Chapter 4, Finally
Title: Child of the Moon
Pairing: Artie/Kurt eventual Puck/Artie/Kurt
Chapter: 4/?
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Info on trans, angst, fluff, probably smut, Puck being Puck, idiocy, bashing
Summary: Kurt is slowly becoming Kourtney, turning the lives of the glee kids topsy turvy
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing.
Notes: HOLY CRAP. A NON-MYTHOLOGY STORY, WHAT!? Doing this for the sheer factor of the lack of genuine fics out there concerning transpersons. They're people too, and they're fighting for equality just like so many other groups. My science may not always be accurate in parts, but I've done my best to research and re-research, so please be patient. I do not mean to offend anyone with this story.
Previous Chapters: One, Two, Three
Jacob Ben Israel had gotten the scoop of his life! He had heard, through the grapevine, okay, from lurking around corners and hiding in bathroom stalls, and pressing his ear against walls, that the one and only Kurt Hummel, was a girl! Not born a girl, which wouldn't have been as impressive as this - he was one of those... transgressive... people his Aunt Sheila talked about, who were born in the wrong body.
It was too good a scoop to pass over.
Journeying down the halls, he found Hummel leaning against his - her? locker and talking to Artie. You wouldn't know it just by looking, that beyond the tight jeans and sweater vest and tie, that there was a girl under all of that. Little things, however, if you really looked made you notice; things like the hand waving, the gentle swish of hips, toying with his/her hair.
Nothing was better than getting the truth from the source, pressing until answers were finally given and the press had justice!
Once he got within earshot, he fished out his tape recorder and turned it on. He plastered on a smile and marched right towards the duo quietly flirting and talking in the halls.
“I've heard, on good information, from a very reliable source, that you, Kurt Hummel are --”
Jacob never had the chance to finish his sentence, like a flash, from out of nowhere, was Noah Puckerman. Ben Israel hit the grey toned lockers with so much force the entire row rattled and the air left his lungs in a rush. The tape recorder was taken from his hand and slammed into the lockers by his head, and he winced as he heard the plastic and metal crunch and fall to pieces on the linoleum floor.
“No one, I repeat, no one, talks to Hummel or Abrams without my say so, and without my pre-approved list of allowable questions.” Puck released the grip he had with one hand on Ben Israel's shirt with one hand and smoothed out his shirt roughly. “Am I making myself clear?”
“W-what makes you say that you have any authority on that?” Jacob was actually surprised he had managed to say the whole thing with confidence, or, at least as much as he could muster.
Puck pulled on the lapels of his flannel shirt and jutted out his chin proudly. “I'm their bodyguard, got it?”
Jacob withered away from the harsh look he was receiving from Puck and managed a weak nod with a quiet squeak before pushing himself along the row of lockers and then bolting off down the hall. Puck smirked and turned to look at Artie and Kourtney who were looking at him with raised eyebrows and his smirk fell.
“What?”
“You're our... bodyguard?” Kourt ventured slowly, crossing her arms.
“That guy is a dick, he was going to -”
Puck's words were cut off when Kourtney held up a hand, silencing him and shaking her head. “Thank you.”
Puck's slow smile that bloomed at the praise made Artie smile, and his heart beat faster.
Puck was so good for them.
~*~
“Girl, I'm tellin' you that you have got to go to the winter dance. We're all going.”
Kourt looked up from her copy of Trend and looked to Mercedes, who had just arrived in Glee practice, and was acting like it was the end of the world that she wasn't going to the stupid dance.
“Look, Mercedes...”
Outside of the door to the Glee room, Puck and Artie, who had been running late after a history test, paused, holding in their breath.
“Lima isn't the most tolerant of places, I found that when I first came out as gay. Sure, I may be lucky to be surrounded by some open minded friends, but...” Kourt stopped a moment and wiped her fringe off her forehead. “Going with Artie to the dance, as bad as I want to, would just cause more problems.”
“I don't understand...”
Kourt sighed. “I want to wear a dress, Mercedes.”
“So..?”
“So... This is Lima, this is high school, and a whole bunch of jocks and popular kids, and unpopular kids with blogs are going to be there. They'll see me in a dress and they'll laugh.”
“So what? What do they know?”
“I don't care if they laugh at me, Cedes, I care about Artie, I don't want him to get hurt... So, I'm not going.”
