(Put Me Back Together) Now I'm Jell-O (28/?)
Title: Put Me Back Together
Part: Chapter 28: Now I’m Jell-O
Author: Squeeka Cuomo
Rating: PG
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kurt/Puck, Burt Hummel, Mercedes Jones, Finn Hudson, Quinn Fabray, Emma Pillsbury, Will Schuester, Tina Cohen-Chang, Artie Abrams, Rachel Berry, Santana Lopez, Brittany S. Pierce, Mike Chang, Matt Rutherford
Author’s Note: The title and opening quote for this fic come from the beautiful Weezer song, “Put Me Back Together.” You can find it here.
- I know there are tons of spoilers out for the upcoming episodes. Please don’t post them in the comments.
Warning: This takes place directly after “Sectionals.” Everything up to that point is considered fair game. There are spoilers if you haven’t seen the first 13 episodes.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: All it takes is one moment to break Kurt apart. How many will it take to put not only himself but Puck back together?
Put Me Back TogetherChapter 28: Now I’m Jell-O
The second that Burt said he’d dated Puck’s mom, Kurt’s mouth fell open in (extremely) unflattering shock.
He’d always thought…
He’d never…
It just…
It had never occurred to Kurt that his dad had dated women other than his mom. Granted, he now realized what a ridiculous thought that was. But it still seemed so surreal.
And the fact that Burt had dated, of all people, Puck’s mom…
As Kurt thoughts went to Puck, he realized that he’d completely forgotten about him. Kurt had just been so shocked by the news that nothing else had mattered. But even though he was still totally confused, Kurt had to see how Puck was taking the news.
Reluctant to look away from his dad, Kurt turned to face Puck. From the complete and utter shock on Puck’s face, he hadn’t known either.
His mouth was clamped tightly shut, and his wide eyes were trained on Burt. Kurt thought about asking Puck if he was ok, but he didn’t. Instead, he turned back to his dad, hoping for some sort of explanation.
“We only went out a few times.” Burt dug into the pasta on his plate again. As he twisted the utensil in the noodles, Kurt silently willed him to finish the story before putting the food into his mouth. He really didn’t think that he could handle waiting for his dad to chew and swallow before he finished his story.
When Burt finally opened his mouth again, Kurt held his breath in anticipation. “Then she dumped me, because I wasn’t Jewish.” Relieved, Kurt let out a low breath as his dad snorted at the memory.
“She said that her conscience would no longer allow her to date a gentile.” Based on the amusement in his dad’s voice, Kurt could only just imagine how that breakup must have gone. “Or something like that anyway.” When Burt finished speaking, he shoved the forkful of pasta into his mouth. He chewed for a few seconds before swallowing. “I’m guessing you don’t feel the same way, Noah?”
Even though Kurt was still looking at his dad, he could feel Puck shift a little behind him. But whether or not it was because the question made him uncomfortable, Kurt couldn’t tell. And despite the fact that Kurt knew Puck could care less about the religious affiliations of his conquests, he realized that he was curious to hear Puck’s answer. “I, uh… No. I don’t.”
Burt nodded a little as he reached for his glass of Coke. “Good to know.” There was a very slight hint of menace in his dad’s voice that caused the tips of Kurt’s ears to burn slightly.
“So, umh…” Puck sounded a little uneasy. But when Kurt turned to look at him, he looked much more relaxed than before. “When did you meet Kurt’s mom?” The question came out of nowhere, and Kurt was shocked that he’d just heard it. After all, it seemed so… personal that Kurt could hardly believe that Puck had asked. But rather than object, he kept his mouth shut.
He’d heard the story a thousand times before. But as he sat there, mind reeling from everything that had happened that day, he realized that he couldn’t remember a single detail. So he sat there feeling mute, confused, and overwhelmed.
“I met her in college.” Burt smiled softly as he set his glass back down. “Katie and I were in the same English class together, but we never talked. Then she came to one of the football games I was playing in, and the rest is history.” Burt’s voice faded a little at the end, and Kurt smiled softly at him. For just a second, they stared at one another.
But the silence and the moment were broken when Puck’s cell phone buzzed with a text message.
“Uh, sorry.” Puck sounded sheepish, and Kurt couldn’t help but turn and look at him. He was holding his phone under the table and looking at it with a dark expression. From the way his lips were pursed together and his eyebrows were furrowed, it was obvious that he didn’t like what he’d just read. However, even though it bothered him, Kurt continued to watch Puck. Still looking less than pleased, he quickly punched in a message before turning the phone off and shoving it back in his pocket.
