GLEE: An Exception for Every Rule
Title: An Exception for Every Rule (and no rule for the exception)
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Noah 'Puck' Puckerman, Kurt Hummel, Ma Puckerman
Pairing: Kurt/Puck
Warnings: None
Spoilers: References vague Season 2, takes place at the end of Furt.
Disclaimer: Not mine. No money. No affiliation.
A/N: from the glee_angst_meme, prompt here
Summary: Domestic!Puckerman household. Noah's reaction to Kurt's news is met with old habits. Kurt gets a surprise making sure Puck hasn't landed himself back in juvie.
Continuation of Books and Their Covers and Life is a Bowl of Cherries
The looks on their faces, he can't really get it out of his mind. He'd told the rest of the glee club after class. He was aware that Noah was missing from the room, apparently in a mood or probably in detention, Kurt didn't ask before he told them. It wasn't like he wanted to go, they had to understand that, but it was the only way to be safe. He'd already called Blaine, asking what he'd need to take with him to Dalton, getting an encouraging and sympathetic message from Blaine while making a list of all the things Blaine suggested. He's half way through packing when Finn barges in.
"What did you say to Puck?" There's no greeting, no mention of what happened today, nothing about the half packed bag on Kurt's bed. Just Noah.
"What do you mean? What about him?"
"He was in Figgins' office, his mom got called into the school. They might suspend him. He might go back to juvie." No, he can't. Kurt didn't say anything so that he wouldn't. But who was he kidding, really, did he expect that Puck wouldn't do something. Whatever it was that Puck saw it set something off, of course Puck would do something.
"What happened? Why was he- God, what did he do?"
"He pretty much beat the shit out of Dave Karofsky when he showed up in the locker room." Finn runs his hand through his hair and Kurt wonders when Finn and Noah made up. "What did you tell him? What did you say to Puck that you couldn't tell me?" Ah, they haven't made up, Finn's not worried about Noah, or if he is, it's not all he's worried about.
"Nothing, okay, I didn't tell him anything. I just told him what I told all of you. While Karofsky is at that school I won't be, and No- Puck must've taken exception to it." Finn doesn't have a response, but he doesn't stick around for much longer and Kurt half wishes he knew who he could call to get Puck's cell number. He tries Mike.
"I would, Kurt, you know I would, but if Puck's in the sort of trouble I think he is, his mom will have taken his phone from him already." So Kurt doesn't get Puck's number, because Mike is a little weird about handing it out -apparently Noah changed it after juvie and only a few people have it. He doesn't feel overly slighted.
"Dad, I'm just popping out, I'll be back soon." He decides that the best way to deal with this is to just go to the source. He cannot believe that Noah would be so stupid as to actually start a fight. Kurt knew that if he'd told Noah there, if he'd had the courage to do it, Puck would've done the exact same thing. He can't stop this small swell of something, deep in his chest, that Noah reacted so strongly to Kurt's predicament. But at the same time, he's scared that it's his fault Noah will wind up back in juvie.
He arrives at the Puckerman house without fanfare; it's the same as always, although Sarah's bike is on the lawn, and Kurt barely remembers to lock the car as he rushes down the drive way. He's anxious at the doorway, wondering if Noah will even talk to him, Ruth might just tell him to go home, his Dad doesn't let him have visitors when he's grounded. The way Mike mentioned Noah's phone, he might be more than just grounded. He still knocks on the door, and waits.
There's no noise from Sarah, no sound of Noah and her having a small discussion, no tripping on toys. Just the click of the lock and the drawn in, tired face of Ruth Puckerman revealed as the door opens. "Kurt, I didn't realise you were coming by tonight. I thought-" Ruth shook her head, "I'm sorry, come on in sweetie, get in out the cold." Kurt is drawn into the house again, the door shut behind him and Ruth gives him a once over. "I'm sorry, but Noah said you were leaving, I didn't realise you'd be over if-"
"I heard he got in trouble." Ruth's face is slightly more pinched at that, her hand running through her hair as she sighs slightly. "Is he okay?"
