Catalyst
Chapter 6
By Dani J.
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Summary: Kurt and Blaine have decided to just be friends and the dapper boy realized he really missed Dalton Academy so he's gone back. No Klaine-bashing is intended, it just wouldn't have worked for this fic. However, Kurt has an admirer in a new kid… and Puck isn't happy at all but doesn't seem willing to step up.
Disclaimer: I own nothing whatsoever. Blame RM and company for this unfairly attractive and addictive group of characters. Well, except for my cute, original character, Kristopher.
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Last chapter: Puck sat there accepting his mom's silent support and comfort. Gradually he calmed down and the germ of an idea began to grow. If he could apologize to Kurt in a grand gesture – the boy wasn't called a diva for nothing – maybe he could get rid of this pain in his stomach… and that Kris dude who was shaping up to be a pain in the neck.
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Kurt closed his locker with a sharp snap, clicking his padlock firmly before turning to wait for Mercedes to finish gathering her things. He knew his expression was even colder than his usual ice queen façade but he needed it more than ever today. He didn't want anyone to know how hurt he'd been by Noah's actions the day before. He wasn't stupid, he knew Kristopher must have goaded him somehow and that it had to do with him, hence the use of the 'F' word. Still, it had hurt and it would take time for him to get back his equilibrium.
What hurt the most, he pondered now as he walked beside his fabulous BFF, hardly paying attention to her fashion-centered monologue, was that he deep down sort of liked Noah. Well, not like, not really; it was just that the boy was seriously sexy but Kurt was sure that he really was as ruler-straight as everyone thought.
He nodded and hummed at the appropriate points during their walk to their first class, Mercedes's voice more like white noise in the background. He pondered the strangeness of the boys he knew, wishing that maybe, one day, all this drama would end. High school was so tiresome; Kurt longed for college days where, apparently, one was expected to find oneself, to experiment and to finally embrace one's own uniqueness. That time seemed so far away, even though technically it was just a summer away, if he was lucky.
Kurt sighed as he thought about his possible futures: one path led to NYADA auditions and attempts to be selected by the prestigious institution and another path led towards the world of haute couture or maybe journalism.
When they reached the door to their first class, Mercedes turned and stopped him from entering, a serious look in her shiny brown eyes.
"Look, boo, you can't let everything these bone-headed jocks do or say get to you, okay? You're too fabulous for these people, boy!" Her full lips spread into a smile as she said, "Now go in there, put on that sassy, sexy walk of yours, and let those clueless jerks see what a prize you are," and she pushed him inside ahead of her.
Kurt's eyes sparkled in amusement as he almost lurched into the room before regaining his composure. He really did love Mercedes; she tended to say exactly what she meant and he knew he would always have her in his corner. Now he lifted his chin, squared his shoulders and gave it his best catwalk stride as he headed to his seat near the front of the room.
Near the back as usual, Puck watched as Kurt stalked to his seat and his heart did that clenching thing as he watched him. He could never admit to any of his 'bros' how much the sight of Kurt, especially from behind, affected him. He always pulled on a smirking mask of indifference as he exchanged salacious and sometimes derogatory comments with his teammates. Today, though, Kurt just seemed to glow so brightly and Puck just couldn't join in in the usual bullshit banter going on about him.
"Hey, look at Feminella and Sassy Brown Sugar. Mm-mm, I would love some of that sugar myself…" a football jock muttered to the boisterous laughter of the other jocks. He was cut off as another shot back… "In your dreams, douche-bag, she's all up in Feminella 'cos he's 'safe'!"
The guys high-fived each other as Puck sat quietly, ignoring the everyday stupidity. Suddenly he looked at the second guy who'd commented and decided to rib him.
"What you been doin', dude, reading one of those Cosmo things again?"
The other guys laughed as the jock colored and they waited to hear his response. The guy shook his head rapidly, holding up his hands defensively. "No, no, dickheads! Don't you guys listen to your girls?"
"Nah, we're too busy ballin'!" Cue the stupid laughter.
More raucous laughter was accompanied by yet more high-fives but Puck just shook his head. What he'd heard, though, had made him start thinking. Mercedes was Kurt's BFF; if he could get in good with her, maybe she'd put in a word for him. Kurt and she were pretty tight so it would work… it had to work.
