Catalyst
Chapter 14
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:As Noah got into the truck, he turned the engine on, letting it run for a bit before he reached for the knob of the radio. Suddenly Kurt's hand was on his and as Noah looked up, surprised, a pair of warm, soft lips landed on his.
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Kurt had slid closer to Noah's big body and, without thinking about it, leaned over and kissed him. He hadn't planned it but somehow it seemed right to just do it. So he did it and his mind smiled as he registered how still Noah was holding himself.
He leaned back and stared at the other boy's stunned face, smiling to himself. "Thank you, this evening was really nice… and unexpected."
Noah swallowed and nodded, at a loss for words. He hadn't made a move on Kurt the whole time and yet here he was, kissing him and smiling at him as if Noah were special. He cleared his throat and after a moment, managed to croak out, "You're welcome."
Kurt patted his hand, sat back and declared, "However… the night is far from over. Let's head to Millennium Park." He turned his head to look out of the window into the darkness as if this were a normal request and ignored the way Noah was staring at him.
"Uhm, the park? Uh, yeah, okay, that's… okay." Noah buckled in quickly, throwing Kurt a puzzled glance as they moved off.
The park was a new development that the city of Lima had spent millions on to show the rest of the world, presumably, that they weren't some hick town still stuck in the early 20th Century. The city fathers had invited upcoming artists to provide sculpture in various media to beautify the place and they had outdone themselves. Along with the avant garde lighting and floral displays, the park was, indeed, a thing of beauty. People strolled along its pathways at all hours of the day and night and now, Kurt wanted them to go there.
Noah drove there in a daze and it wasn't until they were well within the city limits that he realized what it meant.
Kurt wanted to go parking; he wanted them to sit in a beautiful space and have their dessert! Noah mentally kicked himself for only just realizing that Kurt must really like him because clearly he didn't want their date to end.
With a faint twist to his full lips, Noah drove the rest of the way to Millennium Park, trying his damnedest not to think about Kurt, dessert and a beautiful park at night.
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Kurt hopped out of the truck when Noah pulled into a small lay-by and turned the engine off. He smiled as he reached for the bag with their desserts and moved around the truck, waiting for Noah to lock it before moving off to one of the stone benches lining a quiet, flag-stoned path.
The park really was beautiful at night and Kurt admired the retro look of the street lamps and the soft warm glow they gave off. It was almost like being back in time, he thought wistfully, except, back then, two boys would not have been seen sitting and having dessert together at night… in public.
Noah joined him on the bench and between them they set out the desserts. Kurt was pleased to see that napkins and forks had been included and he waited almost impatiently for Noah to decide what he wanted to taste first.
Noah looked up just in time to see Kurt's pink tongue flicker out in almost greedy anticipation and he shook his head slightly, smiling. "I would never have guessed you'd be so into sweet things."
Kurt's eyebrows flew up. "Why, because I look like I subsist on Splenda and celery sticks?" He was referring to the stupid diets that the cheerleading coach had had them on the year he'd been a part of that award-winning team. He'd thought he would die and being always hungry had not done anything for his temper, either. Thank goodness he'd had the sense to leave the group – or be fired – whichever way Coach Sylvester looked at it.
Noah nodded and tilted his head slightly as he studied Kurt. "Yeah, kinda; I think I remember you being a little heavier in our sophomore year?"
Kurt nodded and looked down at the enticing food. "Yeah, I was… and then overnight I shot up nearly a foot and all that football training and then the Cheerios stint helped me drop some of that extra weight."
Noah nodded as he eyed Kurt appreciatively. He said without thinking, "… and turned sexy."
The silence that fell between them like a stone was finally broken when Kurt murmured, "Well, I can see you might have a touch of Tourette's…" and laughed delightedly.
Noah relaxed with a faint sigh and then grinned at the giggling boy opposite him. "Well, a couple of desserts won't undo all your hard work… which do you want first?"
