Backdated log: Niki & Dave

Feb 16, 2012 00:03

Who: Niki & Dave
When: Sunday, Feb 12, afternoon
Where: riding stables
What: a trail ride and confessions



Niki wasn’t really friends with Dave Karofsky, but they both played sports at McKinley. Niki had talked to the coach about trying out for the hockey team after football, but had decided against it. He liked the sport, but he wasn’t too interested in playing it here in Lima. Regardless, what had begun as a simple comment exchange now had Niki worried for the guy. Therefore, horseback riding. It didn’t always solve the problem, but it always helped Niki get his thoughts in order.

He had left late Saturday from the Fabray’s house after the comment that Quinn had left him had cut a little too close to home and had spent the night at Sass’s house. Now though, without going home, he headed to the stables to meet Dave to go riding. It was cold, freezing really, but Niki didn’t care. He went riding in all sorts of weather, the cold was nothing new.

Parking his truck, he leaned against the side of it, waiting for Dave to get there, adjusting the insulated fleece headband he wore under his cowboy hat so that it better covered his ears.

Dave had no idea why he agreed to go riding with Niki. He barely knew him. The guys on the hockey team would give him hell for this for sure. What if Niki could tell just by looking at him?

Dave had no idea if he had dressed properly for horse back riding. It seemed crazy to do it in this weather. He bundle up in the thickest clothes he had and a pair of hiking boots.

He pulled up to the stables and saw Niki leaning on his truck. ‘Might as well get this over with and it could be fun.’ Dave pulled his wool ski cap over his ears. Dave got out of his car and made his way over to Niki

Nodding at Dave, Niki pushed his lanky form from the truck and headed towards the stables slow enough for Dave to catch up. “Sup?” he asked the other guy. Everyone knew that Niki was gay, it was no secret, but unlike Kurt or the more stereotypical gay guys, he wasn’t at all effeminate. Even his hair, nearly to his waist, was simply there, hanging down his back, as opposed to styled or anything like that.

He didn’t practically glance at Dave, other than a casual flick of his eyes making sure that Dave hadn’t done something stupid like wear flip flops, but he hadn’t expected the other teen to do that. It was freezing out, flip flops, whether they were going riding or not, was just asking for trouble. He had on jeans and a flannel plaid shirt under his winter coat, plenty warm thanks to both the jeans being flannel lined and long john underwear and thermal undershirt. Growing up in northern South Dakota, he had learned to deal with the cold. “Got gloves?” he finally asked.

Dave returned the greeting thrown at him by Niki and followed him up to the stables. He checked out what Niki was wearing just to make sure he was dressed close to appropriate. Dave didn’t seem to have been far off, just warm clothes. “Yeah,” Dave answered as he pulled his gloves from his pocket. “Do you normally come out here when is this cold?” Dave was honestly curious. It seemed a little bit on the nutty side of things. “I mean is it safe for the horses?” Dave felt like an idiotic little kid asking stupid questions.

“Come out near every day,” Niki replied, his voice held theflat midwestern twang of his upbringing. Some people in Ohio had it too, but it was more common farther north. “And yeah, they got fur coats you know,” he grinned a little lopsidedly at Dave. “Snow don’t bother them none,” he added, “Just walk over it like you or me. Better actually with their long legs. Ain’t as clumsy.”

The stables were well lit and warm, though the horses weren’t all in there, many were in a fenced in paddock nearby, some wearing colourful blankets on their barrels to help keep them warm. One turned and headed towards them, nosing at Niki’s jacket impatiently. Turning a real smile to the beast, Niki dug into a pocket, letting the animal lip at some sugar cubes he had as he rubbed the velvety nose. “This is Lardbutt,” he introduced Dave. “My horse. He might buck you, he’s the jealous type. I’m gonna get you one less clingy,” that was a joke, though Niki wasn’t sure if Dave would get it.

“Lardbutt?” Dave questioned. He thought that was a strange name for a horse. Dave went to pet it but thought better of it after Niki’s comment about it being jealous and bucking. Dave liked animals but he had never been this close to a horse before. They seemed so large and imposing to him, almost magical. Not that Dave would have ever told anyone something as gay as that. Dave wondered what kind of horse Niki would pick for him. The way Niki interacted with Lardbutt and the other horses he could tell the guy had been doing this awhile.

