Homemade Love - Glee - Puckurt - Part Two
Title: Homemade Love
Author: youaredriving aka Scarletsptember
Word Count: ~9000
Characters: Kurt, Puck, Burt, Mentions of other glee characters. Puckurt!!
Warnings: Sick!fic, slash
Rating: Teen
Summary: Kurt and Puck weren’t best friends but they got along with each other well enough that the moment Kurt got a delirious phone call from Puck he ditched his afternoon classes to make sure Puck was all right. What he found was Noah Puckerman conked out in bed with the flu. If he wasn’t going to take care of himself someone had to.
Author's Notes: This fic came to being because I got terribly sick. Not in the same manner of Puck but in the manner I wish I was sick like he was. I couldn't be that cruel to him. Thanks to Tori for helping me with a title and giving the first bit a read through. Thanks to Crystal because you encouraged me to keep writing when this was only supposed to be a quick drabble but things got a little out of hand. You girls rock my world!!
Back to Part One
Kurt stood on the front porch of the Puckerman household with his hand poised ready to knock but he couldn’t. He felt guilty for not stopping by this morning and he felt even worse for showing up now. He didn’t have a chance to knock before the door opened and Puck was standing there with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
“Didn’t know if you were going to stop by today or not,” Puck admitted before he stepped out of Kurt’s way. They stood quietly in the foyer as Kurt pulled his gloves and coat off.
“I uh,” Kurt scrubbed a hand at the back of his neck, “My dad wasn’t happy with me skipping school and I needed to process some things so I figured it would be easier if I did it without you around.”
“That bad?” Puck’s shoulders dropped as he led the way into the living room where it looked like he had stuck it out for the day. There was a pillow, a mug of cool tea and dirty dishes from lunch on the coffee table.
“Not really, it’s just,” Kurt stopped in the middle of the living room and looked straight at Puck, “This. Should I even bother thinking about it? Or should I just forget all about it?”
“Okay,” Puck blinked before he sat down and gestured for Kurt to do the same. After a moment of Kurt just standing Puck gave up on getting Kurt to calm down and sit. “First of all I need to know what this is?”
Kurt shook his head, “That answers the question then. I’ll just forget about it all.”
“No,” Puck stood up and grabbed Kurt’s arm. “If I don’t know what you’re talking about how can I answer? Please remember that I’m still a bit sick and under the influence of whatever medicine that is you left and all I can really think about right now besides you is sleep. So what are we talking about, specifically?”
Kurt took a deep breath, “You and me.”
“Oh,” Puck licked his lips and nodded before he let go of Kurt and flopped back down on the couch. He motioned for Kurt to do the same again and when Kurt wouldn’t sit Puck just folded his arms over his chest and waited Kurt out. As soon as Kurt sat down on the couch and held the pillow tightly against his chest not looking at Puck, that’s when Puck began talking.
“I figured that you would just forget about me and going on with your life. Not that I would like that because, I don’t really want you any other way than how we’ve been the past couple of days. I want to be able to touch you like I have. I want to learn more about you. I want to be the one who makes you smile and laugh. I kind of want it all. But sometimes it’s not just about what I want or what you want. It’s what we want.”
Kurt looked down at his hands and smiled a little to himself, “You know I missed you the two days you weren’t in glee or in the hallways to bump shoulders with when we’d pass each other on the way to class.”
“Yeah?”
“Then you called and I realized why I missed you and then you, in you drug induced haze kind of really made me realize how much seeing you at school meant to me. It sounds stupid but,” Kurt waved the thought of with a one shouldered shrug, “You made me really want to know who Noah Puckerman is, not just Puck. You were kind to me always saying thank you and doing everything that I hadn’t expected you to do. I honestly expected you to wake up that first day and just run me out of your house.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” Puck scooted closer towards Kurt, “You made me food, brought me medicine and took care of me. I may look stupid Hummel but I’m not.”
