The Road Less Traveled - Puck/Kurt - Complete
The Road Less Traveled
Author: darkangel86_07
Word Count: 15,183
Characters: Kurt Hummel, Noah Puckerman, the Glee cast ensemble
Pairing(s): Noah Puckerman/Kurt Hummel
Genre: AU, Humor, Romance, Drama, Teenage Angst and Fluff
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, a tiny bit of Quinn-bashing
Summary: Just because Quinn didn't want to keep their daughter did not mean that Puck didn't. Noah Puckerman was not giving up his daughter. He just was not. Little did Kurt Hummel know just how invested he'd become in little Beth's life, let alone how much he'd come to care for Puck.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Spoilers for everything up until 1x22 because after that, its all AU. And a small part of 2x03 and 2x08. Let's just imagine that this takes place during their summer vacation, for the sake of my sanity, k? Awesome. The biggest thank you in the world to princess10388! Without her help, this fic would not have gotten finished. So, THANK YOU!
The Road Less Traveled
"You're sure, Mr. Puckerman, that this is what you want to do?" The nurse in blue scrubs asked him for what felt like the millionth time in less than an hour.
"Listen lady, I'm positive. I know I'm, I'm still a kid myself. I get it. This is huge," Puck said, his eyes wide as he waved his hand in-between them. "But I'm doing this. She's my kid, my daughter and just because her mother didn't want her, doesn't mean I don't."
"Noah, are you sure?" Naomi asked, sighing as she held her granddaughter tighter against her chest.
"Ma, seriously. Stop it." Puck bit out. "Beth is mine. Ain't no stupid Broadway lady takin' her away from me."
Naomi smiled first at her son, then down at her new granddaughter.
"Then I suppose we'll need to make a few stops on the way home. We're aren't exactly ready for baby, Noah."
Puck couldn't help it, he smiled to himself even as he signed his name to the birth certificate.
~*Beth*~
It wasn't like Puck was hiding from his friends at school. Noah Puckerman didn't hide from anyone. Nope. So he'd skipped that last few days of school. That wasn't odd for him. He skipped school all the time. And if he didn't return Santana's sexts, well, who really cared? Right now he had far more important things to worry about.
"Ma!" Puck yelled. "Where'd we put the extra diapers again?" Bouncing a terribly fussy seven day old baby in his arms, Puck raced around the room looking for her diaper's, praying to God he found them soon.
"What have I told you about yelling around her, Noah?" His mother chastised as she walked into the room, bent over, and pulled out a brand new box of unopened newborn diapers.
"Sorry, but I wasn't sure you could actually hear me over this one." Puck grinned as he carefully laid Beth down onto her changing table and began removing the soiled diaper.
"You I could hear perfectly fine, child." Naomi grinned. "It's this one I could hardly hear. She's such an angel."
Puck snorted, rolling his eyes.
"You missed a call before, when you were giving Beth her bath," Naomi said, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Oh yeah?" Puck asked, his mind focused on dressing Beth in one of the new onesies they'd bought her just days before.
"Hm, yes. A girl. From school. Rachel, I believe her name was. She asked me to inform you that she and Kurt will be stopping by later this evening to-"
"Shit, ma, please tell me you give her some lame ass excuse about why they couldn't come over." Puck whined, snapping the final buttons on Beth's pink outfit.
"Language, Noah! And no, I absolutely did not! These are your friends and by default they deserve to know why you've been hiding." Crossing her arms over her chest, Naomi dared her son to challenge her.
"I'm not hiding." Puck mumbled. "And seriously ma, no one knows about Beth! Not even, not even Quinn." He sighed. "As far as she knows, Berry's mom took her and moved off somewhere else and is raising her all nice and pretty like. Quinn didn't want me to keep her."
"And your friends, how did they feel about it?" His mother asked.
Puck froze because honestly? He didn't know.
"I don't know. I'm not sure." Puck admitted.
"And as for Quinn, her opinion doesn't matter anymore. She made her decision and you've made yours. Now, give me my granddaughter. I'll watch her while you go fix a bottle. Your friends should be here in just a bit." Naomi smiled as she rubbed Beth's back, her eyes never leaving her son as he made his way out of the room.
~*Beth*~
"Rachel, why on earth would you drag me with you to check on Puckerman?" Kurt snapped, his eyes narrowed at the small girl standing beside of him.
"Because, Kurt." Rachel said, leaving it at that.
"That's not even an answer!" Kurt exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.
"Shush!" Rachel snapped as she knocked on the door in front of her. "Noah's missed the last week of school and as his friends-"
Kurt snorted.
"-as his friends, we're obligated to find out if he's okay." Rachel stressed.
"You mean come see for ourselves if there's anything to gossip about?" Kurt asked, raising one eyebrow at her.
"Kurt, really!" Rachel all but yelled at him, her tiny little eyes far to wide for his liking.
"Fine. Okay. So I've been a little worried about him too. Damn you for making me admit it." Kurt sighed, hating that of all people Rachel was the one to make him admit it out loud.
The tiny squeal that erupted from her mouth startled him so much that he missed the door opening in front of them.
"So, you two can either stand out here and do that all day," Puck said, grinning and shaking his head. "Or you can actually come inside where its nice and cool with the rest of us normal people."
"Normal? Right." Kurt mumbled as he fought against the tiny blush that threatened to cover his cheeks.
"Hello, Noah." Rachel said, pushing past both of them and making her way inside the house. "We just wanted to make sure that you were okay, seeing as you missed the last week of school."
"Yeah, Berry. I'm cool. Everything's fine here." Puck said, making his way into the small living room of his house, expecting his guests to follow.
"And you missed school because?" Rachel asked.
"You just cut right to the chase, don't ya Rachel?" Puck asked, a chuckle to his voice.
"Just overlook her. She's being nosy." Kurt said, finally speaking up.
"And you're here because...?"
"Because she made me?" Kurt tried, before sighing. "Okay fine. I was bored and she had a point. You missed an entire week of school and yes, it was kind of odd that no one has heard from you lately, not even Santana."
Being a Puckerman meant one of two things. One, you were always going to stand out in a crowd. Always. Two, you were always going to make an entrance.
A shrill cry interrupted anything anyone might have said next. Groaning, Puck turned on his heel and fled the room.
"Don't like, go anywhere, alright? I'll be right back!" Puck called back into the living room to Rachel and Kurt, completely missing their stunned expressions.
"Hi, kids. You might want to have a seat. Beth seems to want her daddy's attention now so he might be a minute or two." Naomi said, grinning as she passed by her son's now completely shocked friends.
First Kurt, then Rachel dropped down onto the couch behind them, both too shocked to speak as they watched Puck's mother leave the room.
"Did she say-" Rachel started.
"-Beth?" Kurt finished.
"She did." Puck said as he walked back into the room, a now wide awake Beth in his arms.
Rachel jumped up from her spot on the couch and rushed to Puck's side, her eyes wide as she looked at the little baby girl.
"Oh, my gosh, Noah!"
"Uh, yeah. Rachel, this is Beth. My daughter." Puck cleared his throat as he looked first at the small baby, then at the bouncing girl in front of him and then finally to Kurt, who had yet to move.
"But I thought...?" Rachel trailed off.
"Quinn didn't want her. I did. I never agreed to let her go, never wanted to. So, after she signed her rights away, I hung around. Spoke to some people, had my mom with me. She's mine. Legally and shit." Puck grinned.
"Oh, Noah." Rachel whispered. "Does anyone know?"
Puck shook his head, waiting for Kurt to say something, anything and wondering why it mattered so much whether he did or not.
When Kurt finally stood, Puck held his breath as the small diva slowly made his way towards the two of them.
"She-" Kurt cleared his throat. "She's gorgeous, Puck." Kurt said, his voice a small whisper as he looked down into tiny blue eyes. Her dark skin a mirror image of Puck's, along with the small curls of dark hair atop her head. "I don't really see much of Quinn in her."
"I know." Puck said, still sounding surprised by it. "First time I saw her, all I could see was Quinn but now? Now she's all Puckerman." Grinning, Puck turned her around so that both Rachel and Kurt could get a better look at her.
"Oh my god," Rachel laughed, wiping a tear out of her eye. "She really is!"
Kurt grinned, silently agreeing with her.
"Can I hold her?" Rachel asked, her eyes once again huge.
Puck froze. In the week he'd had her home, no one except his mom and little sister had held her. But, this was Rachel. Crazy, over the top in everything I do, Rachel.
"Sure, Berry." Puck said, carefully handing over his week old daughter to the girl he used to throw slushies at.
Once Rachel had Beth in her arms, it was like puppies and sunshine and rainbows or some shit like that because the smile on the small girls face almost hurt to look at.
"I am going to be the best aunt this little girl has ever had! Well, besides your sister, of course, but you know what I mean!" Rachel exclaimed as she gently began rocking Beth in her arms.
"Aunt?" Puck was confused.
"Of course, Noah!" Rachel laughed. "I fully intend to be around and a part of her life. I oh, um, if I'm allowed, that is." The smile on Rachel's face dimmed. "I shouldn't assume, I'm sorry."
The elbow in Puck's ribs seriously hurt.
"Fuck, Hummel, ow." Puck cursed. Kurt's narrowed gazed did not set right with Puck. "Assume away then. She's gonna need an awesome chick in her life and right now, Sarah could care less. She's not exactly down with a new baby in the house so, aunt Rachel it is." Puck said and he was pretty sure he'd just made Rachel's entire life.
The smile on Kurt's face, however, seemed to outdo the one on Rachel's and that subtle truth shocked Puck more than anything.
"You're a good man, Noah Puckerman." Kurt said, smiling as he looked from Rachel and Beth to Puck.
"No. I'm really not." Puck said, lowering his gaze.
"Explain to me how a person can own up to their mistake like you've done-" Kurt started, only to be immediately cut off.
"Beth is not a mistake." Puck's voice was hard, stopping Rachel in her tracks. "I might have messed up and went about making her in all the wrong ways, but my daughter is not a mistake."
"No, Puck, I didn't mean it like..." Kurt sighed. "I'm sorry. Of course Beth isn't a mistake. I would never think of her like that or assume you did either."