“Is everything alright?” Kurt had tried to stop himself from asking, but he couldn’t help it. Puck had looked upset at whatever he’d read, and Kurt wanted to make sure he was ok.
“Yeah, it’s cool.” Puck smiled widely, but somehow, it didn’t quite reach his eyes. But even though that worried Kurt, he didn’t push. “So, where were we?” Puck looked from Kurt to Burt and then Kurt again, the fake smile still fixed on his face.
And even though Kurt was pretty sure his dad bought it, he didn’t.
“We were talking about Kurt’s mom…” The painful nostalgia was gone from Burt’s voice, and now he sounded mischievous. “So, how’d you two meet?”
“Uh…” Puck’s voice trailed off as he looked over at Kurt.
There was just no easy way to answer that question. After all, how could he possibly sugar coat the pee balloons and dumpster dives? And to be honest, Kurt didn’t even want to try. So he stared at Puck, waiting for him to come up with some sort of suitable answer. “Well…”
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
“Make sure to grab the ice cream for the pie.” Burt wiped his napkin over his mouth with an air of finality. Save for dessert, dinner was over, and he looked full and satisfied.
The past thirty minutes had passed by in relative ease. For the most part, the conversation had stayed moving, hopping from things like glee club to Puck’s pool business. (Thankfully, Puck had left out the more lurid details of what his job entailed.) But even though everything had gone so well, Kurt still hadn’t been able to shake his underlying nerves.
Deep down, Kurt knew he was anxious, because things with Puck were still so new. He also knew that he was on edge, because Puck and his dad were spending time together for the first time. But even though knew understood why he was uptight, Kurt was so tired of the constant butterflies in his stomach. They weren’t the sweet little butterflies that always made girls giggle and flush with excitement. No, the things flapping around in his stomach were more like giant moths. Giant moths that made his palms sweat and his stomach lurch painfully.
And Kurt was beyond over that.
He just wanted to be able to relax and enjoy himself. But try as he might, Kurt didn’t know how to calm himself down. However, since his dad had brought up dessert, Kurt figured that a couple of minutes alone in the kitchen couldn’t hurt.
“I’m not sure if there’s any left…” A few days ago, Kurt had binged in the middle of the night. He’d been half-asleep at the time, and now he couldn’t remember if he’d eaten the rest or not. “I’ll have to check.” Standing up, Kurt gathered their dirty plates and utensils and headed into the kitchen.
Once in the other room, Kurt placed the dishes on the counter top and took a deep breath. It didn’t really help, but he felt better for having even tried.
“Ok…” Kurt looked around the kitchen in frantic need of some direction. And for just a second, he forgot about why he’d come into the kitchen in the first place. “Why am I…” There were a couple of pots in the sink, and the oven was still on low; apparently his dad (or possibly Mercedes) had forgotten to turn it off.
And sitting next to him, on the counter, was the Caramel Apple Pie that Puck had brought over.
Feeling relieved (and slightly ridiculous), Kurt pulled out a baking sheet and placed the pie in the center of it. Pulling open the over door, Kurt slid the pie onto the top rack so that it could warm for a few minutes. It wouldn’t take long, and the pie would taste so much better because of it.
As the pie baked, Kurt decided to load the dishwasher. It wasn’t that he was worried about getting the dishes clean. But rather, Kurt was hoping that the simple task would help calm his nerves some.
Granted, he’d never really gotten any stress relief from filling the machine like he did with doing the laundry. But as he picked up a handful of dirty silverware, Kurt couldn’t help but think that anything was worth a shot.
So, with his hands full of dirty silverware, Kurt tried to find a way to pull open the dishwasher’s door. It was difficult, and he almost dropped everything, but after hooking two fingers around the handle, he managed to get the door open. And bending over, he began to sort the forks, knives and spoons into their proper compartments.
He was just about done when he felt someone rubbing his lower back. The touch was so unexpected that Kurt jumped and dropped the two forks he was holding. They fell onto the open door with a clatter that seemed a hundred times worse than it actually was.
Heart pounding painfully in his chest, Kurt straightened up and came face to face with a smirking Puck. “You almost gave…” Kurt placed his hand on his chest, willing his heart to calm down. “You shouldn’t…”
“Come ‘ere…” Puck’s voice was low, but the smirk was still firmly in place. When Kurt didn’t move, Puck reached out and gently placed his hands on Kurt’s waist and pulled him forward a little bit.
