Author's note: There has been a medical emergency in my family, so updates will be a bit sporadic. More details on my tumblr about delays to fic updates. Only three chapters to go after this. (And then on to the sequel).
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
He's made it through the week at school. Every day has gotten progressively better, and he knows it might partially be due to the lack of Blaine's presence, but he's starting to feel a bit more rational. Blaine transferred to McKinley to be with him, and now… he's cut Blaine from his life. And he refuses to feel guilty for that, but at the same time he doesn't want Blaine's life ruined. However transferring schools for a third time doesn't look good on anyone's academic record. Even though he has no e-mails to or from Blaine and has deleted his contact information when he starts typing in the address-field it auto-fills with Blaine's e-mail address. Gone but not forgotten. He types formally and quickly, wanting it done and out of the way, trying to strike the right chord so that it's matter-of-fact, doesn't give Blaine any false hope or an opening for dialogue. He's not ready to talk to him.
There's an impromptu girl's night at Mercedes' tonight, after the obligatory family dinner that Rachel is attending. She's frosty toward him, clearly not having forgiven him for forgoing Glee club and joining in the TroubleTones this week. He's not sure what to do about that really, but it's a worry for another day, because in the scheme of things she really doesn't matter to him right now.
The people that know and are helping him deal with this are the people that matter, although he likes that Finn doesn't know and is just treating him as normal. Earlier today he'd been reminded of the fact that he screamed at Blaine in the hallway at school when Puck eyed him with furrowed brows and what he can only assume was concern. His dad, Carole, Santana, Mercedes are his immediate little support group, and talking it out on Wednesday with Blaine's mom has helped, along with the complete lack of judgment from both her and David.
David. His worry from yesterday that he'd maybe unintentionally outed him comes back, and he's pretty sure that he and Santana managed to cover it up pretty well, but he kind of wants to warn Dave just in case any rumors start and end up at Carmel, although he doubts very much that anyone that knows would actually say anything, especially about his part in the whole fiasco.
"You have worry lines. You'll be wrinkled before you're twenty…"
"I do not have worry lines!" Kurt exclaims, although he's pretty sure his skin has taken a battering this week.
"What're you thinking about?" Santana asks, and she keeps her voice quiet, head bowed. He's pretty sure she thinks he's being all pensive about Blaine, when it's really not the case.
"David. Just that… maybe I should tell him he was at the pool hall on Saturday."
Santana turns her head to study him, and then nods decisively, grinning and rubbing her hands together.
"You know, that's not a bad idea. And I have a little message for him myself."
Before he can even blink Santana has grabbed her bag and left. Oh shit. Mercedes has her mouth open, just about to ask where she's gone and he rolls his eyes and shrugs, trying to give the impression that he clearly thinks Santana is crazy. Oh god, he hopes she doesn't do something stupid. He ends up helping Mercedes with her nail art kit, stretching decorative decals over each nail carefully to give the impression of lacy fabric but his mind is on wherever Santana has gone. She clearly knows where Dave lives, and she probably has his phone number as well.
They've started on Brittany's nails, making them pale blue and painting little clouds on and tiny rainbows on each one when Santana eventually returns, and if it weren't for the fact that she's grinning from ear to ear he'd swear that she's been crying. She flings herself onto the floor and Mercedes slaps her leg when she nearly knocks over some of the tiny bottles.
"I have gossip. Big, juicy, you can't tell anyone outside this room, gossip," she looks to Kurt and his eyes widen. Hell no. She's not going to tell them about Dave. She can't. He's shaking his head violently, eyes flashing, but she just smiles sweetly and continues. "Dave wasn't at the pool hall on Saturday night. He was at the gay bar. Because he's gay." His heart is racing, he can't believe that Santana is outing Dave to Mercedes and Brittany. He's about to rip her head off, words already half-formed in his mouth.
"Cool your jets Kurt. He told me it was okay to tell them."
"Wait, Karofsky's gay… and you already knew?" Mercedes asks, turning to him, and he bites his lip and scrunches up his face and shrugs, unsure what to say. She doesn't look impressed, and she's going to be even less impressed when he actually tells her how long he's known exactly.
"Of course he knew. He saw Dave in the bar…"
"Um. I actually became aware of David's sexual orientation about this time last year. Before I transferred." Santana looks surprised, but he's not going into the whole stolen kiss, because the mood they've all been in all week they're likely to lynch mob both David and Blaine together, despite David turning over a new leaf. "I couldn't tell anyone. Didn't want to out him. It's his journey."
"One he's taking at superfast speed. He told me that he's come out to his parents, and one of his friends, so… yeah. I'm kind of proud of the big brute…" she smiles and looks away, clearly embarrassed to be showing her softer side.
He'd forgotten about Dave's e-mail. About how he came out to his dad on Sunday, and he feels a welling up of pride and suddenly Santana's tears make a bit more sense. He lowers his head and grins. Mercedes is asking questions, putting the same things together that he'd put together yesterday and when Santana tells them it was because Dave had been admiring Sam's ass that she clued up Mercedes cackles and adds 'it is definitely a fine piece of ass' and they all collapse into giggles. It feels good.
The next evening he's decided. He's been thinking about it all day, and he knows if he doesn't go and do it now he's going to chicken out. He wants to see David. Talk to him and congratulate him on coming out. To have a normal conversation. He texts Santana and asks for Dave's address. If she refuses to give it to him he'll just use the phonebook but she sends it to him within a couple of minutes. He picks up his jacket and goes to find his dad.
"Hey dad, I'm just going to go and visit David. That okay?"
"You okay going to visit him?"
"Yeah. If I feel uncomfortable I'll just leave. He came out to his dad on Sunday. I want to congratulate him. It's a big step." Weird as it is, he feels pretty safe around Dave. He doesn't know if it's because of the residual Bullywhips days, or because Dave had been cool, calm and collected last Saturday night and had helped him when he was at his most vulnerable.
"So the kid's definitely gay then?"
"Yep. Uh… his bullying was kind of rooted in that. I knew and he was scared I was going to out him… he's changed."
"I figured that much out for myself when he brought you home. Okay, just write his address and what time to expect you home on the fridge. If you aren't home by that time I'm gonna come get you okay?"
"Yeah, sure thing dad. I'll call you if my plans change though."
He sits in his car outside a nice-looking two storey house with a tidy garden. He's opened and closed his door five times already, and he feels ridiculously nervous, and he has no idea why. It's only David. Inhaling deeply he throws open his door again and swings his legs out, closes the door and locks the doors and forces himself up onto the porch.
He rings the bell.
Author's note: There has been a medical emergency in my family, so updates on all my fic will be sporadic for the next 7-10days.