"Okay then." Puck said.
"I just meant, how many seventeen year old boys would take on this kind of responsibility like you've done? I mean, Quinn is her mother and she just left her. But you stepped up and took responsibility for what you did and now you're raising your daughter. That takes a special kind of person to do that." Kurt said, smiling up at Puck. "If it means anything, I'm proud of you."
"Me too." Rachel said, stepping closer to the two boys she looked at Kurt. "Do you want to hold her?" She asked.
"I've never-" Kurt started, his eyes widening.
"Just hold her head and you'll be fine." Puck said, chuckling.
Kurt bit down onto his bottom lip as Rachel and Puck both placed a squirming Beth into his arms. Having never in his life held a baby before, this was a whole new world for him.
"She's so little." Kurt whispered, his eyes as wide as hers.
"Six pounds, eleven ounces." Puck said proudly.
"That's all?" Kurt asked, not able to take his eyes off the small bundle in his arms.
"She's perfectly normal and healthy, dude." Puck laughed, moving to stand beside the smaller boy. "She's fine." He whispered.
"She's beautiful."
"Thought you said she looked like me?" Puck dared, a smirk plastered on his face.
Seeing the massive smile on Rachel's face, Kurt couldn't help but smile himself.
"I did."
To surprised by Kurt's admittance, Puck could do nothing more than stare down at the boy holding his daughter and wonder just what was happening.
~*Beth*~
Kurt Hummel knew he was man enough to admit that Beth Puckerman had totally and completely wrapped him around her tiny little finger before he'd left Puck's house that day. Between her soft cooing, her tiny hand wrapped around his finger and the fact that she looked exactly like her father, Kurt was a goner.
Kurt was also man enough to admit that seeing Puck like this, as a father, was quickly changing his outlook on the other boy. For years, all Kurt could see when Puck was around were the numerous slushies being thrown in his face or the dozens of dumpster tosses courtesy of the older boy.
Now though, seeing Puck with Beth, Kurt was entirely sure that he was finally seeing Noah, and not just Puck. And for whatever reason, that alone made Kurt's heart race. It also made his palms sweat and his knees weak.
Not that any of this was new, of course. All of these things were quickly becoming old news in Kurt's life. Being nervous around Puck had taken on a whole new meaning in the diva's life, as of late.
"Penny for your thoughts, Kurt?" Rachel asked, breaking Kurt out of his thoughts.
"I'd like to think they'd be worth more than just a penny, Rachel." Kurt sighed, tossing his chin upwards.
"Oh, I think I'd pay quite a lot of money to see the thoughts running through your mind right now." Rachel said, smirking. "They wouldn't have anything to do with a certain Puckerman, now would they?"
"Why on earth would I be thinking about Noah Puckerman?" Kurt asked, scoffing.
The grin on Rachel's face only widened.
"I was talking about Beth, Kurt. Glad to see where your mind really was though."
"Damn you, Rachel." Kurt muttered, flopping back onto his bed.
"So, tell me." Rachel bounced down onto his bed beside of him, giggling.
"Tell you what?" Kurt asked, risking a glance up at her.
"What it is you're thinking about Noah, of course!" The tiny diva exclaimed, clapping as she did so.
"Drop it, Rachel." Kurt groaned, flinging his arm over his eyes.
"Not even happening!" Rachel practically yelled. "I've seen they way you've been looking at Noah lately, so don't think I haven't. You might as well just admit what I already know so we can both be on our way."
"I can honestly say that I have no idea what you're talking about." Kurt tried as hard as he could to sound convincing.
"I believe liars go to Hell," Rachel said, looking thoughtful, tapping her chin.
"Non-believer in the room, remember?" Kurt said, raising his eyebrow at the odd girl still bouncing up and down on his bed.
"Don't change the subject, Kurt. Just tell me. Please!" Rachel begged, her eyes pleading for Kurt to spill all.
"I hate you, you know?"
"Not even a little bit!" Rachel laughed, her eyes wide.
"There isn't even anything to tell really. I mean, okay, so I've sort of taken notice of Puck lately. But he's been nice to me for the first time in years! I'm shocked and surprised and-"
"-completely smitten with him!" Rachel exclaimed.
Kurt groaned.
"No one uses 'smitten' anymore, Rachel. Just because you happen to dress like a grandmother, doesn't mean you should start talking like one." Kurt snapped.
"It's true though, isn't it?"
"No, not exactly." Sighing, Kurt sat up and pulled his knees up against his chest. "I am not smitten with anyone. Except maybe Beth. She is just far to adorable." Kurt smiled, picturing the tiny baby girl in his mind.
"But you like Noah, correct? I mean, you really have been watching him a lot lately, Kurt. For a while now, actually. I don't think anyone else has noticed, seeing as they are nowhere near as perceptive as I am." Rachel beamed.
"Of course not, dear." Kurt mumbled.
"You should know though, that you do watch him. A lot. Quite possibly as much as I watch Finn these days but then there is just so much to see when watching Finn!" Rachel gushed and Kurt gagged.
"Can we please not talk about watching Finn?" Kurt sighed. "It's enough that I have to practically live with him now, I do not need you rambling on and on about the wonderful Finn Hudson."
"Anyway," Rachel said, rolling her eyes at the male diva. "How do you plan to make Noah yours?"
"Make...Rachel, have you seriously lost what little bit of sanity you have left?!" Kurt exclaimed. "Not only will I not be 'making him mine' but in what universe would you ever think that Puck would even, well, go for me? I'm a boy!"
Rachel grinned. It often shocked her how slow and dimwitted most boys could be. But then again, she was Rachel Barbara Berry and she did have a sixth sense for these type of things.
"Noah Puckerman is no more straight that Brittany is, Kurt." Rachel said knowingly.
Kurt blinked. He didn't really have a response to that.
"Just trust me on this, okay? I'm not saying anything really. But maybe if you spend some time with him, outside of school and Glee, you'll see what I mean." Rachel said, smiling. "Now listen, just trust me on this and go with it, okay? I'd stay and chat longer but I'm meeting Finn in half an hour and I need time to change for our date! Good luck, Kurt!" Rachel tossed a wink over her shoulder as he bounced out of the room.
Kurt groaned and dropped back onto his bed. How was this his life?
~*Beth*~
As luck would have it, or Fate as Rachel later called it, Kurt had his first opportunity to spend time with both Puckerman's not even a week later.
It was barely even 8AM when Kurt's cell phone rang on a Wednesday morning. Cursing whoever was on the other end of the line, Kurt answered the call.
"Hmm?" Was all Kurt found he could manage.
"Kurt? Hey um, sorry to bother you but-" Puck's voice was barely audible over the screaming baby in his arms. "Kurt? Can you hear me?"
"Dear sweet Gucci, Puckerman! What on earth are you doing to that child?" Kurt practically yelled into his phone.
"Nothing! I'm not, I mean, oh god." There was nothing but defeat in Puck's voice as he spoke to Kurt.
"Is everything okay?" Kurt asked, sitting up in bed and yawning.
"No. Yes. I just, fucking hell." Puck muttered.
"Noah Puckerman, you do not use that kind of language in front of your daughter!" Kurt exclaimed, wincing at the sound of his own unusually high voice.
"She won't stop crying! What, what else am I supposed to do at this point, princess?" Puck snapped.
"Feed her, change her, I don't know! She's your baby, you should know this!" Kurt snapped right back.
"I have been awake since 3AM with her. She won't eat, I've changed her twice and I'm about ready to scream myself here! I called Rachel but she's not answering and I, I just-" Puck sighed and Kurt's annoyance quickly sighed.
"Give me half an hour, Puck, and I'll be right over." Not giving the other boy a chance to respond, Kurt ended the call and flopped back onto his bed.
Making himself get out of bed, Kurt quickly showered and dressed, foregoing his morning skin care routine, before writing his father a note and hurrying out the door. It wouldn't do for his dad to put anyone through a tizzy just because Kurt wasn't in his bed at 8 o'clock in the morning.
It ended up being more like 45 minutes by the time Kurt arrived at Puck's house, if only because his need for coffee meant the difference between someones life or death. Wincing as he stepped out of his Navigator, Kurt hurried up the steps and without even knocking, entered the Puckerman household.
Following the poor girls cries, Kurt found both father and daughter pacing the living room floor.
"Jesus Christ, Kurt, I didn't hear you come in." Puck said, a yawn interrupting most of that sentence.
"I wonder why." Kurt mumbled. Taking in Puck's appearance, Kurt found that it was no wonder the older boy was about to lose it. It didn't look like he'd had a single minutes rest in days. "Let me have her." Kurt said, sitting his coffee cup down and reaching out to gently take the screaming baby into his arms.
"I don't know what to do here, man. I'm lost and home alone since Ma decided to pick up a couple extra shifts at work and I, there isn't anyone I can call except you and Rachel and I'm really sorry for waking you up so early but I'm slowly losing it here." Puck rambled, dropping down onto the couch and reaching for Kurt's own coffee.
"I don't exactly know anything about babies here either." Kurt said, sighing. Taking over where Puck had left off, Kurt began to pace, bouncing Beth gently as he walked.
"It's like she doesn't even know what she wants. And I just, I'm just so fucking tired." Puck sighed and dodged Kurt's gaze.
"Do you trust me?" Kurt asked, mentally preparing himself for Puck's answer. "Because if you do then I want you to stand up, march yourself up to your bedroom and sleep. Let me take care of Beth for a while. I'm wide awake now and I, I want to help." Admitting that he wanted to help his former bully was something that surprised even Kurt.
Standing up, Puck offered the smaller teen a smile.
"There's a paper taped to the cabinet with instructions on how to make her bottles. Everything you'll need to change her is in her room, around her changing table." Puck said in a slow drawl.
"Bottle instructions, diapers, okay. Okay, I think I'm good." Kurt said, nodding along with each word he spoke.
"If you need me-" Puck started.
"Go. Sleep. I'll be waking you up in a few hours to eat, since its obvious you haven't eaten in quite a while." Kurt said, his tone final.
