Coming to Terms – Chapter 9
Azimio told Dave that he would need time to practice a number for the audition, but he already knew what he was going to do. Dave drilled him for details, but Az kept grinning and saying that it was a surprise. He did, however, give Dave permission to inform New Directions that he planned on auditioning for them on Friday. In fact, he more or less insisted. Dave wasn't sure whether it was because Azimio wanted them to have a heads up in case they were opposed to him joining, he needed to set a goal for himself to live up to, or he was just very sure of his abilities. He seemed rather sure of himself at first, but as the week went on, he seemed a bit more nervous and distracted whenever Dave brought it up. It probably also didn't help that Scotty and the puckheads where now hassling both of them since Az had humiliated them in the hallway, and they had somehow heard about his upcoming audition. Still, Az took it well, and seemed determined not to let them break him.
By the time Friday rolled around, the confusion, apprehension and curiosity that had taken over the glee club at the thought of yet another former bully joining their ranks had reached a fever pitch. When Kurt, Dave and Az walked into the choir room together, they were greeted with rapt and anticipating faces, or rather Az was. Dave gave Az a pat on the shoulder and he and Kurt walked arm in arm into the room and took their seats. Az walked to the front of the room, greeted Mr. Shue and gave him his iPod, set to the piece that he would be performing, then turned to the other students.
"Hey, everyone. I know we've had our differences in the past, but I hope that I can make up for 'em and become a member of New Directions." With his obligatory introduction out of the way, he nodded to Mr. Shue, who pressed play on the iPod.
The track started quietly enough, but built up, and as Az breathed deep, the room was already finding themselves recognizing it before he started in on the lyrics.
So we back in the club
Get that bodies rockin from side to side (side to side)
Thank God the week is done
I feel like a zombie gone back to life (back to life)
Hands up, and suddenly we all got our hands up
No control of my body
Ain't I seen you before?
I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes
Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again
Yeah, baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again
So dance, dance, like it's the last, last night of your life, life
Gonna get you right
Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again
Keep downing drinks like there's no tomorrow
There's just right now, now, now, now, now, now, now
Gonna set the roof on fire
Gonna burn this mother fo down, down, down, down, down, down
Hands up, when the music drops
We both put our hands up
Put your hands on my body
Swear I seen you before
I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes
Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again
Yeah, baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again
So dance, dance, like it's the last, last night of your life, life
Gonna get you right
Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again
The room went wild as Azimio sang Usher's lyrics but also did a pretty good approximation of his moves from the video for DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again. Sure, he wasn't built like Usher, nor has he had his training, but he put his all into it and it paid off. Az even handled the part where Pitbull comes in and does his part, though Dave almost wished that he had told him what he was doing beforehand, because he would have volunteered to handle it for him.
In the cover of the music
Get naked baby
I'm sorry chica
Better holla at Tyrone
Let him know how I jump through your foot loop
Scholla chico two can
We're from the blocka blocka o polaca
Where the boys loose like a wacka flaca
Ooh no man, it's global was'up Colale flaca
I wanna be your giant no not your dada
dale abre ahi Papa Nicholas baby let me see
Yo soy el cubanito que esta tostaito
Yo freco, no Ok
Dave was impressed, and while he didn't seem to be alone in this, he was probably a lot happier about this turn of events than anyone else in the room. To see his friend not only accept him for who he is, but even go so far as to come here to join glee club and put this much passion into it made him feel lucky to have him.
Dave also noticed something else that made him smile, something he was pretty sure that few of the other people in the room would notice. All the while that he was performing, Az kept sneaking looks at Mercedes. Dave knew Az, and while Az thought he was subtle, Dave was always able to identify when Az was checking out a chick. He had a certain quality around the eyes, and Dave could tell that he wasn't just looking at the girl, he was looking at her. Dave glanced in her direction, and while he wasn't sure whether she had noticed it, she herself seemed to be trying to hide her own emotions watching him perform, and it was causing her to blush a little bit.
Azimio finished up, adapting Usher's final lyric in the song to say "Yeah, thank you Teacha," and directing it at Mr. Shue.
Mr. Shue clapped, as did the rest of the group.
"Great job, Azimio. Nice job on the Spanish pronunciation there too," he said, referring to Pitbull's part.
"Thanks, Mr. Shuester," said Az with a smile. He then turned to the rest of the class, still grinning, awaiting their response. Dave could tell, though, that he was anxious, because he had a nervous habit of clenching and unclenching his fists.
"Awesome!"
"That was really amazing, dude! You can sing, wow..."
"Really good dancing, Azimio!"
"Yea, Usher, eat'chur heart out!"