Then they got down to the serious business of dessert appreciation. They ended up sharing everything, something that pleased Noah to no end. Watching Kurt's lips wrapped around his piece of the éclair was probably the highlight of the evening for Noah. Also, the sounds Kurt made were positively orgasmic and Noah doubted the slender boy even realized he was doing it!
Finally, as they moved onto the huge slice of Chocolate Explosion – 'heart attack on a plate', according to Kurt – Noah found himself watching the other boy avidly. Then… yes, there it was!
Kurt had slid the fork with a bit of the decadent chocolate cake into his mouth and, in removing it, had left behind a bit of the rich frosting at the corner of his pink lips. Noah didn't hesitate. Reaching up to hold Kurt's chin in place, he leaned forward and flicked his tongue out, deftly removing the bit of frosting before quickly releasing Kurt and sitting back.
Kurt's heartbeat had leapt to a staggering speed when Noah had grasped his chin and leaned in. He almost swooned when – in the few seconds it took for Noah to remove the frosting – he could feel the other boy's warmth and smell his unique scent. Kurt was hard in seconds.
As Noah leaned back he realized Kurt's eyes had fallen shut and he waited for him to open them. He watched as Kurt took a deep breath and then looked up to stare at Noah.
The look in Kurt's eyes made Noah's breath catch; never would he have thought Kurt could look predatory but there was the evidence before him. Cheeks flushed and pupils dilated, Kurt looked as if they had been making out and Noah's eyes dropped suddenly to the front of Kurt's pants, checking automatically. The sight of the unexpectedly large bulge drew an answering response from Noah and he let out the breath he had been holding in a gush.
"Kurt_" That was all he was able to get out.
Kurt surged forward, cake forgotten and slipping out of Kurt's hand onto the bench as he reached one hand up behind Noah's neck. Pulling the jock toward him, Kurt brought their lips together urgently and Noah could not hold back the soft moan if his life depended upon it.
Kurt took control of the kiss, sinking his tongue deep in Noah's mouth before pulling back to lick and nibble at the jock's full lower lip. They parted only to breathe before Kurt delved inside again, pushing aside the cake, the plates and forks and sliding a leg up and over Noah's.
Noah's mind, which had taken a back seat at the first touch of Kurt's mouth on his, now thought it expedient to speak up. It reminded him that they were out in public, in the night and probably just minutes away from being caught by passersby or worse, cops on patrol. He eased Kurt back slightly – huh, he couldn't remember wrapping his arm around the slender body – and nipped at Kurt's reddened lips while they calmed down slowly.
"Kurt, w-we can't, not here…" he sighed as Kurt's lips trailed down his jaw – thank goodness he'd shaved – and then came to rest at the side of his throat. Kurt's hair was tickling his nose and he took a deep sniff of it, not surprised that it smelled as good as the rest of Kurt.
Kurt sighed and eased back, looking at Noah out of slumberous deep blue eyes. "You're right, baby, we can't do this here."
Noah's breath hitched and his cock definitely twitched when Kurt called him 'baby'. What the heck? Wasn't he supposed to be the badass in charge of seducing the ever-virginal Kurt Hummel? When did they change the playbook on him? He knew deep down that Kurt was in charge of this show… he just hadn't realized when he'd got on board with that.
His body was quite happy with it even though his mind was still puzzled. Well, if this was what Kurt was like at the start, his mind could always remain puzzled, as long as his body got to feel Kurt on him like this. His cock seconded that notion with a happy twitch he was certain Kurt could feel but the other boy simply smirked at him and slid off of his lap.
Wow, Noah still could hardly fathom it… just – wow! Kurt Hummel was a hot handful and as he watched him gather up the poor neglected chocolate cake, Noah grinned to himself. No one would believe it, even if he were inclined to tell them. Feeling like he'd won the lottery or something, he got up to help Kurt dispose of the remains of their dessert, smiling softly all the while.