"Thank you." Puck said as he quietly left the room.
Kurt smiled. Never in his entire life did Kurt think he'd hear those words from Noah Puckerman, but he had and it was just nice.
Beth's sharp scream broke Kurt out of his thoughts rather quickly.
"Okay, baby girl, here's the deal," Kurt started, pulling Beth back and holding her out in front of him. "I have no earthly idea what I'm doing here but your daddy needed help. So let's make a deal, shall we? You stop crying and I won't start, okay?"
Kurt groaned when Beth's cries didn't stop. Mentally slapping himself for even getting into this mess in the first place, Kurt pulled Beth snug against his chest and began to hum.
It took less than a minute for Kurt to realize that Beth's cries were no longer making his ears bleed.
"Oh, you sweet angel you," Kurt said, grinning. "You like that, I take it?" Kurt asked Beth as he kept right on humming. "Doesn't your daddy sing to you at all?"
"Something has changed within me, something is not the same..." Kurt sang softly, smiling when Beth began to squirm around in his arms, trying to get more comfortable. "I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's games..."
~*Beth*~
When Kurt opened his eyes, he was immediately on alert. Jumping up and dearly falling over the coffee table in the middle of the room, Kurt groaned.
"Whoa, dude. Chill." Puck's voice startled Kurt.
"Puck, what?" Kurt asked, looking around nervously. "Beth?"
"Beth's in the kitchen with ma. She came home and found you passed out on the couch, Beth wide awake on your chest."
"Oh, god." Kurt said, dropping back down onto the sofa. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"Its okay. You're allowed to rest, man."
"Not when I've got a baby in my arms!" Kurt exclaimed.
"She's fine. Ma's feeding her and we both got some sleep. Which, by the way, thank you so much for letting me sleep. God, I feel like a new man now!" Puck laughed, feeling a million times better now.
"I really didn't mean to fall asleep. I mean, after I got her calmed down and fed her-"
"Speaking of, how'd you do it?" Puck asked, genuinely curious.
"I started humming and then I just sang to her. She seemed to like it." Kurt said, smiling.
"Damn. Why didn't I think of that?"
"I have no clue but it worked, she liked it and I was able to feed her and change her again before we both fell asleep, it seems." Kurt yawned, blinking rapidly.
Puck chuckled.
"Really? Cause dude, I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did with her."
"I resent that, Puckerman!" Kurt snapped.
"I've been doing this for weeks now and I broke after a couple of hours," Puck said, wincing at the memory. "If it hadn't been for my ma, I'd probably have killed someone by now."
"Oh, let me just tell you what a sight he was!" Naomi teased when she walked into the living room, Beth in her arms and a bottle in her mouth.
"Ma." Puck bit out, his eyes widening.
"Oh no, Mrs. Puckerman, do tell." Kurt said, grinning up at the older woman.
Naomi smiled, it was all to much fun teasing her oldest son.
"One day, Kurt. One day."
Puck breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god his ma knew when to keep quiet.
"Anyway boys, I brought home everything you'll need to get supper going tonight. Since Sarah's over at a friends house, its just us. For now though, its time for someones bath!" Naomi chuckled at her son's wince. "I've got her tonight, Noah, as long as you cook us something to eat."
"Done!" Puck nearly exclaimed, grinning wide.
"Spoiled little-" Naomi muttered as she made her way up the stairs and out of sight.
"Wait, did she say...?" Kurt trailed off, looking up at the taller boy and frowning.
"Yep, boys. Which means you're helping out." Puck said, grinning.
"Well, I suppose its the least I can do since I-" Kurt started.
"-fell asleep with my daughter on your chest?" Puck finished, smirking as he watched a blush spread on Kurt's face.
"I said I was sorry." Kurt mumbled as he followed Puck into the kitchen.
Puck's laughter rang out in front of him.
~*Beth*~
Laughter was what Naomi encountered when she entered her kitchen an hour later. No, scratch that. Laughter didn't even begin to cover the sounds coming from her kitchen. But hearing such happiness in Noah's voice, with a friend, made her heart soar!
"...and then, oh god man, he fell flat on his face, in front of everyone!" Puck exclaimed, throwing his head back and laughing.
Kurt looked like he could burst at any moment, his face red and tears pooling in the corners of his eyes.
"What," Kurt gasped for breath. "What does she see in him? I mean, yes, Finn is adorably cute but he's a danger even to himself, let alone Rachel!" Still laughing, Kurt missed the confused look that crossed Puck's face.
"He sings her goofy love songs, man. Berry's gone at that shit." Puck said, finally calmed down enough to make a coherent sentence.
"Yes, I suppose that would work." Kurt smiled, sipping his lukewarm tea.
"Dinner, boys?" Naomi asked, ignoring their unkempt states.
"In the oven, Mrs. Puckerman." Kurt said, smiling.
"Thank you, dear." The older woman smiled warmly at Kurt before looking towards Noah. "Beth is bathed, fed, changed and asleep. Hopefully, we'll get more than just an hour out of her this time."
"Thanks, Ma." Puck said, before leaning up and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.
Kurt couldn't help it. He had to smile. Finally getting to see a side to Puck, that Kurt assumed not many people saw, made him happy.
"I'll leave you two boys to it then." Naomi said as she turned to make her way out of the kitchen. "Make sure you lock up after Kurt leaves, Noah. He's more than welcome to stay, of course, but still make sure the house is locked up tight. Goodnight boys."
"Night, Mrs. Puckerman." Kurt said, a silly smile plastered on his face.
"Naomi, dear. Mrs. Puckerman makes me feel old." Naomi teased.
"Naomi then. Goodnight." Kurt said, a warm feeling causing his face to flush.
As Naomi made her way out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her bedroom, she made a mental note to herself. She gave those two oblivious boys less than a week before they were official. Any idiot could see how much Kurt cared about her son and if Naomi was honest with herself, she'd known about Noah's liking of Kurt for quite a while now. Her son wasn't as subtle as he thought he was. Smiling to herself, Naomi silently closed her bedroom door.
Back downstairs in the kitchen, Puck was smirking as he Kurt fidgeted around in the chair he was sitting in.
"She totally loves you." Puck said, once his ma was out of earshot.
"Of course she does." Kurt said, matter of factly. "What's not to love?"
Instead of answering Puck chose to stand and clear his dirty dishes into the sink.
Kurt sighed. This was his life, of course, liking the boy that could never possibly like him back. First Finn and now Puck. Damn him and his love for adorable jocks who used to throw him in dumpsters.
"So, I was thinking-" Puck started.
"I should go-" Kurt said at the same time. "Sorry, you first."
"Right, I uh, just wanted to say thanks. For ya know, everything today." Puck said nervously and really, since when did Puck get nervous around Hummel? Except that he did and he was and he had been more and more lately.
Sucking it up and taking it like a man, Puck decided it was now or never. No point in beating around the bush. It was just Hummel after all, the same kid he'd known since first grade. The same Kurt Hummel that Puck had always kept his eye on, the same boy that Puck had thrown into a dumpster for over a year. Fuck his life.
"...trouble at all, really." Puck heard the other boy say, scowling at himself for getting lost in his thoughts and missing the beginning of whatever Kurt had said. "So, I'll just be-"
"Go out with me?" Puck asked in a hurry, cutting Kurt off and causing the other boys mouth to drop open in shock. "I mean, fuck. Would you like to maybe, possibly, go out with me Friday night?"
"O-on a date?" Kurt managed to ask, stammering his way through the words.
"Duh, dude." Puck said, a grin threatening to form on his face.
"Don't call me dude." Kurt snapped before realizing what Puck had actually asked him. "Did you just, wait, so you're asking me out? On a date? On Friday night?" Kurt dropped back down into the chair he'd vacated only minutes before. "Why?"
"Why what?" Puck asked, turning the chair around backwards and dropping down onto it.
"Puckerman." Kurt scowled. "Why are you asking me out? Why are you not throwing me out of your house now that your mom isn't around to see it? Why are you acting like we're friends? We aren't friends, Puck. We've never been friends." Kurt sighed, loving the hole he'd just dug for himself.
"Harsh, Hummel." Puck said, the grin slipping from his face.
"No, look. I'm sorry, okay. I mean, we weren't friends before, right? So this is all new, I suppose; and aren't you supposed to be straight anyway?"
"I don't like labels, dude. But I don't guess I'm gay so I'm obviously bi. And I'm cool with it. Ma's known for about a year now that I like dudes too and she hasn't thrown me outta the house yet. I just haven't gone around tossing it out in every conversation I've had lately, ya know?" Puck shrugged his shoulders, like this wasn't that big of a deal to begin with.
"Your mother knows?" Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep, so does my sister and Berry too. She actually kinda knew before I did. Or before I'd admitted it at least. She's freaky like that."
"Damn it, Rachel." Kurt muttered, slowly plotting ways to set Rachel Berry's entire wardrobe on fire.
"Look, Rachel said I should just tell you and be happy you'd even give me the time of day, but I said she was a nutter and needed to lay off the constricting headbands she likes, but, damn it, I've been trying to work up the nerve to ask you out for a while now. But once Beth came along, I was kinda focused on other things." For whatever reason, it felt like a weight had been lifted from Puck's shoulders. Relaxing now, he waited to see what Kurt would say.
"That conniving little diva!" Kurt exclaimed.
"Wait, what?" Puck was beyond confused.
"Rachel! She, she knew and she played us both for idiots. Oh, she's good. She's good but so, so dead." Kurt glared, not at Puck but just in general.
"I am so lost. Hummel, what the hell are you talking about?" Puck asked, arms crossed over his chest.
"Rachel knew that I liked you, claiming it was that damn "sixth sense" of hers, and taking it a step further she even tried telling me that you liked me too, as cliche' as it sounds. I'm going to burn every sweater she owns!" Slapping his hand down on the table, Kurt smirked.
"So wait, where's the issue here then? You like me, I think you're hot. The next obvious thing to do is go out on a date. One that I totally just asked you out on and you've yet to answer me about it." Puck smirked this time as the color seemed to drain from Kurt's face.