Outside the door, with his arms resting on the back of Artie's chair, Puck did his best to ignore the way Artie's face fell.
~*~
“Kourt, can I talk to you?”
Kourt looked up from packing her bag, and her conversation with Artie, to look at Puck. She looked at Artie again, who smiled and nodded a little, and she smiled back, kissing him on the cheek. Straightening and shouldering her bag, she followed Puck out of the room and into another abandoned classroom.
“So, are you and Artie going to the dance?”
“I decided not to. The IQ average of most of the people attending is devastatingly low. I'd rather not subject my boyfriend and I to further ridicule than necessary.”
“C'mon dudette, you're like... the most brave person I know.”
Kourt laughed a little and looked at her feet, shuffling them a little, feeling unusually nervous. Lately, she had been feeling that way around Puck a lot...
“I'll be there, and Finn will be there, and Mercedes will be there, and Matt and Mike and everyone, so if anyone says anything we'll be the crap out of them. Besides, you can't stay hidden in that closet anymore, even if it is filled with really nice clothes. If you stay in there any longer, or any further back, you'll start finding Chanukah presents.”
“Christmas...”
“Whatever. So, are you going?”
“Well... I'll need to find a dress before tomorrow.”
“And you're worried about that?”
“Not really.”
“Buy an awesome one, that'll make you look super hot, so everyone gets jealous.”
Kourt chuckled a little before wrapping her arms around Puck in a light, tentative hug. “Thanks, Noah.”
He patted her back. “Anytime.”
As she walked out of the room, with a soft, 'see you tomorrow', he waved with a smile.
His smile faded.
He was so screwed.
~*~
Walking into the dance the next night, Kourt was nervous beyond words, but also elated. She was about to quite possibly commit social suicide, but she was also elated. She was finally coming out, proud and fabulous, to the whole school.
She could do this.
Finding the table, filled with friends, she walked over, her long trench coat still clutched around her form, hiding her from prying eyes. She smiled at everyone, who smiled back at her, trying to be comforting. They had all come separately, and she had been the last one to arrive. She had spent forty-five minutes sitting in her SUV trying to talk herself up, preparing herself for marching inside.
“Glad you made it!” Tina called, dancing to the music.
Kourt hesitated with the belt holding her long black trench closed. It was like a protective shield wrapped around her. She looked to Artie, who was beaming up at her from his spot, dressed in his adorable white suit. She smiled back and slowly slid the belt out of the buckle, before parting the coat at the waist and sliding it down her shoulders to reveal the dress beneath.
It was a bright red, almost cherry, knee length dress. It clung to all the right curves and hid what it needed to. It was a high collared off the shoulder dress, so it didn't dip to her bust line, but it was visible from below the satiny material. The dress showed just the right amount of skin, creamy and white against the redness and the dark brown of her hair.
“Well...?”
Artie stared, with that adorably shocked expression. Puck dropped his drink. Mercedes just broke into a wide grin.
“Girl~, way to look fab-u-lous!”
Kourt broke into a grin and linked arms with her while she snapped a photo on her digital camera before she was released and walked over to Artie's side.
“Do you like it?”
Artie's hands moved over her satin encased hips and he smiled. “You look absolutely beautiful. I'm glad you decided to come.”
“Well... I had a change of heart.”
Artie just nodded. “Can I get you a drink.”
“Sure, lemonade if they have it.”
As Artie rolled off, she looked over to Puck, who was dressed in a rather proper looking suit and tie, which clashed, but also melded well with his mohawk. She walked over to his side.
“Thank you for talking me into this.”
He nodded and took a sip of his blue punch. “No problem. Way to look totally hot.”
“Really?” She looked down at herself and brushed her hands over her hips before patting them self-consciously. “I thought maybe you'd be able to tell... you know...”
“If I had no idea, I'd think that you'd been born with those curves.”
Kourt smiled and rose up on her toes in her flats and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You really know how to make a girl feel special.”
“Well...” Puck hooked his thumbs into his suspenders. “You can dance with me later as a thank you.”
“Deal.”
~*~
After the short dinner, everyone was on the dance floor, well, every couple anyway. Soft music, specifically Chris de Burgh's Lady in Red was playing. Kourt was dancing with Artie and tried to ignore the few stares that people were sending their way. She wasn't sure if it was the fact that most of them knew her only as 'Kurt' or because she was dancing, very successfully, with Artie. Whatever the case, they didn't matter.
