Chapter Three

"Calm down Karofsky, no need to worry – yet." Azimio answered as he breezed past them and inspected the camera equipment. Everything seemed satisfactory so he moved back and stood in front of his jock friend.

"Dave, this is for your own good. Think of it as an intervention, we're all worried for you." Azimio stated in an almost caring manner. "Look bro, we're worried about the amount of time you're hanging around this little queer. It looks bad, man. Hell, we even gave you a little kick in the pants a couple weeks ago to make you realize how sick it was."

Dave looked puzzled, "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

"Prom night you asshat! We got everyone to vote for you as Prom King and mailed in our votes to have the queer voted Prom Queen." Az laughed, "it was fucking perfect! The little queen even wore a dress."

"It was a kilt!" shouted Kurt. Az waved off Kurt's retort as if he was swatting at an annoying fly.

He continued to talk to Dave, "It was supposed to get you embarrassed and angry enough to punch the little fag in front of everyone. But you didn't – and for a minute there, I was even worried that you might actually dance with him!" Az grimaced at the very thought of it.

"Then later, when that stupid Bullywhip group finished, I was sure you would at least stop protecting him, but no, you still take him to classes like he's some prize girlfriend and I've even seen you hold his books while he looks through his locker! I warned you several times that you would find yourself in deep shit if you continued. But did you listen to me? No! Now you tell me that you and him are gonna start up some kind of fag meeting next school year?"

"It's a pflag meeting Az. It means parents and friends of lesbians and gays. It's what I agreed to when Kurt came back to school," Dave said carefully picking his words.

"Yah, about that. I'm all for doin' whatever you havta do to get in some chick's pants. But you and that Santana chick split up so why are you still carrying on with this fag empowerment shit?"

"Well maybe I've seen the light. Maybe I like how it feels to have students look up and smile at me in the halls instead of having them fear and loath me."

"What kinda shit are you pulling man!" Azimio returned hotly. "We have to keep order here in the school! The little shits in the hall need to learn respect and fear. It's the natural order of things. We're on top – they're on the bottom. Hell! You're the one that taught me that."

"I was wrong."

Azimio chuckled at that and then shouted to the rest of the guys. "Do you hear that? He was wrong. We're all supposed to get along together and all sing that Kum ba ya shit!" The others laughed uproariously at the idea.

Azimio levelled an angry stare at Dave. "You look like big faggot loser following this little queer 'round like a love sick puppy. It's embarrassing, and since you're a jock and part of the football team you make us look like losers as well. You have a choice to make right here and right now. You are either one of us or a friendless faggot loser – you decide. You are going to show us once and for all whose team you're on. It's either Team Straight or Team Homo."

Dave looked panicked; he didn't know what to say or what he was supposed to do. Kurt was afraid that he might blurt out that he was gay and right now looked like the absolute worse time to do it for both their sakes. "What do you want from us? What do we have to do?" Kurt interjected hoping to take the attention away from Dave.

Azimio pointedly ignored Kurt but answered his question, never taking his eyes off of Dave. "If you pick Team Straight all you have to do is hit and kick the fag around some and call him names, you know, like old times." Azimio smiled looking like he was visiting a golden memory. His smile suddenly wiped off and he looked at Dave with cold black eyes. "If you pick Team Homo, then you gotta strip down to your underwear and kiss the fag in front of everyone and tell him how hot you think he is."

"What if I don't want to do either?" Dave asked warily.

"Then we –" Azimio indicated the tough, hulking guys surrounding the pair, "will take turns beating the crap out of both of you." The jock pointed to the cameras, "Whatever you pick, we're getting it on film and we're going to share it with everyone. C'mon Dave, I'm making it easy for you to make the right decision. It's us or the queer."

Dave started to sweat and look pale; his eyes swivelled around looking for some way out of this horrible nightmare. He glanced at Azimio's hard angry face looking for any kind of compassion and found none. He tried anyway, "Az c'mon, please! Don't do this to me. I'm your best –"

"My best friend ain't a fag and he don't associate with them either!" Az yelled in his face. "Make. Your. Choice!"

Dave blanched and grew pale, he grabbed the back of his head with his hands so that his face was hidden by his arms and he bent down, folding over his knees. Kurt ached to see him is such distress. Even though he knew that he would most likely suffer a beating at the hands of his larger friend, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

Dave finally sat up; he sucked in a big breath and let it out shakily, "Az," he said quietly, "I am NOT going to hit Kurt. I'm through with bullying. It's not who I am anymore."

Though Kurt was thrilled with the jock's brave answer, he knew that they were both perilously close to being beaten. Kurt's mind raced along to find a way out of this dilemma. Luckily his quick mind seized on an idea. He only hoped that Azimio would accept it.

"Look, Dave was almost expelled after bullying me. He won't be able to beat me up and stay in school. Hell, they threatened him with the police if he tried anything more with me," said Kurt, figuring a little lie couldn't hurt. "Even if he wanted to hit me he can't without getting into serious trouble. What if he just pushed me around a little, maybe shoved me against a locker and called me names. It would be enough to prove he's on Team Straight but not enough to get him in expelled."

He heard many affirmative murmurs from the guys around him. They seemed to be placated and Kurt was hopeful that his idea would be accepted.

Azimio seemed to mull over his proposition seriously and for the first time addressed Kurt. "I suppose that might work. He'll have to stop talking to you and walking with you around in the halls. It just doesn't look right."

"That's okay," Kurt said "I won't bother him." He was surprised to realize how much it hurt to agree to the terms, but it was all for Dave's benefit – for their benefit. They could escape a beating and Dave could come out later when he was ready. It would be another humiliating high school experience for Kurt but it was worth the sacrifice.

"I'll kiss Kurt." Dave whispered, surprising them all. He sat up and repeated it again in a stronger more confident voice, "Do you hear me? I'll kiss Kurt in front of your stupid cameras! You can post it and let it go viral for all I care! Kurt is my friend. I will not hurt him in anyway. Not by beating him up, not by calling him names and definitely not by ignoring him in the halls. I won't let you jerks hurt him either. I don't give a shit for you fuckers' acceptance!" Dave ended his speech yelling defiantly, "I'm playing for Team Homo!"

"Go Dave!" shouted Kurt throwing his fist up in the air; his high pitched voice sounding more like a girlie cheerleader than he wanted. Dave glanced over to him and smiled looking suddenly relaxed and happy.

"Okay, your choice," Az cut across their temporary jubilation viciously, "now get stripping faggot!"

AN/ I know! I perfer a nice Azimio that supports Dave but I need a villian in this story and he kinda fits the bill.