Chapter Seventeen: Talks

Both boys had been quiet on the journey back to Kurt's house. Neither really wanting to talk about what had happened at the coffee place, but each of them silently wondering about the conversation ahead of them.

When the Navigator was safely parked on his drive, Kurt slid from the car and, after making sure Noah was following him, locked it electronically before entering the house.

He signalled to the kitchen and asked, "Are you hungry? I'll make us something and then we can talk?" When Noah nodded, his eyes still a little red from his earlier lapse in 'maniless', Kurt smiled softly and slipped into the kitchen, humming a tune under his breath.

AS Kurt bustled around in the kitchen, Noah sat at the breakfast counter and watched him, allowing his mind to wander. He knew he was getting his hopes up, and a blush crept its way onto his cheeks as he realised that he was acting like a girl, but he could imagine his life with Kurt being like this with their child playing at Kurt's feet.

In his mind he built their house. A beautiful structure with a white-washed exterior and French doors; surrounded by the greenest, softest grass and a white picket fence. Perhaps they could get a dog? In the back yard there would be a swing set and a slide for their kid to pay on, along with a sand box. There would be a small patio for barbeque-ing with a picnic table and later, when their little boy or girl was older a swimming pool. They would be a family.

He imagined that Kurt would become a sought after designer and that he, himself, would probably end up with a stupid desk job or still be working on cars the way that Burt taught him, but when he would come home to Kurt, none of the day would matter. Kurt would wrap him in his arms and tell him that dinner would be ready soon, to go take a shower and that later, once junior was asleep, they could have some adult time.

But none of those wishful thoughts would matter if the countertenor didn't accept all that he could offer him in that moment, if Kurt wouldn't give him the chance to prove his worth. Noah knew, despite everyone else's opinion of him, that the smaller boy could and would push him to be the best that he could be; and deep down, Noah knew that he need that kind of person to be in his life, forever. His mother had tried her best, but juggling two, sometimes tree jobs, so early in his life had left her little time to scorn or guide her son. She assured him that he was the best son a mother could ever want, but he still wished that he had tried harder for her and Lillian.

He was brought out his reverie when Kurt waved a slender hand in front of his face, "You alive in there?" He asked, chuckling a little, though worry pulled at his mouth.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking." Noah said, taking in Kurt's features for the umpteenth time that day, His eyes have so much depth.

Kurt blushed prettily, avoiding Noah's eyes, "Thank you, Noah." He whispered, and Noah realised that he must have thought out-loud.

His own cheeks were tinged red as he replied, "It's true."

They sat quietly as they ate their food – a simple ham and cheese sandwich – both embarrassed by the exchange they had just shared. Kurt's face was stained a rosy colour for the majority of the mean and they both kept giving the other a covert glance here and there, smirking sexily or smiling shyly when they caught one another's gazes.

Kurt was the first to finish, and he blamed his newly disgusting eating habits on the child he was carrying. He set his plate aside and, as Noah finished his own food, took the larger boy's hand to lead him into the living room. They sat side by side on the plush sofa, silent and staring at their joined hands. How could something so completely alien feel so right?

"Kurt, I..." Noah began before his throat closed, he swallowed and tried again, looking into Kurt's glasz eyes. "If we're talking about this, about us, I just wanna lay all my cards on the table. I just... The way I feel about you I'm not sure of, I don't even know if I could give it a name, but I know that when I'm with you, everything seems better. I'm better around you and I like how that feels." He reached out to gently brush away Kurt's hair from his face, "I want to make you happy. I want to be the one to make you happy."

Kurt smiled and leaned into the touch, feeling his eyes sting and a lump grow in his throat, "I'd like that Noah. I'd like for us to be together, I think... I mean, I'm pretty sure I lo- I like you a lot," Kurt blushed and Noah's eyes widened, "but, I mean, what about other people? I'm not going back in the closet."