The stories Dave had heard about Niki being gay had to be just rumors. Yeah he had long hair but he didn’t act like any of the gay guys he had ever seen on TV or even...Kurt, the only person who knew about Dave. Kurt had promised not to tell anyone. Dave still couldn’t believe that Kurt had kept his word even after Dave slushied him to prove to his hockey team mates where his loyalties laid. Was there a code that one gay person wouldn’t out another gay person or something and if it was true, would Niki keep his secret if he told him? Niki would be the perfect person to answer Dave’s questions about being gay and jock but, he really didn’t know if he could trust Niki with this information. This would be the perfect time and place to find out. No school, no jocks, no pressure and plausible deniability.

"Here you go," Niki returned, leading a horse placidly on a lead. "This is Constance. I didn't name her," he grinned at the lame joke and let her smell Dave and he could pretty the animal. "If she got any calmer or more tame she'd be dead. Take the reins and get used to her. I've gotta get both horses saddled up."

Dave took the reins from Niki. He was nervous about petting her at first but she was beautiful. “Is it ok if I call her Connie?” He hopefully asked Niki. “She looks like a Connie to me.” She had the biggest brown eyes he had ever seen. Dave gently brushed her mane with his hand and watched as her ears twitched and muscles shifted under her skin with every movement she made. This was definitely a powerful creature. As she nuzzled up against Dave’s touch he began to completely relax. “So, how long do you usually go out riding?” Dave asked without taking his eyes of ‘his’ horse.

"Sure," Niki's smile this time was a lot more genuine, "I don't think she'd mind that at all. Usually go out for a couple hours, but I can go longer or shorter depending on what you want." Constance was a beautiful horse. Lardbutt was a patchwork brown and white. "You'll be fine. I've been riding forever."

“Well that’s good I was hoping I wouldn’t be killed on my first riding adventure.” Dave couldn’t believe how much he was actually looking foward to riding now. He thought this was going to be lame but Nike seemed like a pretty cool guy and Connie was most assuredly a cool horse. “Do I need to know any tricks of the trade before I get on her?”

There were and Niki nodded as he grabbed a sake and riding tack for Constance to get her ready to go. Working briskly, he let Dave bond with the horse. Horses were amazing for calming people down and relaxing them. "Give me a few minutes and I'll get you in the saddle and give you a few pointers. Really, Constance and I'll be doing the hard work. You're just along for the ride."

Dave laughed at that. “Glad I’ll be so useful.” Dave was smiling from ear to ear while still petting Connie. He looked over at Niki.“How old were you when you first stared riding if I may ask?” Dave was genuinely curious. He was about to spend the afternoon with the guy he might as well get to know him.

"Well, I'm 17 now so..17 years. I was riding in my mom's lap before I could walk. My family has some land in South Dakota, which is where I'm from. Raise cattle," Niki wasn't trying to put on some sort of act, he was a cowboy whose family actually raised cattle. Quite successfully too.

“Nice, there probably isn’t anything you can’t do on a horse. You’re gonna have to show me a few tricks.” Dave couldn’t help but grin, “I bet that must have been awesome. I’m assuming you’ve been on a bunch of cattle drives. That must have be fun as hell.” Dave realized he was probably starting to annoy Niki with his yammering. “Sorry..I’m just excited to get started.”

Niki laughed, tightening the straps on Constance before moving to Lardbutt. "This isn't 1880," he replied, "We use trucks now. Big ones. Most of the money actually comes from breeding though and we send studs all over the country for that," he didn't mind the questions and Dave's were a lot more entertaining and thought out than a lot of peoples. "What about you then? From Lima?"

Dave kind of felt silly about his assumptions about running a cattle ranch. “Sorry about that my knowledge of horse comes from movies like ‘City Slickers’ and old ‘Lone Ranger’ serials my dad had on DVD.” Dave watched as Niki worked on Lardbutt’s saddle. “Yeah I grew up here in Lima. A product of a latch key kid suburban life. By the way now that I think about it Lardbutt kinda looks like Tonto’s horse, Scout, from those old serials. When did you get him?”