They all settled down as Mr. Sadler, the History teacher entered. He was a big, tough guy with the look of Vin Diesel about him and everyone said he was an ex-Marine. Puck could believe it just from looking at him; the dude looked like he ate gravel for snacks. Why he was doing something as lame as teaching, Puck had no idea. He relaxed, though, as the class went on, his idea still percolating in his mind.
Meanwhile, Kurt had ignored the sounds of the assholes in the back, having an idea that Noah was sitting with them as usual. Only when it came time to pass out the printed handouts on European History did Kurt actually get a glimpse of the jock who had caused this unwelcome turmoil in him. He had had to turn around to hand the stack of papers to the kid behind him and their glances crossed… and held.
Kurt spun around when he realized that Noah was staring at him and he felt his shoulders tense up again. He shook his head when Mercedes glanced over at him, concern in her eyes and for the rest of the class he worked quietly. Only occasionally would he exchange a few comments with Mercedes but didn't really say anything until the second half of the class.
This teacher liked them to peer-correct their work, which Kurt hated to do and when he reached over to exchange his papers with Mercedes, he suddenly found himself staring at Noah.
Kurt's eyes widened and then he bit his lip, turning away to the other row to hand his paper there. He could feel the heat of Noah's big body near him and he waited tensely for the other boy to move. Unfortunately, there was an empty seat behind 'Cedes and that was where Noah had decided to sit.
Mercedes eyed Puck warily, her face showing every bit of the animosity she still felt towards the jock.
"What do you want, Puckerman?"
Noah shrugged and handed her his papers before smiling at her. "Hey, Aretha, I just wanted you to correct my stuff, 's all."
Kurt tensed as the jock's husky voice sounded so close behind him. He took the papers of the redheaded kid in the row next to his and pretended to look it over. His whole body felt unfairly aware of Noah and he resented that fact. How he wished Kristopher had been in this module with him.
Mercedes had turned to study Puck closely and when she saw the faint plea deep in his hazel eyes, she relented with a huff. "I hope this isn't all just crazy stuff you and those knuckleheads came up with, Puckerman," she muttered now. "I don't have time to waste."
Noah took the papers from some kid next to him and he barely glanced at them as his eyes strayed to Kurt. This close he could see the faint pink in Kurt's cheeks and the tension in his shoulders. He cleared his throat as he leaned forward, watching sadly as Kurt shifted slightly away from him.
"Look, Kurt, I_"
"Mr. Puckerman, did you have a question about the work?"
Puck jerked as Mr. Sadler's voice sounded almost right beside him. Shit! As big as the dude was, he could move like a fucking cat!
"Uhm, yes, sir?" Puck racked his brain as he thought of something that wouldn't make him look lame.
Sadler stared down at the jock, his eyebrows almost meeting in the middle. He was pretty intimidating just walking down a hallway; this close, Puck felt as if his whole body had started sweating.
"Well, spit it out, man; we don't have all day!"
"Yeah, I was just wondering… My Nana says Hitler wasn't German. Is that true?"
Sadler stared at Puckerman, wondering if the kid was pulling his leg or he was really interested. He looked around at the class and smirked. "Well, can anyone help out Mr. Puckerman who actually seems to want to learn something?"
There was a low mutter from the back as the other jocks shifted uncomfortably. They didn't know what Puck was up to but they didn't think he even knew who Hitler was.
"Well, if no one…" Sadler started and broke off as Kurt shifted in his seat to look at the teacher behind him.
"I know, Mr. Sadler. Well, I've read stuff on the Internet…" Kurt's voice was firm and clear and he had his chin firmly up. "Adolf Hitler was actually born in a town in Austria. In the northwest near the German border, I understand."
His cool, clipped delivery was impressive to the teacher who was used to the mostly incoherent muttering from the herd of students that passed through his doors every day. Now he thanked Kurt and looked back at Noah piercingly.
"Does that answer your question, Mr. Puckerman… or would you like to further disrupt my class?"
Puck's cheeks darkened but he nodded anyway at the teacher. "Yeah, thanks, I can tell her that."