"I would never ask that of you... Though I'm pretty sure that your closet was made out of glass, Princess." Kurt glared at him good naturedly as he squeezed Puck's hand. "Besides, I don't care what anyone thinks. I want to be able to stand up for you and be the guy you need me to be, the guy you make me want to be."

"Noah," Kurt whispered, his eyes teary, "I... This isn't because of the baby?" Puck looked confused, "I mean... Well, when Quinn was pregnant, you wanted to be with her and I know that you may have loved her, but wasn't the existence of Beth what caused you to want to be with her?"

Noah sat quietly for a moment, sifting through his thoughts before he shook his head slowly, "I loved Quinn and, for a while I thought that I wanted to be with her, but Kurt, compared to what I'm feeling right now about us, the thing with Quinn this just... It feels like so much more, like it could be so much more. I think, well, I'd hope that even without our baby involved, I would have pulled my head outta my ass and asked you for another chance." Kurt was still hesitant, lightly biting his lip. Raising the slender hand he was still holding to rest softly against his chest, "I want this so much, Kurt and I'm so very, very nervous to hear your answer."

The muscle under his hand was firm and warm, but it was the activity of the muscle under the wide ribcage that caught Kurt's interest. Noah's heart was thumping hard and fast, as though trying to escape the confines of his chest, trying to break free. Kurt smiled, turning their hands to press Noah's hand to his own chest. "Me too, Noah." He whispered, "I want this too."

Puck grinned, leaning forward to press a dry kiss to Kurt's lips, "Gotta seal the deal, Princess." He murmured before he kissed Kurt again, deeply and passionately until the countertenor gasped for air. He smiled that beautifully innocent, closed-mouth smile and leaned his forehead against Noah's.

They were quiet for a while, breathing gently and basking in one another's company and when Kurt finally spoke, it was almost inaudible. "You know, earlier, you asked about whether I'm showing yet?" He felt Noah nod and continued, "I lied... You probably can feel it, although I'm not sure."

Without further ado, Kurt slid the tanned hand, still resting on his chest, down to his abdomen and rubbed it back and forth over the area he felt was getting a little too tight. He was taken by surprise when Noah suddenly ducked down, lifting Kurt's shirt in the process to press a soft kiss there. "Hey there, Smidge." He whispered.

Kurt ran a gentle hand through Noah's strip of hair. "Smidge?"

Noah looked sheepish, a light redness tinting his cheeks and he avoided Kurt's gaze as he covered the countertenor's midsection once more, "It's a nickname that Lily's been using ever since I put the sonogram picture on the 'fridge. I s'pose it's kinda stuck..."

For a moment, Kurt was pensive before he patted Noah's shoulder and murmured, "Smidge," he reached a hand down to touch his belly, "I like it."

When Burt arrived home after work – having run late – he was greeted at the door by Carole who kissed him on the lips before telling him to be quiet. He was confused at the comment but as he walked into the living room it became clear.

Sat on the sofa was Noah Puckerman with his arm around his son and their faces close together. Both boys were asleep and Kurt's mouth was turned upwards slightly, as though the mere presence of Noah was enough to put a smile on his face, even in sleep. The Mohawk-ed teen was almost protective in his embrace to Kurt and the way his head leaned towards the smaller boy suggested that maybe he had pressed a kiss to his face before slipping into slumber.

Burt smiled. The affection between the two boys was clear for anyone to see... Even the tall boy currently glaring at Puckerman.

"What are you doing?" Burt muttered at Finn.

The quarterback was startled and he glanced at Burt and returned to glaring at the other boy, "I don't trust him, Burt."

"Finn!" The older Hummel hissed, exasperated, "I may not particularly like Puckerman, but he cares for Kurt and he makes him happy... That's all I could ask for – that's all any of us could ask for."

"But what if he hurt's Kurt? I don't want that to happen... I've been reading up on male pregnancy," at this, Finn looked embarrassed, "and apparently added stress is really bad for the papa-to-be and the baby and I just can't help thinking: what if Puck ends up making Kurt more stressed than he already is? He's already freaking out about everyone at school finding out and... Well, he's strong Burt, but this puts him in such a helpless position and I just don't want to see him hurt..."

