fic: worn out faces: puck/kurt
Title: Worn Out Faces (1/1)
Series: Music Is What Feelings Sound Like
Pairing: Puck/Kurt (beginning of, anyway)
Rating: PG
Fandom: Glee
Summary: Sometimes things get a little melancholy around McKinley High.
Disclaimer: Very much not mine, sadly.
Notes: This is the story that the last one was going to be. “Mad World” is such an incredible song, I think. The three versions mentioned are Adam Lambert’s, Gary Jules’, and the original by Tears for Fears. That’s youtubes, I don’t have it. Enjoy!
Past stories in this series: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way Home | Giving off Sparks | Love is Friendship Set on Fire | Hard Habit to Break
Puck was in a shitty mood. This was evident by the way his words took on the familiar biting douchery that the glee club had been used to in the past. He was only half way there through rehearsal, barely singing and not dancing at all. This lasted a week before Mr. Shue pulled him aside and said something to him. Kurt leaned against Mercedes, the both of them watching as Puck and Mr. Shue talked. Puck nodded, then walked out of the choir room. No one asked what was going on.
It took three more rehearsals with Puck as a no show before Tina finally raised her hand timidly. "Wh-wh-what happened to P-p-p-puck?" she stuttered. The rest of glee nodded, all leaning forward to find out what happened to the other football player in the choir.
Mr. Shue cleared his throat, shuffling his papers. "He has some stuff going on right now and won't be in glee for the time being."
"But." Rachel spoke up. "We need 12 people in glee for competition! Him not being here makes us only have 11." Of course, while Rachel had become more bearable when it came to her competitive streak, it didn't mean she didn't want to win. Or at least have a chance. Kurt turned and looked up at her through slightly narrowed eyes. He loved Rachel, and would go through hell for her (at least, he thought he would), but there were so many times she was so focused on the end goal, she forgot about the people who got hurt along the way.
"He'll be back in time, and Quinn, Finn and I are making sure he isn't missing anything."
Kurt frowned at that. He and Puck were friends - that he was sure of by now. The day they skipped had been one of the best days of Kurt's short existence, and he knew without a doubt, that by the end of the day, they were friends. So why wasn't Puck asking him for help? He looked back at Finn, then slumped slightly, realizing why. He and Puck may be friends, but both Finn and Quinn had been Puck's best friends for their entire lives. Kurt could remember the three of them playing together on the playground in the first grade. Kurt assumed that the two of them were probably privy to whatever had Puck so upset lately. He glanced at Mercedes, who was talking to Santana. He kind of wished he was one of the special few that knew what was going on in Puck's head.
~*~
Kurt had been listening to "Mad World" on repeat for hours. There was something melancholy about the song that spoke to him, and he really liked Adam Lambert's voice. It didn't hurt that Adam was famous and gay and not at all ashamed to be out and who he was. Kurt looked up to him for that.
Plus, he thought Adam and Kris Allen were a great team, even if there was nothing going on there. Kurt always thought maybe Adam had kind of fallen for Kris along the way; he could definitely relate to falling for a straight boy. It gave him a strange sense of comfort that it could happen to someone as fabulous as Adam Lambert.
Walking into the lunch room, his eyes scanned the tables for Mercedes, Tina, and Artie. He stopped when he saw Puck's back. He was sitting alone at a table, his posture very clearly saying "Stay the hell away from me." All of the students were taking a wide berth as they walked by his table.
Kurt found himself walking toward the table before he realized it. He rarely saw the jock in the lunchroom; Kurt supposed he had some dark corner where he slept during lunch, or possibly made out with someone. He tried not to think about that too often though.
He sat down next to Puck. The mohawked head turned, face dark and stormy, mouth open to give what Kurt assumed was going to be a sharp, biting comment. It died on his lips though. "Hummel," Puck said, turning back to his food, which he was picking at.
Well, it was better than what he expected.
"I have a song for you that I've been listening to all week. Kind of melancholy." He pulled out his iPhone and his earbuds. He took a second to find the song, holding his earbuds out for Puck. The jock looked down at Kurt's hand holding the headphones, then up to Kurt. He nodded, taking them and putting them in. Once he nodded to Kurt that they were in place, Kurt turned the song on.