"You're serious?" Kurt managed to ask, still not quite believing the other boy.
"Face facts, dude, I'm asking you out. Now, how 'bout it? We gonna go out on Friday or what?" Puck asked once more, completely loving the blush that had formed on Kurt's cheeks.
Kurt sucked in a deep breath, his heart beating at a ridiculous rate in his chest. Of course he knew what his answer was! Yes, yes a million times yes! Although, so save himself from sounding like a wanton whore in heat, Kurt simply smiled as he answered.
"Pick me up at 8?"
Puck grinned because damn it all to hell, Rachel Berry had been right! Not that he'd ever tell her but still, Puck had a date with one Kurt Hummel on two days because of one nosy diva.
"Eight it is, princess."
~*Beth*~
When Kurt's cell phone rang at five minutes til eight on the following Friday night, he of course, expected the worst. Seeing that it was Puck's number calling only made him feel worse.
"Hello?" Kurt said, already laying back on his bed. Of course his perfect shirt would be wrinkled before it was over with but since Puck was obviously calling to back out of their date tonight, its not like it really mattered.
"Kurt, hey." Puck said, and Kurt was surprised to hear him whispering. "I um, I'm not gonna be able to make it at eight tonight, obviously since its like two minutes til and everything but I was-"
"No, it's fine, Puck. I kinda figured anyway and I-" Kurt started, closing his eyes and wishing for the phone call to just be over already.
"What? No, dude. Listen, I'm calling to let you know that Ma can't watch Beth tonight." Puck said, and Kurt was sure he heard a door closing before the other boy spoke again, this time without the whisper. "Someone called in sick and she's covering for them and I have no choice, I gotta stay home with the little monster."
"Oh. Well, I understand. Of course I do." Kurt, sitting up on his bed now, not feeling like he was being blown off anymore.
"Right, so yeah, anyway I was wondering if maybe instead of going out tonight, you just wanted to come over and watch a movie, or something. We can order in and it'll still be our date, just at my house, with my kid sleeping upstairs." Puck chuckled.
Kurt only hesitated for a minute before answering.
"That sounds lovely, Puck."
"Awesome, dude. So, I'll just go ahead and order us a pizza and hopefully it'll be here by the time you are."
"Extra pepperoni, please." Kurt said, smiling into the receiver.
"A man after my own heart." Puck said, laughing now. "Come on over when you're ready. I'm here, duh, and Beth's down for the next couple of hours, at least."
"Be there in twenty." Kurt said as he jumped up from the bed.
"See ya soon, princess." Puck said and Kurt could hear the smirk on his face.
Tossing his phone back onto his bed, Kurt hurried into his closet and quickly began looking for something to wear. If they were staying in tonight, then Kurt really didn't need the $150 Gucci shirt he was wearing, or the skin tight, no scratch that. Kurt was definitely sticking with his skin tight skinny jeans.
Moving to the back of his closet, Kurt grinned in victory when his eyes landed on one of the old football shirts his dad had gotten him a few years back. If there was a chance Beth might spit up on him while he was at Puck's house, or worse, Kurt wasn't risking any of his designer clothes.
Deciding that his more expensive shoes just seems out of place with jeans and a tee-shirt, Kurt pulled them off and slipped into one of the many pairs of converse shoes he owned. Dressed down and feeling far more comfortable then Kurt knew possible, the countertenor grabbed his phone, wallet and keys before running out the door.
The drive to Puck's took less then fifteen minutes and to say that Kurt was nervous, as he made his way up the small walk towards his date, would have been an understatement. Luckily, Kurt had no time to be nervous.
"Hi, can I help you?" Kurt asked at the pizza delivery boy knocking rather loudly on Puck's door.
"You live here?" The kid asked.
"No but-"
"I've been knocking for like five minutes. Dude's not answering and I've got other stops to make." The kid said, annoyed and Kurt sighed.
Pulling out his wallet, Kurt paid for the pizza, thanking whoever was listening that his father never made him get a job like that. Working at the garage on the weekends was enough.
Knowing that Puck was of course home, Kurt didn't feel bad at all about letting himself into the house. Inside the door, Kurt kicked off his shoes and placed his keys on the hook hanging by the inside of the door. This felt comfortable and Kurt couldn't help but revel in the fact that he felt completely at ease in Noah Puckerman's house.
"Son on a-" Kurt jumped in surprise at Puck's startled words. "Dude."
"Do not 'dude' me, Puckerman." Kurt said, pushing the pizza box into the taller boys hands. "Dealing with insufferable pizza delivery boys was not on my list of things to do tonight."
"Shit, dude. I'm sorry. I didn't hear anyone knocking." Puck said, almost sounding sorry.
"No bother." Kurt said. "I paid for the food so you owe me one." Smiling, Kurt made his way into the living room.
"You can...pick the movie?" Puck offered, regretting it the instant he saw Kurt smirk.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
And that was how Noah Puckerman found himself watching 'Rent' with Kurt Hummel on his couch.
"I still can't believe you just happened to have this movie in your car." Puck mumbled again, halfway through the movie.
"Don't act like you aren't enjoying this too," Kurt said, laying back against the couch and grinning. "I can see you tapping your foot from here, ya know." Smirking again, Kurt subtly scooted closer to Puck.
At this, Puck had to grin, of course. They'd started out on opposite ends of the couch at the beginning of the movie and being the gentlemen that he was, Puck let it be. Until he noticed Kurt slowly moving closer to him throughout the movie. The only thing separating them now was about three inches and Puck's sudden inability to move.
Damn Kurt Hummel for making Puck nervous.
Growing his balls back, Puck used the first move that came to mind.
Yawning, Puck stretched his arms up wide. His shirt riding up, grabbing Kurt's attention was just a bonus, as Puck very slowly lowered his arms down onto the back of the couch, closing the distance between him and the smaller boy.
Kurt would have laughed if Puck hadn't been so darned cute. Instead, Kurt did something that even surprised him; he let his head fall back and rest on Puck's shoulder.
Puck froze for all of a second before he relaxed and let Kurt rest against him. Letting his arms come down from where it rest on the back of the couch, Puck dropped it across Kurt's shoulders and pulled him closer.
"Smooth, Puckerman." Kurt said, glancing up at the dark skinned boy.
"Nothing but the best moves for my boy." Puck said, laughing, before he realized how exactly his words sounded.
Kurt wasn't sure why he was suddenly leaning up, but it only made sense seeing as Puck was leaning down. A first kiss on his first date. Kurt was pretty sure things didn't get better than this.
Before any sort of kissing could take place though, Beth decided now was the perfect time to wake up and scream as if her world was ending.
Both boys jumped apart, Puck knocking his knee against the coffee table and Kurt falling backwards and almost into the floor.
"Shit, I'm sorry!" Puck exclaimed, his eyes widening as he moved to help Kurt stand up.
"No harm done," Kurt said, smoothing his shirt out.
"I'm sorry, again, but I've gotta go..." Puck said, looking from Kurt towards the stairs.
"No, of course. Go see what she needs." Kurt offered a smile to Puck before watching him take the stairs two at a time.
Kurt waited all of about ten minutes. When Puck didn't return, the diva decided there was no point in waiting around on him, so he began making his way up the stairs towards Beth's room. Just outside the door, Kurt stopped and grinned.
"...hours, and I'll be right home to you. I think I hear them calling, oh Beth what can I do?" Puck sang as he rocked Beth back and forth in his arms, a bottle in her mouth. "Beth I know you're lonely, and I hope you'll be alright, cause me and the boys will be playing all night."
"I've always loved your voice, you know." Kurt said, making his presence know as he stepped into the room.
Puck looked up, already knowing that Kurt had been standing outside the door. The fifth step coming up the stairs creaked when you stepped on it.
"So you've always been hot for me then?" Puck teased as he removed the bottle from Beth's mouth and shifted her up onto his shoulder.
"Ass." Kurt mumbled, his eyes bright.
Puck quietly laughed, waiting and hoping for Beth to burp soon.
"Since she's awake now, I was gonna change her and um," Puck started, trying to think of a good way to tell Kurt he wanted to spend time with his daughter without sounding like a total sap.
"We can spend as long as you'd like with Beth while she's awake." Kurt said, taking the words right out of Puck's mouth. "And I can, oh! Let's play dress up!" Kurt clapped his hands together in delight.
Puck groaned.
"Sure, Kurt. Let's play dress up with Beth." The things he did for his boy.
Kurt jerked himself awake at Beth's first cry. Sitting up far too quickly, he groaned. His neck was killing him, along with his shoulders but he supposed that's what he got for sleeping on the floor. Why was he on the floor again? Oh right. Dress up. With Puck and Beth. And of course they'd just fallen asleep here. Kurt groaned again.
Puck began to stir as Beth's cries increased.
"Oh, god. Baby, hush." Puck whined and Kurt rolled his eyes.
Pushing Puck's arm off of the now wide awake little girl, Kurt placed her bottle to her lips as he yawned.
"You look kinda hot like that, Hummel." Puck said, surprising himself and Kurt.
"Like what?" Kurt asked, glancing up from Beth to Puck.
"Like you just slept on a floor only to be woken up by a screaming kid. That and feeding her. It's hot." Puck smirked, propping himself up on his arm.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're an odd one, Noah?" Kurt asked, smiling as he did so.
Hearing Kurt use his first name did something to Puck. Sitting up even more and leaning across his daughter, Puck caught Kurt's mouth with his own lips. Kurt, of course, was too surprised to do anything other than let Puck kiss him.
"So this," Puck said, breaking their kiss. "Is awesome."
Kurt, whose eyes were still closed, just sighed.
"I'll take that as your agreement." Puck said, chuckling.
"Hm, what? Agreement? To what?" Kurt asked, finally meeting Puck's eyes.
"Us, being official and shit." Puck's smirk should have annoyed Kurt. Sadly, it did not.
"Of course, Noah. We can be 'official and shit'." Kurt said, turning his attention back to a now much happier Beth.
Puck grinned as he settle back down onto the floor of his daughter's nursery, totally okay with his boyfriend taking care of his little girl while he grabbed a few more minutes of sleep.
