My Place In Your Life 28/?
Author: allatingle
Rating: NC-17
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kurt/Puck, the rest of the gang wanders in and out.
Genre: Romance/Angst
Warnings: None
Spoilers: I can't separate Glee from FF or RL anymore so lets say everything.
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, atrocious grammar is.
Word Count: 3190
Summary: Kurt and Puck decide to have some fun together. Just fun, no strings. But being totally casual isn't as easy as it looks.
A/N: So, yeah, it's been a while. My life turned quite upside down last year -much was lost and more than a few tears shed. I continued to write through it all, just didn't feel ready to post. But then Kurt sang I'm Still Here and you know what? So. Am. I. So, I offer my apologies for the long wait, my thanks to those who waited, my gratitude to all those who sent messages of encouragement and pleas for more, and my heart in the form of Chapter 28.
“Ladies,” Mr. Schue implored.
“She pushed me!” Rachel shrieked.
“You pulled my hair!” Quinn yelled back.
“That was an accident.”
“You accidentally grabbed my ponytail and yanked it?”
“It was swinging in my face, I was just trying to get it out of my eyes,” Rachel sniffed.
Kurt hitched his legs up over the seat in front of him and watched yet another battle scene unfold between Rachel and Quinn. They had been engaged in thinly veiled hand-to-hand combat for the last week, ever since Finn had finally called it quits with Rachel.
“Girls, enough!” Mr. Schue’s voice boomed through the auditorium. “The showcase is in two days and we are not ready.”
“We’re never ready,” Kurt said around a bored yawn.
Mercedes snickered from the seat beside him. “It’s part of our charm.”
“We’ll pull it together by showtime,” Sam was nonchalant from Mercedes other side. “We always do.”
They watched as Quinn gave Rachel the finger behind Mr. Schue’s back.
“Either that or there’ll be a bitch brawl on stage,” Tina said from the row behind them.
“Hey, girls fighting...” Sam grinned.
Mercedes gave him a look.
“...Would be terrible. Totally inappropriate and wrong.”
“Yes, especially considering one of the girls is your ex-girlfriend,” Mercedes said pointedly.
“Who Quinn?” Sam scoffed. “Nah, we barely had a relationship, but the girl I’m seeing now, she’s awesome.”
Kurt watched Mercedes practically dissolve into a puddle under the weight of Sam’s sparkling eyes and most charming smile.
“Nice save, Sam,” he said dryly.
Sam ignored him in favor of taking Mercedes’ hand and kissing it sweetly. Mercedes giggled, Tina cooed and Kurt swallowed a sigh. His best friend was crazy about a boy who was crazy about her and he was thrilled for her. Sam treated her like the precious jewel that she was and Mercedes was giggly and glowy and adorable, and it warmed his heart to see his girl so happy.
It did.
Okay, maybe it also hurt just a teeny, tiny, little bit because not so long ago he had been that besotted. He had gazed into the eyes of a beautiful boy and had the rest of the world fall completely away. It felt like ages ago but in truth it was only a little over a month. He knew the exact number of days but he was refusing to acknowledge it anymore. Refusing to wake up each morning and start the day with the tally of how many weeks, days, hours since he’d broken up with Noah. Puck. He was not going to become one of those bitter, angry people so mired in their own tragic past that they couldn’t enjoy someone else’s present happiness.
“Saam,” Mercedes giggled beside him.
He was trying not to become one of those people.
He stifled another sigh and tried to focus on the smack down on stage. It was much less of a smack down now and more just two teenage girls trying to hide their battered hearts and bruised egos behind a mask of indignance and indifference and doing a terrible job. He glanced across the auditorium to see how Finn was handling it, since angry, sad Rachel and Quinn was something he had never been able to handle well. Part and parcel of why he had dated both of them long past their expiry date. He seemed to be doing okay though, goofing around with Artie and Mike and only darting the occasional uncomfortable glance at his exes.