Kurt, dusting off his hands as they finished clearing up, glanced over at Noah and hid a grin. He knew he'd almost blown the jock's mind; that movement below Kurt's leg was a clear indication that Noah was as highly-sexed as his many 'conquests' had always attested. Hmmm, this was going to be the best senior year ever, Kurt gloated; two hunky guys – maybe two lovers. Yes, things were beginning to look up for Kurt and best of all – he hadn't had to do any of the chasing.
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Noah pulled up in front of the Hudmel residence and turned off the truck's engine. The street was quiet and had that feel that it was pretty late, only pools of light hitting the tarmac and part of the lawns. It was serene, peaceful – the total opposite to how Noah was feeling.
Kurt bit back a smile as he turned to Noah in the quiet cab of the truck. He moved his left hand to pat Noah's muscular right thigh and grinned when the boy jerked beneath his hand.
"Well, are you going to walk me to my door, Noah?" His husky voice made the simple request sound loaded with innuendo that Noah was just hyped enough to pick up on. He nodded once, abruptly and jumped out of the truck, joining Kurt on the walkway leading up to the front door.
Kurt smiled at the other boy, his face dim in the faint starlight. "This was really, really good, Noah."
Noah grinned in satisfaction and nodded. "Yeah, I liked it too, uhm, even though we didn't get through all the dessert."
By this they had reached the front door, the little light above it shedding just enough illumination for Kurt to see the warm smile in Noah's eyes. Kurt stepped up one step so that he was just a hair higher than Noah and leaned forward. Noah automatically slid his arms around Kurt's waist to hold him in place and Kurt smiled smugly.
"I thought we ended with something much nicer than dessert, actually." He arched his eyebrows at the other boy and then grinned when Noah rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know, kinda cheesy," and he shrugged.
Noah chuckled and stepped closer, bringing his body flush against Kurt's. Unknowingly, his eyes had darkened as he stared at Kurt's lips, his intention clear and Kurt's lips parted in anticipation.
"Hey, you guys are back! Puck, you staying a bit?"
Kurt bit back a growled curse as he turned his head to see Finn in all his dubious glory staring at them cluelessly. Kurt could feel Noah chuckling against him and he turned back to pout at his date.
"Give us a minute, please, Finn!" Kurt's voice was so commanding that Finn gulped and took a step back before bringing the door almost closed. His stuttered, "Ugh, oh, okay then…" was ignored as Kurt stared down into Noah's amused face.
"I tell you, that boy has none of the social graces." Kurt's lips twisted in derision and then they softened as he looked at Noah who was staring at them. He licked them and grinned inside as Noah's eyes sharpened focus. "Now, where were we?"
"I believe you were about to tell me 'goodnight'," Noah said huskily, his eyes riveted to Kurt's mouth. When Kurt leaned in, his eyes slid closed and he sighed as those plush, pink pillows pressed warmly against his lips. God, Kurt had the best lips ever, perfectly designed for kissing. He hummed softly and then parted his lips to let Kurt slide in once more. He never wanted to stop kissing him, Noah realized; he could happily spend the rest of his life with this boy who was sliding his tongue against his in such a mesmerizing way.
They finally eased back to get some air and they stared at each other in the starlight.
Kurt was so beautiful and Noah felt as if nothing could be better than this moment right here.
Noah's face held a softness and contentment that Kurt had never seen and he felt he was not being conceited in believing that he put that look on the jock's face. It wasn't just about the kissing, he realized. Noah genuinely liked him and at no time at all during the evening and later had Kurt felt as if Noah only wanted to get into his pants.
Surprisingly, and Kurt thought this with a little jolt, it was he who was almost obsessed with getting into Noah's pants!
Kurt stepped back, letting Noah's hands move slowly from around him to rest lightly on his hips. Kurt smirked inwardly when he remembered Coach Sylvester telling him snidely that he was pear-shaped. Well, apparently there were some boys who appreciated Kurt's shape and he felt his whole being suffuse with light, standing here outside the door with Noah.