That last one came from Mercedes, who seemed to be hoping that her comment would just blend in with the rest of the general praise being thrown at him, but it was almost as if the rest of the room was waiting for her reaction, because the praise stopped there.
Huh. I guess he really isn't as subtle as he thinks he is when he's checking out the ladies.
Azimio blushed, embarrassed a bit by the praise, but more likely by Mercedes. Sparing her from becoming the focal point of attention in the room (anymore than she already had), he spoke to the room as a whole.
"Thanks, y'all. I was actually pretty nervous 'bout that. Been practicing all week. So it was really good?"
"Definitely!"
"You bet!"
"Eh, it was alright," said Dave, pretending to yawn, but failing to keep a straight face for more than ten seconds.
"Man, forget you," replied Az with a grin, clearly joking around.
"Alright, guys. So, as great as it is that we now have another member in the group, we'll need to work even harder to get him up to speed and ready for Regionals. So let's all get to work, alright?"
"You bet, Mr. Shue."
It had become a routine since Tuesday of that week for Dave to pick up Kurt in the morning. The decision about who would drive was made quickly when Kurt realized that Dave's truck had a bench seat in the front, which afforded him the opportunity to sit right next to Dave, arms wrapped around him for the duration of the short trip to school. They would walk in together, pausing outside the front door before going in so that Kurt could give Dave a short, sweet kiss and Dave could give Kurt a big bear hug. None of the students seemed to pay them any mind, though they would occasionally get some dirty looks from the hockey players if they happened to be walking by at that moment. Then they would head in and separate to go to their individual classes.
At the end of the day after Azimio's audition, Dave and Kurt headed to the truck and off on their second date. Kurt let Dave decide where they would go since he had picked the previous date, and because he had already blown his allowance on the previous week's shopping excursion. Dave picked ice skating at the local rink, deciding to spare Kurt a sporting event for at least a few more dates.
They headed to the rink, and Kurt put on his rental skates, then cautiously stepped onto the ice. Dave noticed, and hurriedly finished lacing his skates and rushed over to help him.
"I thought you could skate."
"Oh, I've skate before...I bit. Maybe like, once? When I was...eight?"
"Kurt...why didn't you say so? We could have done something else," Dave frowned.
"No, it's fine! Really, I'll get the hang of it. This is what you wanted to do, and so I want to too," said Kurt, nearly falling before Dave caught him, pulling him up and close to steady him. "Besides, it affords me the opportunity to be rescued by you like that. How much better could a date get?"
Dave smiled, loving how sneaky his boyfriend could be. They did a few laps around the ring, with Dave either holding Kurt's hand or putting his arm around his shoulders, whichever best help steady him, and whichever felt right at the moment. Dave noticed a group of older men sitting in the corner, presumably here with their kids, glaring at them as they went around. Kurt didn't seem to have noticed, as he seemed giddy and oblivious, and so Dave didn't feel like burdening him. However, when the lighting changed and an announcement was made that the rink was going to be couples-only for the next song, Dave tensed, and this Kurt noticed.
"What's the matter, Dave? Are you still nervous about being out in public?"
Dave wanted to say yes, if only to prevent what he feared would come next if they continued skating together. He wanted to protect Kurt from the ills of this small, sometimes close-minded town. At the same time, though, he wanted to flip off those old men, and tell them that they could step into the light and be part of this world, or they could grow old and grey in their tiny little one.
"No, I'm fine," Dave said, smiling again suddenly. "Let's keep going."
They kept skating during the couples song, as Linda Ronstadt's Someone To Watch Over Me played.
There's a saying old, says that love is blind
Still we're often told, seek and ye shall find
So I'm going to seek a certain lad I've had in my mind
As the song played, and the couples circled, Dave could see the old men get up from where they stood and come to stand next to the guardrails. Dave wondered where their kids were. Certainly if they were here with kids, they would have been with them now, since they wouldn't be out here with the other couples. As the song drew to a close, Dave guided Kurt to different exit from the rink then the one the old men were standing next to.
"Oh, we're stopping? But I really enjoying myself out there."
"I'm sorry, Kurt. I didn't want to mention this to you...but do you see those old guys over there?"
Kurt looked at them, realizing they were approaching them, and he knew immediately. They made their way to some seats as near as they could find to the front counter and began to undo their skates. Dave was the first to remove his skates, having plenty of experience with them from playing hockey, and got up and between Kurt and the men just as they reached them. They stopped in front of Dave, who they were realizing was actually quite large and intimidating up close.
"We don't really like your kind 'round here."
"Oh yea? And what kind is that?" Dave said, forcing a smile while he balled his hands into fists in preparation.