That made a lot of sense for people who didn't grow up like he had. "He's 10," Niki answered. "My parents sent him down here for Christmas. He's boarded here. Most of these house are owned by various people and are boarded here. Constance belongs to the owner of the stables though," he let the animal lip at some sugar cubes. "So you live the basic sitcom life, huh?"

“Yeah, I use to. Til my mom got sick about a year ago. She died this past summer.” Dave didn’t like thinking about his mom’s death or their last conversation they had. “After that it just hasn’t been...” He couldn’t really find the words he wanted to say. Dave just stared off in the distance trying to think of anything else and not tear up.

"Mighty sorry to hear that," Niki meant it too. He'd never lost a patent and couldn't imagine it, but being sent away like he was, was sort of similar in a way? Maybe? "Ain't an easy thing to deal with. Your dad holding up okay?"

Dave looked over at Niki. “Most days he seems ok but, I’ll catch him looking at her pictures and I can tell he’s been crying. He doesn’t like to let me see that though. He’ll usual try and play it off as something in his eye but I like to think he’s been getting better.” Dave lets out a huge sigh. “But he has been working a lot more lately. I don’t think he likes to be at home without her there. It gets kinda lonely. It sometimes feels like I lost both of them....Don’t get me wrong he’s a great dad. It’s just the way he’s coping. He’ll be ok.” Dave wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince more Niki or himself.

That sounded tough,a lot more so than his own parents sending him here. "So," Niki motioned Dave over. "Put your leg in the stirrup here, then it's just up and over,"Maybe it want quite so straight forward, but Niki got Dave up on the sale with a problem. Dave was bigger than him through the shoulders and chest, but that didn't matter, Niki was taller.

A moment later he had Dave's stirrups adjusted and then was up on his own horse with a graceful movement. "So it's like driving a car. Move the trends right to go right, left to go let and back gently to stop.If you keep pulling back she'll go backwards. Mostly though she's going to just follow me and try to east anything that looks edible. It being winter there isn't much."

Dave felt safe having Niki help him on to Connie. He balanced himself and listen to Niki’s instructions closely. He was amazed how easily Connie moved in the directions he wanted to go although they were still at the stable he was pretty sure this wouldn’t be as hard as he feared. “I think I’ve got the basics but don’t go to fast I’m not sure if I could stay on then” Dave gave a weak laugh. “Are you sure she doesn’t come with a seat belt?” Dave knew the joke was lame as soon as it came out of his mouth.

The hardest part of riding, at least for a simple trail ride like this want being in control of the horse or going too fast. It was the pain. Muscles that were rarely used st the best of times were bring used in new and different ways. There was a reason that John Wayne walked bowlegged.

Nudging Lardbutt into an easy walk, Niki led the way down a trail that led out behind the stables and into a wooded area devoid of leaves. The trail was fairly easy to see though.

Dave followed Niki down the trail or more factually Connie did. He felt like he was just there for the ride, but he really didn’t mind he was enjoying taking in the scenery. “How often do you bring folks out here? I mean do a lot of your friends come out here with you?” Dave hoped he wasn’t being to nosy. “It just seems a waste not to share all this every chance you got.”

Niki shrugged,"You're actually the first," Quinn didn't side our even speak to him, he wasn't going back to the Fabray's right now. Sass didn't care to ride, though she sometimes came to the stables. Forget the footfall team. "It's my favorite place though. Something about it all makes life pretty perfect, especially when it's not."

“Wow. Really?” Dave was surprised that he was the first. “I’m honored.” Dave blushed cause it made him feel special that Niki would share this place with him. He prayed Niki didn’t notice. “it really does put things into perspective here but, it also makes problems seems so far away. I can see why you come out here all the time. If I had my own horse I think I’d come out here pretty often myself. If anything just to get away from what people expect you to be.” Dave couldn’t believe how freeing being out here felt.

Now that was the truth. Talk about hitting the nail on the head. "Back home you can ride for miles and never see another person, just open sky. Lima's to big a city for me. I prefer this to buildings. Anyways, horse don't judge or anting. And they're great listeners."