~*Beth*~
Next
Author: darkangel86_07
Word Count: 15,183
Characters: Kurt Hummel, Noah Puckerman, the Glee cast ensemble
Pairing(s): Noah Puckerman/Kurt Hummel
Genre: AU, Humor, Romance, Drama, Teenage Angst and Fluff
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, a tiny bit of Quinn-bashing
Summary: Just because Quinn didn't want to keep their daughter did not mean that Puck didn't. Noah Puckerman was not giving up his daughter. He just was not. Little did Kurt Hummel know just how invested he'd become in little Beth's life, let alone how much he'd come to care for Puck.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Spoilers for everything up until 1x22 because after that, its all AU. And a small part of 2x03 and 2x08. Let's just imagine that this takes place during their summer vacation, for the sake of my sanity, k? Awesome. The biggest thank you in the world to princess10388! Without her help, this fic would not have gotten finished. So, THANK YOU!
The Road Less Traveled
"You're sure, Mr. Puckerman, that this is what you want to do?" The nurse in blue scrubs asked him for what felt like the millionth time in less than an hour.
"Listen lady, I'm positive. I know I'm, I'm still a kid myself. I get it. This is huge," Puck said, his eyes wide as he waved his hand in-between them. "But I'm doing this. She's my kid, my daughter and just because her mother didn't want her, doesn't mean I don't."
"Noah, are you sure?" Naomi asked, sighing as she held her granddaughter tighter against her chest.
"Ma, seriously. Stop it." Puck bit out. "Beth is mine. Ain't no stupid Broadway lady takin' her away from me."
Naomi smiled first at her son, then down at her new granddaughter.
"Then I suppose we'll need to make a few stops on the way home. We're aren't exactly ready for baby, Noah."
Puck couldn't help it, he smiled to himself even as he signed his name to the birth certificate.
~*Beth*~
It wasn't like Puck was hiding from his friends at school. Noah Puckerman didn't hide from anyone. Nope. So he'd skipped that last few days of school. That wasn't odd for him. He skipped school all the time. And if he didn't return Santana's sexts, well, who really cared? Right now he had far more important things to worry about.
"Ma!" Puck yelled. "Where'd we put the extra diapers again?" Bouncing a terribly fussy seven day old baby in his arms, Puck raced around the room looking for her diaper's, praying to God he found them soon.
"What have I told you about yelling around her, Noah?" His mother chastised as she walked into the room, bent over, and pulled out a brand new box of unopened newborn diapers.
"Sorry, but I wasn't sure you could actually hear me over this one." Puck grinned as he carefully laid Beth down onto her changing table and began removing the soiled diaper.
"You I could hear perfectly fine, child." Naomi grinned. "It's this one I could hardly hear. She's such an angel."
Puck snorted, rolling his eyes.
"You missed a call before, when you were giving Beth her bath," Naomi said, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Oh yeah?" Puck asked, his mind focused on dressing Beth in one of the new onesies they'd bought her just days before.
"Hm, yes. A girl. From school. Rachel, I believe her name was. She asked me to inform you that she and Kurt will be stopping by later this evening to-"
"Shit, ma, please tell me you give her some lame ass excuse about why they couldn't come over." Puck whined, snapping the final buttons on Beth's pink outfit.
"Language, Noah! And no, I absolutely did not! These are your friends and by default they deserve to know why you've been hiding." Crossing her arms over her chest, Naomi dared her son to challenge her.
"I'm not hiding." Puck mumbled. "And seriously ma, no one knows about Beth! Not even, not even Quinn." He sighed. "As far as she knows, Berry's mom took her and moved off somewhere else and is raising her all nice and pretty like. Quinn didn't want me to keep her."
"And your friends, how did they feel about it?" His mother asked.
Puck froze because honestly? He didn't know.
"I don't know. I'm not sure." Puck admitted.
"And as for Quinn, her opinion doesn't matter anymore. She made her decision and you've made yours. Now, give me my granddaughter. I'll watch her while you go fix a bottle. Your friends should be here in just a bit." Naomi smiled as she rubbed Beth's back, her eyes never leaving her son as he made his way out of the room.
~*Beth*~
"Rachel, why on earth would you drag me with you to check on Puckerman?" Kurt snapped, his eyes narrowed at the small girl standing beside of him.
"Because, Kurt." Rachel said, leaving it at that.
"That's not even an answer!" Kurt exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.
"Shush!" Rachel snapped as she knocked on the door in front of her. "Noah's missed the last week of school and as his friends-"
Kurt snorted.
"-as his friends, we're obligated to find out if he's okay." Rachel stressed.
"You mean come see for ourselves if there's anything to gossip about?" Kurt asked, raising one eyebrow at her.
"Kurt, really!" Rachel all but yelled at him, her tiny little eyes far to wide for his liking.
"Fine. Okay. So I've been a little worried about him too. Damn you for making me admit it." Kurt sighed, hating that of all people Rachel was the one to make him admit it out loud.
The tiny squeal that erupted from her mouth startled him so much that he missed the door opening in front of them.
"So, you two can either stand out here and do that all day," Puck said, grinning and shaking his head. "Or you can actually come inside where its nice and cool with the rest of us normal people."
"Normal? Right." Kurt mumbled as he fought against the tiny blush that threatened to cover his cheeks.
"Hello, Noah." Rachel said, pushing past both of them and making her way inside the house. "We just wanted to make sure that you were okay, seeing as you missed the last week of school."
"Yeah, Berry. I'm cool. Everything's fine here." Puck said, making his way into the small living room of his house, expecting his guests to follow.
"And you missed school because?" Rachel asked.
"You just cut right to the chase, don't ya Rachel?" Puck asked, a chuckle to his voice.
"Just overlook her. She's being nosy." Kurt said, finally speaking up.
"And you're here because...?"
"Because she made me?" Kurt tried, before sighing. "Okay fine. I was bored and she had a point. You missed an entire week of school and yes, it was kind of odd that no one has heard from you lately, not even Santana."
Being a Puckerman meant one of two things. One, you were always going to stand out in a crowd. Always. Two, you were always going to make an entrance.
A shrill cry interrupted anything anyone might have said next. Groaning, Puck turned on his heel and fled the room.
"Don't like, go anywhere, alright? I'll be right back!" Puck called back into the living room to Rachel and Kurt, completely missing their stunned expressions.
"Hi, kids. You might want to have a seat. Beth seems to want her daddy's attention now so he might be a minute or two." Naomi said, grinning as she passed by her son's now completely shocked friends.
First Kurt, then Rachel dropped down onto the couch behind them, both too shocked to speak as they watched Puck's mother leave the room.
"Did she say-" Rachel started.
"-Beth?" Kurt finished.
"She did." Puck said as he walked back into the room, a now wide awake Beth in his arms.
Rachel jumped up from her spot on the couch and rushed to Puck's side, her eyes wide as she looked at the little baby girl.
"Oh, my gosh, Noah!"
"Uh, yeah. Rachel, this is Beth. My daughter." Puck cleared his throat as he looked first at the small baby, then at the bouncing girl in front of him and then finally to Kurt, who had yet to move.
"But I thought...?" Rachel trailed off.
"Quinn didn't want her. I did. I never agreed to let her go, never wanted to. So, after she signed her rights away, I hung around. Spoke to some people, had my mom with me. She's mine. Legally and shit." Puck grinned.
"Oh, Noah." Rachel whispered. "Does anyone know?"
Puck shook his head, waiting for Kurt to say something, anything and wondering why it mattered so much whether he did or not.
When Kurt finally stood, Puck held his breath as the small diva slowly made his way towards the two of them.
"She-" Kurt cleared his throat. "She's gorgeous, Puck." Kurt said, his voice a small whisper as he looked down into tiny blue eyes. Her dark skin a mirror image of Puck's, along with the small curls of dark hair atop her head. "I don't really see much of Quinn in her."
"I know." Puck said, still sounding surprised by it. "First time I saw her, all I could see was Quinn but now? Now she's all Puckerman." Grinning, Puck turned her around so that both Rachel and Kurt could get a better look at her.
"Oh my god," Rachel laughed, wiping a tear out of her eye. "She really is!"
Kurt grinned, silently agreeing with her.
"Can I hold her?" Rachel asked, her eyes once again huge.
Puck froze. In the week he'd had her home, no one except his mom and little sister had held her. But, this was Rachel. Crazy, over the top in everything I do, Rachel.
"Sure, Berry." Puck said, carefully handing over his week old daughter to the girl he used to throw slushies at.
Once Rachel had Beth in her arms, it was like puppies and sunshine and rainbows or some shit like that because the smile on the small girls face almost hurt to look at.
"I am going to be the best aunt this little girl has ever had! Well, besides your sister, of course, but you know what I mean!" Rachel exclaimed as she gently began rocking Beth in her arms.
"Aunt?" Puck was confused.
"Of course, Noah!" Rachel laughed. "I fully intend to be around and a part of her life. I oh, um, if I'm allowed, that is." The smile on Rachel's face dimmed. "I shouldn't assume, I'm sorry."
The elbow in Puck's ribs seriously hurt.
"Fuck, Hummel, ow." Puck cursed. Kurt's narrowed gazed did not set right with Puck. "Assume away then. She's gonna need an awesome chick in her life and right now, Sarah could care less. She's not exactly down with a new baby in the house so, aunt Rachel it is." Puck said and he was pretty sure he'd just made Rachel's entire life.
The smile on Kurt's face, however, seemed to outdo the one on Rachel's and that subtle truth shocked Puck more than anything.
"You're a good man, Noah Puckerman." Kurt said, smiling as he looked from Rachel and Beth to Puck.
"No. I'm really not." Puck said, lowering his gaze.
"Explain to me how a person can own up to their mistake like you've done-" Kurt started, only to be immediately cut off.
"Beth is not a mistake." Puck's voice was hard, stopping Rachel in her tracks. "I might have messed up and went about making her in all the wrong ways, but my daughter is not a mistake."
"No, Puck, I didn't mean it like..." Kurt sighed. "I'm sorry. Of course Beth isn't a mistake. I would never think of her like that or assume you did either."