"So, I guess I better be getting home. My ma is the type to sit up, you know; she worries," Noah said softly, his eyes roving over Kurt's face.
Kurt nodded and then quickly leaned in for one last peck. "Okay, off you go, then. Text me when you get home?"
Warmth rose inside Noah and he nodded almost shyly. No one had ever been concerned that he would reach home safely and now here was Kurt, a boy he had been less than kind to over the years, being concerned for him.
"Will do… and thanks for coming out with me, Kurt. It was really nice." He was holding one of Kurt's hands and without a thought, lifted it to his lips. When he placed a dry kiss on the back of the hand he smiled as he heard Kurt's surprised giggle. "Uh, I don't know why I just did that…"
They laughed at themselves and then, with a little wave, Noah walked off – backwards for a bit – before turning towards his truck. His steps were light and almost jaunty – his whole being felt jaunty – and he jumped into the cab with more energy than was to be expected at that hour of the night.
Kurt chuckled as he watched the jock's antics and when Noah eventually drove off with a little toot of his horn – after all, it was almost midnight – Kurt waved at the disappearing vehicle. He headed into the house, making sure to lock up securely and turned to see the blue light emanating from the living room.
Ugh, Finn was still up playing videogames and from the sound of it, he was on his headphones with Artie or maybe Sam. Kurt came over and dropped into the seat next to Finn, unmindful of the startled and disgruntled 'hey' from his stepbrother. Kurt smacked him on the arm and gave him a fake scowl.
"Finn Hudson, do you not know anything about dating etiquette?" Kurt's demand was loud enough for Finn to wince and grab off his headset, scowling in turn as whoever was on the other end asked what was going on.
He paused and muted the game before looking over at Kurt, an interested look on his face. "Yeah, yeah, so how was it? Did Puck take you somewhere good?"
Kurt looked at him for long seconds before rolling his eyes and answering, "Yes, dinner was great, in fact. Afterwards was just as nice, too" he finished, making sure to add a little lascivious gleam to his face, complete with flickering eyebrows.
He choked back a laugh as Finn's countenance morphed with realization and he exclaimed, "Dude, no details, okay?" When Kurt clutched his sides and laughed outright, he realized that Kurt was pulling his leg. "Oh, okay, then; so everything stayed PG?"
Kurt, leaning back and giggling, eyed him incredulously. "Why do you think I'm interested in PG?"
"Dude!"
That set off Kurt again and as his chuckles died down he had to shake his head. He didn't know what it was about him that made people think he was asexual, only interested in music and fashion. Even Blaine, to an extent, had thought that, hence the 'baby penguin' comments. Now, however, there were two extremely hot guys who thought he was sex on a stick. He found that he was enjoying being a sexual force and not even Finn's clueless babbling would dampen his spirits.
Sitting up, he eyed his stepbrother a little sarcastically and stood up, stretching in such a way that his whole body was outlined. As he watched Finn's eyes drop down his body, he smirked and announced, "I'm taking my non-PG ass to bed now… and I suggest you do the same."
He moved away, only to stop suddenly as his phone vibrated in the pocket of his jeans jacket. Sliding it open he smiled as he read the text:
| Home safe | Sweet dreams | xxx
Grinning, he thumbed out a quick reply: | U 2 | Talk L8R | xoxo
He stalked away and towards the stairs to his basement bedroom, smirking to himself because he just knew Finn was still watching him. With a twitch to his pert backside, he thought, why not; it would be good if Finn stopped seeing him in that faintly negative, wholly immature light. After all, he was a teenage boy, just like Finn, which meant he had sex on his brain as much as the next guy. It was just that he was inherently more sophisticated than most other teenage boys and didn't go about dragging his jaw on the floor.
Calling out a final goodnight to his stepbrother, Kurt locked his bedroom door and proceeded to undress. As each piece of clothing came off, his thoughts of Noah grew warmer. By the time he was sliding between his 300-thread count cotton sheets, his teenage boy body was primed for a solo session the likes of which were liable to blow … his mind.