“So I guess if he could Lardbutt would have quite a few stories to tell about you.” Dave teased. directing his attention like he was expecting Lardbutt to start spilling secrets. Dave returned his gaze to Niki. “Well it doesn’t look like he’s talking,” Dave was hoping his next statement wasn’t considered overstepping. “So w-would it be ok if I ask you a personal question?”

A personal question? Um. Well. "You can ask," he agreed with a short nod. "I might not answer."

“Fair enough.” Dave returned the nod. “Everyone says you are and I’ve never asked but, are you gay? It’s just you aren’t what I think of when I think gay person and I just wanted to be sure. If that’s a rude question or you’re not I’m sorry.” Dave couldn’t believe he just asked someone that. He knows he would freak out if anyone from school asked him this question but it seemed safe out here and he was curious.

Ah. That. Somehow, Niki wasn't surprised. "I'm queer, yeah," he stated flatly. "Just because I don't talk with a lisp, have limp wrists and good taste in window treatments don't mean that I don't find a guy mighty nice. And don't worry, I ain't hitting on you." Just in case Dave was worried. "You just seemed like you needed some time for thinking, to get away. So I suggested the ride. I was coming out here anyways."

There was his answer, Out there in the open, but Dave still had more questions.”H..h..how does someone know that they are...g-gay...I mean how did you know, for sure?” Dave already knew that he himself was probably, most definitely gay, but hoped maybe he was just a late bloomer that the attraction to girls would just come, eventually. “I’m just...” He didn’t want to look Niki directly in the eye for fear he would be able to tell. “...curious.” Dave was trembling from more than just the cold weather. He just hoped that’s all it looked like.

Curious. Niki tried not to snort. If he had wondered about Dave’s sexuality (which, admittedly, he hadn’t), then that pretty much answered it. Straight guys weren’t curious, so he was bi at the least, though something told him that bi wasn’t the case. Bi guys tended to stay in the closet in high school simply because they could. It was easier that way. “It’s fairly simple,” Niki replied, “if you jack off to guys, you’re gay. If it’s girls, you’re straight. If it’s dogs, you got issues.” He was hoping for a moment of levity. “Don’t matter if you play sports or like fashion or a million other things. Comes down to what you find attractive and who you want to have sex with.”

Dave deflated he had hoped for a more complicated answer. That maybe all guys went through a phase or something and no one had filled him in on the secret. Dave let out a depressed sigh. “I was afraid you say something like that.” Dave tried many times to jerk off to images of girls but it never worked his mind would always turn it’s focus to guys.Mostly Kurt each time. Afterwards he was always consumed by guilt over it. Dave couldn’t stop the the tears from rolling down his cheeks. He was a fag. He only had one more straw to grasp on to. “But aren’t there clinics or camps someone can go to help them become straight? So, they can live normal lives?” There was a desperation in his voice. Dave had looked up such places online they seemed.legitimate enough...Hell one was run by a former Presidential Candidate’s husband.

For a while, Niki didn’t reply, just leading the way through the cold trees until they reached a clearing area. Dismounting, he let Lardbutt wander knowing the horse wouldn’t go far. He was well trained and knew this place. With ease, he helped Dave down and then tied Constance so she could move, but not go too far, not that he really thought she would. Taking a seat on a frigid rock, Niki thought long and hard. “There are,” he agreed finally. So, Karofsky was gay. There was no point in saying it, it was beyond obvious, “They’re...there’s nothing wrong with you!” he finally replied vehemently, grabbing his cowboy hat and slapping it against the rock for emphasis. “Normal is wanting to find someone to love, to be happy, to have a job you like and friends! And if that person you love is the same gender then who gives a shit? Liking guys, it doesn’t make you bad, Dave. It makes you gay. That’s it. Trying to ‘pray the gay away’ and all that shit...those places are akin to torture. The things they do, shock therapy...they’re horrific. They get away with it because they’re run by religious institutions and are protected by those laws.”