Around his hips, Puck’s hands felt strong and sure, as if he was protecting Kurt in some way. And as Kurt stepped into Puck’s embrace, he felt as if he was standing in the open cornfield once again. But this time, he was warm and cozy and surrounded by the delicious scent of baking apples and caramel.
“You need to chill out.” Puck’s voice was low and warm, almost as rich as the baking pie. But even though Puck was totally right and Kurt was anything but calm, he felt the sudden urge to deny it.
But before he had a chance, he felt Puck’s arms slipping around his back. At the touch, he instantly melted into Puck’s warm body, everything he was going to say drifting away. Because, for the first time that day (or night), Kurt was totally and completely calm, as if his insides had turned to Jell-O.
Slowly, Kurt slid his arms up, over Puck’s shoulders, reveling in the feeling of contentment it gave him. It was such a simple act, but Kurt couldn’t get over how amazing it felt. However, when Kurt’s hands reached Puck’s neck, he was disappointed that there was nowhere else to go. But as he ran his fingertips over the base of Puck’s skull, eliciting a small smile from the other boy, the disappointment faded.
The next thing Kurt new, Puck’s lips had found his, and he was instantly glad that he’d taken Mercedes’ advice about the garlic.
All too quickly, Puck pulled away, and Kurt made a little noise of protest in the back of his throat. The sound, angry and almost defiant, caused Puck to chuckle in his ear. His breath came out warm on Kurt’s cheek. “I’ve wanted to do that all night…”
Kurt wanted to say, parted his lips to say, “Then why did you stop?” But as his mouth formed the W of why, Puck pressed his lips into his temple.
Puck let the kiss linger as he tightened his arms around Kurt’s back a little more. For a second, Kurt was rendered completely speechless. All that escaped from his was a deeply contented sigh.
After a moment, Puck pulled away, and Kurt waited to see what he would do next. But rather than continue to explore the contours of Kurt’s face, Puck spoke. “Much better.” Kurt felt his face split into a gentle smile.
He knew exactly how Puck felt.
Sighing once again, Kurt mumbled what he hoped sounded like, “mmmhmmm…” But to be honest, he was so relaxed, so totally comfortable, that he had no clue what came out of him. All he knew was that he wanted to feel Puck’s lips on his skin again.
And he was going to make that happen.
Tilting his head to the side ever so slightly, Kurt leaned forward a tiny bit. But right before he had a chance to kiss Puck, Puck spoke. “Your dad totally just threatened me out there.”
Puck’s proclamation was so completely random that Kurt froze before he moved forward any more. However, the second Puck’s words totally hit him, Kurt jerked back in shock.
Puck, however, didn’t let go, and Kurt wasn’t able to move very far. “He what?” Kurt craned his neck back in an effort to clearly see Puck’s face.
What he saw was a mixture of mischief and amusement. “Don’t worry, I got this. I’ve been threatened by a lot of dads before.” Puck laughed a little as Kurt felt his eyes widen in shock. He knew about Puck’s reputation of course. But hearing it like that put things into a whole new perspective. It was just so…
How many fathers had entrusted their daughters to Puck’s care?
And how many now regretted it?
But before Kurt had a chance to give it any more thought, Puck shocked him again. “You know… I think he kind of enjoyed it.” Puck laughed a little, looking completely unfazed.
Kurt, however, had absolutely no clue how to react.
“I… Umh…” Kurt opened and closed his mouth once, searching for something to say. “I…”
“I told you, it’s cool.” Puck winked at him once, and it was so ridiculous that Kurt couldn’t help but laugh. Because there was no way he could take Puck seriously after that.
Kurt was just about to call the other boy on it when Puck kissed him again. But before he could reciprocate, there was a very loud and obvious knock on the kitchen door. “Hey, guys…” Burt’s voice trailed off, and he waited a few moments before pushing the door open.
In the few seconds that Burt waited before opening the door, Puck had let go of Kurt. He’d moved away and leaned on the counter. And from the look on Puck’s face, Kurt would have sworn that nothing had just happened between them. He looked, despite what they’d just been doing, completely calm.
As Kurt stood there staring at Puck, his dad opened the kitchen door. For a moment, Burt just stood there, his eyes quickly (and obviously) moving over their clothes and the amount of space between them. Though he was still amazed that Puck looked so nonchalant, Kurt was grateful as well, because his dad seemed satisfied by what he saw.