As the music slowly drifted off, Kourt blushed softly when Artie rose her hand to his lips and kissed it. She knew he had requested the song specifically for her, with the intention of dancing only with her, and it made her heart go pitter-pat.
As the beginning cords of the next song started, Puck strode over. “Mind if I cut in?”
Artie and Puck shared a long look, but neither said anything. Finally Artie nodded and handed Kourt's hand to Puck. “Treat her right.”
Artie wheeled away and Puck turned to Kourt with a smile, curling his fingers around her hand and set the other on her waist while she set the other on his shoulder. Slowly, they began to dance, Puck leading.
“I'm shocked.”
“Why? Didn't think I knew how to dance?”
“If you were me, looking at you, would you think I knew you knew how to dance?”
“Fair enough.”
After a few verses, Kourt moved her hands to lock about his neck as his slid about her waist. As they moved, Kourt looked into Puck's eyes, finding no malice, or amusement, or even discomfort there. Instead, she found pure contentment and was that... was that longing?
She opened her mouth to question him, but instead he spun her and then took her back into his embrace. As they moved, she realized the song playing was Lady by Kenny Rogers. She had seen him at the request table earlier, had he requested this? Did he know the lyrics prior to requesting this?
“Puck... I...”
He shook his head, his hands curling a little against her back. “Just dance with me.”
Kourt wanted to protest, but found she couldn't. She just nodded, her head spinning with a thousand different thoughts. She let him sway with her, her head slowly moving to rest on his shoulder. She stayed that way, held in his arms, pressed against him and swaying for the remainder of the song.
As the song ended, and the DJ went on break, Kourt pulled away from Puck, who was smiling and looking so happy. His face was like an open book, laid out for her to read from, to interpret, to just look into and see his heart. It was frightening.
It was too much, and all at once.
“Noah, I...” She let her arms slide from around his neck slowly. Her breath was shaky, and she took a slow step back from him. She couldn't think. Her mind was racing and her heart was pounding. What was she supposed to do?! “I... I... I need some air!”
With that, she turned and fled.
~*~
Sitting on the stairs just outside of the gym, Kourt watched couples come and go. They all looked so happy...
What did Puck want with her?
She was with Artie. She couldn't just betray him like that...
Was it even possible to love more than one person at a time? Was that normal?
She buried her head in her hands, groaning.
Then again, Puck and Artie had exchanged that look... What did it all mean?
She wanted to just go home and get her head together and talk to them both the next day over a movie or a latte or something...
Picking up her tiny clutch purse, she sighed, standing from her spot on the stairs and walking down them slowly.
“Hey, Hummel...”
She turned at a voice, seeing two members of the hockey team, what were their names? Albrey and... Ger...something... They were both clutching onto beers and looming in a dark corner. Great, drunken idiots, more fun.
Ignoring them she kept on walking, figuring it was best to just grab her things and go. Curl up in her basement with Breakfast at Tiffany's and hot chocolate, or Chai.
“Hey!” Albrey grabbed her wrist and tugged on it. “Wh're you goin'?”
“Home.” She could smell the booze on his breath and she wrenched her wrist free.
“I dun think so.” He grabbed her wrist again and tightened it, making her brows crease in pain. She wiggled, trying to get free, and looked to the hallway for someone to pass by but the other guy, Gerstalten, stepped in front of her.
“Why're you wearin' a dress?” He slurred out, looming over her. He looked down at her, before a smile cracked his face. “Hey... Lance... He's got boobs.” As if to emphasize his point, he poked one.
Balling her free fist, she smacked him with it. He growled and punched her hard across the jaw, making black spot dance in front of her eyes. Strong arms went around her waist, holding her in place and she could feel Albrey's hot, wet breath against her neck, making her squirm. She looked back at Gerstalten and found her leering at her.
No....
~*~
“God, I'm so pathetic...” Puck said into his soda, finishing it with two swallows. He was sprawled out at their table beside Artie, feeling sorry for himself. He was even holding tight to Artie's hand.
“Puck, you just need to give her time. She'll come around, this is a lot to take in.”
“I shouldn't have danced with her.”
