A/N: We're more than half way to the end guys. Thanks for sticking with me thus far. This chap makes me feel tinglely (or is it tingly?... Meh, you know what I mean). Anyway I gets the tingles with this chapter. Read on and let me know how it comes across for you. Special thanks to psykogleek this round for your consistent support and of course to everyone else who so awesomely shows support for this story. Reviews please. And if you guys who've been reading have any thoughts or specific questions/concerns about characters, etc, please feel free to let me know. I like getting feedback, like I enjoy a good slice of pie. :)

Surely it's been hours. Maybe. Who knows?

A storm is coming. He can feel it in the air. The bitter cold clipping against his skin as the gray toned clouds swell with a promise of stinging rain.

Most of the other patients have been ushered inside or have gone back into the facility of their own accord.

Not him. He needs to feel something. Wants to feel the rain pound and beat against his skin.

Thunder sounds and lightning cracks across the back drop. Puck laughs wildly as the rain turns from a drizzle into steady drops that paint his face and arms.

He pulls off his shirt, letting the rain wash over him and standing in the open as if challenging the sky itself to a face off.

"Give it to me motherfucker! Come on!"

Puck runs in a wide circle, jumping and laughing maniacally, ignoring any lingering pain in his leg.

"Bring it! I'm readaaayyyy! COME ON!"

"Puckerman! Let's get inside."

Puck halts and turns to see one of the younger orderlies approaching him. Puck notes that he's apparently gained an audience a few yards behind the man. It's odd the looks he's receiving.

He was used to disgust, anger, outright loathing.

But he notices that Mercedes girl eying him sadly, Sam's arm draped over her shoulder. Jacob watching him with a hard yet empathetic gleam. Tina standing near his side, hiccuping with suppressed sobs. Irish leaning in the door frame, a lazy disposition that was betrayed by the sadness in his own gaze. And Quinn... biting her lip, silent tears falling as she hugs herself protectively. There were others as well, some orderlies, a few counselors, other patients...

Why the fuck were they all out there watching him? Looking at him with those stupid fucking sad looks on their faces.

He turns back around and faces the open sky.

"Nah. I think I'm gonna stay here."

The orderly slows his already cautious pace. "Puckerman. You can't stay out here. It's unsafe and a distraction to the other patients."

"I ain't hurtin' anybody. I need to stay out here, man. Just leave me alone."

"Come on Puckerman," the orderly tries again, his voice calm but firm.

Puck refuses to acknowledge him. He knows that eventually the guy'll probably use force and have to sedate him. He's ready for it. But in the mean time, he wants to let the rain cleanse him... Take away the shame, the hurt, the utter despair. Kurt doesn't love him. How could he?

He hears foot steps, knows that several other orderlies are lining up behind the other one just waiting for the command to rush him.

"Puckerman. You know if you don't follow my orders, we're gonna have to take you down."

Puck sighs, his eyes closed tightly as he mumbles, "Do you what you gotta do dude."

He's still not sure if he plans on punching and kicking his way out - not that there really was one - or if in fact going quietly was his best bet. Probably, but he felt numb, the old searing urge to be self destructive beginning to regurgitate and flow through him.

"Wait! Hold on!"

Puck's eyes flutter open. A tall black man with a wispy mustache and bald head is rushing toward them.

"Wait Dan! Hold off for a bit!"

The orderly standing mere feet away from Puck; Dan, turns and speaks. "Jer, the kid's gotta come in."

Jerry is slightly out of breath, but his look is steely, intimidating.

"I know. But we've got an audience over there that needs to be dealt with. This kid, he ain't bothering anybody. Long as he doesn't hurt anyone of them, or you for that matter-"

"And what about himself Jer? He can't be out here in this weather."

Jerry's eyes narrow as he glances over at Puck. He steps toward him, Puck leveling his gaze. Jerry is close enough now to whisper his words.

"I can't let you stay out all night, ya hear?"

Normally Puck would've sneered at him, maybe spat in his face just because. That was just the kind of kid he'd once been.

But Jerry really was a good dude; Puck can't think of any other guy he knew of that would've done what Jerry had done at such a high risk to themselves. Puck owed him. No question.

Puck gives a subtle nod. Jerry then says in hushed tones, "I'm gonna need you to at least stay under that tree. And I'm not comin' to get ya, cause I shouldn't have to."

Again Puck nods giving Jerry a weak grin that he's sure looks nothing like anything as truly appreciative as he feels in the moment. Jerry turns and addresses the group.

"Let's head back and round up these other kids. This one can stay out her for all I care. I'm not risking others safety cause he wants to be hard headed. We'll check on him before night fall."

Dan looks mutinous, but eventually begins trekking back toward the facility with the others without saying a word. Puck watches as the white uniforms converge on the gray clad teens who had been observing wordlessly, and then they were all gone.

