A/N: Well, this is long over due. I feel bad cause I've been sitting on them for a while. So, on that note, I dedicate these updates to Quziecharmed here on ! Quzie PMed me asking if I would update soon and that my fics were missed. As much as I love reviews/comments (seriously keep them coming) that message really showed me some love. ^_^ So, thank Quzie for these updates! And enjoy!

Liberty

Chapter 11 –

They were both right, Monday sucked. After the rest of the weekend Dave wasn't really surprised though. After their snack, they returned to bed and exchanged a few more hand jobs before falling asleep with Colton wrapped around Dave. In the morning, Colton introduced Dave to the wonders of a shower blowjob. And the dangers when Colton had nearly choked on the water before changing positions and Dave had nearly fell when he came and slipped on the slick floor.

Despite those draw backs, he liked it. They both did. But they were also both paranoid and decided to work on the bike for the rest of the morning. They had no idea what they would end up doing otherwise, and neither wanted to be found in an even more compromising position than the evening before. So, after eating breakfast, they went out to the garage and got to work.

Sometime between noon and one Mr. and Mrs. Terrance got home with Thai take-out and the four sat around the table to eat. Afterwards, Dave made himself go home, figuring he should give Colton some time with his parents and himself time for his homework.

They talked on the phone a bit that night, but didn't see each other again until Sunday afternoon. During which time Dave and Colton worked some more on the bike, as well as their make-out techniques, and Dave considered bribing Colton with a blowjob if they could spend one more day together. He quickly shoved that aside, knowing he wasn't ready, no matter how curious he was.

So that's how he ended up walking out of his fourth period class, phone already to his ear. "Is it Friday afternoon yet?" he asked as soon as Colton answered the phone.

The laugh he received in return was warm, yet Dave felt himself shivering.

"I miss you too, Teddy Bear," said Colton, voice low.

"Crap, don't talk like that, Colton. Especially while I'm at school."

Voice normal again the blonde returned with, "Well, it's either I talk like that or I don't and Pat hears what I like to call you. Which will it be?"

"Fine, make me all hot and bothered in the middle of the cafeteria," Dave grumbled, sinking into his usual spot next to the wall on the 'dork' side of the lunch room. The first couple of days the other kids would flinch when he walked past, but now they had gotten used to him. They understood now that he wasn't interested in them at all, and they apparently weren't interested in him, so they all just ignored each other. Dave sighed.

"Is everything okay, babe?"

Dave realized that he must have sighed a little more expressively than he originally thought. "Yeah," he said, pulling out his sandwich. "It's just… I'm not used to feeling like this. I mean, is it disturbing that it feels like a week instead of a day since I saw you? Does that make me clingy?" He chuckled, biting into his sandwich. "Cause I don't wanna be clingy." The sentence was all mashed together as he spoke around his peanut butter and banana sandwich.

Chuckling, Colton let out a sigh that expressed how endearing he found Dave's bad manners. "It's only clingy if you call me all the time."

"You mean like, every day at lunch and after school, then after dinner, and then one more time before I go to sleep? Cause that's what I was thinking of doing."

"You weren't."

"No, but I was thinking we could experiment with skype tonight."

"Hmm, now who's making who hot and bothered?"

Dave just laughed, finishing off his sandwich. "But, seriously Colton, I'm not too clingy?"

"I'm tempted to say yes, because you asking me that after only a day." Dave could hear the smile in Colton's voice. "But no, I like it. It keeps me sane. Though I don't know if it makes me worse when it comes to annoying Pat. He's trying to take a nap and has earplugs in and a pillow over his head."

Dave laughed. "I told him to get those earplugs on Friday. My guess is he's been wearing them since last night when you got back."

"First thing he did after we said hello."

Just then Dave noticed movement and looked up. What the hell was Puckerman doing coming over here? He could hear Colton talking and mumbled, interrupting him with a, "Hold on a sec," before looking up at the boy. "What do you want, Puckerman?" he asked, annoyed and curious at the same time. His hand tightened on his phone, but he was mostly annoyed.

"Chill, Karofsky," said Puck, stopping a few feet away. "We were just talking, thought you might like some company. If you ever want any, you're welcome to join us."