"Okay then." Puck said.
"I just meant, how many seventeen year old boys would take on this kind of responsibility like you've done? I mean, Quinn is her mother and she just left her. But you stepped up and took responsibility for what you did and now you're raising your daughter. That takes a special kind of person to do that." Kurt said, smiling up at Puck. "If it means anything, I'm proud of you."
"Me too." Rachel said, stepping closer to the two boys she looked at Kurt. "Do you want to hold her?" She asked.
"I've never-" Kurt started, his eyes widening.
"Just hold her head and you'll be fine." Puck said, chuckling.
Kurt bit down onto his bottom lip as Rachel and Puck both placed a squirming Beth into his arms. Having never in his life held a baby before, this was a whole new world for him.
"She's so little." Kurt whispered, his eyes as wide as hers.
"Six pounds, eleven ounces." Puck said proudly.
"That's all?" Kurt asked, not able to take his eyes off the small bundle in his arms.
"She's perfectly normal and healthy, dude." Puck laughed, moving to stand beside the smaller boy. "She's fine." He whispered.
"She's beautiful."
"Thought you said she looked like me?" Puck dared, a smirk plastered on his face.
Seeing the massive smile on Rachel's face, Kurt couldn't help but smile himself.
"I did."
To surprised by Kurt's admittance, Puck could do nothing more than stare down at the boy holding his daughter and wonder just what was happening.
~*Beth*~
Kurt Hummel knew he was man enough to admit that Beth Puckerman had totally and completely wrapped him around her tiny little finger before he'd left Puck's house that day. Between her soft cooing, her tiny hand wrapped around his finger and the fact that she looked exactly like her father, Kurt was a goner.
Kurt was also man enough to admit that seeing Puck like this, as a father, was quickly changing his outlook on the other boy. For years, all Kurt could see when Puck was around were the numerous slushies being thrown in his face or the dozens of dumpster tosses courtesy of the older boy.
Now though, seeing Puck with Beth, Kurt was entirely sure that he was finally seeing Noah, and not just Puck. And for whatever reason, that alone made Kurt's heart race. It also made his palms sweat and his knees weak.
Not that any of this was new, of course. All of these things were quickly becoming old news in Kurt's life. Being nervous around Puck had taken on a whole new meaning in the diva's life, as of late.
"Penny for your thoughts, Kurt?" Rachel asked, breaking Kurt out of his thoughts.
"I'd like to think they'd be worth more than just a penny, Rachel." Kurt sighed, tossing his chin upwards.
"Oh, I think I'd pay quite a lot of money to see the thoughts running through your mind right now." Rachel said, smirking. "They wouldn't have anything to do with a certain Puckerman, now would they?"
"Why on earth would I be thinking about Noah Puckerman?" Kurt asked, scoffing.
The grin on Rachel's face only widened.
"I was talking about Beth, Kurt. Glad to see where your mind really was though."
"Damn you, Rachel." Kurt muttered, flopping back onto his bed.
"So, tell me." Rachel bounced down onto his bed beside of him, giggling.
"Tell you what?" Kurt asked, risking a glance up at her.
"What it is you're thinking about Noah, of course!" The tiny diva exclaimed, clapping as she did so.
"Drop it, Rachel." Kurt groaned, flinging his arm over his eyes.
"Not even happening!" Rachel practically yelled. "I've seen they way you've been looking at Noah lately, so don't think I haven't. You might as well just admit what I already know so we can both be on our way."
"I can honestly say that I have no idea what you're talking about." Kurt tried as hard as he could to sound convincing.
"I believe liars go to Hell," Rachel said, looking thoughtful, tapping her chin.
"Non-believer in the room, remember?" Kurt said, raising his eyebrow at the odd girl still bouncing up and down on his bed.
"Don't change the subject, Kurt. Just tell me. Please!" Rachel begged, her eyes pleading for Kurt to spill all.
"I hate you, you know?"
"Not even a little bit!" Rachel laughed, her eyes wide.
"There isn't even anything to tell really. I mean, okay, so I've sort of taken notice of Puck lately. But he's been nice to me for the first time in years! I'm shocked and surprised and-"
"-completely smitten with him!" Rachel exclaimed.
Kurt groaned.
"No one uses 'smitten' anymore, Rachel. Just because you happen to dress like a grandmother, doesn't mean you should start talking like one." Kurt snapped.
"It's true though, isn't it?"
"No, not exactly." Sighing, Kurt sat up and pulled his knees up against his chest. "I am not smitten with anyone. Except maybe Beth. She is just far to adorable." Kurt smiled, picturing the tiny baby girl in his mind.
"But you like Noah, correct? I mean, you really have been watching him a lot lately, Kurt. For a while now, actually. I don't think anyone else has noticed, seeing as they are nowhere near as perceptive as I am." Rachel beamed.
"Of course not, dear." Kurt mumbled.
"You should know though, that you do watch him. A lot. Quite possibly as much as I watch Finn these days but then there is just so much to see when watching Finn!" Rachel gushed and Kurt gagged.
"Can we please not talk about watching Finn?" Kurt sighed. "It's enough that I have to practically live with him now, I do not need you rambling on and on about the wonderful Finn Hudson."
"Anyway," Rachel said, rolling her eyes at the male diva. "How do you plan to make Noah yours?"
"Make...Rachel, have you seriously lost what little bit of sanity you have left?!" Kurt exclaimed. "Not only will I not be 'making him mine' but in what universe would you ever think that Puck would even, well, go for me? I'm a boy!"
Rachel grinned. It often shocked her how slow and dimwitted most boys could be. But then again, she was Rachel Barbara Berry and she did have a sixth sense for these type of things.
"Noah Puckerman is no more straight that Brittany is, Kurt." Rachel said knowingly.
Kurt blinked. He didn't really have a response to that.
"Just trust me on this, okay? I'm not saying anything really. But maybe if you spend some time with him, outside of school and Glee, you'll see what I mean." Rachel said, smiling. "Now listen, just trust me on this and go with it, okay? I'd stay and chat longer but I'm meeting Finn in half an hour and I need time to change for our date! Good luck, Kurt!" Rachel tossed a wink over her shoulder as he bounced out of the room.
Kurt groaned and dropped back onto his bed. How was this his life?
~*Beth*~
As luck would have it, or Fate as Rachel later called it, Kurt had his first opportunity to spend time with both Puckerman's not even a week later.
It was barely even 8AM when Kurt's cell phone rang on a Wednesday morning. Cursing whoever was on the other end of the line, Kurt answered the call.
"Hmm?" Was all Kurt found he could manage.
"Kurt? Hey um, sorry to bother you but-" Puck's voice was barely audible over the screaming baby in his arms. "Kurt? Can you hear me?"
"Dear sweet Gucci, Puckerman! What on earth are you doing to that child?" Kurt practically yelled into his phone.
"Nothing! I'm not, I mean, oh god." There was nothing but defeat in Puck's voice as he spoke to Kurt.
"Is everything okay?" Kurt asked, sitting up in bed and yawning.
"No. Yes. I just, fucking hell." Puck muttered.
"Noah Puckerman, you do not use that kind of language in front of your daughter!" Kurt exclaimed, wincing at the sound of his own unusually high voice.
"She won't stop crying! What, what else am I supposed to do at this point, princess?" Puck snapped.
"Feed her, change her, I don't know! She's your baby, you should know this!" Kurt snapped right back.
"I have been awake since 3AM with her. She won't eat, I've changed her twice and I'm about ready to scream myself here! I called Rachel but she's not answering and I, I just-" Puck sighed and Kurt's annoyance quickly sighed.
"Give me half an hour, Puck, and I'll be right over." Not giving the other boy a chance to respond, Kurt ended the call and flopped back onto his bed.
Making himself get out of bed, Kurt quickly showered and dressed, foregoing his morning skin care routine, before writing his father a note and hurrying out the door. It wouldn't do for his dad to put anyone through a tizzy just because Kurt wasn't in his bed at 8 o'clock in the morning.
It ended up being more like 45 minutes by the time Kurt arrived at Puck's house, if only because his need for coffee meant the difference between someones life or death. Wincing as he stepped out of his Navigator, Kurt hurried up the steps and without even knocking, entered the Puckerman household.
Following the poor girls cries, Kurt found both father and daughter pacing the living room floor.
"Jesus Christ, Kurt, I didn't hear you come in." Puck said, a yawn interrupting most of that sentence.
"I wonder why." Kurt mumbled. Taking in Puck's appearance, Kurt found that it was no wonder the older boy was about to lose it. It didn't look like he'd had a single minutes rest in days. "Let me have her." Kurt said, sitting his coffee cup down and reaching out to gently take the screaming baby into his arms.
"I don't know what to do here, man. I'm lost and home alone since Ma decided to pick up a couple extra shifts at work and I, there isn't anyone I can call except you and Rachel and I'm really sorry for waking you up so early but I'm slowly losing it here." Puck rambled, dropping down onto the couch and reaching for Kurt's own coffee.
"I don't exactly know anything about babies here either." Kurt said, sighing. Taking over where Puck had left off, Kurt began to pace, bouncing Beth gently as he walked.
"It's like she doesn't even know what she wants. And I just, I'm just so fucking tired." Puck sighed and dodged Kurt's gaze.
"Do you trust me?" Kurt asked, mentally preparing himself for Puck's answer. "Because if you do then I want you to stand up, march yourself up to your bedroom and sleep. Let me take care of Beth for a while. I'm wide awake now and I, I want to help." Admitting that he wanted to help his former bully was something that surprised even Kurt.
Standing up, Puck offered the smaller teen a smile.
"There's a paper taped to the cabinet with instructions on how to make her bottles. Everything you'll need to change her is in her room, around her changing table." Puck said in a slow drawl.
"Bottle instructions, diapers, okay. Okay, I think I'm good." Kurt said, nodding along with each word he spoke.
"If you need me-" Puck started.
"Go. Sleep. I'll be waking you up in a few hours to eat, since its obvious you haven't eaten in quite a while." Kurt said, his tone final.
"Thank you." Puck said as he quietly left the room.