"Yes, it's all been dealt with." She doesn't look happy about it, nodding for Kurt to follow her into the kitchen. Kurt's starting to really like this kitchen. He does as he's told, sitting at the table while Ruth finishes what she was doing before he arrived, preparing a sandwich for herself it seems. "He won't tell me why, and he won't talk about it, but that woman, Coach Sylvester?" Kurt nods as she makes the inquiry, "She lied through her teeth for him. Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate what she did, but I can't have Noah getting into fights and relying on a teacher to lie for him. And I know lying, my boy has done it enough. I just can't get the truth out of him." She cut whatever she was making in half and placed it on a plate. "But it seems to have something to do with you." Kurt almost shrinks under the gaze; it's not unkind, or accusing. Ruth just looks at him with sympathy and understanding and Kurt wants to blurt the whole disastrous story out for her. "Maybe you could talk to him?"
The plate is held out, and Kurt realises that it's for Noah, not Ruth. He takes it from her, staring at it like it'll have the answers for him. He's led back down the hall, stopped by the door where Ruth explains she's going out to get Sarah from her friend’s house, and to please not let Noah leave the house. Kurt just nods, carrying on down the hall to Noah's room. The nerves are back, and he's not sure why, but he grips the plate like it's a lifeline, knocking cautiously on the door again.
"Not hungry, Ma." At least he's still there. Instead of replying, Kurt just opens the door, stepping inside and looking for the boy in question. Noah is sprawled out on his bed, legs towards the door, head over the side of the bed. He's still fully dressed in what he had on at school and Kurt can see dried blood on his pants leg. One of Noah's hands move and Kurt sees the bloody knuckles, and before he knows it, Noah is sitting up, staring at him, "I said-" He's partially shocked and a little annoyed, which is an odd combination on Noah's face. "What're you doing here?"
"Your mother made you a sandwich, you should eat it." Because if Noah's been in here since he came home, it's long past super time, and he probably is hungry. "Finn told me you were in a fight?" Beat the life out of Dave nearly. Kurt wondered what that meant, if it meant anything. But Noah was the one who stopped the Cheerio's from writing things about Rachel in the bathroom, he was the one who stopped the football team from tossing the slushies at the gleeks, he was the one who locked JBI in a cramped supply closet for four hours because he tried to blackmail Rachel again. Noah had just appointed himself as the one to protect the gleeks, so of course Kurt fell under that, and the way he'd told Noah, it only stood to reason that he'd react without thinking. "What happened? Were you even thinking? Juvie, Noah, remember that?"
"Course I fuckin' do." A hand ran over his mohawk while the wounded one ran over his ribs, and not for the first time, Kurt wondered about the real story behind juvie. "But Christ, I didn't even think, okay? You were just telling me you were leaving, that Dave had done something and then he was there, okay? Just acting all smug and shit in the locker room and fuck that noise, alright?" It was good that Noah hadn't gone looking for Dave, good that it had been a chance encounter while Dave was, presumably, getting his gym gear or something similar, before he returned to class the next day.
Placing the sandwich on Noah's desk, Kurt moved closer to the bed, noticing the outline of a bruise on Noah's face along with the busted knuckles and the small cut above his eye and the dried blood around the corner of his mouth. It hadn't just been one punch, it had been a fight, a proper, painful, bruising fight.
"What's going to happen? Are you suspended? What about juvie? Are they revoking your probation? God, Noah, what if you-"
"Nothing is happening," Puck cuts him off. "And why do you keep calling me 'Noah'>?" The frown is back on his face.
"Because it's your name." He avoids the implication that Noah could come away from the fight looking like that and Figgins isn't doing anything about it. Although Ruth did mention Coach Sylvester.
"Yeah, but you've always called me Puck. Hell, you used to spit it out like it was a fucking curse." The way Noah is looking at him, almost that same way as at school, like there's something there he just needs to figure out, like there's something he can puzzle through, Kurt feels moderately uncomfortable under the gaze.
"I," he doesn't know if telling Noah the reason why would result in his own bruise and getting kicked out of the house or if maybe it would be the first step into opening up. But Kurt wants to tell someone about everything, he wants to be brave enough to just tell anyone the truth. "I don't see you as that any more. The bully or just the jock or just Puck. Rachel's right, you're, there's, this is hard to explain. It's like you're two different people. And I'm not sure why, I don't get why you're this harsh, mean, closed off boy at school when you're not like that at home, you're fun and calm and a little bit sweet." There is definitely a blush on Noah's cheeks there. "So you can't just be Puck anymore, because it's not what you are."