Niki’s parents had tried to pray the gay away with him, in their church. It hadn’t worked and had only soured Niki’s belief in religion and church. They hadn’t tried to send him to a ‘straight’ clinic, which was good because Niki would have beaten everyone there and run away. He was a tough guy and he wouldn’t’ve hesitated to hurt people if he had to protect himself in a place like that. Instead, they had sent him here, to Lima in the hopes that his aunt and her family could ‘help’ him. All it had done was expanded his view of the world and made him think that his mother clearly didn’t know her sister all that well. The Fabray’s weren’t the most...loving people.

Dave was going to deny that he was gay but really what was the point. He flinched at Niki’s words. How could he tell Dave there was nothing wrong with him? But hearing Niki speak of the what was normal did pull at Dave he wanted all of those things, but to someone of the same gender how could it be normal when all of his friends tell him being gay is anything but normal. The things Niki claimed the clinics did were terrifying but so was the life he was living. Dave couldn’t listening anymore. Dave looked up at Niki, tears still in his eyes, with fear and a bit of anger. “How can you say who gives a SHIT! Everybody does! We see it everyday at school! Hell I learned what the term FAG meant when I was still in elementary school. My uncle would tell me all the time quit do this or that cause you don’t want people thinking you’re a fag or...” Dave words got caught in his throat for a second. “...If you ever turned into one of those queers I’d have to kill you.” Dave pointed is finger at Niki, “So don’t tell me who gives a SHIT!!” He spat with contempt.

“Yeah, I’ve heard all that too,” Niki nodded, affixing his hat back on his head, “Hatred ain’t nothing new. There are a lot of people that don’t care though. For all the ones that do, there are plenty who don’t. Hatred is fear and people fear what they don’t understand. Religion don’t help none either because it doesn’t help the understanding, it just feeds the fear of the other. The different,” Niki had had a lot of soul searching conversations online in a chat room with someone about all this. It had helped a lot to get his thoughts and beliefs in order.

“I ain’t gonna tell you it’s easy or that it won’t hurt if you’re rejected or something. I ain’t even gonna tell you to come out or nothin’. I’m just saying that it’s mighty hard living in fear of being found out. Of being caught. Scared to be happy. That ain’t how I can live. Good, bad or otherwise, I ain’t gonna pretend to be something or someone I ain’t. That means no lisps and limp wrists and no dating girls either. ‘Course, it don’t mean the fella’s are lining up for the prom, but...it is what it is,” and there were always the horses. Lardbutt went over and nudged at Niki’s pocket wanting more sweets and he reached up to stroke the animal’s fur, but didn’t give him anything.

Dave listened to everything Niki had to tell him, It all rang true but he wasn’t ready. “I can’t come out.” Dave said with a whimper. “Not yet anyway. I can’t bear all the stuff that would happen to me if I do.” Dave hung his head low as he walked over Connie and untied her and lead her back to Niki looking him in the eyes “If it’s ok, would you mind keeping this between us? Only one other person knows and I’ve kinda fucked that up. I don’t think he’ll ever wanna talk to me again. But it’s nice to have someone to...” Dave looked over at Connie and rubbed her nose.”...I don’t know talk to about this stuff,” It really did feel like a weight had been lifted which gave him hope that someday he would really be ready.

“I won’t tell,” Niki assured him. He had no intention of doing so, period. “Ain’t my place. Anyways, I ain’t saying you should come out. Just that I can’t hide. You ain’t me and vice versa,” he smiled as Dave interacted with the horse, he was glad this had worked as well as it had, even if he hadn’t expected the other teen to come out. “High school sucks regardless.”

“Tell me about it.” Dave half smiled. This had felt great like when he didn’t have to pretend with Kurt on the phone. Maybe he could let certain people in. People he could trust. Maybe he could distance himself from most of the hockey players during baseball season. At least the baseball players weren’t quite as aggressive as the hockey guys. “And thanks again for letting me get some stuff off my chest. You really helped a lot. I’d like to do this again sometime. The horse back riding, not the minor meltdown.” Dave looked at Connie wonder if he could get on her with out Niki’s help “Did ya wanna head back to the stables or is more awesome spots you wanna show off?”

Niki nodded, getting up. He was getting a little cold just sitting anyways, “Alley oop,” he joked, making a step for Dave with his hands and knee so he could get up on the horse. Once Dave was up there, he swung up onto Lardbutt on his own, “If it were warmer, I know some other places, but this is my favourite one for the winter. It’s pretty, in a desolate sort of way.”