"You know exactly what we mean. You and your little boy toy over there can just mosey on out of here."
"We'll leave when we're ready. We're paying customers."
"You'll leave now," said another one, stepping forward and holding up a fist to illustrate that he was serious.
"Right, and we wouldn't want to scare away the little children with our gayness, cause then who would be here for you to get off on?"
The old men looked shocked and guilty, proving to Dave that he was right in his theory.
"You know, you old pedophiles, you're just too damn obvious. I mean, you have to at least pretend that you have a legitimate reason to be somewhere full of little kids without having any of your own."
Kurt had finished removing his skates and had quietly stood up behind Dave.
"What we do is none of your business, you fa-"
And what we do is none of your business, you fuckin' child-rapists. So why don't you back the fuck off before this gets ugly."
"Is there a problem here?" The manager had come over, no doubt informed by the front desk clerk once she realized that a fight seemed ripe to break out in front of her.
"Yea, I think there is. These guys here? I'm pretty sure they were hitting on my boyfriend here. I tried telling them that he's not even eighteen yet, but they wouldn't listen. They just kept licking their lips and making lewd comments."
"Why you little prick! I'll fuckin' kill you!"
"Sirs, I think I'm going to have to ask you to leave before I have to call the authorities."
"You little bitch! You and your little twink are a sin under God! D'ya hear! You're gonna burn!"
Dave watched security escort them out of the building and presumably off the premises.
"Thank you," Dave said as he turned to the manager, a man who appeared to be in his late sixties.
"You're welcome...might I ask you a question?"
"Uh, sure."
"They weren't hitting on your boyfriend, were they?"
"...No." Dave looked down, embarrassed that he was caught in the lie, but still not regretting it as it was effective, and his main concern was protecting Kurt.
"No, I didn't suppose so...you know, my son is actually gay."
Dave looked up, and Kurt walked over to join him at his arm.
"He's in his thirties now, and he moved out of Lima a long time ago, but he sometimes comes back to visit. It wasn't easy for him growing up here. It's why he left. Now, I saw how he suffered here, but I also saw how he persevered to be accepted and to be happy. I'm sure even I made his struggle a bit worse at first, since it was hard for me to accept it initially. In the long run, though, things weren't always so bad for him here, but I think he's much happier now that he's left. I hope that you two find happiness and acceptance in your life too, no matter where you are."
"Thank you, mister. I'll definitely keep that all in mind," said Dave, and smiled, thankful to be reminded that not all people were like those dirty old men.
"Yes, thank you very much, sir," said Kurt timidly.
Not feeling much like skating anymore, Dave and Kurt put on their sneakers, grabbed their things, returned their skates and left to get dinner.
Dave was craving pizza, and while Kurt was always trying his best to watch calorie intake, he would indulge himself for Dave's sake. Also, he actually loved pizza. They arrived at Vincenzo's Pizzeria, sat down and ordered a large pie, half meat lovers, half veggie, and a pitcher of Diet Coke at Kurt's request (Dave wasn't a fan of diet soda, but he'd put up with it for Kurt). After the waitress left to put in their order, Dave let out a chuckle.
"What's so funny?" asked Kurt.
"I dunno why, but i never thought of this before. Maybe cause I'd never been out on a date with a guy when I ordered it before. But...meat lover's? Hah. That's like my favorite, always has been. Guess I should have took that as a sign."
Dave was grinning like a young child who'd just made what he thought was the funniest joke in the world, but blushing a bit as well. Kurt looked at him like he was crazy, clearly not getting the joke at first, but then it suddenly hit him.
"Oh! Dave, you can be so crude and immature sometimes," scolded Kurt, but he was grinning and blushing as well.
Their order came and they dug in, silent for a while as they devoured the first few slices. After they had both taken care of their initial hunger, they slowed down and found the time to converse in between bites.
"So were those really pedophiles back there?" Kurt inquired.
"Pretty sure, yea. I thought they must've been there with their kids or something when I first spotted them, but once the couples only thing started, they were still alone. I figured there's no reason for a bunch of old men to be sitting in an ice rink if they aren't skating and they aren't supervising anybody. When I called them on it, they're reaction kinda confirmed it for me."
"That's some clever deductive reasoning there, Dave."
"Yea, well I can be smart when I wanna be," replied Dave somewhat defensively.
"I wasn't implying that you weren't. You seem brighter than you let people see you as," Kurt said compassionately, genuine concern in his voice.
"Yea...I guess it's just easier sometimes to act dumb. There's less pressure that way."
"True. I'll say this, though. I think you can handle the pressure. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for."