“Did it make you happy?”
“Yeah.”
“Then you made the right choice.”
Brittany ran up to the table, panting. “Guys. There are two guys being mean to Kourt by the stairs. I thought I heard her voice... I was coming back from the bathroom and I saw them.”
Puck was running for the door instantly, Artie hot on his tail. They rounded the corner into the stairwell, finding Kourt squirming in Albrey's arms and her legs kicking out to keep Gerstalten at bay. Puck swooped in, tossing Gerstalten into a wall while Brittany got a teacher and Artie rolled over Gerslten's ankle.
“What the fuck, Albrey!” Puck screamed, taking Kourt into his arms, giving her a quick once over before depositing her into Artie's lap.
“He...” Albrey started, swaying on his feet. “The fag wanted to be a girl so bad we thought we'd make him into one.”
Puck barely had time to think before his fist was ramming into Albrey's face. Seconds later Mr. Perkins, the school's assistant librarian, was taking the two off of Puck's hands.
Puck turned to look at Kourt, who was sitting in Artie's lap, Artie's arms around her waist. “Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head softly, looking up at him with big blue eyes. “I want to go home.”
~*~
“Thank you for bringing her home,” Burt said looking at Artie and Puck.
“No problem, sir,” Puck replied softly.
The three men sitting at the dinner table with various drinks looked over when Kourt walked in, dressed in fleecy pyjamas. Her hair was still damp from the shower and she walked over to the counter, pouring herself some tea before watching it sleep.
“Hey, kiddo...”
Kourt looked over at her dad. “Thanks for letting them stay the night.”
“No problem, it was the least I could do.”
Artie had borrowed a pair of her old pyjamas and Puck was dressed in an old t-shirt and sweatpants combo of her dad's.
After her tea was ready, Puck managed to haul Artie over his shoulder, ignoring Artie's mutter about cavemen, and they walked down to the basement. Puck laid Artie onto the left side of the bed, while Kourt sat in the middle and Puck lay on the left. Neither one of the guys offered up any complaint when she selected Fried Green Tomatoes to watch.
Artie was sleeping within fifteen minutes, and Kourt plucked his glasses off his nose, folding them up and setting them safely aside on the table within his reach. She sipped her herbal tea and watched the movie, the black and white flickering the only light in the dark room. She looked over at Puck who was watching the movie with interest, which made her smile. She opened her mouth to say something before taking a sip of her tea instead.
“I”m sorry...” Puck finally said, breaking the silence between them. “For being so forward.”
“I'm just... You know I'm with Artie...”
“I know. I like him too,” Puck admitted, eyes locked on the TV. “I like the both of you.”
“Oh?” Kourt stole a glance at Artie, who seemed blissfully unaware as he slumbered. “Does Artie know?”
“Yes.”
Kourt nodded.
“Look, I understand if you don't feel the same, I just thought telling you would be the right thing to do.”
Kourt finished her tea and put the mug aside. She didn't say anything for a long period of time, instead, she watched the movie, smiling softly. She then watched Puck watch the movie, until he finally turned and looked at her.
“What?”
She leaned forward softly and kissed him gently on the mouth. Soft and fleeting and he was leaning forward for a moment and then she was gone.
“Thank you.”
“For what.”
“For tonight. For the dance. Saving me. Telling me. Being patient. Being a friend...”
Puck just nodded, smiling a little. “You're welcome.”
Kourt shifted a little and slid down the bed, curling onto her side and shutting her eyes, listening to the movie play as she dozed off.
Puck looked at her, her face flickering in the light of the movie, peaceful and languid in sleep. He looked to Artie, who looked so untroubled, and he smiled, sliding down the bed, before letting his own eyes fall shut as he fell asleep with a quiet 'good night' to slumbering ears.
Artie opened his eyes. He propped himself up on one elbow a minute and looked about in his blurred vision in the dark. He had heard the quiet conversation and had tried hard not to smile, but now, as he looked the two of them over, that was all he could do. Shifting back into a comfortable position, he let his eyes fall shut and listened to the chatter on the TV as he slowly spiralled into the warm abyss of sleep.
Part Five
*This post was brought to you by indecisiveindy and his iMac. She's still netless at the moment, with the only thing working is Skype. So she sent me the fic so that you may all enjoy it.