“Pretty? I think it’s breathtaking here.” Dave adjusted a little in saddle to make sure he was balanced so he could see everything around him without falling off. “So, I guess were friends now?” Dave looked to Niki for confirmation.

If Dave thought that this was breathtaking, then he hadn’t seen anything yet. Niki loved being outside, nature was just...the most beautiful thing ever. “Yeah, if you want,” Niki grinned a little. This was the most relaxed he had been since his cousin had been horrible to him. “Though, I should warn you. Quinn Fabray is my cousin.”

“Ok so no hanging out at your house then.” Dave laughed. “That girl can be scary. I heard she once got one of the other cheerios thrown off the squad because the girl looked cuter in the uniform, But it was Scott Cooper who told me that so there’s no telling if it’s true.” Dave thought about what he said about no hanging out and how it could have sounded. “But you more than welcome to come to mine and hang anytime you want to. Like I said my dad’s hardly there and it would be nice to have someone to hangout with I didn’t have at act around.”

“Please,” Niki rolled his eyes even if Dave couldn’t see it, “You should completely come hang just to piss her off. It’s practically my new hobby,” he paused, “Though, I’m not there now. She pissed me off so I’m crashing with a friend for a few days. A girl friend,” he added, clarifying. “You like video games you said, right?”

“I don’t know if I’d wanna piss off Quinn.” Dave joked. “You know if you ‘girl friend’ gets tired of you crashing at her place we do have two spare bedrooms at ours,” Dave hoped that didn’t sound as creeper as he thinks it did.“But yeah, I love video games. I can spend hours playing them. They kinda let me live a different life for a little while.” Dave was wondering where that question came from. “Why? Do you play?”

That was a very unexpected offer, “I’m good with Sass, thanks,” Niki replied. He and Sassafras were friends, bonding in their outsiderness, both being new to Lima. “And it depends on the game. I’ve never much been into it, prefer to be outside doing stuff. Sometimes though they’re good on bad weather days.”

“Yeah they are. I prefer RPGs like Skyrim or Dragon Age, but most of the guys I know love FPSs, like BF3 or MW3. Which makes since cause they are multi-player games I use to like FPSs too but when you are playing online with your friends and every other word is ‘Fag’ or “That’s So Gay’ I kinda lean toward single-player games and an added bonus I can have have a same-sex relationship in Dragon Age which is funny cause in Dragon Age 2 the guy my character dated in the first Dragon Age made a cameo and flirted with my new character and his boyfriend got jealous and told him to step off.” Dave chuckled to himself. “I know I’m living vicariously through my X-Box. Could anything be any sadder?” Dave thought he might have been boring Niki. “I’m sorry I’ll shut up.” He felt like a stupid little kid next to Niki.

And Niki was completely lost. His idea of a fun game was Mario Kart or something similar. “Uh...” he had no idea what half the stuff that Dave was talking about was, “You can date in video games?” he finally asked, completely boggled. How did that even work?!

“Well not literally date.” Dave was wondering how to explain this without sounding ridiculous. “The character you play has different answers you can give to the non-player characters in between fights. Some characters you have the option to flirt with. The more you choose the flirting option the more that character acts affectionate to yours and jealous of others you talk to.” Dave remembered the time when his character got shove up against the wall for a surprise makeout session he really hadn’t been expecting and even the memory made him blush. “Technically, I’m not even old enough to even play it, but Dad just thinks it’s a hack and slash adventure game so he got it for me for Christmas. I don’t think he would have gotten it for me if he knew you could go to brothels and pick up male prostitutes in it either.” Dave gave an embarrassed chuckle.

Probably not, no. “Sounds mighty awkward,” Niki finally allowed. “Why bother flirting with online characters that aren’t even real? Makes no sense to me,” granted, it wasn’t as if he was flirting with real people either, but that at least was his choice and slightly more understandable. “I think I’ll stick with Mario Kart and Donkey Kong. Those ain’t gonna try an kiss me.”