Closing his eyes to the faint starlight streaming through the high windows of his basement suite, Kurt's lips curved as his hand closed around himself. Noah, he sighed, and gave himself up to his solitary pleasure.
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Kurt was in such a good mood on Sunday morning that not even the stupid chirping of the birds outside his window could dim his spirits. He stretched, enjoying the pull of muscles and the faint popping sound from his spine and thought back to the night before. A year ago he would have blushed at the things that had gone through his mind as he'd sought his pleasure last night but… not now.
Noah had unknowingly provided Kurt with fodder for a few nighttime fantasies; that unexpected hint of shyness or reticence was what got Kurt going. Who would have thought that Noah Puckerman, bane of many a parent and secret lover to many a lonely older woman could still retain the ability to color up like an untried freshman? Kurt found it disturbingly attractive; disturbing because it was something new he was learning about himself.
He laid there for a bit, wondering about himself and trying to come to terms with that new part of him. Rolling over onto his stomach and feeling the sheet slide off to leave him exposed to the morning air, he thought of Kristopher, wondering how things would play out if he tried to dominate him as he'd done last night with Noah.
He smiled ruefully, already knowing the answer. No, he would be expected to play a more passive role in response to Kris's own dominance. Kurt wondered if that would satisfy him, now that he knew he was intrigued by the thought of more than just 'lying back' and taking it.
Blaine had been a considerate lover, not very imaginative but he, Kurt, had not had anything to reference their lovemaking by. And it was lovemaking; Blaine was a romantic, probably more than Kurt and when sometimes Kurt had wanted things a little rougher, the faint dismay and confusion on Blaine's face usually killed that urge pretty quickly.
Now he thought of both Noah and Kris and knew deep down that getting 'a little rougher' would not be a problem. Kurt smirked happily to himself as he thought this, feeling his sluggish blood speed up at the thought. He finally rolled out of the bed and strolled into his en suite bathroom, setting the shower to just shy of scorching hot before going into his walk-in to select his outfit for the day. He was not expecting visitors but he still was not the type to just haul on any old thing.
Satisfied with his choice, he went to shower and complete his morning wake-up regimen. He could smell the delicious aroma of bacon and pancakes or waffles and he sped up his ablutions before dashing up the stairs. Yes, Carole, Finn's mom and his stepmother, was no doubt already setting a stack of flapjacks out and Kurt figured he could help with the fruits and juice. Sunday morning breakfast was usually a long and leisurely one in the Hudmel household.
Carole smiled as she heard Kurt's footsteps bouncing up his stairs from the basement. She had done some bacon already as well as some of the pancakes, just in case Finn was the first up. Being right as usual, she called to him to take the platter through to the dining room while she flipped the others on the skillet. She could hear him chattering away in the dining room, laughing at the responses he got.
When Kurt entered the kitchen, she turned and tilted her cheek up for his soft kiss and smiled at him, indicating with her chin that he could take in the platter with the first round of bacon on it. She knew that the boys would start nibbling as soon as it hit the table but she had the next set ready to go and then the scrambled eggs. Everything worked like clockwork and everyone knew their assigned tasks.
Kurt loved how his stepmom always had that floral smell; it wasn't the same as he remembered of his mom but it was just as precious to him. Finn was one lucky boy to have a mom like Carole, he thought now as he strode into the dining room.
He stopped short as he looked at the other occupants, his eyes going wide as he swallowed the bit of bacon he had snitched.
"Noah! What- why're you here… uhm, so early?"
Noah grinned at the way Kurt's wide eyes shone in the morning light and his eyes did a quick trip down and up the gorgeous body before him as he answered. "Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you – Carole invited me for breakfast."
Kurt nodded as he moved forward to place the bacon platter in the center of the table. It was true that Carole often invited Noah over for Sunday breakfast, taking pity on the bacon-loving Jewish teen. She knew that his mom, Naomi, was semi-strict with their Jewish observances but ever since Finn and Puck had been little boys having sleepovers together, Finn had stressed how much his little friend loved bacon but couldn't eat it at home. Now, years later, she was still inviting Noah to Sunday breakfast.