She will place tags in later. -Indy*
Pairing: Artie/Kurt eventual Puck/Artie/Kurt
Chapter: 4/?
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Info on trans, angst, fluff, probably smut, Puck being Puck, idiocy, bashing
Summary: Kurt is slowly becoming Kourtney, turning the lives of the glee kids topsy turvy
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing.
Notes: HOLY CRAP. A NON-MYTHOLOGY STORY, WHAT!? Doing this for the sheer factor of the lack of genuine fics out there concerning transpersons. They're people too, and they're fighting for equality just like so many other groups. My science may not always be accurate in parts, but I've done my best to research and re-research, so please be patient. I do not mean to offend anyone with this story.
Previous Chapters: One, Two, Three
Jacob Ben Israel had gotten the scoop of his life! He had heard, through the grapevine, okay, from lurking around corners and hiding in bathroom stalls, and pressing his ear against walls, that the one and only Kurt Hummel, was a girl! Not born a girl, which wouldn't have been as impressive as this - he was one of those... transgressive... people his Aunt Sheila talked about, who were born in the wrong body.
It was too good a scoop to pass over.
Journeying down the halls, he found Hummel leaning against his - her? locker and talking to Artie. You wouldn't know it just by looking, that beyond the tight jeans and sweater vest and tie, that there was a girl under all of that. Little things, however, if you really looked made you notice; things like the hand waving, the gentle swish of hips, toying with his/her hair.
Nothing was better than getting the truth from the source, pressing until answers were finally given and the press had justice!
Once he got within earshot, he fished out his tape recorder and turned it on. He plastered on a smile and marched right towards the duo quietly flirting and talking in the halls.
“I've heard, on good information, from a very reliable source, that you, Kurt Hummel are --”
Jacob never had the chance to finish his sentence, like a flash, from out of nowhere, was Noah Puckerman. Ben Israel hit the grey toned lockers with so much force the entire row rattled and the air left his lungs in a rush. The tape recorder was taken from his hand and slammed into the lockers by his head, and he winced as he heard the plastic and metal crunch and fall to pieces on the linoleum floor.
“No one, I repeat, no one, talks to Hummel or Abrams without my say so, and without my pre-approved list of allowable questions.” Puck released the grip he had with one hand on Ben Israel's shirt with one hand and smoothed out his shirt roughly. “Am I making myself clear?”
“W-what makes you say that you have any authority on that?” Jacob was actually surprised he had managed to say the whole thing with confidence, or, at least as much as he could muster.
Puck pulled on the lapels of his flannel shirt and jutted out his chin proudly. “I'm their bodyguard, got it?”
Jacob withered away from the harsh look he was receiving from Puck and managed a weak nod with a quiet squeak before pushing himself along the row of lockers and then bolting off down the hall. Puck smirked and turned to look at Artie and Kourtney who were looking at him with raised eyebrows and his smirk fell.
“What?”
“You're our... bodyguard?” Kourt ventured slowly, crossing her arms.
“That guy is a dick, he was going to -”
Puck's words were cut off when Kourtney held up a hand, silencing him and shaking her head. “Thank you.”
Puck's slow smile that bloomed at the praise made Artie smile, and his heart beat faster.
Puck was so good for them.
~*~
“Girl, I'm tellin' you that you have got to go to the winter dance. We're all going.”
Kourt looked up from her copy of Trend and looked to Mercedes, who had just arrived in Glee practice, and was acting like it was the end of the world that she wasn't going to the stupid dance.
“Look, Mercedes...”
Outside of the door to the Glee room, Puck and Artie, who had been running late after a history test, paused, holding in their breath.
“Lima isn't the most tolerant of places, I found that when I first came out as gay. Sure, I may be lucky to be surrounded by some open minded friends, but...” Kourt stopped a moment and wiped her fringe off her forehead. “Going with Artie to the dance, as bad as I want to, would just cause more problems.”
“I don't understand...”
Kourt sighed. “I want to wear a dress, Mercedes.”
“So..?”
“So... This is Lima, this is high school, and a whole bunch of jocks and popular kids, and unpopular kids with blogs are going to be there. They'll see me in a dress and they'll laugh.”
“So what? What do they know?”
“I don't care if they laugh at me, Cedes, I care about Artie, I don't want him to get hurt... So, I'm not going.”