“I just wanted to let you two know that I’ll be in the living room when you’ve got the pie.” Burt was still looking at the space between Kurt and Puck, but now Kurt didn’t feel like he was being appraised. Instead, he sort of felt like his dad was forcing himself to try and be comfortable with the situation.
And in response Kurt nodded reassuringly, “Ok. We’ll be out soon.”
Burt didn’t say anything else. He just nodded once before letting the door shut behind him.
Just as soon as the door swung shut, Kurt felt Puck behind him, his strong hands on Kurt’s hips. And before Kurt could realize what was happening, Puck had buried his face in his neck as he whispered hotly against his skin. “I know what I want for dessert…”
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
“Hey, son…” Burt stepped off the bottom stair and walked over next to Kurt’s bed. He was sitting cross legged in the middle of it, an array of text books and his lap top surrounding him. “I just wanted to say goodnight.”
Kurt looked up at his dad and smiled. Puck had left a few hours ago, and save for a few words as they’d cleaned up, this was the first time his dad had talked to him since. “Oh, ok.” He felt like he should say something about their evening, but Kurt just didn’t have a clue what that something was. So, he settled for the obvious. “Thank you. For tonight.”
For a second, Burt didn’t respond. There was a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was lost in thought. Kurt wanted to ask his dad if he was ok, but before he could, his dad pressed his lips together in a thin line of resolve. “I like him.” Burt didn’t say anything else, but that was enough.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Kurt’s mouth. Knowing that his dad approved of Puck meant so much to him. Granted, his dad didn’t know about Puck’s bullying or his “business.” But still. It made him ridiculously happy nonetheless. All Kurt could think to say was, “Me too.”
“Ok then…” Burt sounded nervous, and really, Kurt couldn’t blame him.
They’d gone from his dad not being ready to talk about boys to having one over for a sit-down meal in the space of a couple months. For Kurt, that was both amazing and terrifying. He couldn’t even imagine how his dad must have been feeling. But from what Burt had said and the look on his face, Kurt thought that it might have been along the same line as his own emotions.
“Right.” Burt shoved his hands into his pockets once before pulling them out again. “Well, night, son.”
“Good night, Dad.” Kurt looked down at his lap for a second and then looked back up. “Thank you, again.” He smiled and shrugged a little. There was so much more he could say, but Kurt knew that, for his dad, that would be enough.
Burt smiled back a little, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he turned around and walked back upstairs. Somehow, Kurt knew that he was headed towards the kitchen and the leftover pie. Which, to be honest, came as no surprise. Because not only did his dad tend to pick at leftovers, but the Caramel Apple Pie was actually really good. So good, in fact, that Kurt thought he might treat himself to another small slice tomorrow. (If there was any left that was.)
Just as the thought crossed Kurt’s mind, he heard his father’s footsteps in the kitchen above him. And as he listened to the sound, Kurt couldn’t help but laugh a little as he flipped open his textbook.
Squeeka Cuomo’s Notes
- The title and opening quote for this fic come from the beautiful Weezer song, “Put Me Back Together.” You can find it here.
- I wish that I could keep coming up with new and exciting ways to say thank you. But sadly, I cannot, lol. So… THANK YOU to everyone who is following and supporting this story. It means a lot. :D
- Quack: I don’t think that I’ll ever be able to thank you enough. Your help and support is beyond incredible. :duck:
- Reviews are love.
Put Me Back Together
Chapter 1: Kiss Me Goodbye
Chapter 2: Of Soirees and Sarongs
Chapter 3: Not So Subtle
Chapter 4: Late Arrivals
Chapter 5: Breaking Point
Chapter 6: Empty Hallway
Chapter 7: Cleaning up the Mess
Chapter 8: Dirty Laundry
Chapter 9: Gossip Mongers
Chapter 10: Just Breathe
Chapter 11: Damon Salvatore vs. Dexter Morgan
Chapter 12: Cloudy - Chance of Tension
Chapter 13: Pocket Squares
Chapter 14: All Apologies
Chapter 15: The “F” Word
Chapter 16: I’ve Come Undone
Chapter 17: Not So Blissfully Numb
Chapter 18: Drunken Lullabies
Chapter 19: Unwanted Visitor
Chapter 20: Please
Chapter 21: Free For All
Chapter 22: Raditude
Chapter 23: Like Father
Chapter 24: What Other Reason
Chapter 25: Hummel Tires and Lube
Chapter 26: Nice To Meet You
Chapter 27: Comfort Food
Part: Chapter 28: Now I’m Jell-O
Author: Squeeka Cuomo
Rating: PG
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kurt/Puck, Burt Hummel, Mercedes Jones, Finn Hudson, Quinn Fabray, Emma Pillsbury, Will Schuester, Tina Cohen-Chang, Artie Abrams, Rachel Berry, Santana Lopez, Brittany S. Pierce, Mike Chang, Matt Rutherford
Author’s Note: The title and opening quote for this fic come from the beautiful Weezer song, “Put Me Back Together.” You can find it here.