Kurt flicked his eyes at Noah surreptitiously, taking in the way the much-washed T-shirt stretched over his impressive pecs. Noah was certainly easy on the eyes and Kurt felt his cheeks warm with the illicit thoughts he'd had about the other boy the night before.
Noah in his turn was eyeing the way Kurt's at-home clothes hung on him. This was obviously not the first time he'd seen Kurt in his at-home clothes. This was the first time, though, that he was seeing him after exchanging those hot, sweet kisses the night before. He shifted to adjust himself and caught Finn looking at him with that puzzled, clueless look of his. He shrugged at him, 'What?' and turned back to watching Kurt leave the dining room.
Kurt was wearing mismatched cropped sweat shirt and pants, the pants hanging a little looser than if they had been new. Noah rather enjoyed watching the peekaboo performance going on with his clothes because the cropped top barely met the waist of the sweatpants. Kurt's skin was pale and smooth all over with just the barest trace of a treasure trail and now Noah definitely had a problem going on in his own pants.
"Dude, stop staring at him like that!"
Huh? Noah hadn't realized that Finn actually understood what was going on. The overly-tall teen was something of a space cadet, often appearing befuddled and left out of the loop. Clearly Noah must have been drooling, sort of, if Finn had picked up on his distraction.
Burt stepped into the dining room just as Finn was glaring at Puckerman and he glanced between the two teens, rolled his eyes and went on into the kitchen. He smiled, kissed his wife, ruffled his son's hair and chuckled at the squawking sound Kurt made at that action.
"Relax, your hair wasn't even combed!" Burt smirked at the boy who was acting like a ruffled cat, trying to smooth down his thick, unruly hair. He knew Kurt was self-conscious about his Harry Potter-like hair as he'd described it, hence the use of all those products to tame it. "You don't have to look all spiffy for Sunday breakfast, do you?"
Kurt mock-pouted at his dad's amusement and then turned up his nose. He took up the huge platter of scrambled eggs and marched into the dining room, forgetting for the moment that Noah was there, too.
Noah leapt up to take the outsized platter from Kurt and placed it heavily in the center of the table. Whew, Carole certainly liked to cook and no doubt she was having a ball, cooking for four male appetites.
Kurt murmured his thanks to Noah and then glared at Finn who was staring at them. "What is it, Finn? Did you forget something?"
Finn did a funny twitch and then shook his head 'no' before lumbering into the kitchen, coming back a minute later with two pitchers of juice. His eyes flicked to Noah and when the other boy didn't move from his seat beside Kurt, he rolled his eyes.
"What, no one can help me with these two pitchers of juice?"
Kurt stared at him, looked at Noah and then the two burst into giggles. Finn maneuvered the pitchers onto the table and threw a mock glare at the two clowns. "I see how it is; I'm not delicate enough to be helped, huh?"
Now it was Kurt's turn to pout at the word 'delicate' but Burt came in bringing a plate piled high with toast and the boys quieted down.
Breakfast was a happy affair, everyone giving up anecdotes of things that happened in the week and then Kurt told them about the place Noah had taken him to the night before. Everyone, especially Finn, looked enthralled by the descriptions they gave of the food and by the time they were finished, Burt had announced that he would definitely take Carole there one day.
Finn narrowed his eyes and looked around the table at the others. "Oh, so no one's going to take me because I don't have a date?"
There was silence before loud laughter broke out, Carole shaking her head at her son as she tried to say apologetically, "Oh, Finn, sweetie, it's not like that!" before succumbing to giggles.
Snatching the last rasher of bacon from the platter, Finn pretended to be put out by the laughter. "Okay, I'll go by myself, see if I care!"
When the laughter finally subsided, Kurt telling Finn he could always be a third wheel for him and Noah, Burt looked over at his son. With a raised eyebrow he asked coolly, "So, this gonna be a regular thing for you two?"