“I just,” Kurt took a deep breath before he stood up and pressed a kiss to Puck’s forehead, “I want more than friends and I’m not sure if that’s a possibility.”
He didn’t give Puck any kind of time to form a response before he had pulled his jacket back on and was jogging down the front steps of Puck’s house wishing he had put his gloves on while he was inside.
The morning was frosty. That’s the only way Kurt could describe the temperature and the ice that covered the grass and the windshield of his car. He didn’t bother looking anywhere but the double doors to get inside the school to find some source of warmth. He didn’t stop moving through the hallways with his head ducked down until he slammed into someone or something. He just hoped that he hadn’t run into Karofsky or Azimo because he really didn’t need that trouble this morning.
“Didn’t know you missed me that much,” Puck had turned around and set a hand on Kurt’s waist and gave a little squeeze before he removed the hand and took a step back.
“What are you doing here?” Kurt’s eyes widened, “You should still be in bed, sleeping or something!”
Puck let out a raspy chuckle, “I can’t miss out on much more school and I am feeling better. A lot better actually. The way my mom figures I’m on the better side of sick.”
Kurt rolled his eyes as Puck started leading them down the hallway, “The better side of sick. How is that even possible?”
“We have a theory in the Puckerman household. The better side of sick is the day before you get sick and the day that you start getting better. You always feel really awesome before everything comes crashing down. Unless you have someone there to make things better, then you’re always just sick.”
Mulling Puck’s words over in his mind Kurt let out a hum of slight understanding, “Well I’m glad that I was here for you while you were sick.”
Laying a hand on Kurt’s shoulder, stopping in the middle of students rushing around them in effort to get to class on time, “I’m glad that you were there too Kurt. You kind of kicked my ass into getting better. You made me want to get better.”
“It was a cold or the flu Puck,” Kurt waved it off, “Not like you were dying.”
Puck let out a hearty laugh as they separated to their respective classes, calling out over his shoulder, “But it felt like it!”
Glee club was, well there was only one way of putting it after missing a few rehearsals, it was loud. Loud in the way of oh my gosh you’re back! Where have you been? Why haven’t you been in glee? What happened?
Kurt made himself comfortable as everyone surrounded Puck hoping to camouflage himself into the background before they started in on him. He really didn’t want to open that can of worms. Telling them the reason he had been missing glee was because of Puck and not something more dramatic or life altering.
His hopes of going unnoticed lasted until Puck decided to sit next to him. Then Kurt was like a gazelle facing a lioness. He wasn’t getting away from this that easily.
“So,” Mercedes took the chair on the other side of Kurt and folded her arms over her chest, “You want to tell us where you’ve been? Skipping school and glee. That doesn’t sound like you.”
Kurt’s lips dropped open as he floundered for some kind of explanation but Puck beat him to it, “Kurt’s been helping me out while I’ve been sick. Out of all of you losers I figured Kurt would be the only one who wouldn’t kill me by overdose or expired soup.”
“Uh huh,” Mercedes slouched in her chair a bit, “Well don’t monopolize him like that.”
“I’ll try my best,” Puck smirked, almost to himself before Mr. Schue clapped his hands and grabbed everyone’s attention, leaving Kurt to his own thoughts. He didn’t know if Puck was just saying that to rile Mercedes up but he wanted Puck to have meant it in some weird way. He liked the warmth that flooded his chest and the way it made smile. It just felt good having someone that made him feel happy with just a few words. Kurt didn’t get to feel like this often and as strange as it was that Puck made him feel like this, he didn’t mind.
Kurt took his time walking towards his car in the parking lot. He didn’t have to worry about anyone bothering, thank goodness. The cold weather seemed to make even the vilest of creatures stay hidden beneath their rocks.
He thought he was alone before someone shouting his name had him spinning around surprised. Puck was jogging towards him, huffing with exertion and he come sliding to a stop on icy pavement. “Hey.”