- I know there are tons of spoilers out for the upcoming episodes. Please don’t post them in the comments.
Warning: This takes place directly after “Sectionals.” Everything up to that point is considered fair game. There are spoilers if you haven’t seen the first 13 episodes.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: All it takes is one moment to break Kurt apart. How many will it take to put not only himself but Puck back together?
Put Me Back TogetherChapter 28: Now I’m Jell-O
The second that Burt said he’d dated Puck’s mom, Kurt’s mouth fell open in (extremely) unflattering shock.
He’d always thought…
He’d never…
It just…
It had never occurred to Kurt that his dad had dated women other than his mom. Granted, he now realized what a ridiculous thought that was. But it still seemed so surreal.
And the fact that Burt had dated, of all people, Puck’s mom…
As Kurt thoughts went to Puck, he realized that he’d completely forgotten about him. Kurt had just been so shocked by the news that nothing else had mattered. But even though he was still totally confused, Kurt had to see how Puck was taking the news.
Reluctant to look away from his dad, Kurt turned to face Puck. From the complete and utter shock on Puck’s face, he hadn’t known either.
His mouth was clamped tightly shut, and his wide eyes were trained on Burt. Kurt thought about asking Puck if he was ok, but he didn’t. Instead, he turned back to his dad, hoping for some sort of explanation.
“We only went out a few times.” Burt dug into the pasta on his plate again. As he twisted the utensil in the noodles, Kurt silently willed him to finish the story before putting the food into his mouth. He really didn’t think that he could handle waiting for his dad to chew and swallow before he finished his story.
When Burt finally opened his mouth again, Kurt held his breath in anticipation. “Then she dumped me, because I wasn’t Jewish.” Relieved, Kurt let out a low breath as his dad snorted at the memory.
“She said that her conscience would no longer allow her to date a gentile.” Based on the amusement in his dad’s voice, Kurt could only just imagine how that breakup must have gone. “Or something like that anyway.” When Burt finished speaking, he shoved the forkful of pasta into his mouth. He chewed for a few seconds before swallowing. “I’m guessing you don’t feel the same way, Noah?”
Even though Kurt was still looking at his dad, he could feel Puck shift a little behind him. But whether or not it was because the question made him uncomfortable, Kurt couldn’t tell. And despite the fact that Kurt knew Puck could care less about the religious affiliations of his conquests, he realized that he was curious to hear Puck’s answer. “I, uh… No. I don’t.”
Burt nodded a little as he reached for his glass of Coke. “Good to know.” There was a very slight hint of menace in his dad’s voice that caused the tips of Kurt’s ears to burn slightly.
“So, umh…” Puck sounded a little uneasy. But when Kurt turned to look at him, he looked much more relaxed than before. “When did you meet Kurt’s mom?” The question came out of nowhere, and Kurt was shocked that he’d just heard it. After all, it seemed so… personal that Kurt could hardly believe that Puck had asked. But rather than object, he kept his mouth shut.
He’d heard the story a thousand times before. But as he sat there, mind reeling from everything that had happened that day, he realized that he couldn’t remember a single detail. So he sat there feeling mute, confused, and overwhelmed.
“I met her in college.” Burt smiled softly as he set his glass back down. “Katie and I were in the same English class together, but we never talked. Then she came to one of the football games I was playing in, and the rest is history.” Burt’s voice faded a little at the end, and Kurt smiled softly at him. For just a second, they stared at one another.
But the silence and the moment were broken when Puck’s cell phone buzzed with a text message.
“Uh, sorry.” Puck sounded sheepish, and Kurt couldn’t help but turn and look at him. He was holding his phone under the table and looking at it with a dark expression. From the way his lips were pursed together and his eyebrows were furrowed, it was obvious that he didn’t like what he’d just read. However, even though it bothered him, Kurt continued to watch Puck. Still looking less than pleased, he quickly punched in a message before turning the phone off and shoving it back in his pocket.
