New Years (Dave/OMC; brief mention of Kurt)
Title: New Years
Author: kosherrainbow
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Dave/OMC, mention of Kurt
Warnings/Spoilers: Only up to NBK
Disclaimer: Don't own Glee
Summary: Future Fic look at Dave Karofsky
Notes: Cross posted from ff.net.
Original Beta: Veritas4Eternity, so a huge thanks their direction
Link to Original Post
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"Dave?" The sound of his fiancé's voice drifted into the bathroom, where Dave was brushing his teeth.
"Yeah, babe?" Dave tried to speak through the foam filling his mouth.
"I forgot to pick up the flowers and wine for my parents house tonight."
Spitting before he responded, "Use the blue card in my wallet on the table next to the luggage."
"Thanks, you're a life saver!"
"That's why you agreed to marry me."
There was a chuckle followed by a stretch of silence allowing Dave to rinse and move on to shaving off the stubble across his chin.
"Dave." The other man stood in the doorway of the bathroom, "What's this?"
"It's time! It's time!" The sound of the group of children running into the adult filled living room and jumping around their grandfather brought twenty-nine year old Dave Karofsky out of the memory from that morning. Dave looked to the clock resting on the fireplace he had been leaning against, that announced the new year would arrive in an hour.
The old man's deep chuckle floated across the room before he got of his arm chair, "Yes is it. Alright all the McDaniels men…outside, lets go. Dave, this means you, too."
Dave opened his mouth to protest but his eyes caught on to his fiancé, Seth giving silent and reluctant permission. The older man sensed the hesitation and took a deep breath. "When I was growing up," There was a collective groan around the room but head of the McDaniel family trudged ahead anyway, "I had only sisters, always wanted a brother, but I never got one. Well, whatever power that be, made up for it by giving me five boys, and to top it off I also have the honor of getting two extra sons, even if Brad over there doesn't know the first thing about football. I did this with my father and he did it with his father, so all of you will participate."
Not wanting to argue with the man he followed the other seven men out to the front hall to get coats before making their way outside into the cold.
The old man took over again, "Alright all of you go get some wood from the shed. Dave you're with me, let's get the can ready.
Dave sighed, and stayed behind to pull the oversized trash can into the middle of the yard.
"Now, Dave," Charles McDaniel starts, "I'm a parent, I'm only happy when my boys are happy, and I'm not happy right now. Care to explain why?"
The former athlete took a deep breath, keeping his eyes down, "We had a fight today, before coming over."
"What is this?"
In Seth's out stretched hand was a faded, crease-showing picture that had been housed in his wallet for over ten years. It had been copied from an old book and laminated a want-to-be Kinko-style hole in the wall. Dave stared at it, remaining silent.
"Better yet, who is it?" To Seth's credit his voice was calm, collected, trying hard not to be too concerned.
"K..Kurt Hummel. From high school."
Those two words did it, for the next five minutes, Dave stood there getting yelled at, trying his hardest not to allow the anger of the flying accusations boil over. Every time he tried to speak down he was shot down. The car ride to McDaniel's house had been quiet that only set off when Dave tried to remove Seth's headphones when they stopped at an intersection.
"I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding, just make it right." The older man requested to which Dave could only nod when Seth and the rest of them returned. By the time the alarm for thirty til midnight went off the metal can was filled with a blazing fire, and after dismissing a few comments from his oldest granddaughter about the number of environmental laws he was breaking, Charles McDaniels took a deep breath,
"Well, here we are; we've made it through another year and we're half an hour away from starting another. This year has been tough they all have been, and the year ahead of us will be no exception. But my father always said, that at the start of a new year we have a chance to start fresh, to prepare for the year ahead by letting go of the baggage we've carried, the worries that take up too much room. So this year I think we'll start with the kids first."
Dave stood next Seth wanting to touch him, but knowing it wouldn't be the right thing to do. Instead he stuffed his hands into his pocket as the kids took their turns. One tossed in safety blanket, another, a copy of a bad report card, the second oldest McDaniel brother tossed in a sheet of paper that had 'Pacifiers' written across it for his toddler's turn.
"Alright," Charles started after the last of the kids went, "Grownups turn, kids go ahead run inside and watch the ball drop," He waited until the adults were alone, "Who wants to go first?"
"I do." Dave spoke up, reaching into his pocket, pulling out his wallet, and in turn the picture that been the whole reason he couldn't wrap his arm around his fiancé. "I…I, well, I feel weird sharing this with you guys, especially when I'll be marrying your brother in a month. But this is Kurt Hummel. He was….I guess if you wanted to explain it easy, my first love. I realized I was gay because of Kurt Hummel, and I handled it in the worst way possible. I shoved him, slushied him, tried to make myself straight by trying to hate him. Eventually push came to shove and I kissed him and handled that even worse. Kurt ended up leaving the high school we attended. I could never bring myself to apologize, never really got much of a chance. And it took me a while before I accepted who I am, and I couldn't help but wonder what could have happened if I hadn't been the asshole. So after high school graduation I copied a yearbook photo of his and kept it, sort of a reminder of the worst version of myself, just something to remind myself to be better. This last year I realized I don't need that anymore. I don't need the face of piece of paper when I have a person who knows all my flaws and loves me anyway."
Without further ceremony Dave reached out and slipped the picture of Kurt Hummel into the fire, watching it crackle until it disappeared. He knew the fire had no magical quality, but he did feel better, or at least he want to feel like he could pack the luggage away and not have to carry the guilt around anymore.
The rest of the family went around for their turn, including Seth, who tossed an old pair of two size too big jeans into the fire before Seth's brother in law quipped about being kept out in the cold too long thanks to Dave's monologue and everyone headed. Dave made to follow but his hand was claimed, tugged back to stay behind the fire.
"I feel dumb now. Why didn't you tell me?" Seth mumbled softly.
A slight smile crossed Dave's face, "It wasn't for a lack of trying."
"I know I just…you know they say you never forget your first, and you didn't even have time with yours, so it's always there in the back of my head that if given the chance you'll…"
Dave reaches around the other man, placing his hand in the small of Seth's back and pulling him closer, "Seth, it may not have always been you…but ever since I met you, I promise it will always be you." He planted a rough kiss on the top of the brunette pile of hair.
A series of whoops and hollers came from the house and they could hear the distant thud of fireworks.
Dave whispered, "Happy New Year."
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The END
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