“Hi?” Kurt tilted his head trying to figure out what was so important for Puck to chase after him.
“I just wanted to say thanks, again. For you know, everything you did. I really appreciate it.” Puck tucked his hands into the pockets of his letterman jacket. “And to let you know that if you uh, ever need anything just let me know okay? Even if it’s something stupid, let me know.”
Kurt reached out and laid a hand on the crook of Puck’s elbow, “It’s not a big deal. You don’t owe me or anything like that.”
Puck shook his head, “Well just, have a good one. Okay?”
“Okay,” Kurt hid a yawn behind his hand and rubbed at his nose. “You have a ride home?”
“Was just going to walk,” Puck shrugged and Kurt grabbed the worn material of the letterman jacket dragging Puck towards his car. “Whoa, slow down.”
“You’re not walking in this weather. Not after all the effort I put into getting you healthy again.” Kurt jammed his key into the ignition and turned the heater up before he muffled a cough in his hand.
“Oh no,” Puck closed his eyes, “I’m sorry man.”
“For what?”
“Making you sick.”
Kurt looked over at Puck with wide eyes, “I am not sick Noah Puckerman. I don’t have the time to be sick.”
Rolling his eyes Puck shifted in his seat angling towards Kurt, “I didn’t have the time nor did I want to get sick but I still did.”
Kurt tapped his fingers against the steering wheel and stared up at a red light waiting for it to change. They hadn’t said anything for a few minutes before Kurt couldn’t help it any longer. “I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
“Making things awkward,” Kurt shrugged and focused on the road in front of him. “I just, sometimes my mouth blurts things out before my brain can filter my thoughts down.”
“We’re talking about what you said before you left my house, aren’t we?” Puck folded his hands together, tangled his fingers together before pulling his hands apart and resting them on his thighs.
“Yes,” Kurt swallowed the lump of emotions down, “I figure the whole ‘I want more than friends’ and the kiss on the forehead was a little bit too much.”
Kurt drove in silence down the street towards Puck’s house. Everything felt like it was crumbling in Kurt’s chest. It hurt to sit in silence with Puck right next to him when all Kurt wanted was for Puck to say differently. He had parked and he couldn’t bring himself to look over at Puck. Instead he sat staring out the windshield at the clouds of heat that emanated off the hood of his car.
His heart was beating faster and faster every second that passed by without some kind of response from Puck. When Puck shifted in his seat and reached out, resting a hand on Kurt’s thigh, Kurt thought his heart had stopped completely. Kurt looked down at the bronze hand, following the arm up until he met Puck’s gaze.
“It wasn’t enough,” Puck whispered as he leaned across the car and pressed his lips softly to the corner of Kurt’s. He popped the door open and a gust of frozen wind shocked Kurt, “If that didn’t make my intentions clear, I want more than just friends too Kurt. I’ve wanted more for a while now.”
Kurt pressed his fingertips to the spot Puck’s lips were and watched as Puck jogging up the porch and into the house. He wasn’t sure of what just happened but he figured as soon as his brain got back online he was really going to like where things were going.
Kurt woke up with a body wracking cough. It wasn’t just a small cough. He was coughing so hard his entire body hurt and it felt like he was about to fall out. He was so focused on trying to breathe he didn’t hear his Dad running down the stairs until he felt he felt his Dad pulling him up out of bed and standing him up.
“Kurt,” Burt was rubbing his back and trying to do something for Kurt. It took a moment before Kurt was letting his Dad take most of his weight while he regained any semblance of relief. He looked up with red cheeks and watery eyes before he croaked out his thanks.
“So,” Burt stepped back as Kurt another cough followed by a sneeze. “Maybe spending all that time with that Puckerman kid wasn’t such a great idea.”
“I’m fine,” Kurt mumbled as he flopped back down on his bed.