"Why're you really leaving? Tell me the truth and I'll tell you." A bargain, Kurt figured that maybe he could work with that. He nodded slowly, moving to sit on the bed and Noah just shuffled up a little to give him space; he didn't make a lewd comment, didn't make a gay joke, didn't even snark off some innuendo, he just shuffled up for space. Kurt found a spot on the carpet of the room and started to talk.
"The um, when you went to juvie, things were bad for a while. Karofsky seemed to be everywhere I went, and he would, God, it was slushies, and shoved into lockers, and stalked down the halls, destroying my class work. It was just too much. The week you got out, after you suggested I go spy on the Dalton Warblers, I talked to Blaine and, and he convinced me to stand up to him, to be brave." Kurt swallows past the lump, aware that Noah is just sitting there quietly, watching him. "He shoved me into a locker the very next day and I just, I pulled it from somewhere and I went after him, I confronted him. We were shouting and I don't even remember what I said but then, then he, then he kissed me." It wasn't like telling Blaine, it was harder, it was better, even as the tears built up in his eyes. Noah's hand rested on Kurt's shoulders, smoothing over to rub slightly at his back and Kurt took a breath to forge on. "I told Blaine, and he, we, we tried to get Dave to just open up and accept that he was gay, to be strong. But he threatened us, he threatened me, and ever since that day it's just, I'm so scared to have my back to the hall because I never know when he'll be there. He's made threats, if I tell anyone he'll kill me, if I say anything he'll make me miserable, that he'll lie and say I came onto him. He gives me these looks and I just, God, Noah. I just can't do it anymore."
Somehow, Kurt finds himself with his head on Noah's shoulder, an arm around his shoulders and a hand stroking his hair. It's easy to see Noah comforting Sarah like this, or even his mother, easy to see the little girl curled around her protective big brother. It's easy to just take the comfort in it and cling to that safety like there's nothing bad outside the walls of Noah's room.
"My Dad left when I was eight. And I was a wreck, because, well he was my Dad, I idolised him. There were names, and rumours, and kids whispering about me and it just really riled me up. It was easier to just be Puck, and punch the first person who looked at me, than be Noah and deal with the whispering. When everyone is scared of you, they don't talk about your Dad walking off because you weren't good enough, they don't mention how you barely have money to eat, or you have to walk because you don't have a car, or can't take the bus. They just hide and no one says shit." Kurt can remember hearing a few of those stories, back when he was little and his mother was still alive. "Being Puck just ended up being easier than not."
They sat there, Kurt sniffing lightly while Noah continued to stroke a hand over Kurt's hair. It was nice, peaceful. Even though Kurt was meant to be at home, packing for his new school, even though Noah desperately needed to put ice on his eye if he wanted to avoid horrific swelling, it was calming to just sit there and pretend none of it was happening.
"Really, Noah, what's happening at school? About the fight?" He feels partially responsible, so he has to ask.
"I broke Dave's jaw." Holy crap, they can't just turn their back on that, how can they, "He got a few punches in, but I broke his jaw, and I am pretty sure they were going to expel me and toss my ass back in juvie when Coach S. just blazed in and started ranting about something. I'm not sure but I'm sure she mentioned candid camera, a fight club reality show and letters of consent. Did you know Coach S. could forge signatures?" It's enough to get a laugh, a bark of a sobbing laugh out of Kurt. "Yeah, so Dave got all quiet and stuff and just agreed with everything she said and I was just, not even there."
"So, it's, nothing’s happening?"
"Coach S. owns my ass now, but no. Nothing’s going down." It was a relief, really. "You don't have to go. I can make sure he never even looks at you again, you know I can, c'mon Kurt." There's something about listening to Noah Puckerman plead, something a little heart-breaking and endearing at the same time.
"Noah,"
"No, okay, you don't need to do anything. He won't get within six feet of you, you don't share a class with him, I can be fucking attached to you in the halls if you want, he won't touch you." Kurt turned to look at Noah, frowning slightly at the openness of the expression that the boy was wearing.