Kurt smiled. Never in his entire life did Kurt think he'd hear those words from Noah Puckerman, but he had and it was just nice.
Beth's sharp scream broke Kurt out of his thoughts rather quickly.
"Okay, baby girl, here's the deal," Kurt started, pulling Beth back and holding her out in front of him. "I have no earthly idea what I'm doing here but your daddy needed help. So let's make a deal, shall we? You stop crying and I won't start, okay?"
Kurt groaned when Beth's cries didn't stop. Mentally slapping himself for even getting into this mess in the first place, Kurt pulled Beth snug against his chest and began to hum.
It took less than a minute for Kurt to realize that Beth's cries were no longer making his ears bleed.
"Oh, you sweet angel you," Kurt said, grinning. "You like that, I take it?" Kurt asked Beth as he kept right on humming. "Doesn't your daddy sing to you at all?"
"Something has changed within me, something is not the same..." Kurt sang softly, smiling when Beth began to squirm around in his arms, trying to get more comfortable. "I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's games..."
~*Beth*~
When Kurt opened his eyes, he was immediately on alert. Jumping up and dearly falling over the coffee table in the middle of the room, Kurt groaned.
"Whoa, dude. Chill." Puck's voice startled Kurt.
"Puck, what?" Kurt asked, looking around nervously. "Beth?"
"Beth's in the kitchen with ma. She came home and found you passed out on the couch, Beth wide awake on your chest."
"Oh, god." Kurt said, dropping back down onto the sofa. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"Its okay. You're allowed to rest, man."
"Not when I've got a baby in my arms!" Kurt exclaimed.
"She's fine. Ma's feeding her and we both got some sleep. Which, by the way, thank you so much for letting me sleep. God, I feel like a new man now!" Puck laughed, feeling a million times better now.
"I really didn't mean to fall asleep. I mean, after I got her calmed down and fed her-"
"Speaking of, how'd you do it?" Puck asked, genuinely curious.
"I started humming and then I just sang to her. She seemed to like it." Kurt said, smiling.
"Damn. Why didn't I think of that?"
"I have no clue but it worked, she liked it and I was able to feed her and change her again before we both fell asleep, it seems." Kurt yawned, blinking rapidly.
Puck chuckled.
"Really? Cause dude, I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did with her."
"I resent that, Puckerman!" Kurt snapped.
"I've been doing this for weeks now and I broke after a couple of hours," Puck said, wincing at the memory. "If it hadn't been for my ma, I'd probably have killed someone by now."
"Oh, let me just tell you what a sight he was!" Naomi teased when she walked into the living room, Beth in her arms and a bottle in her mouth.
"Ma." Puck bit out, his eyes widening.
"Oh no, Mrs. Puckerman, do tell." Kurt said, grinning up at the older woman.
Naomi smiled, it was all to much fun teasing her oldest son.
"One day, Kurt. One day."
Puck breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god his ma knew when to keep quiet.
"Anyway boys, I brought home everything you'll need to get supper going tonight. Since Sarah's over at a friends house, its just us. For now though, its time for someones bath!" Naomi chuckled at her son's wince. "I've got her tonight, Noah, as long as you cook us something to eat."
"Done!" Puck nearly exclaimed, grinning wide.
"Spoiled little-" Naomi muttered as she made her way up the stairs and out of sight.
"Wait, did she say...?" Kurt trailed off, looking up at the taller boy and frowning.
"Yep, boys. Which means you're helping out." Puck said, grinning.
"Well, I suppose its the least I can do since I-" Kurt started.
"-fell asleep with my daughter on your chest?" Puck finished, smirking as he watched a blush spread on Kurt's face.
"I said I was sorry." Kurt mumbled as he followed Puck into the kitchen.
Puck's laughter rang out in front of him.
~*Beth*~
Laughter was what Naomi encountered when she entered her kitchen an hour later. No, scratch that. Laughter didn't even begin to cover the sounds coming from her kitchen. But hearing such happiness in Noah's voice, with a friend, made her heart soar!
"...and then, oh god man, he fell flat on his face, in front of everyone!" Puck exclaimed, throwing his head back and laughing.
Kurt looked like he could burst at any moment, his face red and tears pooling in the corners of his eyes.
"What," Kurt gasped for breath. "What does she see in him? I mean, yes, Finn is adorably cute but he's a danger even to himself, let alone Rachel!" Still laughing, Kurt missed the confused look that crossed Puck's face.
"He sings her goofy love songs, man. Berry's gone at that shit." Puck said, finally calmed down enough to make a coherent sentence.
"Yes, I suppose that would work." Kurt smiled, sipping his lukewarm tea.
"Dinner, boys?" Naomi asked, ignoring their unkempt states.
"In the oven, Mrs. Puckerman." Kurt said, smiling.
"Thank you, dear." The older woman smiled warmly at Kurt before looking towards Noah. "Beth is bathed, fed, changed and asleep. Hopefully, we'll get more than just an hour out of her this time."
"Thanks, Ma." Puck said, before leaning up and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.
Kurt couldn't help it. He had to smile. Finally getting to see a side to Puck, that Kurt assumed not many people saw, made him happy.
"I'll leave you two boys to it then." Naomi said as she turned to make her way out of the kitchen. "Make sure you lock up after Kurt leaves, Noah. He's more than welcome to stay, of course, but still make sure the house is locked up tight. Goodnight boys."
"Night, Mrs. Puckerman." Kurt said, a silly smile plastered on his face.
"Naomi, dear. Mrs. Puckerman makes me feel old." Naomi teased.
"Naomi then. Goodnight." Kurt said, a warm feeling causing his face to flush.
As Naomi made her way out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her bedroom, she made a mental note to herself. She gave those two oblivious boys less than a week before they were official. Any idiot could see how much Kurt cared about her son and if Naomi was honest with herself, she'd known about Noah's liking of Kurt for quite a while now. Her son wasn't as subtle as he thought he was. Smiling to herself, Naomi silently closed her bedroom door.
Back downstairs in the kitchen, Puck was smirking as he Kurt fidgeted around in the chair he was sitting in.
"She totally loves you." Puck said, once his ma was out of earshot.
"Of course she does." Kurt said, matter of factly. "What's not to love?"
Instead of answering Puck chose to stand and clear his dirty dishes into the sink.
Kurt sighed. This was his life, of course, liking the boy that could never possibly like him back. First Finn and now Puck. Damn him and his love for adorable jocks who used to throw him in dumpsters.
"So, I was thinking-" Puck started.
"I should go-" Kurt said at the same time. "Sorry, you first."
"Right, I uh, just wanted to say thanks. For ya know, everything today." Puck said nervously and really, since when did Puck get nervous around Hummel? Except that he did and he was and he had been more and more lately.
Sucking it up and taking it like a man, Puck decided it was now or never. No point in beating around the bush. It was just Hummel after all, the same kid he'd known since first grade. The same Kurt Hummel that Puck had always kept his eye on, the same boy that Puck had thrown into a dumpster for over a year. Fuck his life.
"...trouble at all, really." Puck heard the other boy say, scowling at himself for getting lost in his thoughts and missing the beginning of whatever Kurt had said. "So, I'll just be-"
"Go out with me?" Puck asked in a hurry, cutting Kurt off and causing the other boys mouth to drop open in shock. "I mean, fuck. Would you like to maybe, possibly, go out with me Friday night?"
"O-on a date?" Kurt managed to ask, stammering his way through the words.
"Duh, dude." Puck said, a grin threatening to form on his face.
"Don't call me dude." Kurt snapped before realizing what Puck had actually asked him. "Did you just, wait, so you're asking me out? On a date? On Friday night?" Kurt dropped back down into the chair he'd vacated only minutes before. "Why?"
"Why what?" Puck asked, turning the chair around backwards and dropping down onto it.
"Puckerman." Kurt scowled. "Why are you asking me out? Why are you not throwing me out of your house now that your mom isn't around to see it? Why are you acting like we're friends? We aren't friends, Puck. We've never been friends." Kurt sighed, loving the hole he'd just dug for himself.
"Harsh, Hummel." Puck said, the grin slipping from his face.
"No, look. I'm sorry, okay. I mean, we weren't friends before, right? So this is all new, I suppose; and aren't you supposed to be straight anyway?"
"I don't like labels, dude. But I don't guess I'm gay so I'm obviously bi. And I'm cool with it. Ma's known for about a year now that I like dudes too and she hasn't thrown me outta the house yet. I just haven't gone around tossing it out in every conversation I've had lately, ya know?" Puck shrugged his shoulders, like this wasn't that big of a deal to begin with.
"Your mother knows?" Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep, so does my sister and Berry too. She actually kinda knew before I did. Or before I'd admitted it at least. She's freaky like that."
"Damn it, Rachel." Kurt muttered, slowly plotting ways to set Rachel Berry's entire wardrobe on fire.
"Look, Rachel said I should just tell you and be happy you'd even give me the time of day, but I said she was a nutter and needed to lay off the constricting headbands she likes, but, damn it, I've been trying to work up the nerve to ask you out for a while now. But once Beth came along, I was kinda focused on other things." For whatever reason, it felt like a weight had been lifted from Puck's shoulders. Relaxing now, he waited to see what Kurt would say.
"That conniving little diva!" Kurt exclaimed.
"Wait, what?" Puck was beyond confused.
"Rachel! She, she knew and she played us both for idiots. Oh, she's good. She's good but so, so dead." Kurt glared, not at Puck but just in general.
"I am so lost. Hummel, what the hell are you talking about?" Puck asked, arms crossed over his chest.
"Rachel knew that I liked you, claiming it was that damn "sixth sense" of hers, and taking it a step further she even tried telling me that you liked me too, as cliche' as it sounds. I'm going to burn every sweater she owns!" Slapping his hand down on the table, Kurt smirked.
"So wait, where's the issue here then? You like me, I think you're hot. The next obvious thing to do is go out on a date. One that I totally just asked you out on and you've yet to answer me about it." Puck smirked this time as the color seemed to drain from Kurt's face.
"You're serious?" Kurt managed to ask, still not quite believing the other boy.