“I don’t know..it just seemed... safer?” Dave hoped that made sense. “And I could just tell myself it was to get the achievement points in the game.” Cause really he wouldn’t dream of approaching a guy in real life that would be social suicide. “I see what ya mean. Mario seems pretty safe in the kissing department, however DK on the other hand, I’d watch that one, he seems like the type that might.”

Niki understood safer, in a way. “Hey now, you talk nice about Donkey Kong. He can’t help being an ape,” he grinned though as they bantered, relaxed. He felt better about life in general, which was why he went riding. It always improved his outlook on everything, “But I dunno about Mario’s stache. That thing is uncool. Makes him look like a 70’s porn star.”

Dave nearly fell off laughing at that. “Oh My God! He so does. I think you have officially traumatized me and my childhood.” Dave loved being out here with Niki just bring about to be himself. He couldn’t help wondering how much tomorrow was gonna suck going back to school and putting his mask back on, but right here right now was just what he needed. “I needed that laugh. Thank you.”

“It happens,” Niki agreed, then turned around in his saddle, “You ever see the movie Wedding Wars?” It was a cute made-for-TV comedy, “John Stamos is a gay wedding planner. You want to ruin your childhood? You’ll never look at Uncle Jesse quite right again,” it was sooooo worth it though. Absolutely.

“Dude, don’t tell me things like that.” Dave was still laughing. “Our family dentist looks just like Uncle Jesse. It’s already hard enough to go in for a check up as it is.” Dave was always a little embarrassed by his puppy dog crush on his dentist. “My parents always thought it was strange I loved going to the dentist, but hey it motivated me to impress him with good oral hygiene,” Which it did. Dave hadn’t had a single cavity since his parents started going to Dr. Howell.

“Oh really?” Niki raised an eyebrow. Maybe he should look into going to the dentist? “Sounds like I need to meet this guy. Uncle Jesse was hot,” yeah, he’d had a crush on John Stamos way back when. He was man enough to admit it, “Never quite understood why he kept living in that house though after he got married. That was a little weird.”

“One word...Joey. You know he couldn’t leave his boyfriend just cause he had a wife ,” Dave did always think those two were a little too close. Suddenly, Dave was struck with a question. ”Speaking of boyfriends, do you have one?” He really hoped that didn’t sound like a pick up line because it wasn’t. “Or ever had one? I’m curious what it’s like.” Dave figured he might as well ask the only person he now knew that would have had experience in these matters.

Niki got quiet, “No,” he finally replied, “There was a guy...a ranch hand. We...got caught. And I got sent here and he got fired,” because making out with the boss’s son was never a good idea. “We weren’t dating or anything. Nothing so...formal. I wanted to go to Pride last summer, there’s one up in Bismarck, but that didn’t happen,” he’d had to go visit his paternal grandparents instead.

Dave couldn’t think of anything worse than getting caught. If his Dad ever found out he wouldn’t know what he might do. “Have you tried to contact him, now that you live here?” Dave had hoped he hadn’t overstepped his bounds. He didn’t like how quiet Niki had become from his earlier question.

Shaking his head, Niki was grateful as the stables began to come into view through the trees. He didn’t like talking about this. “Why?” he asked reasonably. “Ain’t like we were dating. Anyways, it was enough of a scandal without making it all worse,” it wasn’t as if Niki had been in love with the guy. It had been new and exciting and dangerous, but they hadn’t dated or anything like that.

“I guess. Still sorry that something like that happened to you.” Dave hated that their adventure was coming to an end on such a bitter note. He wonder if there was something he could do to lighten he mood before they finished. “You mentioned that Pride thing. Do they have them every year? Maybe I could tag along with ya if I ever...well you know. Come out or if it’s far enough away maybe before then?” Dave gave Niki a hopeful smile.

“Yeah, there’s Gay Pride every year,” Niki agreed, “They do it in all the cities, basically. Usually in the summer, I think. I don’t know if Lima has one,” he hadn’t heard anything since he’d gotten here, but Lima was much bigger than Britton and even bigger than Aberdeen and neither of those towns did. Maybe Lima did? “I can find out. Ain’t been before either.”