"Why do you care?"
"Because," there's a pause, and Kurt holds his breath for just a moment, "because it would suck if you weren't around, and I'd probably miss you." It's almost an admission of something that Kurt thinks he wants, almost wants Noah to say more, to convince him that there's enough to stay for. But realistically, he can't, he can't expect that from Noah Puckerman, can't expect if from anyone in McKinley, he just has to be somewhere safe.
"I'm going to miss you too."
He's sure that Noah doesn't miss the wording, he can't change his mind now, even with Noah knowing the truth, even with Noah's promises to protect him, he just can't change what's already happened and how unsafe he feels in the halls of McKinley. It's just not going to happen. Noah's face shutters slightly, like Kurt can see him drawing himself back, closing up, even as he just nods his head, accepting.
"I should go." There's another nod, and Kurt stands from the bed, "You should eat your sandwich." Just as he's about to walk away, Noah wraps a hand around Kurt's wrist, tugging lightly to twist him back, facing Noah as he sits where he was. It's the grip on his wrist that Noah uses to pull him closer, the loose grasp the urges him forward until he's between Noah's legs and half bent over. He realises what Noah's doing as his eyes fall to Noah's lips -moist and slightly parted- and Kurt feels his chest tighten. Noah's drawing him down slowly, carefully, and Kurt can pull away from it if he wanted to, at the pace they're going Kurt would have no problem tugging back and away from it.
He doesn't, because if there's a first kiss that he could imagine, maybe Noah Puckerman is the person to imagine it from. They get to barely an inch apart and Noah glances between Kurt's eyes and his lips before tilting his head up, sliding his hand over Kurt's cheek and drawing Kurt into the softest kiss imaginable. His wrist is released as Noah's hand goes to his waist, Kurt's hands sliding to Noah's shoulders for support as he leans down and into the kiss, lips moving over lips. It's nothing like the harsh kiss from Dave, nothing like the forceful press of their mouths, the harsh bite of teeth against his own lips at the pressure. It's gentle, tentative, just Noah's lips carefully teasing at Kurt's until Kurt can't help but let out a low moan at the sensation and Noah lets his tongue flick at Kurt's upper lip. It startles a small gasp from him and Noah uses that to slide his tongue past Kurt's lips, slowly coaxing Kurt into a deeper lip lock and enticing out another groan, this one from somewhere deep in Kurt's chest.
It's with a shuddering breath that Kurt starts to pull back, licking his lips after Noah lets them go, staring down at the boy staring up at him. It's exactly how he'd imagined his first kiss could be, should be, all those things he'd imagined and hoped for. He just doesn't know what made Noah do it.
"Why did-"
"Because," he expects Noah to just hit out with something flippant, something that cheapens things, something that takes away any meaning to it. Because there are elements of Puck in Noah and Noah uses Puck for these moments, these times where he can be vulnerable. "Because you're going to your new school, and I didn't want to have to wonder 'what if' about something else in my life." It's not flippant, and it's not cheapening, and Kurt is hit with just what 'I'd probably miss you' really means in Noah-speak.
"Noah," Kurt just breathes it out, running a hand over Noah's cheek and jaw, missing the bruise around his eye.
"C'mon, I'll walk you out." Kurt's in a daze as Noah walks him out to his car, bundles him into the driver’s seat and casually takes Kurt's phone from him just as he's about to slot it into the dash to connect it to the car. He hits a few buttons and types something in and Kurt just waits. "Text me when you get home?" Kurt nods again, letting Noah lean in to place a quick, gentle kiss to the corner off his mouth before stepping back, closing the door and walking around to the sidewalk, waiting for Kurt to drive off.
If he was asked, Kurt couldn't answer, he didn't know how he got home, too caught up in thoughts and the memory of that kiss and the way Noah answered. When he was back in his room, staring at his half packed bag, Kurt took out his phone to skim through his contacts, finding a new one. Noah.
He sat down heavily on his bed, ignoring all the packing he had to do, even as his fingers typed out a generic 'I'm home' message, because there was just too much going through his mind. And almost all of it had to do with Noah Puckerman and just what the hell that kiss meant.