A few seats away from them were Brittany and Santana, giggling, heads bent together over a screen. And then down a few more rows, off to the side were Lauren and Puck, slouched down in their seats, sharing earbuds and playing air guitar along to whatever song they were listening to. Without warning the memory of a lazy Sunday afternoon in Puck’s bedroom materialized in Kurt's mind. Puck, shirtless, in low slung jeans, dancing around playing air guitar and Kurt, leaning against the headboard, watching him and laughing at his antics and falling just a little bit more in love. In the dark auditorium, Kurt closed his eyes for a moment, although he honestly wasn’t sure if it was to chase the memory away or see it more clearly. This was the hardest part now, the random memories that sprang up out of nowhere. Sometimes they made him smile, sometimes they made his heart skip a beat, sometimes they punched the air out of him and he had to grab hold of something and breathe, Kurt, just breathe. But at the very least they didn’t make him cry anymore.
“Hey, Gidget.”
He was startled out of his reverie by Santana dropping into the seat beside him.
He let out an irritated huff. “Kurt. Kuuurrrtt,” he enunciated slowly. “You know, it’s really not that hard.”
“I’m not here to talk about your dick.”
Kurt gave her a mild glare. “What are you here to talk about?”
“Sleepover tonight. Brittany’s house. Me, Britt, Tee, Cedes and you. Bring those make-you-fat-just-by-looking-at-them cookies you make.”
“Santana-” Kurt started to protest because he really wasn’t sure if he was in the mood for an entire night of snark from Santana, swooning from Mercedes and angst ridden soul searching or whatever the hell was going on with Tina right now.
“It’s not a request, baby gay, Brittany wants you there, so you’re there. 6:00pm.” She was wearing her I dare you to cross me face and Kurt knew there was little point in arguing. She would show up at his house and drag him bodily out the door if she had to. He also knew it wasn't just for Brittany, although he was pretty sure that if Brittany asked for the Hope diamond, Santana would be downloading specs of the Smithsonian in a heartbeat - and seriously, how long were they all just going to pretend that there was nothing going on there?
I don't know, Kurt, maybe for as long as they pretended there was nothing going on between you and Puck?
Okay, valid point.
Anyway, Kurt knew better. Santana had been a strange source of comfort to him over the past few weeks. Texting him at all hours, showing up at his house with DVD’s and ice cream, even tagging along with him to the tire shop after school. She had been quite a hit at the shop, sashaying about in her Cheerios uniform and flirting mercilessly with the guys until poor Brad almost dropped a car off the hoist and Kurt had to drag her out of there before someone got hurt. She was also responsible for his first two real, full-bodied laughs since Prom when over dinner that same evening his dad had asked, “You and that Santana girl aren’t a thing now are you?” Kurt had almost fallen off his chair, he’d laughed so hard.
“Oh my God, Dad, no! Nonononono. And one more time just to be sure, no. Santana is just a friend. A bitchy, obnoxious, friend.”
Burt regarded his son carefully. “I mean if you’re unsure about your sexuality, that’s fine, but I wouldn’t want you denying who you are.”
Kurt snickered. “If anything assures me of my sexuality, it’s Santana. I swear Dad, it’s boys, definitely boys.”
“Okay, good.” Burt nodded.
“Good that I like boys?” Kurt teased.
“Whatever, that you like boys. Good that you’re not denying who you are.” He paused a moment. “Is she?”
Kurt stopped, forkful of green beans halfway to his mouth. “Why would you ask that?”
“I don’t know." Burt shrugged. "She seems to be trying awfully hard. Just made my gaydar ping a little.”
“You’re...” And he did fall off his chair that time.
Kurt gave Santana a sidelong glance before sniffing and giving his hair a haughty flick. “You know, I was screwing the hottest guy in school for months, I think you can stop calling me baby gay.”
Santana gaped at him in surprise for a second, and then threw back her head and laughed. "Well, damn boy," she sputtered when she managed to catch her breath. "I guess you got me there."
Kurt let a satisfied smirk quirk the corner of his lips and, if truth be told, preened a little bit because he was a long way from innocent now and respect should be paid.
“Okay, everybody up, lets run through the group number.” Mr. Schue was clapping his hands and beckoning them to the stage, the latest uprising quelled for the moment.
Santana stood and made her way back down the aisle. “Cookies, don’t forget or I’ll shave your eyebrows while you sleep,” she tossed airily over her shoulder.
“Aw, it’s nice that my face is the last thing you’d want to see before you die,” Kurt called after her.
Santana just kissed her hand and slapped it to her ass as she bounced down the stairs.