Puck really owes that guy. Seriously. With that thought, he saunters over to the tree that Jerry had indicated and flops onto the wet grass. He hugs his knees to his chest and watches the lightning streak across the sky.

"I'm such a fuckin' idiot. Why did I say that? Why did I have to go and fuckin' say that?"

He tucks his head down, burying it into his crossed arms. Puck was losing himself. It was as if he had given the most precious part of himself away to some kid and had received a cold stinging slap to the face for his troubles. Stupid. Stupid to have admitted - no - said, those words... Being in love? What the fuck did he know about that?

At some point the tears come back again.

At some other point he somehow feels it: this intuitive notion that he wasn't alone anymore. Puck looks up and sees him in the distance.

It was an illusion. Maybe a hallucination from his meds. Puck stands up and watches the figure stop in the middle of the field, several yards away from him.

He was soaked. His gray uniform damp with rain water as he stands there watching Puck with wide, very blue eyes.

Puck is briefly reminded of the time he had gone hunting with one of his Mom's boyfriends: catching sight of a beautiful, lone, deer, completely mesmerized. Both unable to relinquish each other's gaze or dare to move for fear of capsizing this odd spell keeping them transfixed. There is something there though, something in the other boy's eyes that's beckoning to him.

They both simultaneously begin to stride forward. Their stride turns into a jog, then finally transforms into an all out run. They crash together. Clinging desparately to each other, their panting somehow pounding over the sound of the lightning.

Puck pulls back, his hands cupping red splotched cheeks, Kurt gripping Puck's bare sides just above his waist line. Then Puck dives in to capture the full lips in a searing kiss.

Kurt doesn't hesitate. He simply gives into it. Kissing back fiercely as if he owned Puck's mouth, tongues battling for dominance. When they finally pull back in order to regain composure - and more importantly breathe again - Kurt takes Puck's hand and leads them back toward the facility.

It's amazing how after all of Puck's efforts to be able to stay put, he so easily follows this boy without so much as a word. Kurt is leading him by the hand, striding forward purposefully as they move through corridor after corridor.

Eventually they stop.

Kurt pulls open the door and leads them into the dimly lit room. Puck wants to ask how Kurt would've known about this place. Sure it was the laundry room, so of course everyone knows it essentially, but not many know of its ideal use for secret trysts.

Puck shakes his head, his focus returning to the swishing hips, and supple ass leading him forward into the bowels of the room. Finally Kurt releases his hand and turns to face Puck.

Kurt reaches out tentatively to brush his fingertips over Puck's bare chest. Puck closes his eyes at the delicate touch. Feels his heart speed up as the digits glide over his nipples, then run freely over his abdomen. He groans when he feels a soft kiss placed over his ribcage, then higher, then a tongue flick over his nipple, teasing the bud with care.

Puck opens his eyes and pulls Kurt forward. He's searching Kurt's eyes, questioning his desire to move forward. Kurt supplies a small grin in response.

Puck pulls up the other boy's wet shirt. He halts when Kurt's arms are trapped in the fabric above his head, giving Puck full access to the lean muscle and pale skin of his torso. Puck takes special care to place gentle kisses across his stomach, then his chest, runs his tongue over the pink nipples, and sucks.

Kurt moans wantonly, struggling to get his arms free but Puck holds his arms in place over his head, continuing his ministrations. He drags his lips over his collar bone, nipping and teething the skin, then licks along his perfect neck causing Kurt to writhe and nearly whine with pleasure. He peppers the skin of Kurt's long neck with wet kisses, then brings his lips to Kurt's, kissing him fully and with as must passion as he can put into the kiss.

Finally he pulls the shirt over Kurt's arms and head, dropping the fabric onto the floor unceremoniously. They stare at each other, drinking in each other's bodies, feeling the others need swell in the air around them with each quickened exhale.

Then they're kissing again, Puck backing Kurt into the nearest washing machine. He lifts the lighter boy and deposits him onto the machine, never stopping his mouth from working over Kurt's lips, jaw line, and exposed neck.

Puck's erection is prominent, jutting against the clinging material of his pants. Kurt's hands are all over his toned back, raking his skin, claiming it as his with digging nails. Kurt's legs have found their way around Puck's waist, urging Puck to thrust forward which he easily obliges to. They kiss fiercely, hungrily as they begin to grind at a steady pace.

"Mmm, Kurt. Fuck," Puck hisses as his pace quickens. His head dipping down to rest on Kurt's shoulder as the small boy bites at Puck's neck, licking at the red marks he's managed to place on the skin there.

"Noah, Yes. Oh God, yes," Kurt breathes as their hardened cocks rub against each other through their pants, pre-cum pooling and sliding along their members like left over droplets of rain.

"I - I have to stop."