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Noah 'Puck' Puckerman, Kurt Hummel, Ma Puckerman
Pairing: Kurt/Puck
Warnings: None
Spoilers: References vague Season 2, takes place at the end of Furt.
Disclaimer: Not mine. No money. No affiliation.
A/N: from the glee_angst_meme, prompt here
Summary: Domestic!Puckerman household. Noah's reaction to Kurt's news is met with old habits. Kurt gets a surprise making sure Puck hasn't landed himself back in juvie.
Continuation of Books and Their Covers and Life is a Bowl of Cherries
The looks on their faces, he can't really get it out of his mind. He'd told the rest of the glee club after class. He was aware that Noah was missing from the room, apparently in a mood or probably in detention, Kurt didn't ask before he told them. It wasn't like he wanted to go, they had to understand that, but it was the only way to be safe. He'd already called Blaine, asking what he'd need to take with him to Dalton, getting an encouraging and sympathetic message from Blaine while making a list of all the things Blaine suggested. He's half way through packing when Finn barges in.
"What did you say to Puck?" There's no greeting, no mention of what happened today, nothing about the half packed bag on Kurt's bed. Just Noah.
"What do you mean? What about him?"
"He was in Figgins' office, his mom got called into the school. They might suspend him. He might go back to juvie." No, he can't. Kurt didn't say anything so that he wouldn't. But who was he kidding, really, did he expect that Puck wouldn't do something. Whatever it was that Puck saw it set something off, of course Puck would do something.
"What happened? Why was he- God, what did he do?"
"He pretty much beat the shit out of Dave Karofsky when he showed up in the locker room." Finn runs his hand through his hair and Kurt wonders when Finn and Noah made up. "What did you tell him? What did you say to Puck that you couldn't tell me?" Ah, they haven't made up, Finn's not worried about Noah, or if he is, it's not all he's worried about.
"Nothing, okay, I didn't tell him anything. I just told him what I told all of you. While Karofsky is at that school I won't be, and No- Puck must've taken exception to it." Finn doesn't have a response, but he doesn't stick around for much longer and Kurt half wishes he knew who he could call to get Puck's cell number. He tries Mike.
"I would, Kurt, you know I would, but if Puck's in the sort of trouble I think he is, his mom will have taken his phone from him already." So Kurt doesn't get Puck's number, because Mike is a little weird about handing it out -apparently Noah changed it after juvie and only a few people have it. He doesn't feel overly slighted.
"Dad, I'm just popping out, I'll be back soon." He decides that the best way to deal with this is to just go to the source. He cannot believe that Noah would be so stupid as to actually start a fight. Kurt knew that if he'd told Noah there, if he'd had the courage to do it, Puck would've done the exact same thing. He can't stop this small swell of something, deep in his chest, that Noah reacted so strongly to Kurt's predicament. But at the same time, he's scared that it's his fault Noah will wind up back in juvie.
He arrives at the Puckerman house without fanfare; it's the same as always, although Sarah's bike is on the lawn, and Kurt barely remembers to lock the car as he rushes down the drive way. He's anxious at the doorway, wondering if Noah will even talk to him, Ruth might just tell him to go home, his Dad doesn't let him have visitors when he's grounded. The way Mike mentioned Noah's phone, he might be more than just grounded. He still knocks on the door, and waits.
There's no noise from Sarah, no sound of Noah and her having a small discussion, no tripping on toys. Just the click of the lock and the drawn in, tired face of Ruth Puckerman revealed as the door opens. "Kurt, I didn't realise you were coming by tonight. I thought-" Ruth shook her head, "I'm sorry, come on in sweetie, get in out the cold." Kurt is drawn into the house again, the door shut behind him and Ruth gives him a once over. "I'm sorry, but Noah said you were leaving, I didn't realise you'd be over if-"
"I heard he got in trouble." Ruth's face is slightly more pinched at that, her hand running through her hair as she sighs slightly. "Is he okay?"