Burt was touched by the sentiment that Finn was putting forward, the brotherly feeling was obvious and he was proud that both boys had grown since the year before.

He patted Finn on the shoulder, "Then I'll depend on you to look out for him." Finn smiled a lopsided smile at him, "But that doesn't mean I'm saying you can interfere. Be there for them and support them and if something happens, be there for Kurt as a brother, but also try to be there for Noah as a friend... From what I've heard from Norah, and from personal experience, all Noah talks about is Kurt nowadays."

Finn seemed to take this on board and his face relaxed from its glare. His eyes softened as he glanced between Kurt and Noah on the couch.

"I should really wake them up for dinner." He murmured and when Burt gave the affirmative, the quarterback made to do exactly that. He approached the two sleeping boys carefully and reached out to gently shake Kurt awake. Before he followed through, he changed his mind and clasped Puck's shoulder, "Wake up dude, we're gonna be having dinner soon."

Noah's eyes snapped open and he seemed to grip Kurt closer to him, as though trying to protect him, and Kurt nuzzled his neck, muttering inaudibly. Puck looked down at Kurt and a soft smile lit his face as he pressed a kiss to the countertenor's hairline.

He looked back at Finn blearily, "Hey, man. Food, yeah? I'll wake him up; you go ahead and help Carole."

Finn smiled but parted with, "Just so you know, dude, if you break his heart, I'll break your face."

Puck grinned at him, "I don't think that's gonna happen, dude. He means a lot to me." It was then that he began to gently wake Kurt by shimmying the defined arm that Kurt was using as a pillow and Finn wandered away into the kitchen. Kurt opened his blue-green eyes and stared at Noah. "Hey." The footballer said.

"Hey... What's going on?"

"Food is gonna be ready soon, we're being told to get ready."

"How long have we been asleep?"

"I don't know, but it seems that everyone's back now, so a couple of hours?"

"Oh, God... That means they saw us." Kurt covered his face with his hands and curled into Noah's side with embarrassment.

"Who cares if they saw us, babe?" Puck asked, pressing a kiss to Kurt's fingertips. "Come on, I bet that you and Smidge are hungry." Kurt smiled and Noh stood, holding out his hand to the countertenor.

"Yeah." Kurt took the offered hand and leaned into Puck, "Just so you know, Noah, this doesn't count as a date."

Noah laughed.

After dinner, Kurt and Finn were on washing up duty while Burt, Carole and Noah retired to the living room, although Noah briefly tried to convince Kurt to take a seat and he would take care of the washing up – "I am not going to break, Noah, just go and sit down, it won't take long!".

"That was lovely, Mrs H." Noah praised, patting his full stomach contentedly as he relaxed on the couch.

"Thank you, Noah." Carole smiled, and glanced at Burt. Suddenly Noah was on high alert and he sat up straight.

Burt leaned forward and stared at Noah for a long time. Pucks palms began to sweat and he felt his body temperature rise as he flushed red. Burt continued to star at Puck, as though he were trying to see through him, trying to judge his motives. Apparently he saw what he needed and he nodded once before stating, "You better treat him right."

Noah nodded vigorously, "Yes, sir."

Burt nodded once again and turned to the TV, turning it to Deadliest Catch just as Kurt returned from the kitchen. Kurt stood in the doorway for a couple of moments, smiling at Burt and at Noah and Carole before he moved into the room and sat beside Noah. Finn arrived and sat on the floor beside his mum's legs and she patted a hand through his hair.

It took a little time, but Kurt finally relaxed enough to lean more fully into Noah until they were effectively snuggling on the sofa, Kurt's legs curled under himself and Noah's hand around his side, resting on Kurt's stomach.

Looking around the room, Noah thought to himself; yeah... This I could get used to.

I promise I kind of had a structure to this when I started...? Ok, that's a lie... I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to leave a review.