"Please, don't," Kurt whines as he's eagerly meeting Puck's thrusts.

"Gonna cum. N-not yet," Puck mumbles with difficulty. He's finally able to pull himself up and places a chaste kiss on Kurt's swollen lips.

Blue eyes are probing him, watching for some hint of disturbance or anger. Puck just smiles and kisses him again. It was a sweet and hopeful gesture of reassurance.

Puck swallows, and begins to kneel down.

"W-what are you doing?"

Puck just places a single finger over Kurt's lips, signaling for his silence. Puck starts to slide Kurt's pants over his waist, lifting him up in order to get them past his ass and piled around his ankles. Puck wonders briefly if Kurt always goes commando. It seems that way anyway.

His cock is flushed with a pinkish tint, pretty and aching. Puck licks his lips.

"You don't have to."

Puck looks up as he swirls his tongue over the pink tip. "I want to," he whispers huskily. Kurt throws his head back in pleasure, moaning loudly as Puck slowly licks up his member and finally takes it in his mouth completely. The burly teen knew that Kurt wasn't used to this. That he was always the one being taken, used. Puck wanted him to know how much he knew that Kurt wasn't just some toy, some dirty receptical for others desires. He was worth every bit of attention Puck wanted to give him.

He took his time bobbing up Kurt's length, sucking slowly, letting his tongue run over the tight skin. As he initiated a steady rhythm, he felt Kurt wind his hand in Puck's mohawk, carding his long fingers through the wet tresses as he hissed and moaned. When Kurt started to elicit an upward thrust to meet Puck's sucking, Puck knew it wouldn't be long.

"Noah, I'm gonna - I'm so close - "

"I want you to cum for me baby. Let go for me."

"I - I can't - I - Not yet." Kurt tugs at Puck's hair, pulling him up. He resurfaces with a distinct popping sound.

"What's wrong? Was I - Did I do it wrong?"

"No. God no. I just, I wanted to - you know - I want to do it together," Kurt whispers, his hand cupping Puck's ruddy cheek.

"Oh. Okay." Puck stands up and allows Kurt to pull him forward into a deep kiss. Puck notices a pile of clothes stacked near them on an adjacent machine.

Without a word, and still tugging on Kurt's lips with his teeth, he picks him up, holding him in place with one arm as Kurt stays wrapped around his waist. He uses the other to toss the stack of clothes onto the floor, creating a make shift bed.

Puck gently lowers Kurt onto the pile, and then repositions himself between Kurt's strong legs which were bare, as his pants had fallen from his feet with Puck's hasty movements.

"You're beautiful," Puck says firmly as he stares down at Kurt.

Kurt's blue eyes are glistening, and his pink lips slide into an easy smile. He then pulls Puck down to him to further explore each other's mouths. Both were achingly hard, cocks leaking and wanton. Puck can't take it, can't take the building pressure, needs to feel skin on skin. So he stops his actions in order to yank off his pants and boxer briefs, realigning himself atop Kurt.

"Noah."

"Mmm, yeah?"

"I want you," Kurt breathes.

"I want you too. So bad."

"No. I want you. Inside of me, I mean."

Puck pulls back, his eyes alight with wariness.

"You sure?"

"I need you inside of me. Please."

Puck swallows. "I don't wanna hurt you."

"You won't. I know you won't."

Puck sighs, then gives Kurt a quick peck. "Okay." He moves in again to start kissing along Kurt's pale neck but then hesitates. "Um, I'm clean by the way. In case you were wondering. The hospital does blood work every month."

Kurt nods, a teasing grin on his face. "I know. Me too. I got tested when I got here."

Puck smiles and captures Kurt's lips again. He would kiss the boy every minute of the day if he could. It was so enthralling and intense. It made him ache and hum with need.

Damn... He really did care didn't he? Asking about one's sexual history, actually giving a fuck enough to calm Kurt's potential apprehension (which he noted that there didn't seem to be not an ounce of), to reveal that he was clean? Taking Kurt's word without question? Yep, he cared enough that it could really only be fucking illogical, crazy, wonderous, sheerly unexpected... love.

True he wasn't an expert on this whole... gay thing, but he had a pretty good idea of what to do. Puck always did have good common sense. He seemed to manage a decent blow job without direct coaching after all, so this... he could do too. He moved down Kurt's body, licking over his cock and then spreading his cheeks apart. For a brief second, he nearly laughs at the sheer irony of it all; how far he's come in the last few months.

A fag hater to an ass eater. What were the odds?

He plunged his tongue deep into Kurt's hole, licking the puckered entrance over carefully in order to slicken it. Kurt cries out, then Kurt pulls up Puck's right hand, and to Puck's surprise and absolute delight, sucks several fingers into his mouth.