"Face facts, dude, I'm asking you out. Now, how 'bout it? We gonna go out on Friday or what?" Puck asked once more, completely loving the blush that had formed on Kurt's cheeks.
Kurt sucked in a deep breath, his heart beating at a ridiculous rate in his chest. Of course he knew what his answer was! Yes, yes a million times yes! Although, so save himself from sounding like a wanton whore in heat, Kurt simply smiled as he answered.
"Pick me up at 8?"
Puck grinned because damn it all to hell, Rachel Berry had been right! Not that he'd ever tell her but still, Puck had a date with one Kurt Hummel on two days because of one nosy diva.
"Eight it is, princess."
~*Beth*~
When Kurt's cell phone rang at five minutes til eight on the following Friday night, he of course, expected the worst. Seeing that it was Puck's number calling only made him feel worse.
"Hello?" Kurt said, already laying back on his bed. Of course his perfect shirt would be wrinkled before it was over with but since Puck was obviously calling to back out of their date tonight, its not like it really mattered.
"Kurt, hey." Puck said, and Kurt was surprised to hear him whispering. "I um, I'm not gonna be able to make it at eight tonight, obviously since its like two minutes til and everything but I was-"
"No, it's fine, Puck. I kinda figured anyway and I-" Kurt started, closing his eyes and wishing for the phone call to just be over already.
"What? No, dude. Listen, I'm calling to let you know that Ma can't watch Beth tonight." Puck said, and Kurt was sure he heard a door closing before the other boy spoke again, this time without the whisper. "Someone called in sick and she's covering for them and I have no choice, I gotta stay home with the little monster."
"Oh. Well, I understand. Of course I do." Kurt, sitting up on his bed now, not feeling like he was being blown off anymore.
"Right, so yeah, anyway I was wondering if maybe instead of going out tonight, you just wanted to come over and watch a movie, or something. We can order in and it'll still be our date, just at my house, with my kid sleeping upstairs." Puck chuckled.
Kurt only hesitated for a minute before answering.
"That sounds lovely, Puck."
"Awesome, dude. So, I'll just go ahead and order us a pizza and hopefully it'll be here by the time you are."
"Extra pepperoni, please." Kurt said, smiling into the receiver.
"A man after my own heart." Puck said, laughing now. "Come on over when you're ready. I'm here, duh, and Beth's down for the next couple of hours, at least."
"Be there in twenty." Kurt said as he jumped up from the bed.
"See ya soon, princess." Puck said and Kurt could hear the smirk on his face.
Tossing his phone back onto his bed, Kurt hurried into his closet and quickly began looking for something to wear. If they were staying in tonight, then Kurt really didn't need the $150 Gucci shirt he was wearing, or the skin tight, no scratch that. Kurt was definitely sticking with his skin tight skinny jeans.
Moving to the back of his closet, Kurt grinned in victory when his eyes landed on one of the old football shirts his dad had gotten him a few years back. If there was a chance Beth might spit up on him while he was at Puck's house, or worse, Kurt wasn't risking any of his designer clothes.
Deciding that his more expensive shoes just seems out of place with jeans and a tee-shirt, Kurt pulled them off and slipped into one of the many pairs of converse shoes he owned. Dressed down and feeling far more comfortable then Kurt knew possible, the countertenor grabbed his phone, wallet and keys before running out the door.
The drive to Puck's took less then fifteen minutes and to say that Kurt was nervous, as he made his way up the small walk towards his date, would have been an understatement. Luckily, Kurt had no time to be nervous.
"Hi, can I help you?" Kurt asked at the pizza delivery boy knocking rather loudly on Puck's door.
"You live here?" The kid asked.
"No but-"
"I've been knocking for like five minutes. Dude's not answering and I've got other stops to make." The kid said, annoyed and Kurt sighed.
Pulling out his wallet, Kurt paid for the pizza, thanking whoever was listening that his father never made him get a job like that. Working at the garage on the weekends was enough.
Knowing that Puck was of course home, Kurt didn't feel bad at all about letting himself into the house. Inside the door, Kurt kicked off his shoes and placed his keys on the hook hanging by the inside of the door. This felt comfortable and Kurt couldn't help but revel in the fact that he felt completely at ease in Noah Puckerman's house.
"Son on a-" Kurt jumped in surprise at Puck's startled words. "Dude."
"Do not 'dude' me, Puckerman." Kurt said, pushing the pizza box into the taller boys hands. "Dealing with insufferable pizza delivery boys was not on my list of things to do tonight."
"Shit, dude. I'm sorry. I didn't hear anyone knocking." Puck said, almost sounding sorry.
"No bother." Kurt said. "I paid for the food so you owe me one." Smiling, Kurt made his way into the living room.
"You can...pick the movie?" Puck offered, regretting it the instant he saw Kurt smirk.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
And that was how Noah Puckerman found himself watching 'Rent' with Kurt Hummel on his couch.
"I still can't believe you just happened to have this movie in your car." Puck mumbled again, halfway through the movie.
"Don't act like you aren't enjoying this too," Kurt said, laying back against the couch and grinning. "I can see you tapping your foot from here, ya know." Smirking again, Kurt subtly scooted closer to Puck.
At this, Puck had to grin, of course. They'd started out on opposite ends of the couch at the beginning of the movie and being the gentlemen that he was, Puck let it be. Until he noticed Kurt slowly moving closer to him throughout the movie. The only thing separating them now was about three inches and Puck's sudden inability to move.
Damn Kurt Hummel for making Puck nervous.
Growing his balls back, Puck used the first move that came to mind.
Yawning, Puck stretched his arms up wide. His shirt riding up, grabbing Kurt's attention was just a bonus, as Puck very slowly lowered his arms down onto the back of the couch, closing the distance between him and the smaller boy.
Kurt would have laughed if Puck hadn't been so darned cute. Instead, Kurt did something that even surprised him; he let his head fall back and rest on Puck's shoulder.
Puck froze for all of a second before he relaxed and let Kurt rest against him. Letting his arms come down from where it rest on the back of the couch, Puck dropped it across Kurt's shoulders and pulled him closer.
"Smooth, Puckerman." Kurt said, glancing up at the dark skinned boy.
"Nothing but the best moves for my boy." Puck said, laughing, before he realized how exactly his words sounded.
Kurt wasn't sure why he was suddenly leaning up, but it only made sense seeing as Puck was leaning down. A first kiss on his first date. Kurt was pretty sure things didn't get better than this.
Before any sort of kissing could take place though, Beth decided now was the perfect time to wake up and scream as if her world was ending.
Both boys jumped apart, Puck knocking his knee against the coffee table and Kurt falling backwards and almost into the floor.
"Shit, I'm sorry!" Puck exclaimed, his eyes widening as he moved to help Kurt stand up.
"No harm done," Kurt said, smoothing his shirt out.
"I'm sorry, again, but I've gotta go..." Puck said, looking from Kurt towards the stairs.
"No, of course. Go see what she needs." Kurt offered a smile to Puck before watching him take the stairs two at a time.
Kurt waited all of about ten minutes. When Puck didn't return, the diva decided there was no point in waiting around on him, so he began making his way up the stairs towards Beth's room. Just outside the door, Kurt stopped and grinned.
"...hours, and I'll be right home to you. I think I hear them calling, oh Beth what can I do?" Puck sang as he rocked Beth back and forth in his arms, a bottle in her mouth. "Beth I know you're lonely, and I hope you'll be alright, cause me and the boys will be playing all night."
"I've always loved your voice, you know." Kurt said, making his presence know as he stepped into the room.
Puck looked up, already knowing that Kurt had been standing outside the door. The fifth step coming up the stairs creaked when you stepped on it.
"So you've always been hot for me then?" Puck teased as he removed the bottle from Beth's mouth and shifted her up onto his shoulder.
"Ass." Kurt mumbled, his eyes bright.
Puck quietly laughed, waiting and hoping for Beth to burp soon.
"Since she's awake now, I was gonna change her and um," Puck started, trying to think of a good way to tell Kurt he wanted to spend time with his daughter without sounding like a total sap.
"We can spend as long as you'd like with Beth while she's awake." Kurt said, taking the words right out of Puck's mouth. "And I can, oh! Let's play dress up!" Kurt clapped his hands together in delight.
Puck groaned.
"Sure, Kurt. Let's play dress up with Beth." The things he did for his boy.
Kurt jerked himself awake at Beth's first cry. Sitting up far too quickly, he groaned. His neck was killing him, along with his shoulders but he supposed that's what he got for sleeping on the floor. Why was he on the floor again? Oh right. Dress up. With Puck and Beth. And of course they'd just fallen asleep here. Kurt groaned again.
Puck began to stir as Beth's cries increased.
"Oh, god. Baby, hush." Puck whined and Kurt rolled his eyes.
Pushing Puck's arm off of the now wide awake little girl, Kurt placed her bottle to her lips as he yawned.
"You look kinda hot like that, Hummel." Puck said, surprising himself and Kurt.
"Like what?" Kurt asked, glancing up from Beth to Puck.
"Like you just slept on a floor only to be woken up by a screaming kid. That and feeding her. It's hot." Puck smirked, propping himself up on his arm.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're an odd one, Noah?" Kurt asked, smiling as he did so.
Hearing Kurt use his first name did something to Puck. Sitting up even more and leaning across his daughter, Puck caught Kurt's mouth with his own lips. Kurt, of course, was too surprised to do anything other than let Puck kiss him.
"So this," Puck said, breaking their kiss. "Is awesome."
Kurt, whose eyes were still closed, just sighed.
"I'll take that as your agreement." Puck said, chuckling.
"Hm, what? Agreement? To what?" Kurt asked, finally meeting Puck's eyes.
"Us, being official and shit." Puck's smirk should have annoyed Kurt. Sadly, it did not.
"Of course, Noah. We can be 'official and shit'." Kurt said, turning his attention back to a now much happier Beth.
Puck grinned as he settle back down onto the floor of his daughter's nursery, totally okay with his boyfriend taking care of his little girl while he grabbed a few more minutes of sleep.
~*Beth*~
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