"Yes, it's all been dealt with." She doesn't look happy about it, nodding for Kurt to follow her into the kitchen. Kurt's starting to really like this kitchen. He does as he's told, sitting at the table while Ruth finishes what she was doing before he arrived, preparing a sandwich for herself it seems. "He won't tell me why, and he won't talk about it, but that woman, Coach Sylvester?" Kurt nods as she makes the inquiry, "She lied through her teeth for him. Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate what she did, but I can't have Noah getting into fights and relying on a teacher to lie for him. And I know lying, my boy has done it enough. I just can't get the truth out of him." She cut whatever she was making in half and placed it on a plate. "But it seems to have something to do with you." Kurt almost shrinks under the gaze; it's not unkind, or accusing. Ruth just looks at him with sympathy and understanding and Kurt wants to blurt the whole disastrous story out for her. "Maybe you could talk to him?"
The plate is held out, and Kurt realises that it's for Noah, not Ruth. He takes it from her, staring at it like it'll have the answers for him. He's led back down the hall, stopped by the door where Ruth explains she's going out to get Sarah from her friend’s house, and to please not let Noah leave the house. Kurt just nods, carrying on down the hall to Noah's room. The nerves are back, and he's not sure why, but he grips the plate like it's a lifeline, knocking cautiously on the door again.
"Not hungry, Ma." At least he's still there. Instead of replying, Kurt just opens the door, stepping inside and looking for the boy in question. Noah is sprawled out on his bed, legs towards the door, head over the side of the bed. He's still fully dressed in what he had on at school and Kurt can see dried blood on his pants leg. One of Noah's hands move and Kurt sees the bloody knuckles, and before he knows it, Noah is sitting up, staring at him, "I said-" He's partially shocked and a little annoyed, which is an odd combination on Noah's face. "What're you doing here?"
"Your mother made you a sandwich, you should eat it." Because if Noah's been in here since he came home, it's long past super time, and he probably is hungry. "Finn told me you were in a fight?" Beat the life out of Dave nearly. Kurt wondered what that meant, if it meant anything. But Noah was the one who stopped the Cheerio's from writing things about Rachel in the bathroom, he was the one who stopped the football team from tossing the slushies at the gleeks, he was the one who locked JBI in a cramped supply closet for four hours because he tried to blackmail Rachel again. Noah had just appointed himself as the one to protect the gleeks, so of course Kurt fell under that, and the way he'd told Noah, it only stood to reason that he'd react without thinking. "What happened? Were you even thinking? Juvie, Noah, remember that?"
"Course I fuckin' do." A hand ran over his mohawk while the wounded one ran over his ribs, and not for the first time, Kurt wondered about the real story behind juvie. "But Christ, I didn't even think, okay? You were just telling me you were leaving, that Dave had done something and then he was there, okay? Just acting all smug and shit in the locker room and fuck that noise, alright?" It was good that Noah hadn't gone looking for Dave, good that it had been a chance encounter while Dave was, presumably, getting his gym gear or something similar, before he returned to class the next day.
Placing the sandwich on Noah's desk, Kurt moved closer to the bed, noticing the outline of a bruise on Noah's face along with the busted knuckles and the small cut above his eye and the dried blood around the corner of his mouth. It hadn't just been one punch, it had been a fight, a proper, painful, bruising fight.
"What's going to happen? Are you suspended? What about juvie? Are they revoking your probation? God, Noah, what if you-"
"Nothing is happening," Puck cuts him off. "And why do you keep calling me 'Noah'>?" The frown is back on his face.
"Because it's your name." He avoids the implication that Noah could come away from the fight looking like that and Figgins isn't doing anything about it. Although Ruth did mention Coach Sylvester.
"Yeah, but you've always called me Puck. Hell, you used to spit it out like it was a fucking curse." The way Noah is looking at him, almost that same way as at school, like there's something there he just needs to figure out, like there's something he can puzzle through, Kurt feels moderately uncomfortable under the gaze.
"I," he doesn't know if telling Noah the reason why would result in his own bruise and getting kicked out of the house or if maybe it would be the first step into opening up. But Kurt wants to tell someone about everything, he wants to be brave enough to just tell anyone the truth. "I don't see you as that any more. The bully or just the jock or just Puck. Rachel's right, you're, there's, this is hard to explain. It's like you're two different people. And I'm not sure why, I don't get why you're this harsh, mean, closed off boy at school when you're not like that at home, you're fun and calm and a little bit sweet." There is definitely a blush on Noah's cheeks there. "So you can't just be Puck anymore, because it's not what you are."