“If it’s during the summer, that’s perfect.” Dave wouldn’t have to deal with telling the other jocks what he’d be doing. “Maybe you could invite your friend Sass or whoever and I could invite Kur -.” Dave’s eyes went wide. “umm... my friend.” Oh, God! Dave blushed when he almost said Kurt’s name. “I mean if I can just get him to believe I’m not a total asshat and forgive me.” He prayed Niki hadn’t notice “It could be fun you know like a road trip.”

Calling Dave out about Kurt wasn’t necessary or even remotely entertaining. Niki knew that Kurt was gay, hell everyone knew who met the guy. He didn’t need to announce it. “Usually, it is,” Niki nodded, “Or at least, the one in Bismarck is. There’s a bunch of really big ones in other cities. That one’s pretty small.”

“Well which ever one it is, do you think you’d want to go? I’m sure I have tell my dad something other than I’m going to a Pride event.” Dave could imagine just imagine what his dad would say. “I’m serious about this. If I could spend at least one day surrounded by other people like us...” Dave shrugged. ”I don’t know just make me feel better about being this way.”

They came up to the stables and Niki dismounted, then helped Dave down too. “You know where Bismarck is?” he asked amused, but not saying no. He’d probably go to one somewhere.

“Honestly, no clue.” Dave laughed. “I assumed it wasn’t too far because you were talking about going there.” No longer sitting in the saddle Dave realized he was probably going to be sore in the morning.

That made Niki laugh, “Yeah, it was about four hours from my house...in South Dakota. Bismarck is the capital of North Dakota,” because that was closer than going to Grand Rapids.

“That’s got to be like a thousand miles, right?” Dave wasn’t sure if his dad would allow him to go that far. “That would probably more than a day trip then. Maybe we could find one closer?” He was already looking forward to going to one of these Pride things.

“Oh, easily,” Niki agreed. He had driven down and over the previous summer, “And we could fly? But I’m sure there’s one closer. Columbus or Chicago or something. You can find out and let me know,” let Dave do some of the work. It was still months away.

“Really, you’d let me find one?” Dave took it as a vote of confidence. “Columbus would probably be the easiest. Well for me anyway I’ve been there a few times.” Dave was grinning like a kid planning a trip to Disney World.

Well, it didn’t really matter who did it. It wasn’t a matter of trusting Dave or not, Niki simply assumed that if it was important to him, he’d do it. If not, Niki would do it later, no big deal. “Never been to Columbus. Been to Minneapolis,” not at all the same thing.

“Columbus would be a heck of a lot closer, by like ten hours.” Dave wasn’t ready to that far away from home, but then he thought about maybe that’s why Niki would want to go there. It’s closer to where he grew up. “But if you really wanted to got to Minneapolis that would be cool too.”

What? No, “I mean, I’ve been to Minneapolis. It’s the closest real city,” Niki explained, “Don’t gotta go back there,” he began taking the saddles off the horses. “I’m going to Connecticut for college. If anything, maybe I’d go that direction. Ain’t been that way.”

“Wow, That’s really cool just picking a place you’ve never been, so far away from home, and just going. I was just going to pick a college near by but haven’t really decided. “ Dave became aware that he was talking way too much letting Niki do all the work. “Do you want any help? I feel kind like a lump just standing here.”

“Nah, I got it,” Niki knew what he was doing and could do it faster than if he tried to instruct Dave, “Anyways, I never planned to stay in South Dakota for college. Go back there after, probably, but when my parents sent me here, there didn’t seem to be a reason not to apply wherever. So I took a shot at a bunch of schools, but Yale accepted me, so I’m going there,” he was still a little awed that a school like that had accepted him. “Not bad for a cowboy from Britton, South Dakota, huh?”

“Yale? That’s awesome ,dude.” Dave was impressed. He walked beside Connie to give her one last petting on her nose. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d like to come back for another ride. Whenever you want company that is?” Dave didn’t expect him to be invited every time. He could understand wanting to be alone out here and Niki didn’t need some kid tagging along talking his ear off.

“Yeah, definitely,” Niki nodded, liking that idea. Company sometimes would be a good thing. “I’ll let you know when.”

character: nikita "niki" rory llewellyn, character: dave karofsky

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