Dave looked over at the table of self-proclaimed gleeks before returning his surprise over to Puckerman. "Um, thanks. I'll think about it." When he heard Colton's voice over his phone he put it to his ear.

"Is that the Puckerman with the crush on Kurt? Has he said anything yet?"

Dave grinned at Colton's enthusiasm and spoke to Puckerman. "You say anything to him yet?"

Dave watched as Puckerman frowned in confusion and nerves. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Just, come on over when you want." Then he turned and walked away, looking a little more confused.

Chuckling Dave returned his attention to the phone.

"What was that all about?" asked Colton.

"I was just invited to eat lunch with the gleeks," said Dave, still a little surprised.

"Why don't you?"

"Because they all hate me for what I did to them and Kurt."

"Well, they must be ready to forgive on some level if they invited you."

"Yeah, but," Dave glanced at the group of friends, all laughing and talking across the entire table at the same time. "I don't think I'd really fit in with them."

"Dave, Teddy Bear," Colton whispered the name under his breath, "You need friends. I don't want to sound like a concerned mother, but it's true. If you ever plan on coming out at school, hell, even just to your parents, you're going to need support. And while I might be able to be there with your parents, it's less likely I'll be there with the school. Besides, from what you've told me about them, they really don't fit in with each other anyways. They're like the misfit group."

Dave sighed. "God, you're right. But… not today. I need to psych myself up for this. Maybe tomorrow, or Wednesday… or Thursday."

Colton laughed. "Relax, I won't force you to make friends. I don't think that would work well anyway. I encourage you to join them, hopefully this week, but I won't push you."

"Thanks, babe, I'll keep thinking about it," mumbled Dave, before switching the subject back to his bike.

After several conversations about it with Colton, Dave had decided to join the gleeks by Wednesday, but didn't get enough nerve until Thursday. When he got there the table was empty, but reminding himself that they invited him, he took his chances and sat down.

Puck was the first to arrive, and thankfully sat down with a mumbled, "S'up."

Dave only grunted in reply, not really feeling all that talkative.

As the other gleeks arrived, Dave tried to ignore how some of them would pause before sitting down. After a few had sat down a few seats away, Dave was glad that he had sat at the end of the table, or else he'd have a one seat circle completely around him. He couldn't help but grin in relief into his sandwich as Hudson sat next to him.

Dave couldn't decide if he was relieved everyone ignored him, or hurt. So about fifteen minutes before the bell, Dave finished up, mumbled goodbyes to those closest to him and left pulling out his phone.

Going outside, he hoped Colton answered. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when he heard his boyfriend's voice.

"Hey, Teddy Bear, you're calling later than usual. Does this mean you didn't eat by yourself today?"

Dave sighed, "I might as well have eaten by myself. They all ignored me Colton, maybe I shouldn't go back tomorrow."

"Hold on, Dave. Did you say anything to them?"

"No."

"Did you want to say anything to them?"

"No, I kinda liked just listening to them. A lot of them are cooler than I thought."

"Then there you go. Just keep sitting and listening. Eventually you'll be comfortable enough around them that you can participate. As for them ignoring you, from what you've told me I think it's understandable. At least they didn't actually shun you or tell you to go away."

"Yeah," grinned Dave. "Damn, you never disappoint when it comes to cheering me up. So what's up with you?"

And for the next ten minutes or so they talked about classes and school until the bell rang and Dave had to hang up.

The next two weeks went much the same. Dave would sit at the table, and while he became more and more interested in the different conversations, he never said anything. A few times Finn, or Puck, would direct a general question at him but he would only nod or shake his head in response. Thinking on it, he was just paranoid that whatever came out of his mouth would sound a little too gay and reveal his secret before he was ready, or just sound stupid.

Then, one day, Puck showed up after Dave, like the first time. Only this time, when he sat down, he let out a noise that Dave was all too familiar with. He heard it from himself more often than not when he got in his truck on Friday afternoons before meeting up with Colton.

Smirking he said, "So you've told him then?"

Puck looked up in surprise, as if to say, 'it speaks?' but instead he asked, "Tell who what?"