Outside the door, with his arms resting on the back of Artie's chair, Puck did his best to ignore the way Artie's face fell.
~*~
“Kourt, can I talk to you?”
Kourt looked up from packing her bag, and her conversation with Artie, to look at Puck. She looked at Artie again, who smiled and nodded a little, and she smiled back, kissing him on the cheek. Straightening and shouldering her bag, she followed Puck out of the room and into another abandoned classroom.
“So, are you and Artie going to the dance?”
“I decided not to. The IQ average of most of the people attending is devastatingly low. I'd rather not subject my boyfriend and I to further ridicule than necessary.”
“C'mon dudette, you're like... the most brave person I know.”
Kourt laughed a little and looked at her feet, shuffling them a little, feeling unusually nervous. Lately, she had been feeling that way around Puck a lot...
“I'll be there, and Finn will be there, and Mercedes will be there, and Matt and Mike and everyone, so if anyone says anything we'll be the crap out of them. Besides, you can't stay hidden in that closet anymore, even if it is filled with really nice clothes. If you stay in there any longer, or any further back, you'll start finding Chanukah presents.”
“Christmas...”
“Whatever. So, are you going?”
“Well... I'll need to find a dress before tomorrow.”
“And you're worried about that?”
“Not really.”
“Buy an awesome one, that'll make you look super hot, so everyone gets jealous.”
Kourt chuckled a little before wrapping her arms around Puck in a light, tentative hug. “Thanks, Noah.”
He patted her back. “Anytime.”
As she walked out of the room, with a soft, 'see you tomorrow', he waved with a smile.
His smile faded.
He was so screwed.
~*~
Walking into the dance the next night, Kourt was nervous beyond words, but also elated. She was about to quite possibly commit social suicide, but she was also elated. She was finally coming out, proud and fabulous, to the whole school.
She could do this.
Finding the table, filled with friends, she walked over, her long trench coat still clutched around her form, hiding her from prying eyes. She smiled at everyone, who smiled back at her, trying to be comforting. They had all come separately, and she had been the last one to arrive. She had spent forty-five minutes sitting in her SUV trying to talk herself up, preparing herself for marching inside.
“Glad you made it!” Tina called, dancing to the music.
Kourt hesitated with the belt holding her long black trench closed. It was like a protective shield wrapped around her. She looked to Artie, who was beaming up at her from his spot, dressed in his adorable white suit. She smiled back and slowly slid the belt out of the buckle, before parting the coat at the waist and sliding it down her shoulders to reveal the dress beneath.
It was a bright red, almost cherry, knee length dress. It clung to all the right curves and hid what it needed to. It was a high collared off the shoulder dress, so it didn't dip to her bust line, but it was visible from below the satiny material. The dress showed just the right amount of skin, creamy and white against the redness and the dark brown of her hair.
“Well...?”
Artie stared, with that adorably shocked expression. Puck dropped his drink. Mercedes just broke into a wide grin.
“Girl~, way to look fab-u-lous!”
Kourt broke into a grin and linked arms with her while she snapped a photo on her digital camera before she was released and walked over to Artie's side.
“Do you like it?”
Artie's hands moved over her satin encased hips and he smiled. “You look absolutely beautiful. I'm glad you decided to come.”
“Well... I had a change of heart.”
Artie just nodded. “Can I get you a drink.”
“Sure, lemonade if they have it.”
As Artie rolled off, she looked over to Puck, who was dressed in a rather proper looking suit and tie, which clashed, but also melded well with his mohawk. She walked over to his side.
“Thank you for talking me into this.”
He nodded and took a sip of his blue punch. “No problem. Way to look totally hot.”
“Really?” She looked down at herself and brushed her hands over her hips before patting them self-consciously. “I thought maybe you'd be able to tell... you know...”
“If I had no idea, I'd think that you'd been born with those curves.”
Kourt smiled and rose up on her toes in her flats and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You really know how to make a girl feel special.”
“Well...” Puck hooked his thumbs into his suspenders. “You can dance with me later as a thank you.”
“Deal.”
~*~
After the short dinner, everyone was on the dance floor, well, every couple anyway. Soft music, specifically Chris de Burgh's Lady in Red was playing. Kourt was dancing with Artie and tried to ignore the few stares that people were sending their way. She wasn't sure if it was the fact that most of them knew her only as 'Kurt' or because she was dancing, very successfully, with Artie. Whatever the case, they didn't matter.