The silence was as thick as it was sudden and Kurt felt his cheeks flush, though not as dark as Noah's. He finally took pity on the jock and nodded defiantly at his dad. "Yes, I think so."
Burt turned his eyes on Puckerman, enjoying watching the boy squirm before saying mildly, "Okay, but no one come running to me if it all goes south, okay?"
"Oh, Burt!"
"Da-ad!"
Carole and Kurt's voices overlapped, not much difference in their tones of disbelief and Burt shrugged unapologetically. "Hey, I remember what it was like to be dating at your ages. You're both not quite 18 yet and sometimes you don't really know what you want at that age."
Kurt frowned, his bottom lip pushing out a bit but he answered respectfully, "We're not babies, dad. I've had a boyfriend before, remember?"
Burt grunted but nodded. "Yeah, I remember; I also remember you moping about here for weeks while you got over the breakup."
Kurt's chin sank to his chest but he twitched as he felt Noah's hand slide into his below the level of the table. He bit back a grin as he squeezed the hand gently, his heart speeding up at the kind gesture.
"Oh, Burt, everybody goes through ups and downs in their dating life," Carole scolded her husband. "Look at Finn and Rachel – you're off again right now, aren't you, sweetie?"
Finn jerked upright in his chair and glared at his mother. "Mom!"
She patted his hand and smiled at him before turning back to Burt. "I'm just making a point. If things don't work with Kurt and Noah or Kurt and Kris, we just have to be there for him, hon."
Kurt stiffened, appalled that Carole had mentioned Kris while Noah was sitting right beside him. He wasn't surprised when the hand he was holding slid out from under his and he looked over at the jock, a little sad at the look on his face.
"All I'm saying is that I think you kids should slow down a bit with all this running around, dating all and sundry. It can't be good for your emotions, much less your schoolwork."
Kurt couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Dad, you didn't sound this negative when I was seeing Blaine!"
Burt frowned, one side of his mouth pulled down in a sad little moue. "Yeah, and look how that turned out. I just don't like seeing you sad, kiddo; I'm your dad, I'll always want to stop anything bad from happening to you."
Kurt felt his heart swell at the words even though he was also embarrassed that Noah was there to hear all of this. "Dad, you can't keep me, any kid, a baby forever. Part of growing up is dealing with the painful things, too, right?"
Carole nodded at him and covered Burt's hand with her own. "I agree, even though there were times over the last couple of years that I wanted to wrap Finn up in cotton wool and put him in a safe box somewhere."
She smiled at Finn as he blushed and rolled his eyes before slugging back the last of his apple juice.
Burt cleared his throat and looked over at Puckerman, noting how subdued the boy looked after their earlier laughter. "Look, Noah, you're a good kid, but I'm obligated, as Kurt's dad, to let you know that I will hunt you down and make your life miserable if you hurt my kid. I see the way you boys look at each other and I wasn't born yesterday." He smirked as he saw twin waves of color swamp their faces.
"I'm only saying to take it easy and don't feel you have to rush into anything – no matter what your hormones are telling you."
"Dad!"
"Burt!"
After that, the day was both sweet and torturous, Burt's words echoing in the boys' ears. Finn and Noah played videogames and Kurt, after finishing up some homework, came to join them. Unfortunately, Burt's words seemed to have let the genie out of the bottle and Kurt and Noah struggled manfully against the growing attraction.
When Noah was about to leave that afternoon, Kurt kissed him almost desperately in the hallway leading off the foyer, mindful of his father's almost looming presence in the living room.
"Call me later," Kurt breathed against Noah's mouth, his body pressed tight to the other's muscular form. Noah barely held back a whine, his hands sliding down the back of Kurt's sweat pants as he pressed him close. With one last, sweet kiss, Kurt let him go, his body thrumming after hours of being too close to Noah and yet unable to do anything. Damn his dad's words!
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TBC