"Why're you really leaving? Tell me the truth and I'll tell you." A bargain, Kurt figured that maybe he could work with that. He nodded slowly, moving to sit on the bed and Noah just shuffled up a little to give him space; he didn't make a lewd comment, didn't make a gay joke, didn't even snark off some innuendo, he just shuffled up for space. Kurt found a spot on the carpet of the room and started to talk.
"The um, when you went to juvie, things were bad for a while. Karofsky seemed to be everywhere I went, and he would, God, it was slushies, and shoved into lockers, and stalked down the halls, destroying my class work. It was just too much. The week you got out, after you suggested I go spy on the Dalton Warblers, I talked to Blaine and, and he convinced me to stand up to him, to be brave." Kurt swallows past the lump, aware that Noah is just sitting there quietly, watching him. "He shoved me into a locker the very next day and I just, I pulled it from somewhere and I went after him, I confronted him. We were shouting and I don't even remember what I said but then, then he, then he kissed me." It wasn't like telling Blaine, it was harder, it was better, even as the tears built up in his eyes. Noah's hand rested on Kurt's shoulders, smoothing over to rub slightly at his back and Kurt took a breath to forge on. "I told Blaine, and he, we, we tried to get Dave to just open up and accept that he was gay, to be strong. But he threatened us, he threatened me, and ever since that day it's just, I'm so scared to have my back to the hall because I never know when he'll be there. He's made threats, if I tell anyone he'll kill me, if I say anything he'll make me miserable, that he'll lie and say I came onto him. He gives me these looks and I just, God, Noah. I just can't do it anymore."
Somehow, Kurt finds himself with his head on Noah's shoulder, an arm around his shoulders and a hand stroking his hair. It's easy to see Noah comforting Sarah like this, or even his mother, easy to see the little girl curled around her protective big brother. It's easy to just take the comfort in it and cling to that safety like there's nothing bad outside the walls of Noah's room.
"My Dad left when I was eight. And I was a wreck, because, well he was my Dad, I idolised him. There were names, and rumours, and kids whispering about me and it just really riled me up. It was easier to just be Puck, and punch the first person who looked at me, than be Noah and deal with the whispering. When everyone is scared of you, they don't talk about your Dad walking off because you weren't good enough, they don't mention how you barely have money to eat, or you have to walk because you don't have a car, or can't take the bus. They just hide and no one says shit." Kurt can remember hearing a few of those stories, back when he was little and his mother was still alive. "Being Puck just ended up being easier than not."
They sat there, Kurt sniffing lightly while Noah continued to stroke a hand over Kurt's hair. It was nice, peaceful. Even though Kurt was meant to be at home, packing for his new school, even though Noah desperately needed to put ice on his eye if he wanted to avoid horrific swelling, it was calming to just sit there and pretend none of it was happening.
"Really, Noah, what's happening at school? About the fight?" He feels partially responsible, so he has to ask.
"I broke Dave's jaw." Holy crap, they can't just turn their back on that, how can they, "He got a few punches in, but I broke his jaw, and I am pretty sure they were going to expel me and toss my ass back in juvie when Coach S. just blazed in and started ranting about something. I'm not sure but I'm sure she mentioned candid camera, a fight club reality show and letters of consent. Did you know Coach S. could forge signatures?" It's enough to get a laugh, a bark of a sobbing laugh out of Kurt. "Yeah, so Dave got all quiet and stuff and just agreed with everything she said and I was just, not even there."
"So, it's, nothing’s happening?"
"Coach S. owns my ass now, but no. Nothing’s going down." It was a relief, really. "You don't have to go. I can make sure he never even looks at you again, you know I can, c'mon Kurt." There's something about listening to Noah Puckerman plead, something a little heart-breaking and endearing at the same time.
"Noah,"
"No, okay, you don't need to do anything. He won't get within six feet of you, you don't share a class with him, I can be fucking attached to you in the halls if you want, he won't touch you." Kurt turned to look at Noah, frowning slightly at the openness of the expression that the boy was wearing.