“Is everything alright?” Kurt had tried to stop himself from asking, but he couldn’t help it. Puck had looked upset at whatever he’d read, and Kurt wanted to make sure he was ok.
“Yeah, it’s cool.” Puck smiled widely, but somehow, it didn’t quite reach his eyes. But even though that worried Kurt, he didn’t push. “So, where were we?” Puck looked from Kurt to Burt and then Kurt again, the fake smile still fixed on his face.
And even though Kurt was pretty sure his dad bought it, he didn’t.
“We were talking about Kurt’s mom…” The painful nostalgia was gone from Burt’s voice, and now he sounded mischievous. “So, how’d you two meet?”
“Uh…” Puck’s voice trailed off as he looked over at Kurt.
There was just no easy way to answer that question. After all, how could he possibly sugar coat the pee balloons and dumpster dives? And to be honest, Kurt didn’t even want to try. So he stared at Puck, waiting for him to come up with some sort of suitable answer. “Well…”
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
“Make sure to grab the ice cream for the pie.” Burt wiped his napkin over his mouth with an air of finality. Save for dessert, dinner was over, and he looked full and satisfied.
The past thirty minutes had passed by in relative ease. For the most part, the conversation had stayed moving, hopping from things like glee club to Puck’s pool business. (Thankfully, Puck had left out the more lurid details of what his job entailed.) But even though everything had gone so well, Kurt still hadn’t been able to shake his underlying nerves.
Deep down, Kurt knew he was anxious, because things with Puck were still so new. He also knew that he was on edge, because Puck and his dad were spending time together for the first time. But even though knew understood why he was uptight, Kurt was so tired of the constant butterflies in his stomach. They weren’t the sweet little butterflies that always made girls giggle and flush with excitement. No, the things flapping around in his stomach were more like giant moths. Giant moths that made his palms sweat and his stomach lurch painfully.
And Kurt was beyond over that.
He just wanted to be able to relax and enjoy himself. But try as he might, Kurt didn’t know how to calm himself down. However, since his dad had brought up dessert, Kurt figured that a couple of minutes alone in the kitchen couldn’t hurt.
“I’m not sure if there’s any left…” A few days ago, Kurt had binged in the middle of the night. He’d been half-asleep at the time, and now he couldn’t remember if he’d eaten the rest or not. “I’ll have to check.” Standing up, Kurt gathered their dirty plates and utensils and headed into the kitchen.
Once in the other room, Kurt placed the dishes on the counter top and took a deep breath. It didn’t really help, but he felt better for having even tried.
“Ok…” Kurt looked around the kitchen in frantic need of some direction. And for just a second, he forgot about why he’d come into the kitchen in the first place. “Why am I…” There were a couple of pots in the sink, and the oven was still on low; apparently his dad (or possibly Mercedes) had forgotten to turn it off.
And sitting next to him, on the counter, was the Caramel Apple Pie that Puck had brought over.
Feeling relieved (and slightly ridiculous), Kurt pulled out a baking sheet and placed the pie in the center of it. Pulling open the over door, Kurt slid the pie onto the top rack so that it could warm for a few minutes. It wouldn’t take long, and the pie would taste so much better because of it.
As the pie baked, Kurt decided to load the dishwasher. It wasn’t that he was worried about getting the dishes clean. But rather, Kurt was hoping that the simple task would help calm his nerves some.
Granted, he’d never really gotten any stress relief from filling the machine like he did with doing the laundry. But as he picked up a handful of dirty silverware, Kurt couldn’t help but think that anything was worth a shot.
So, with his hands full of dirty silverware, Kurt tried to find a way to pull open the dishwasher’s door. It was difficult, and he almost dropped everything, but after hooking two fingers around the handle, he managed to get the door open. And bending over, he began to sort the forks, knives and spoons into their proper compartments.
He was just about done when he felt someone rubbing his lower back. The touch was so unexpected that Kurt jumped and dropped the two forks he was holding. They fell onto the open door with a clatter that seemed a hundred times worse than it actually was.
Heart pounding painfully in his chest, Kurt straightened up and came face to face with a smirking Puck. “You almost gave…” Kurt placed his hand on his chest, willing his heart to calm down. “You shouldn’t…”
“Come ‘ere…” Puck’s voice was low, but the smirk was still firmly in place. When Kurt didn’t move, Puck reached out and gently placed his hands on Kurt’s waist and pulled him forward a little bit.