Dave's smirk widened. "Told Hummel you're in love with him," he explained.

Sitting up straight, Puck glared defiantly. "I am not in lo-," he cleared his throat and Dave understood the feeling. He usually got a little choked up on the word too, though he had only used it in his head so far.

"I never said that," stated Puck.

Dave just chuckled and took a bite of his chicken-topped salad. "You keep telling yourself that. But the longer you do, the more miserable you'll both be. Believe me, I speak from experience."

As soon as it was out of his mouth, Dave regretted it. But he kept chewing, hiding the fear that was slowly taking over his body.

"Experience?" asked Puck, curious.

Dave just chewed, trying to buy himself sometime, despite the fact that he had long ago turned his bite of food into a purée.

"In what?" asked Kurt, saving the day as he sat across from Puck.

"Nothing," the jocks chorused.

Dave watched as Kurt's eyebrows disappeared under his bangs in disbelief, but he didn't push for a better answer as the other gleeks started to show up.

As lunch continued, Dave found himself feeling a little more open after an actual conversation with someone other than Colton. As a result, when he heard Finn, Puck, Mike, and Artie talking about some new action flick, he couldn't keep quiet. Thankfully they included him as if they talked everyday and it wasn't awkward at all. In fact, he almost forgot to leave and call Colton. As soon as he could he got away and pulled out his phone.

Colton answered on the second ring. "Hey, TB, what's up?"

Dave grinned, knowing that the initials meant Pat was around. "Groan like I'm having phone sex with you."

There was a short pause, which Dave wasn't sure was on purpose, or from surprise. Then, he was screaming the word 'pasties' over and over in his head as he heard Colton groan before speaking.

"Oh yeah, baby, keep doing that."

Dave bit his lip. That sounded almost exactly like when they were fooling around on Fridays before Colton's parents got home. But then he heard it. A different kind of groan, but softer, as if the person was across the room at the other end.

Then, "Are you fucking kidding me? I'm still in the goddamn room, asshole!" came across the line in Pat's voice.

Dave doubled over in laughter listening to Colton revealing the joke between his own fits of laughter. Then came the grumbling as Pat gathered his books and left for his next class.

After another minute of chuckles, Colton spoke to Dave again. "Well, you're in a good mood. Anything I should know?"

"I talked," said Dave, smiling as he returned to his locker.

"Well, I figured as much. You do call me everyday."

"Haha, I'm splitting my seams in laughter." Dave sighed as he pulled out a notebook he needed. "No, Colton, at lunch. I actually had a conversation with some of them. And they didn't act like they were surprised that I could talk. I don't know why it's such a big deal, but," he closed his locker and leaned against it, smiling, "I really feel like I'm fitting in with them."

"That's great Teddy Bear," said Colton, the smile evident in his voice. "Now before long you'll feel like they're all your friends and then not long after that you'll be able to come out. Even if it's just to your parents and them."

Dave's joy faultered a little bit. "Do you really want me to come out that badly, Colton? You seem to mention it almost every time we talk."

"Oh God, no, Dave!" said Colton quickly. "I'm not trying to push you. I just…" He paused for a minute, gathering his thoughts before sighing. "I was hoping you'd eventually come out, yes. But I can wait, babe. I only mention every time just to keep it in the back of your mind. I want you to get used to the idea before it actually happens. This way, you imagine every scenario of how it could happen or not happen. Different ways people might react. I don't know, maybe I think it'll make it easier for you when you are ready."

"Or if it happens by accident, not on my own terms?" Dave added.

"Maybe?" said Colton, his voice small. "I'm sorry, Dave. Do you really want me to stop saying anything about it? I will if you want me to, if it makes you that uncomfortable."

Dave took a deep breath and called up the happiness from five minutes earlier. "No, Colton, that's okay," he said, his forced grin feeling more and more natural and real as he spoke. "I can tell you do it because you care. So thank you."

"Oh," Colton sound surprised at that, but didn't question it. "Well, umm, your welcome, I guess."

Dave chuckled as the bell rang. "I'll talk to you this afternoon, babe."

"Yeah, talk to you then."

TBC...

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