It was erotic, so sensual that Puck momentarily forgot about what he was doing and couldn't help but watch with a lustful gaze. Kurt sucked three fingers with abandon, holding Puck's hand in place as he deep throated Puck's thick digits with lewd smacking sounds. Puck could've cum right then and there it was so perfectly sexy.

When Kurt released his mouth, he slowly guided Puck's slick fingers toward his hole.

"Start slow," Kurt directed.

Puck nods and takes one finger, his pointer, then pushes into Kurt's wet heat. Kurt moans and after Puck works his hole for a while, pleads for another finger. Puck obliges, stretching the ring of muscle with two well practiced (He had done his fair share of finger banging with females after all) fingers. On the third finger, Kurt stiffens, causing Puck to halt his immediate urge to plunge in and out.

"Did I hurt you? I knew I was gonna end up hurting you - "

"No. I'm okay. It's just been a while. Go slow, then I'll be fine."

Puck does as he was told, barely manuevering until he brushes up against a spot that has Kurt crying out. His fingers pick up pace and Kurt is now flushed in pleasure, moaning and meeting Puck's thrusting fingers with a snap of his hips.

"Noah! Please. Fuck me!"

That was all it took. Puck slowly pulls his fingers out and quickly positions his cock against Kurt's stretched hole. He spits into his hand for good measure, making sure to coat his cock heavily. Then he enters Kurt, pushing into him deeply and is rewarded with a pleasurable yelp.

"You feel so fuckin' perfect babe."

"Yes, Noah! Oh fuck. Harder!"

Puck obeys, smashing his hips forward, Kurt's legs locked securely behind his waist as Puck plows into him.

Kurt is starting to yell loudly. Puck shushes him with a bruising kiss, swallowing his cries as he thrusts faster and harder.

Puck wants Kurt to be happy. To be made to feel good. He wraps his hand around Kurt's member, tugging and pulling him toward his release.

"Oooh, Noaaah!"

"K-Kurt. I'm gonna cum!"

And they both cum hard: Kurt spurting over his own stomach as well as Puck's hand, and Puck emptying himself inside Kurt's tight hole.

Eventually they start to come down from their natural high, both sated and sleepy. Puck reaches over and grabs a random uniform shirt to wipe off Kurt and then himself. Puck is enormously elated; happier then he can ever remember being in fact.

Puck lays on his back, allowing Kurt to position his head on his broad shoulder. Puck holds Kurt to him as the smaller teen tucks himself into Puck's side, his arm slung across Puck's toned chest, pale fingers absent mindedly caressing him.

Puck releases a deep chuckle which reverberates around the space, mingling with the slight pounding and whirring sounds of the working laundry machines nearby.

Kurt can't help but giggle before asking, "What? Why are you laughing?"

"I'm just... I'm really happy."

"Yeah?"

"Mmhm."

Kurt brushes a quick kiss on Puck's cheek. "Me too."

"Good."

"Hey Noah?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm in love with you too."

"Oh. Well, good."

Puck feels giddy. When the fuck has ever felt that way before? He laughs again at the realization of experiencing this particular emotion and asks the question that somehow finds its way back to the forefront of his mind.

"So, how'd you know about the laundry room?"

Kurt smirks evilly. "Wouldn't you like to know Puckerman."

Puck grins, "I would actually." Kurt turns to him, eyes alight with a mischievous glint. "I've heard that it's a good spot to go if you need to get some release - you know? - touch yourself," his voice became lower as he continued, making Puck shiver with a need that was quickly replenishing itself, "stroke your cock nice and slowly, while you think about certain boy's with mohawks watching you, wanting you, fucking you..."

An hour later, Jerry found them leaving the laundry room together, uniforms now dry and warm on their bodies.

"Fancy meeting you two here."

Kurt nearly has a heart attack as he instinctively grabs onto Puck's arm. Jerry grins but is tactful enough to hold in his laughter at the sight.

"Um. Yeah. We were just drying our clothes. No sense in catchin' a cold. Right Jerry?" Puck states with an air of reaching for straws.

Jerry decides to spare them. "No sense at all Puckerman. The rest of the facility is on lock down for the night. That storm is really kickin' in out there so everyone's been confined a bit earlier then normally scheduled. I suggest you two head to your own separate rooms for the night."

Both teens didn't miss the emphasis put on the word 'separate.'

"Actually on second thought. I'd better walk you two. Wouldn't want any other un-authorized detours to take place. My son seems to have the same problem with needing an escort too. Likes to get in the refrigerator at night and needs a little help finding his room again. Maybe it's a guy thing."

"Still don't trust me huh, Jerry?"

"Not as far as I can throw you son."

Puck laughs and Jerry joins in. Kurt is smiling quietly to himself at the exchange feeling inexplicably - What was it that Puck had said earlier? - That's right: 'whole.' He felt whole for the first time he could remember in more than seven years.