Around his hips, Puck’s hands felt strong and sure, as if he was protecting Kurt in some way. And as Kurt stepped into Puck’s embrace, he felt as if he was standing in the open cornfield once again. But this time, he was warm and cozy and surrounded by the delicious scent of baking apples and caramel.
“You need to chill out.” Puck’s voice was low and warm, almost as rich as the baking pie. But even though Puck was totally right and Kurt was anything but calm, he felt the sudden urge to deny it.
But before he had a chance, he felt Puck’s arms slipping around his back. At the touch, he instantly melted into Puck’s warm body, everything he was going to say drifting away. Because, for the first time that day (or night), Kurt was totally and completely calm, as if his insides had turned to Jell-O.
Slowly, Kurt slid his arms up, over Puck’s shoulders, reveling in the feeling of contentment it gave him. It was such a simple act, but Kurt couldn’t get over how amazing it felt. However, when Kurt’s hands reached Puck’s neck, he was disappointed that there was nowhere else to go. But as he ran his fingertips over the base of Puck’s skull, eliciting a small smile from the other boy, the disappointment faded.
The next thing Kurt new, Puck’s lips had found his, and he was instantly glad that he’d taken Mercedes’ advice about the garlic.
All too quickly, Puck pulled away, and Kurt made a little noise of protest in the back of his throat. The sound, angry and almost defiant, caused Puck to chuckle in his ear. His breath came out warm on Kurt’s cheek. “I’ve wanted to do that all night…”
Kurt wanted to say, parted his lips to say, “Then why did you stop?” But as his mouth formed the W of why, Puck pressed his lips into his temple.
Puck let the kiss linger as he tightened his arms around Kurt’s back a little more. For a second, Kurt was rendered completely speechless. All that escaped from his was a deeply contented sigh.
After a moment, Puck pulled away, and Kurt waited to see what he would do next. But rather than continue to explore the contours of Kurt’s face, Puck spoke. “Much better.” Kurt felt his face split into a gentle smile.
He knew exactly how Puck felt.
Sighing once again, Kurt mumbled what he hoped sounded like, “mmmhmmm…” But to be honest, he was so relaxed, so totally comfortable, that he had no clue what came out of him. All he knew was that he wanted to feel Puck’s lips on his skin again.
And he was going to make that happen.
Tilting his head to the side ever so slightly, Kurt leaned forward a tiny bit. But right before he had a chance to kiss Puck, Puck spoke. “Your dad totally just threatened me out there.”
Puck’s proclamation was so completely random that Kurt froze before he moved forward any more. However, the second Puck’s words totally hit him, Kurt jerked back in shock.
Puck, however, didn’t let go, and Kurt wasn’t able to move very far. “He what?” Kurt craned his neck back in an effort to clearly see Puck’s face.
What he saw was a mixture of mischief and amusement. “Don’t worry, I got this. I’ve been threatened by a lot of dads before.” Puck laughed a little as Kurt felt his eyes widen in shock. He knew about Puck’s reputation of course. But hearing it like that put things into a whole new perspective. It was just so…
How many fathers had entrusted their daughters to Puck’s care?
And how many now regretted it?
But before Kurt had a chance to give it any more thought, Puck shocked him again. “You know… I think he kind of enjoyed it.” Puck laughed a little, looking completely unfazed.
Kurt, however, had absolutely no clue how to react.
“I… Umh…” Kurt opened and closed his mouth once, searching for something to say. “I…”
“I told you, it’s cool.” Puck winked at him once, and it was so ridiculous that Kurt couldn’t help but laugh. Because there was no way he could take Puck seriously after that.
Kurt was just about to call the other boy on it when Puck kissed him again. But before he could reciprocate, there was a very loud and obvious knock on the kitchen door. “Hey, guys…” Burt’s voice trailed off, and he waited a few moments before pushing the door open.
In the few seconds that Burt waited before opening the door, Puck had let go of Kurt. He’d moved away and leaned on the counter. And from the look on Puck’s face, Kurt would have sworn that nothing had just happened between them. He looked, despite what they’d just been doing, completely calm.
As Kurt stood there staring at Puck, his dad opened the kitchen door. For a moment, Burt just stood there, his eyes quickly (and obviously) moving over their clothes and the amount of space between them. Though he was still amazed that Puck looked so nonchalant, Kurt was grateful as well, because his dad seemed satisfied by what he saw.