As the music slowly drifted off, Kourt blushed softly when Artie rose her hand to his lips and kissed it. She knew he had requested the song specifically for her, with the intention of dancing only with her, and it made her heart go pitter-pat.
As the beginning cords of the next song started, Puck strode over. “Mind if I cut in?”
Artie and Puck shared a long look, but neither said anything. Finally Artie nodded and handed Kourt's hand to Puck. “Treat her right.”
Artie wheeled away and Puck turned to Kourt with a smile, curling his fingers around her hand and set the other on her waist while she set the other on his shoulder. Slowly, they began to dance, Puck leading.
“I'm shocked.”
“Why? Didn't think I knew how to dance?”
“If you were me, looking at you, would you think I knew you knew how to dance?”
“Fair enough.”
After a few verses, Kourt moved her hands to lock about his neck as his slid about her waist. As they moved, Kourt looked into Puck's eyes, finding no malice, or amusement, or even discomfort there. Instead, she found pure contentment and was that... was that longing?
She opened her mouth to question him, but instead he spun her and then took her back into his embrace. As they moved, she realized the song playing was Lady by Kenny Rogers. She had seen him at the request table earlier, had he requested this? Did he know the lyrics prior to requesting this?
“Puck... I...”
He shook his head, his hands curling a little against her back. “Just dance with me.”
Kourt wanted to protest, but found she couldn't. She just nodded, her head spinning with a thousand different thoughts. She let him sway with her, her head slowly moving to rest on his shoulder. She stayed that way, held in his arms, pressed against him and swaying for the remainder of the song.
As the song ended, and the DJ went on break, Kourt pulled away from Puck, who was smiling and looking so happy. His face was like an open book, laid out for her to read from, to interpret, to just look into and see his heart. It was frightening.
It was too much, and all at once.
“Noah, I...” She let her arms slide from around his neck slowly. Her breath was shaky, and she took a slow step back from him. She couldn't think. Her mind was racing and her heart was pounding. What was she supposed to do?! “I... I... I need some air!”
With that, she turned and fled.
~*~
Sitting on the stairs just outside of the gym, Kourt watched couples come and go. They all looked so happy...
What did Puck want with her?
She was with Artie. She couldn't just betray him like that...
Was it even possible to love more than one person at a time? Was that normal?
She buried her head in her hands, groaning.
Then again, Puck and Artie had exchanged that look... What did it all mean?
She wanted to just go home and get her head together and talk to them both the next day over a movie or a latte or something...
Picking up her tiny clutch purse, she sighed, standing from her spot on the stairs and walking down them slowly.
“Hey, Hummel...”
She turned at a voice, seeing two members of the hockey team, what were their names? Albrey and... Ger...something... They were both clutching onto beers and looming in a dark corner. Great, drunken idiots, more fun.
Ignoring them she kept on walking, figuring it was best to just grab her things and go. Curl up in her basement with Breakfast at Tiffany's and hot chocolate, or Chai.
“Hey!” Albrey grabbed her wrist and tugged on it. “Wh're you goin'?”
“Home.” She could smell the booze on his breath and she wrenched her wrist free.
“I dun think so.” He grabbed her wrist again and tightened it, making her brows crease in pain. She wiggled, trying to get free, and looked to the hallway for someone to pass by but the other guy, Gerstalten, stepped in front of her.
“Why're you wearin' a dress?” He slurred out, looming over her. He looked down at her, before a smile cracked his face. “Hey... Lance... He's got boobs.” As if to emphasize his point, he poked one.
Balling her free fist, she smacked him with it. He growled and punched her hard across the jaw, making black spot dance in front of her eyes. Strong arms went around her waist, holding her in place and she could feel Albrey's hot, wet breath against her neck, making her squirm. She looked back at Gerstalten and found her leering at her.
No....
~*~
“God, I'm so pathetic...” Puck said into his soda, finishing it with two swallows. He was sprawled out at their table beside Artie, feeling sorry for himself. He was even holding tight to Artie's hand.
“Puck, you just need to give her time. She'll come around, this is a lot to take in.”
“I shouldn't have danced with her.”
“Did it make you happy?”