He brought the cookies. And it was not because he was just the teensiest bit afraid that Santana would actually shave his eyebrows while he slept. No, it was a sleepover and he should bring something, that was all. Santana whooped with delight and snatched the plate out of his hands before he crossed the threshold and they went through half of them before the pizza arrived. They decimated the other half shortly after and a plate of brownies, too and they talked and laughed and Tina was only mildly angsty ("It's been TinaandMike for so long I feel like I don’t know who I am anymore.") and Mercedes was completely heart eyed ("Sam has the cutest birthmark on the inside of his left elbow that’s shaped like a diamond.") and Kurt only wanted to kill them both just a little.
"Okay, so, this has gone on long enough," Santana stated definitively, apropos of nothing.
Kurt didn't look up from where he was lying on his stomach on Brittany’s bed, quietly galloping a stuffed purple unicorn across her comforter, until he realized that the chatter that had been lulling his sugar addled brain towards sleep had stopped. He looked up to find all the girls staring at him from where they were sprawled around the bedroom.
"What?" He asked warily.
"Time to get back on the horse, Sigfreid,” Santana said.
"Get... what?" Kurt asked again, because he had kind of been absorbed in the story he had been weaving in his head about magical kingdoms and handsome princes and unicorns for everyone.
Mercedes sat up from her nest of pillows on the floor and folded her hands in her lap. "Kurt, sweetie, it's been almost two months since you and Puck... ended," she started gently.
"So?" And Kurt's voice was maybe a little on the sharp side.
"So...” She toyed with the tassel on one of the cushions. “Maybe it's time to get back out there."
Kurt stared at her and then looked around at the rest of them. "Uh, get back out where? Into Lima's giant gay dating pool?"
"Is that at the rec centre?" Brittany asked.
Santana smiled down at Brittany, who’s head was resting on her lap and booped her nose with a finger before gently extricating herself and rising to her feet. "The best way to get over the old guy is to get under a new guy,” she declared.
Kurt blinked at her. "Wow, that's really great advice, San, I will definitely consider it. Next topic please."
"Come on, Kurt, it's almost summer vacation." And now Tina was joining in on the madness.
Kurt huffed. "And?"
Santana huffed right back at him. "And as your hags, we cannot in good conscience let you sit around moping over your half closeted ex."
Kurt buried his face in the comforter with a groan because, really, what the hell was this conversation? "Look you guys, I appreciate the sentiment, demented though it may be, but even if I was ready to... be with someone else, there aren't even any possibilities."
Brittany crawled over and climbed up on the bed beside him. “That's not what we heard,” she said in a sing-sing voice.
Kurt turned his head to look at her and also to be prepared to fend off yet another one of her attempts to braid his hair. “What are you talking about?"
"Mercedes told us that one of the prep school boys gave you his number," Santana said.
Kurt had completely forgotten about that. It had been months ago and he’d never had any intention of calling him. Puck had been his whole universe then, and not even a handsome, charming guy like Blaine could have turned his head. But he was the first guy to spontaneously give Kurt his number and, admittedly, he’d savored it a little. He swatted at Brittany’s hand as it crept towards his hair. “That was months ago."
"So what? He gave you his number which means he wants you to call," Mercedes said brightly.
Kurt narrowed his eyes at her. “Oh, I’m sorry, did my ex-best friend who’s been telling my secrets to the dark priestess, say something?”
And either he was losing his touch or Sam really knew how to use them trouty lips because she didn’t look the least bit contrite. “Come on, what’s the worst that could happen?”
"Um, he says, 'who the hell are you?' and laughs in my face."
Tina abandoned her spot on the bean bag chair and plopped down on the bed on his other side. "Then you're no worse off than you are now."
"Besides, you're not going to call him, you're going to text. If he doesn't answer, then you know he's not interested anymore and we move on to plan B,” Santana said.
Kurt felt an actual current of fear course through him. "What's plan B?"
"We hit up Scandals, the gay bar in West Lima. If we can't get you a boyfriend, we can at least get you laid," she gave him a lascivious grin.
Kurt’s mouth hung open. "Okay, seriously, were you guys drinking before I got here, because both of these plans are insane and not going to happen and-" he stopped when his eyes landed on Santana across the room, leaning against the desk with a phone in her hand. “Hey, is that my-”
"What's prep school boy's name?" Santana interrupted, finger sliding across the screen.
"Blaine Anderson,” Mercedes supplied.