"Thanks," said Dave, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I suppose I should try harder at school. I can't expect to ride a sports scholarship, especially since I'm gay. Too many people out there who'd like to keep us down." Dave was still thinking about the old men, and he could tell from Kurt's expression that he was too, and so for his sake, he changed the subject.
"But I'm sure I'll do fine anyway. I'll get my grades up and try to graduate with honors when the time comes. They aren't really that bad now anyway. Mostly B's. And you're really smart, so maybe you could help me with subjects that I'm having trouble with?"
"Oh, David, that's sweet, but I'm really best with art, fashion and music. And while I could give you a makeover, I doubt you'd want that."
"Oh don't you start, Fancy. You get on my case for being down on myself, and here you are doing the same thing. And you know that's not true. You've got great grades in English and Spanish, and I'm sure you're doing more than fine in your other subjects and...wait, are you saying I need a makeover? What's wrong with the way I look?" Dave frowned.
"No, I didn't mean that you-oh, we're just a paradigm of positive thinking tonight, aren't we?" Kurt said, and he laughed. Dave laughed too.
"Heh, yea. Apparently you're an air headed fashionista and I'm a dumb, ugly jock," joked Dave while still laughing, but Kurt stopped and looked at him with a hard glare. Dave stopped laughing. "Sorry, I was only kidding. Like I said, you're really smart and there's more to you than fashion.
"I know that, Dave. I know you were joking about that. I'm worried that you weren't joking about yourself."
"Well, I mean, I know I'm not dumb. I just need to apply myself. But I am a jock, and I'm not exactly a runway model. Hell, I'm not even a hand model..."
"STOP IT. NOW." Kurt looked genuinely offended. "You are beautiful-"
"-in every single way and words won't bring me down, I know, I know," Dave said, making light of the serious tone of the conversation because he was didn't feel particularly comfortable talking about himself.
"David Karofsky, I swear to Gaga that if you do not let me speak, I will hurt you!" Dave was so surprised by this sudden show of force by Kurt that he shut up immediately.
"I care about you, a lot more than you may realize, and for a lot longer than longer than I'd care to admit, but when I tell you now that you are beautiful, it isn't just because I want to make you feel better. When I say that you're beautiful, it's because I think your beautiful."
Dave lowered his gaze to his hands, embarrassed by his own negativity, and ashamed that it made Kurt feel the need to lecture him. It made him feel weak. It made him worry that Kurt would think that he was just looking for attention, when really, he couldn't understand why anyone would want to give him any. As if reading his mind, Kurt put one hand on Dave's hands, and with the other he gently lifted Dave's face, forcing his eyes back onto Kurt.
"Please, David. I realize that you may not think highly of yourself, but you are worth more than you give yourself credit for. You're smart, you're athletic, you're kind, you're extremely handsome, and you've shown great courage both in coming out, and in your desire to protect me. You mean a lot to me. You should mean a lot to yourself too."
Dave silently contemplated Kurt's words and smiled. "Thanks, Fancy. You always know just the right thing to say or do to make me feel better. It's a wonder I made it this long without you."
"Seriously. You're a mess," said Kurt with a smirk and a chuckle.
Dave smiled back and they finished up their pizza and left.
On the drive home, the two spoke cheerfully about many things, the negative events from earlier in the evening all but forgotten. However, Kurt suddenly brought up a topic that left a bad taste in Dave's mouth.
"So I was talking to Blaine yesterday, and a thought occurred to me: he's one of my best friends, and you're my boyfriend, but we've hardly spent any time together, the three of us I mean."
"Yea?" Asked Dave, not sure how else to respond. He really had no desire to spend any time with Blaine. To be perfectly honest, he really wished that Kurt would stop hanging out with him too. Logically, he knew that he had no reason to be jealous, but Dave had always had a problem thinking purely logically. For Dave, emotions always ruled over logic, for better or worse.
"Yea. So I was thinking that maybe we could all try to spend a little time together once and a while."
"I dunno, Kurt. I don't think I'd get along with Blaine that well."
"What are you talking about? I bet you guys would be great friends. He's kind of like me in some ways, but he also likes sports and other things like that." Dave didn't say anything for a while, and when the short silence was broken, it was Kurt again, sounding disappointed. "I mean, if you don't want to, then I can't really make you..."
Dave hated the tone that had crept into Kurt's voice. He obviously had his heart set on them all being great friends, and Dave wasn't going to ruin that, even if it meant he and to hang out with the guy he saw as his arch-rival.
"No, it's fine. You're right, could be fun."
Kurt's face lit up at this. "Really? Wonderful! What are you doing tomorrow? We could all go out and grab a bite and maybe catch a movie or something?"
"Sure, sounds good, Fancy."
Anything for you, Kurt.