"Okay, then, people," the teacher continued as he strolled up the aisle and stopped in front of the class. "Clearly my lesson plan isn't sufficiently interesting for you all so I'll tell you what. The next time I see you, apart from the homework assignment, you will present to me a paragraph on Adolf Hitler. Choose one fact about him and present it to me. Is that clear?"
Mercedes raised a desultory hand, her face unimpressed. "Will that be extra credit?"
The man narrowed his eyes at her. "Yes, Miss Jones; to make it more interesting, the person with the most obscure fact about the man will get a pass on the next assignment after this."
There was muttering around the room; on the one hand, some of the guys wanted to jump Puck for giving them more work but, on the other hand, a pass on the next assignment was a sweet deal.
Kurt glanced over his shoulder at Noah, a wicked gleam in his blue eyes. "When are you going to learn to shut up, Puckerman?"
Puck stared at him, torn. He was glad Kurt had spoken to him without animosity but he was pissed that he was obviously laughing at him. He shrugged nonchalantly though before saying, "I'm Jewish, shit like this is interesting to me."
Kurt looked at him and said sarcastically, "Uh-huh, sure," before turning to face forward again.
For the rest of the class they did not exchange one word and at the end of their exercise, Kurt grabbed his bag, threw Mercedes a look and strode out of the classroom.
Mercedes and Puck stared after him and then she turned to look at the boy slumped behind her.
"What the heck was all that about, Mohawk?"
Puck sighed and then leaned forward, both elbows on the desk. "Look, 'Cedes, you know I didn't mean all that yesterday, right?"
She watched him for a minute and then nodded reluctantly. "Yeah – so what was that about, then?"
He pushed his stuff haphazardly into his backpack and waited for her to get hers. They all had a free period which Kurt most likely spent in the Library so Puck walked with 'Cedes out of the classroom, just going wherever she was. He had to somehow get her on his side if he was going to make it up to Kurt.
"I guess – sometimes my temper just gets away from me, you know," he muttered now as he glared at some of the jocks who were eyeing him angrily. 'What?' he gestured silently to the idiots and they shrugged, waved him off, and slunk off to do who knows what.
Mercedes paused near the lockers and looked at him seriously. "You know you have some serious groveling to do, right? You hurt my boy with your stupid behavior; we don't play like that in Glee club. Well, most of us with a heart don't, maybe Santana does. You get what I'm saying?"
Puck leaned one shoulder against the locker and anyone passing or looking on would think he was flirting with the dark-skinned diva. 'Yeah, Puckerman, the sex-shark, always after fresh meat. Heh-heh' Boy, was he tired of that shit. He frowned now as he thought about what she said.
"I can't tell you what that Kristopher kid said but… it, uh… it kinda threw me. I didn't think… it just came out."
"Look, Puck, I know we all grew up talking about 'sticks and stones' and whatnot but words do hurt, sometimes worse than the sticks and stones, okay? You've got to do better. Now, how are you gonna make it up to my boy?"
Puck stared at her, his eyes wide and Mercedes had to repress a chuckle. Talk about a deer in headlights! She grabbed his arm and headed towards the auditorium that she knew would be empty at this hour.
"Come on, I have an idea."
Puck allowed himself to be dragged along by the surprisingly powerful girl and felt hope stir in him for the first time since he'd embarrassed himself – and hurt Kurt – the day before. Maybe this would all work out for the better.
As they walked away towards the auditorium, Kristopher moved from where he'd been standing by the locker that had been assigned to him. His eyes were thoughtful as he pondered the conversation he'd just overheard. He knew he was going to be late for class but he could always blame it on him being the new kid.
He frowned as he thought about what it would mean if Puckerman made up with Kurt. He didn't think the jock had the balls to actually let Kurt know how he felt, but one couldn't be certain in things like this.
Taking out his books and closing the locker door thoughtfully, Kris knew he had to lock Kurt down. He had to bedazzle Kurt in such a way that, even if Puckerman bought him the biggest diamond he could afford, Kurt wouldn't even see him.
Just the thought of getting close to Kurt, regardless of any pissing contest with Puckerman made his body tighten and a smile come to his face. That boy was just so damn hot; the air of purity surrounding Kurt just begged for someone to dirty him up a bit… and Kris was just the boy to do it.
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TBC
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