“Yeah.”
“Then you made the right choice.”
Brittany ran up to the table, panting. “Guys. There are two guys being mean to Kourt by the stairs. I thought I heard her voice... I was coming back from the bathroom and I saw them.”
Puck was running for the door instantly, Artie hot on his tail. They rounded the corner into the stairwell, finding Kourt squirming in Albrey's arms and her legs kicking out to keep Gerstalten at bay. Puck swooped in, tossing Gerstalten into a wall while Brittany got a teacher and Artie rolled over Gerslten's ankle.
“What the fuck, Albrey!” Puck screamed, taking Kourt into his arms, giving her a quick once over before depositing her into Artie's lap.
“He...” Albrey started, swaying on his feet. “The fag wanted to be a girl so bad we thought we'd make him into one.”
Puck barely had time to think before his fist was ramming into Albrey's face. Seconds later Mr. Perkins, the school's assistant librarian, was taking the two off of Puck's hands.
Puck turned to look at Kourt, who was sitting in Artie's lap, Artie's arms around her waist. “Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head softly, looking up at him with big blue eyes. “I want to go home.”
~*~
“Thank you for bringing her home,” Burt said looking at Artie and Puck.
“No problem, sir,” Puck replied softly.
The three men sitting at the dinner table with various drinks looked over when Kourt walked in, dressed in fleecy pyjamas. Her hair was still damp from the shower and she walked over to the counter, pouring herself some tea before watching it sleep.
“Hey, kiddo...”
Kourt looked over at her dad. “Thanks for letting them stay the night.”
“No problem, it was the least I could do.”
Artie had borrowed a pair of her old pyjamas and Puck was dressed in an old t-shirt and sweatpants combo of her dad's.
After her tea was ready, Puck managed to haul Artie over his shoulder, ignoring Artie's mutter about cavemen, and they walked down to the basement. Puck laid Artie onto the left side of the bed, while Kourt sat in the middle and Puck lay on the left. Neither one of the guys offered up any complaint when she selected Fried Green Tomatoes to watch.
Artie was sleeping within fifteen minutes, and Kourt plucked his glasses off his nose, folding them up and setting them safely aside on the table within his reach. She sipped her herbal tea and watched the movie, the black and white flickering the only light in the dark room. She looked over at Puck who was watching the movie with interest, which made her smile. She opened her mouth to say something before taking a sip of her tea instead.
“I”m sorry...” Puck finally said, breaking the silence between them. “For being so forward.”
“I'm just... You know I'm with Artie...”
“I know. I like him too,” Puck admitted, eyes locked on the TV. “I like the both of you.”
“Oh?” Kourt stole a glance at Artie, who seemed blissfully unaware as he slumbered. “Does Artie know?”
“Yes.”
Kourt nodded.
“Look, I understand if you don't feel the same, I just thought telling you would be the right thing to do.”
Kourt finished her tea and put the mug aside. She didn't say anything for a long period of time, instead, she watched the movie, smiling softly. She then watched Puck watch the movie, until he finally turned and looked at her.
“What?”
She leaned forward softly and kissed him gently on the mouth. Soft and fleeting and he was leaning forward for a moment and then she was gone.
“Thank you.”
“For what.”
“For tonight. For the dance. Saving me. Telling me. Being patient. Being a friend...”
Puck just nodded, smiling a little. “You're welcome.”
Kourt shifted a little and slid down the bed, curling onto her side and shutting her eyes, listening to the movie play as she dozed off.
Puck looked at her, her face flickering in the light of the movie, peaceful and languid in sleep. He looked to Artie, who looked so untroubled, and he smiled, sliding down the bed, before letting his own eyes fall shut as he fell asleep with a quiet 'good night' to slumbering ears.
Artie opened his eyes. He propped himself up on one elbow a minute and looked about in his blurred vision in the dark. He had heard the quiet conversation and had tried hard not to smile, but now, as he looked the two of them over, that was all he could do. Shifting back into a comfortable position, he let his eyes fall shut and listened to the chatter on the TV as he slowly spiralled into the warm abyss of sleep.
Part Five
*This post was brought to you by indecisiveindy and his iMac. She's still netless at the moment, with the only thing working is Skype. So she sent me the fic so that you may all enjoy it.
She will place tags in later. -Indy*