It was low enough that they could still talk if they chose to; Kurt kept it low while he was at school so he could hear someone calling him in the hallways. Puck tilted his head as he listened, fingers tapping out the beat on the table. "Who is this?" he asked.
"Adam Lambert. He was on American Idol."
Puck nodded; Kurt saw the recognition on his face. Puck continued, "My favorite line to this song is I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad. The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had. Have you heard Gary Jules' version of this song? It's my favorite, even more so than Tears for Fears' original - that's faster than I like."
Kurt shook his head. "I haven't, is it good?"
"Yeah," Puck said, pulling his grey Nano out of his back pocket. "It's quieter than this version." He started scrolling through the music, and Kurt found himself leaning closer to see what kind of music he listened to. Puck turned slightly, letting Kurt watch him scroll. He finally found the song, the album cover saying 'Donnie Darko.' "The movie is really good, too," Puck continued. "You should watch it one day if you've never seen it."
Kurt shook his head. "I haven't seen it; maybe I'll check it out." He took a hopeful chance. "Maybe you'll come over one day and we'll watch it together."
Turning his head, Puck studied Kurt for a long moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that." He looked back down, pulling the headphones out of his ears. He unplugged them from Kurt's phone and put them in his Nano. He handed the earbuds back to Kurt to let him listen.
Kurt could see why Puck liked this version so much. He glanced up at Puck with a faint smile. "Can you email this to me?"
"Only if you email me Adam's."
Kurt nodded, pulling the headphones out from Puck's Nano. He stood. "Thanks, Puck. I hope you feel better." Kurt turned to walk away, then stopped when Puck reached out, wrapping his hand around Kurt's forearm. "Yes?" he asked, a natural touch of haughty in his voice.
"Thanks, Hummel. I promise this will pass and I'll be back to me again. Just be patient."
Kurt smiled faintly, nodding. "I promise." He couldn't help but feel warm down to his toes from the answering smile Puck gave him in return.
.end.
Series: Music Is What Feelings Sound Like
Pairing: Puck/Kurt (beginning of, anyway)
Rating: PG
Fandom: Glee
Summary: Sometimes things get a little melancholy around McKinley High.
Disclaimer: Very much not mine, sadly.
Notes: This is the story that the last one was going to be. “Mad World” is such an incredible song, I think. The three versions mentioned are Adam Lambert’s, Gary Jules’, and the original by Tears for Fears. That’s youtubes, I don’t have it. Enjoy!
Past stories in this series: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way Home | Giving off Sparks | Love is Friendship Set on Fire | Hard Habit to Break
Puck was in a shitty mood. This was evident by the way his words took on the familiar biting douchery that the glee club had been used to in the past. He was only half way there through rehearsal, barely singing and not dancing at all. This lasted a week before Mr. Shue pulled him aside and said something to him. Kurt leaned against Mercedes, the both of them watching as Puck and Mr. Shue talked. Puck nodded, then walked out of the choir room. No one asked what was going on.
It took three more rehearsals with Puck as a no show before Tina finally raised her hand timidly. "Wh-wh-what happened to P-p-p-puck?" she stuttered. The rest of glee nodded, all leaning forward to find out what happened to the other football player in the choir.
Mr. Shue cleared his throat, shuffling his papers. "He has some stuff going on right now and won't be in glee for the time being."
"But." Rachel spoke up. "We need 12 people in glee for competition! Him not being here makes us only have 11." Of course, while Rachel had become more bearable when it came to her competitive streak, it didn't mean she didn't want to win. Or at least have a chance. Kurt turned and looked up at her through slightly narrowed eyes. He loved Rachel, and would go through hell for her (at least, he thought he would), but there were so many times she was so focused on the end goal, she forgot about the people who got hurt along the way.
"He'll be back in time, and Quinn, Finn and I are making sure he isn't missing anything."