“Sure,” Burt rolled his eyes, “You can be fine all you want in bed today. I know as soon as you take your temperature you’re going to have a fever. I’ll get you some medicine. You lie back down.”
Huffing out a sigh Kurt threw an arm over his eyes as he listened to his Dad head upstairs and fumble around in the kitchen. With a half-ditched effort he sent a text to Puck. You got me sick.
Kurt woke up to the smell of menthol and a set of blankets and pillows that were to warm to be true.
“I warned you that I’d get you sick,” Puck’s voice came from above Kurt’s ear and Kurt could feel the deep vibrations of Puck’s voice against his back. “But you wouldn’t listen.”
Rolling over Kurt stared at Puck. He had made himself at home in Kurt’s bedroom. He was beneath the covers and inches away from Kurt. His jeans had been swapped for sweatpants and a tee-shirt. There was medicine, a thermometer and juice on the bedside table.
“What are you doing here?” Kurt wiped at his eyes trying to see if Puck had really ninja’d his was into the bed with him.
“You weren’t at school so I called and your Dad said you were getting sick and he made you stay home. Apparently he thinks you’re a ‘do gooder who can’t figure out when to take care of himself so the idiot who got him sick better repay the favor’. How could I resist an invitation like that?”
Kurt grinned before snuggling down further in the sheets. Puck clucked his tongue and leaned over Kurt, “You know someone convinced me recently that actually taking medicine, eating and hydrating would aid in the healing process.”
“Who was this genius?” Kurt smirked up at Puck, his heart doing a sloppy dance of excitement in his chest.
Puck pretended to think for a moment, pressing his lips together before he shrugged, “I don’t know but he is pretty cute, even when he’s sick.”
“Pretty cute?” Kurt raised a brow.
“Okay,” Puck leaned down further, “Wildly attractive.”
“Better,” Kurt breathed out and froze when Puck pressed another one of those too soft kisses to the corner of his lips. When Puck shifted to sit up and grab the medicine and juice Kurt whispered, “Much better.”
“So,” Puck started as he watched Kurt swallow down the syrupy orange liquid followed by the juice, “Your Dad picked up broccoli and cheese soup for you. He said it might not be chicken noodle but it would keep you full. You okay to eat that?”
“I could eat a zebra right now,” Kurt chuckled into his fist before he started coughing.
Puck waited the worst of it out before passing Kurt a lozenge and scooting from bed, “You’re throat probably doesn’t feel too great right now. I’ll go get the soup.”
Kurt reached out and stopped Puck, “Thank you.”
“I got you in this situation,” Puck shrugged. “It’s the least I could do. Stay in bed Hummel, I’ll find a movie.”
Burt was sitting at the kitchen table flipping through a car magazine when Puck made his way from the basement. He had fixed Kurt a bowl of soup and nuked it before Burt had stopped him.
“You care about my son?”
Puck felt his entire body tense up from the words and he turned to place the bowl on the table and took the seat across from Burt. “I do. I care about him more than I ever thought I would.”
“Uh huh,” Burt tapped his fingers against the table top.
“I want to make him happy.” Puck stumbled for something to reassure Burt that he wasn’t going to do anything stupid to hurt his son. “I, he…”
Burt shook his head in amusement, “I understand what you’re trying to say. Just if you hurt him, you know he’s vicious enough to make you regret it. So unless you’re completely serious about whatever this thing between you two is going, then don’t start anything with him. I don’t want to bail my kid out of jail.”
“He can take care of himself, can’t he?” Puck grinned, “I am serious though. If Kurt will have me.”
Burt nodded and went back to his magazine, “Well that soup isn’t going to eat it self.”
Puck and Kurt were propped up in bed lying side by side with each other as the nineteen-eighties version of Hairspray played in the background.
“Your Dad isn’t as scary as I thought he would be.” Puck commented absently as he curled his fingers together with Kurt’s.