"Why do you care?"
"Because," there's a pause, and Kurt holds his breath for just a moment, "because it would suck if you weren't around, and I'd probably miss you." It's almost an admission of something that Kurt thinks he wants, almost wants Noah to say more, to convince him that there's enough to stay for. But realistically, he can't, he can't expect that from Noah Puckerman, can't expect if from anyone in McKinley, he just has to be somewhere safe.
"I'm going to miss you too."
He's sure that Noah doesn't miss the wording, he can't change his mind now, even with Noah knowing the truth, even with Noah's promises to protect him, he just can't change what's already happened and how unsafe he feels in the halls of McKinley. It's just not going to happen. Noah's face shutters slightly, like Kurt can see him drawing himself back, closing up, even as he just nods his head, accepting.
"I should go." There's another nod, and Kurt stands from the bed, "You should eat your sandwich." Just as he's about to walk away, Noah wraps a hand around Kurt's wrist, tugging lightly to twist him back, facing Noah as he sits where he was. It's the grip on his wrist that Noah uses to pull him closer, the loose grasp the urges him forward until he's between Noah's legs and half bent over. He realises what Noah's doing as his eyes fall to Noah's lips -moist and slightly parted- and Kurt feels his chest tighten. Noah's drawing him down slowly, carefully, and Kurt can pull away from it if he wanted to, at the pace they're going Kurt would have no problem tugging back and away from it.
He doesn't, because if there's a first kiss that he could imagine, maybe Noah Puckerman is the person to imagine it from. They get to barely an inch apart and Noah glances between Kurt's eyes and his lips before tilting his head up, sliding his hand over Kurt's cheek and drawing Kurt into the softest kiss imaginable. His wrist is released as Noah's hand goes to his waist, Kurt's hands sliding to Noah's shoulders for support as he leans down and into the kiss, lips moving over lips. It's nothing like the harsh kiss from Dave, nothing like the forceful press of their mouths, the harsh bite of teeth against his own lips at the pressure. It's gentle, tentative, just Noah's lips carefully teasing at Kurt's until Kurt can't help but let out a low moan at the sensation and Noah lets his tongue flick at Kurt's upper lip. It startles a small gasp from him and Noah uses that to slide his tongue past Kurt's lips, slowly coaxing Kurt into a deeper lip lock and enticing out another groan, this one from somewhere deep in Kurt's chest.
It's with a shuddering breath that Kurt starts to pull back, licking his lips after Noah lets them go, staring down at the boy staring up at him. It's exactly how he'd imagined his first kiss could be, should be, all those things he'd imagined and hoped for. He just doesn't know what made Noah do it.
"Why did-"
"Because," he expects Noah to just hit out with something flippant, something that cheapens things, something that takes away any meaning to it. Because there are elements of Puck in Noah and Noah uses Puck for these moments, these times where he can be vulnerable. "Because you're going to your new school, and I didn't want to have to wonder 'what if' about something else in my life." It's not flippant, and it's not cheapening, and Kurt is hit with just what 'I'd probably miss you' really means in Noah-speak.
"Noah," Kurt just breathes it out, running a hand over Noah's cheek and jaw, missing the bruise around his eye.
"C'mon, I'll walk you out." Kurt's in a daze as Noah walks him out to his car, bundles him into the driver’s seat and casually takes Kurt's phone from him just as he's about to slot it into the dash to connect it to the car. He hits a few buttons and types something in and Kurt just waits. "Text me when you get home?" Kurt nods again, letting Noah lean in to place a quick, gentle kiss to the corner off his mouth before stepping back, closing the door and walking around to the sidewalk, waiting for Kurt to drive off.
If he was asked, Kurt couldn't answer, he didn't know how he got home, too caught up in thoughts and the memory of that kiss and the way Noah answered. When he was back in his room, staring at his half packed bag, Kurt took out his phone to skim through his contacts, finding a new one. Noah.
He sat down heavily on his bed, ignoring all the packing he had to do, even as his fingers typed out a generic 'I'm home' message, because there was just too much going through his mind. And almost all of it had to do with Noah Puckerman and just what the hell that kiss meant.