"Santana, what the hell are you doing? Give me my phone!" Kurt scrambled to climb off the bed but Brittany and Tina, strategically placed on either side of him, grabbed his arms and pulled him back.
"We're doing this because we love you, Kurt. Or Mercedes, Tina and Britt love you, I'm just sick of the sad puppy eyes. Ah-ha!" She chortled suddenly.
"Santana, don't you dare!" Kurt tried to shake the girls off, but Brittany pushed him flat on the bed and both girls threw themselves on top of him.
“Hey Blaine, I know it's been a while...” Santana recited as she typed.
Kurt was twisting and squirming, trying to shake off his captors but as soon as he dislodged one of them, the other was there.
“...but I was wondering if you were still up for shopping?"
A full body twist and roll and all three of them went over the edge of the bed landing in a shrieking heap on the floor but he didn’t have a chance to find his footing before Brittany clamped around his legs like a Koala bear and Tina sat on his back, knocking the breath out of him and pinning him in place. "Santana, I will kill you, I swear!" he panted.
Santana gave him a wicked grin as she pressed one last button. "Send."
Kurt finally stopped struggling and froze, horrified. “You didn’t,” he whispered.
“Totally did. Now we just have to wait-” the phone in her hand buzzed. “Oh! Well, someone’s an eager little beaver.” She opened the message and read aloud.
"Hey Kurt! It has been a while but I’m absolutely still up for shopping. How about Saturday?"
The girls squealed with delight but Kurt just moaned. "Oh my God, don’t Santana. Please, I’m begging you."
“Have to, don’t want to be rude. Saturday would be great. Where should we meet?"
The response came back quickly.
"Westerville Outlet Mall. 2pm outside the main entrance?"
"Perfect. See you then." Santana grinned and tossed the phone on the bed. "There, it's a date."
Brittany and Tina finally released their hold on him and sat back.
Kurt remained face down on the floor, willing it to open up and swallow him whole. "I hate you," he hissed finally when the laws of physics refused to bend to his will. "I hate all of you."
"Yeah, yeah, we just got you a date with a cute guy, we are truly horrible people," Santana scoffed.
Kurt lifted his head and glowered at her. “You stole my phone, held me down and forced me into a date with a guy I don’t even know.”
“A cute guy,” Mercedes piped up.
“Again, with the ex-best friend speaking to me!” Kurt snapped.
“You can hate me if you want, but I love you, Kurt, so I’m not going to sit by and watch you spend the whole summer mourning the one that got away. You’re fabulous and there are boys out there who can handle that. Blaine might be one of them.”
Kurt pushed himself up and sat back on his heels. “Or he might not.”
“Or he might not,” Tina said reaching out a hand, probably to stroke his arm reassuringly but the glare Kurt directed at her made her pull it back quickly. She waggled a finger at him from a safe distance instead. “But you won’t know unless you go out with him.”
“Yeah, Kurt. And it’s not really a date, it’s just shopping. So he doesn’t have to be your soul mate, he’s just a cute boy you’re spending the afternoon with,” Mercedes reasoned.
“He’s just a pair of glasses,” Brittany said.
“He’s... what?”
“A pair of glasses. To help you see.”
Kurt squeezed the bridge of his nose because a headache was brewing and he needed it to go away so he could effectively plot a way to kill his friends. “To help me see what, Brittany?” He asked tersely.
“That there are other boys in the world who can make you sparkle besides Puck.”
The room was silent and Kurt released the pincer grip on his nose and looked over at Brittany, smiling and completely sincere. He sighed. “I know that Britt.”
Really Kurt?
“You know it up here,” she tapped his temple. “But down here?” She moved her hand to his chest. His heart. “Not yet.”
Kurt took her hand and kissed it and then looked around at his friends, all of them, even Santana, watching him with warm, caring eyes. They loved him, they wanted his happiness, even if they went about it in the worst possible ways. He groaned in defeat.
“Goddamnit, fine! But I still hate all of you and if this non-date turns out to be horrible I will exact my revenge.”
“And if it turns out to be great?” Tina asked.
“He will bow when he greets me and henceforth refer to me as Queen Tana, the Omnipotent,” Santana stated imperiously.
And before Kurt could fire back a scathing comment, she surprised him with a tackle hug, knocking him back onto the floor and someone else shouted “Cuddle pile!” and he was instantly smothered in giggling teenaged girls.