Fic: A Deeper Look (4/?)
Title: A Deeper Look (4/?)
Genre: Angst/Drama
Pairing: Kurt/Karofsky pre-slash
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1350 this chapter // 4750 overall.
Previous Chapters: Located at the directory here.
When he finds Karofsky next, he's being yelled at by the hockey coach. Kurt has never really paid him mind but the coach is a big, beefy man who makes Karofsky look small even. It doesn’t help that Karofsky seems quite intimidated by this man. "I don't care Dave," he barks. "I don't care that you jumped on the train to queerville and are nursing a couple bumps and bruises. I want you back on your A game or it's your spot on the team at risk."
Kurt winces. He's sure there's some kind of regulation against public school employees treating students this way but this is McKinley High. Karofsky nods like a submissive kicked puppy. "I'll do better, sir."
"You best," the man barks, leaving.
Kurt steps in. "That was harsh," he says to make himself known.
Karofsky faces him and Kurt gasps. The bruises aren't fresh anymore but the color has become far more intense. Karofsky's whole face is swollen up. "Pretty picture ain't I?" he asks, laughing. "And of course getting the shit kicked outta you is no excuse in hockey. That's the game."
He looks into Kurt's eyes for a fleeting moment then looks away. "So, you were at the hospital?"
Kurt nods.
"I figured," he says. "I wake up to my dad telling me he doesn't hate me, even if I am dating the fairyboy. What the he'll did they slip me at that hospital?"
Kurt shrugs. "Painkillers," he mumbles.
"I must've let it all loose."
"You sorta did," Kurt admits. "Was your dad upset?"
Dave sighs. "He didn't kill me. Good start eh? He told me he gets how guys like you turn into homos but not guys like me. Then he said that...if this was my choice I could never let someone beat me down again. I need to fight back harder. Get tougher."
"Not advice in the best taste," Kurt mumbles. "He acted like you being gay was a character flaw to get over."
"He didn't kill me and he says he doesn't hate me."
"You take what you can get," Kurt says sympathetically. "If you ever need any help..."
Dave shakes his head. "No. Dad's right. I'm not you. I won't lie back and take it. If I'm gonna be a fag, I'm gonna be one that fights back."
He leaves and Kurt feels that didn't go so well.
He tries to remind himself not all people react the same to things like this.
This is odd. He goes to the choir room next, hoping to run into Rachel. This is definitely an unexpected friendship. He finds her on the piano, the final strains of whatever she was singing vanishing into thin air. "Hey," he says looking at her. "Thank you for sending that text. I needed it."
Rachel looks up like she's been caught in her own private universe. "Oh Kurt, hi," she says. "It's no problem, of course. I was concerned."
He doesn't say a thing before sitting at the piano. "It's confusing," he says honestly. "He confessed he was gay to his dad in a drugged up stupor...and now he's determined to fight back anyone who comes at him, per his father's advice that if you're gonna be gay - be a tough and demanding gay."
Rachel sits down next to him. "People react to gay stuff funny," she says. "My aunt used to do that to my dad. Try and make sure he wasn't um, sissy or whatever. Like…I know what you mean Kurt.”
Kurt groans.
"I didn't want a pet project in Dave Karofsky but...I care about this."
"You know, this school needs a GSA."Typical Rachel, fight confusion with clubs and organizations. He had to agree though. "I tried to start one freshman year," she says. "But I couldn't get the required support and then glee club distracted me and...We could so get the support if we worked together."
“You think?” he asks.
She nods, enthusiastically. “With my talent for organization and your social skills, we could be totally unbeatable Kurt.”
“We’d have to recruit some people with pull in the school,” he says. “I can ask Brittany. If she comes, chances are Santana will show and…hm, I bet people will come out of curiosity, honestly. We need a club advisor though, or something like that.”
“We can figure that out later,” Rachel says decisively. “We have to get like a petition going though. Last time I tried to petition for something it lead to a lot of slushies and a lot of humiliation. The key is going to be working together to get people to sign it.”
“We’ll just have to be bold about it,” Kurt says decisively. “What’s the worse they can do?”
He likes being on Rachel’s side about something. They work really well together. Plotting, crafting, Kurt is feeling very good about himself for once. He’s helping Karofsky, even if Karofsky’s confusing the heck out of him, and he and Rachel seem to have something good going.
What more can a person really ask for?
“We need to go over the details.”
“Wanna come over?” he asks, surprising himself. “It’s still pretty early, and we can go figure things out down in my room. It’s a lot of space and stuff.” One good thing about being gay, he thinks, his dad will never question his going into his room with girls. Sure, there was the Brittany thing but that wasn’t happening again. Plus, his dad knows his opinion of Rachel has never been the highest.
She agrees and Kurt drives Rachel back to his place. He unlocks the door and can hear his dad talking on the phone. “Wait Rachel,” he says, listening.
"I know it's confusing, man, trust me, I know."
“Karofsky’s dad,” he whispers, heading to the stairway to his room but stopping to listen.
“Isn’t this like eavesdropping?” Rachel asks.
“Yes,” Kurt says but keeps listening.
"You gotta stop using words like that, okay?"
Kurt can only really imagine what kind of words Karofsky Senior has decided to use. He sits down on the step and defeated Rachel sits down next to him.
"My kid is an amazing young man. He's strong, self-confident and he's going to make something amazing out of himself. His sexuality does not make any difference in that, and to be honest, I'm glad Kurt's gay. It opened my eyes to a lot of things I may not have seen otherwise or understood."
Rachel smiles at him. “Your dad is awesome,” she says honestly.
Kurt nods.
"The boy needs you. He was obviously petrified to death of being gay, if his first reaction was to bully the resident gay kid."
Kurt loves the way his father talks, strong and confident. He admires that so much about him.
"He was a bully and awful to my son, but he can change with the right guidance."
Kurt gets up and grabs a hand to help Rachel up.
"Cut the fag talk and stop talking about how you want your kid to beat up the kid who hurt him. That isn't helping him. Knowing his parents support him and aren't gonna talk about being gay like it's a - character flaw or something. That's gonna help him."
He smiles because his dad uses the exact words he did.
“Yeah, bye. Sure. I’ll swing by after the shop closes.” Burt hangs up and looks over at the stairway. “Kurt Hummel, you’re a horrible eavesdropper. Hi Rachel, Finn’s not here.”
Kurt blushes, face turning red and lets out an undignified squeal. “Dad!”
“Well it’s the truth,” Burt says, giving them a little smile.
“I’m not here to see Finn,” Rachel says, just as embarrassed as Kurt, if not more. “Kurt and I are working on some plans.”
“I see.”
“Thanks dad,” Kurt mumbles, embarrassed. "For everything, really. I saw Karofsky today...this isn't gonna be easy."
"No, it really isn't."