“My Dad isn’t as scary as you thought?” Kurt repeated before he rolled onto his side to face Puck completely trying not to smile at the implication of what Puck had said. “What did you and my Dad talk about that you figured out that he wasn’t so scary?”
Puck licked his lips before he turned on his side and scooted close enough his knees bumped Kurt’s, “We talked about me wanting to be more than friends with you, and how unless I was serious that I should leave you alone.”
“And are you?” Kurt tapped a fingertip against Puck’s chest.
“Serious?” Puck let his eyes roll up as if he had to think about Kurt’s question. He let out a chuckle when Kurt smacked him lightly. He grasped Kurt’s hands and stilled them, “Yes, I am very serious about wanting to be more than friends with you Kurt. You make me want things, to be the person I never thought I could be. Plus it helps that you’re hot as hell.”
Kurt grinned before he muffled a cough in Puck’s shirt.
“Really?” Puck rolled his eyes.
“Don’t pretend that you don’t like it. We both know that you do.” Kurt snuggled up closer to Puck, “Please tell me that you don’t have to go home yet.”
“Nah,” Puck draped an arm over Kurt, “Cleared it with my mom to stay and you’re Dad is okay with it if we leave the door open and there’s no funny business. He said he’d know.”
“Parents always know,” Kurt mumbled before he drifted off to sleep pressed against Puck and holding tight to his shirt.
Kurt wasn’t going to miss more school that was necessary. He had already missed enough because of Puck and he wasn’t really sick. At least he didn’t think going to school would hurt him all the much. By glee he was ready to conk out for the day. He slumped down in his seat ignoring Rachel’s blathering on about what solo would be suit her and the duet that would best suit she and Finn. He couldn’t really care a less at the moment. All he really wanted was for the drama queen to shut up for two seconds so he could think.
“You’re wishing that you stayed home, aren’t you?” Puck whispered into Kurt’s ear as he sat down in the chair next to Kurt.
“If only to avoid Rachel Berry? Yes, I do wish I would have stayed home.” Kurt grumbled as he leaned over to rest his cheek against Puck’s arm.
“We could leave,” Puck offered and Kurt narrowed his eyes. “So you can go home and take a nap.”
“You just want my body,” Kurt whispered.
“Not going to deny that,” Puck grinned and watched Mr. Schue try to show them the type of dance moves they were going to learn. He tried not to laugh at the way Kurt pawed at him.
“What is she doing?” Kurt tilted his head as Rachel spun around and her voice got higher and higher. “Make her stop please?”
“Sorry babe,” Puck scooted closer to Kurt, bumping their knees together, “There is no stopping the Berrizilla. She just destroys everything in her path when she gets like this.”
Kurt chuckled, “Berrizilla. I like that.”
“So you ready to ditch or are you into torture?” Puck grinned at the way Kurt shoved at him hard enough to just about knock him from the chair. As soon as he regained his balance Puck stood up, “Mr. Schue, I’m going to make sure Kurt gets home alright. He hasn’t been feeling well.”
“Oh,” Mr. Schue clasped his hands together, “I hope you feel better Kurt.”
“Thanks Mr. Schue, see you guys tomorrow.” Kurt grabbed his bag and let Puck lead him out of the room and towards the parking lot. As soon as they were out of the school Kurt turned on Puck, “You know they’re going to be talking about us.”
“Let em’,” Puck shrugged as he stopped at Kurt’s car. “If they want to make a big deal about us let em’.”
“But,” Kurt leaned against the door and ran a hand over the back of his neck, “Do you want them to know? That we’re you know, whatever we are?”
Puck placed a hand on the back of Kurt’s neck and tugged him closer, “If you weren’t sick I’d kiss you right here Kurt Hummel.”
“Don’t say things like that,” Kurt breathed out through parted lips. “My addled brain only focused on a few of those words.”
“Which ones?” Puck slotted their feet together and rested a hand on Kurt’s cheek.