“I just wanted to let you two know that I’ll be in the living room when you’ve got the pie.” Burt was still looking at the space between Kurt and Puck, but now Kurt didn’t feel like he was being appraised. Instead, he sort of felt like his dad was forcing himself to try and be comfortable with the situation.
And in response Kurt nodded reassuringly, “Ok. We’ll be out soon.”
Burt didn’t say anything else. He just nodded once before letting the door shut behind him.
Just as soon as the door swung shut, Kurt felt Puck behind him, his strong hands on Kurt’s hips. And before Kurt could realize what was happening, Puck had buried his face in his neck as he whispered hotly against his skin. “I know what I want for dessert…”
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
“Hey, son…” Burt stepped off the bottom stair and walked over next to Kurt’s bed. He was sitting cross legged in the middle of it, an array of text books and his lap top surrounding him. “I just wanted to say goodnight.”
Kurt looked up at his dad and smiled. Puck had left a few hours ago, and save for a few words as they’d cleaned up, this was the first time his dad had talked to him since. “Oh, ok.” He felt like he should say something about their evening, but Kurt just didn’t have a clue what that something was. So, he settled for the obvious. “Thank you. For tonight.”
For a second, Burt didn’t respond. There was a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was lost in thought. Kurt wanted to ask his dad if he was ok, but before he could, his dad pressed his lips together in a thin line of resolve. “I like him.” Burt didn’t say anything else, but that was enough.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Kurt’s mouth. Knowing that his dad approved of Puck meant so much to him. Granted, his dad didn’t know about Puck’s bullying or his “business.” But still. It made him ridiculously happy nonetheless. All Kurt could think to say was, “Me too.”
“Ok then…” Burt sounded nervous, and really, Kurt couldn’t blame him.
They’d gone from his dad not being ready to talk about boys to having one over for a sit-down meal in the space of a couple months. For Kurt, that was both amazing and terrifying. He couldn’t even imagine how his dad must have been feeling. But from what Burt had said and the look on his face, Kurt thought that it might have been along the same line as his own emotions.
“Right.” Burt shoved his hands into his pockets once before pulling them out again. “Well, night, son.”
“Good night, Dad.” Kurt looked down at his lap for a second and then looked back up. “Thank you, again.” He smiled and shrugged a little. There was so much more he could say, but Kurt knew that, for his dad, that would be enough.
Burt smiled back a little, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he turned around and walked back upstairs. Somehow, Kurt knew that he was headed towards the kitchen and the leftover pie. Which, to be honest, came as no surprise. Because not only did his dad tend to pick at leftovers, but the Caramel Apple Pie was actually really good. So good, in fact, that Kurt thought he might treat himself to another small slice tomorrow. (If there was any left that was.)
Just as the thought crossed Kurt’s mind, he heard his father’s footsteps in the kitchen above him. And as he listened to the sound, Kurt couldn’t help but laugh a little as he flipped open his textbook.
Squeeka Cuomo’s Notes
- The title and opening quote for this fic come from the beautiful Weezer song, “Put Me Back Together.” You can find it here.
- I wish that I could keep coming up with new and exciting ways to say thank you. But sadly, I cannot, lol. So… THANK YOU to everyone who is following and supporting this story. It means a lot. :D
- Quack: I don’t think that I’ll ever be able to thank you enough. Your help and support is beyond incredible. :duck:
- Reviews are love.
Put Me Back Together
Chapter 1: Kiss Me Goodbye
Chapter 2: Of Soirees and Sarongs
Chapter 3: Not So Subtle
Chapter 4: Late Arrivals
Chapter 5: Breaking Point
Chapter 6: Empty Hallway
Chapter 7: Cleaning up the Mess
Chapter 8: Dirty Laundry
Chapter 9: Gossip Mongers
Chapter 10: Just Breathe
Chapter 11: Damon Salvatore vs. Dexter Morgan
Chapter 12: Cloudy - Chance of Tension
Chapter 13: Pocket Squares
Chapter 14: All Apologies
Chapter 15: The “F” Word
Chapter 16: I’ve Come Undone
Chapter 17: Not So Blissfully Numb
Chapter 18: Drunken Lullabies
Chapter 19: Unwanted Visitor
Chapter 20: Please
Chapter 21: Free For All
Chapter 22: Raditude
Chapter 23: Like Father
Chapter 24: What Other Reason
Chapter 25: Hummel Tires and Lube
Chapter 26: Nice To Meet You
Chapter 27: Comfort Food