Dallas took several deep, calming breaths in the car. He was strong enough for this, he could do it he told himself as he smoothed down wayward locks of his hair and brushed invisible lint off his tuxedo jacket. He had to. An epiphany had hit him, while he was curled up in bed feeling sorry for himself. Dallas had never felt safe his entire life until he'd been taken away by the state at fifteen. Puck had been a comforting, constant presence but he hadn't made Dallas feel as if it was truly okay to relax, to breathe freely. There was only one person who did that, Michael.
That afternoon Dallas had realized two things. The only person who made him feel safe was Mike, not Puck, no matter how much he had relied on his friend in the past. The second thing he realized had made his heart ache; Mike had loved him back then and he'd thrown it all away. And for what? To be numb and constantly afraid to be with someone?
Meeting Mike had been somewhat of an accident. They'd both been on leave, Puck and his friend, and Puck had decided to make introductions. Dallas remembered being immensely wary at first. Though they were evenly matched in height, both standing at six feet, Mike had about thirty pounds of pure muscle on Dallas's lithe frame. Dallas remembered that despite his weight advantage and training, Mike's brown eyes had been kind. The other man always quick with a smile, constantly trying to include a silent Dallas into the conversation, and before Dallas had known it he had begun responding despite himself. Mike's persistence was hard to ignore.
Dallas wanted to stop being afraid. He wanted to prove to Mike that he was willing to heal, not only for their relationship but for himself. It was time to stop letting his parents win. Tonight was the first step. He was on a job and he was going to do it; take charge of his own life. Determined, Dallas took one final bracing breath and reached for the door handle but movement at the side of the building made him pause.
Kurt was standing to the side of a streetlight, alone. Dallas frowned, where was Mike, Chad and Puck? Before he could act a masked figure came up behind Kurt, subduing the smaller man easily. Dallas sprang into action, opening the door but a black jaguar pulled up sharply to the curb. Kurt was thrown in unceremoniously and the car sped away.
45W LCH. Dallas memorized the numbers and committed them to memory.
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