“The kissing part,” Kurt licked his lips. “I don’t much care about the sick part.”
“Me neither,” Puck ducked in and laid a kiss to Kurt’s cheek, “And until you’re better those lips aren’t coming near mine.”
“So mean,” Kurt pouted.
“But you have to admit, it’s a great encouragement to get better.” Puck wrapped his arms around Puck and held him close for a moment. “Text me after you get some rest?”
“Definitely,” Kurt nodded.
A week, that’s how long it took for Kurt to get over his cold and to get rid of his cough completely. He endured a week of listening to Rachel Berry get her way and sitting next to Puck close enough to drive any sane boy crazy. Puck didn’t even wait for him after glee. He just sent a smug smirk before jogging out the building with Finn chattering on about grilled cheese sandwiches or something.
Kurt didn’t even leave the school parking lot before firing off his first text. So I’m not sick and you leave with Finn. See if I let you anywhere near me.
The jingle of his phone had Kurt smirking. It wasn’t even a minute after he sent the text that he got a response. He eyed the screen at a red light but didn’t actually check the message until he got home.
I bet you look hot, jealous over Finn.
Kurt squawked in outrage before typing out, Not jealous. Just impatient.
Patience and you might get what you want
Kurt narrowed his eyes at his phone as he set his bag down on the kitchen table and flopped down on the couch. He undid the laces on his boots and tucked his socked feet underneath him as he pondered a response. He grinned as he fired off another text. Whoever told you that patience was a virtue lied to you Noah.
His phone jingled back with a LOL from Puck and Kurt let out a huff. He wasn’t a needy guy. Really. He just wanted to kiss the ever-loving bejesus out of Noah Puckerman. He was just about ready to snatch up his keys and hunt Puck down when the door bell sounded.
Kurt trudged to the doorway and opened the door with a huff. He stepped back in surprise when he saw Puck standing there with a thing box topped with a ribbon in hand. “I think I like it when you call me Noah.”
“Yeah?” Kurt leaned against the doorway with his lips curled upwards. “What’s with the present?”
“Well,” Puck stepped closer and pulled the ribbon off the box, “I figured since you weren’t sick anymore.”
“Uh huh,” Kurt’s eyes were glued on the box that Puck was taking his sweet time to open. When the box finally popped open Kurt eyed the strip of braided leather curiously. Puck had pulled it free and held Kurt’s hand in his as he placed the bracelet on Kurt’s arm. There were elegant swirls etched into the leather and it was soft against Kurt’s wrist.
“I figured you weren’t much of a fan of big chocolate hearts, even though everyone likes chocolate, and flowers, well I didn’t know if you were allergic to anything but this?” Puck let his fingers trace over the band and beneath it to Kurt’s pulse point, “Means a little more than just something that you eat and forget about or flowers that die.”
“It reminds me of you,” Kurt met Puck’s gaze. He felt the warmth of Puck’s breath against his lips, god how he wanted to finally kiss him. It was there, just tingling across his skin, want burning up and down his spine. The heat of Puck’s hand that somehow moved to his waist, the way their knees pressed against each other and his heart stuttered when Puck’s fingers curled into his shirt.
“That was the plan,” Puck’s voice was low as he leaned in and let his lips press against Kurt’s. It was soft, warm and calm until Kurt made a low keening noise in the back of throat and it was like a switch was flipped. Puck licked across the seam of Kurt’s lips and drank down the surprised gasp with fervor. He backed Kurt into the house and out of the cold as he kicked the door shut. His hands holding Kurt’s face tipped back at just the right angle.
He had barely pulled away when Kurt had whispered, “Noah.” He pressed another kiss to Kurt’s lips before he rested his forehead against Kurt’s.
“I think you ruined me for other boys,” Kurt whispered and Puck let out a loud laugh.
“Good, because as of now? You are mine Kurt Hummel.”
Kurt plucked at his bracelet, “Says so right here.”