Kurt frowned at that. He and Puck were friends - that he was sure of by now. The day they skipped had been one of the best days of Kurt's short existence, and he knew without a doubt, that by the end of the day, they were friends. So why wasn't Puck asking him for help? He looked back at Finn, then slumped slightly, realizing why. He and Puck may be friends, but both Finn and Quinn had been Puck's best friends for their entire lives. Kurt could remember the three of them playing together on the playground in the first grade. Kurt assumed that the two of them were probably privy to whatever had Puck so upset lately. He glanced at Mercedes, who was talking to Santana. He kind of wished he was one of the special few that knew what was going on in Puck's head.
~*~
Kurt had been listening to "Mad World" on repeat for hours. There was something melancholy about the song that spoke to him, and he really liked Adam Lambert's voice. It didn't hurt that Adam was famous and gay and not at all ashamed to be out and who he was. Kurt looked up to him for that.
Plus, he thought Adam and Kris Allen were a great team, even if there was nothing going on there. Kurt always thought maybe Adam had kind of fallen for Kris along the way; he could definitely relate to falling for a straight boy. It gave him a strange sense of comfort that it could happen to someone as fabulous as Adam Lambert.
Walking into the lunch room, his eyes scanned the tables for Mercedes, Tina, and Artie. He stopped when he saw Puck's back. He was sitting alone at a table, his posture very clearly saying "Stay the hell away from me." All of the students were taking a wide berth as they walked by his table.
Kurt found himself walking toward the table before he realized it. He rarely saw the jock in the lunchroom; Kurt supposed he had some dark corner where he slept during lunch, or possibly made out with someone. He tried not to think about that too often though.
He sat down next to Puck. The mohawked head turned, face dark and stormy, mouth open to give what Kurt assumed was going to be a sharp, biting comment. It died on his lips though. "Hummel," Puck said, turning back to his food, which he was picking at.
Well, it was better than what he expected.
"I have a song for you that I've been listening to all week. Kind of melancholy." He pulled out his iPhone and his earbuds. He took a second to find the song, holding his earbuds out for Puck. The jock looked down at Kurt's hand holding the headphones, then up to Kurt. He nodded, taking them and putting them in. Once he nodded to Kurt that they were in place, Kurt turned the song on.
It was low enough that they could still talk if they chose to; Kurt kept it low while he was at school so he could hear someone calling him in the hallways. Puck tilted his head as he listened, fingers tapping out the beat on the table. "Who is this?" he asked.
"Adam Lambert. He was on American Idol."
Puck nodded; Kurt saw the recognition on his face. Puck continued, "My favorite line to this song is I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad. The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had. Have you heard Gary Jules' version of this song? It's my favorite, even more so than Tears for Fears' original - that's faster than I like."
Kurt shook his head. "I haven't, is it good?"
"Yeah," Puck said, pulling his grey Nano out of his back pocket. "It's quieter than this version." He started scrolling through the music, and Kurt found himself leaning closer to see what kind of music he listened to. Puck turned slightly, letting Kurt watch him scroll. He finally found the song, the album cover saying 'Donnie Darko.' "The movie is really good, too," Puck continued. "You should watch it one day if you've never seen it."
Kurt shook his head. "I haven't seen it; maybe I'll check it out." He took a hopeful chance. "Maybe you'll come over one day and we'll watch it together."
Turning his head, Puck studied Kurt for a long moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that." He looked back down, pulling the headphones out of his ears. He unplugged them from Kurt's phone and put them in his Nano. He handed the earbuds back to Kurt to let him listen.
Kurt could see why Puck liked this version so much. He glanced up at Puck with a faint smile. "Can you email this to me?"
"Only if you email me Adam's."
Kurt nodded, pulling the headphones out from Puck's Nano. He stood. "Thanks, Puck. I hope you feel better." Kurt turned to walk away, then stopped when Puck reached out, wrapping his hand around Kurt's forearm. "Yes?" he asked, a natural touch of haughty in his voice.
"Thanks, Hummel. I promise this will pass and I'll be back to me again. Just be patient."
Kurt smiled faintly, nodding. "I promise." He couldn't help but feel warm down to his toes from the answering smile Puck gave him in return.
.end.