(Skin Deep) Chapter 8: Private/Pumpkin (8/10)
Title: Skin Deep
Part: Chapter 8: Private/Pumpkin
Author: Squeeka Cuomo
Rating: PG-13
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kurt/Puck, Kurt/OMC, OFC, OMC and appearances by the glee kids.
Author’s Note: This fic takes place both in the future and past.
- I know there are tons of spoilers out for the upcoming episodes. Please don’t post them in the comments.
Warning: Everything that has aired is considered fair game. There are spoilers if you haven’t seen through “Original Song.”
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: Seven years after graduation, Puck learns there are some wounds that are more than skin deep.
Skin Deep:
Skin DeepChapter 8: Private/Pumpkin
In which Puck surprises Kurt…
“I… I had a nice time tonight, Pu- I mean, Noah.” There was a hesitancy to Kurt’s voice that made Puck smile. It was rare that Kurt sounded anything less than completely confident. Puck found that he liked knowing Kurt wasn’t always Mr. Self-Assured. It made him seem more human, more accessible.
Unlike like the ice queen that he usually came off as.
“Yeah, me too.” Puck smiled wider. And even though it was pretty dark in the car, he knew Kurt had seen it, because his smile grew as well. “We should…” Puck gripped the steering wheel in front of himself, wondering when he’d gotten so nervous. “Do you maybe wanna….”
Next to him, Kurt laughed. It was a breathy sound that seemed to expel some tension. “I’d love to go out with you again.”
This time it was Puck’s turn to laugh, relief washing over him. “Awesome.” Puck drummed his fingertips on the wheel as the tension flowed out of them. “Awesome.”
The next few seconds were filled with awkward silence. Puck’s mind raced for something to say. Wracking his brain, Puck watched Kurt’s eyes flickering from his house to his lap. When Kurt looked over to him, a hint of smile on his face, Puck was taken aback. He could barely believe that he’d just gone on a date with Kurt Hummel.
Earlier that evening, they’d gone to see a movie (some horror flick that had Kurt clutching his hand) and then grabbed dinner afterwards. As far as first dates went, it had gone pretty well. (As far as Puck was concerned anyway.) They’d had a few moments of weirdness but nothing major. The worst was when they’d each tried to get the other to pick the movie, and some silence as they waited to be seated at the restaurant.
Truth be told, Puck was kind shocked by just how much he’d enjoyed spending time with Kurt.
When he’d asked Kurt out in the choir room the other day, he hadn’t really expected a whole lot to come of it. Sure, he’d walked into the room with the intention of picking up where they’d left off on the Fourth of July. But now that they were parked in front of Kurt’s house, their date over, Puck was surprised to find that he didn’t want to say goodnight.
“Noah?” The silence that had built up melted away when Kurt spoke. His voice was soft, and he looked a little worried. This time though it didn’t amuse Puck. Instead, it made him nervous.
“Yeah?” Puck felt his fingers tighten on the steering wheel again, but now it was in anticipation.
“I, umh….” Kurt dropped his eyes to his lap, which bothered Puck even more. “I had a tabloid-worthy breakup over summer, which you and the whole world know about.” He laughed bitterly.
“I don’t know what happened.” Puck didn’t know why, but he felt compelled to let Kurt know that he didn’t know the reason behind his breakup with Blaine.
“You don’t?” Kurt stared at him, disbelief in his blue eyes.
Puck shook his head and shrugged. “Nope. Other than Finn’s party, I wasn’t really around much this summer. My mom drug me to Boca Raton and then to Springfield to visit relatives. All I ever heard was that you and Blaine split.” Puck shrugged again.
“Oh.” Puck watched as some nameless emotion passed across Kurt’s face. “Well then, I would like to keep whatever is going on between us, between us.” Puck raised his eyebrows, shocked at the request. “For now anyway.”
Puck stared at Kurt, unsure of how he really felt about Kurt’s request, because keeping things “between us” meant hiding. And he’d never been interested in hiding anything. Even Quinn’s pregnancy - he’d wanted to come right out and tell Finn about that. The only reason he hadn’t was because she had asked him not to. But still, keeping his mouth shut and his distance from her had been difficult.
Now here he was again, someone asking him to keep quiet and hide the truth about what was going on.
But as Kurt looked at him, worry and hope in his blue eyes, Puck couldn’t help but feel like it was worth it.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
In which dinner is served…
“Well, how’s it going? Does Kurt look fantastic? Are you two flirting over breadsticks?” Meena’s voice came through the cellphone’s ear piece in an excited deluge. Praying that Kurt wasn’t able to overhear her, Puck pressed the phone closer to his hear.
“Yes, just take care of Max like normal.” Puck tried to keep his voice light and neutral. Across the table, Kurt picked up his wine glass and took another sip as he scanned the restaurant. It was obvious that he was listening in while trying to look anywhere but at Puck. Kurt had never really been a master of subtlety.
On the other end of the line, Meena laughed delightedly. “Well, I’ll let you get back to your date.” Puck pressed his lips together as he bit back the urge to deny that he was on a date. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He could practically see her leering over the phone.
“Don’t worry, Meena. I’ll be home later.” Before she could say anything else, Puck hung up the phone and shoved it back into his jacket pocket. “Sorry about that.” Puck’s eyes flickered from Kurt to his beer. Grabbing the bottle, he took another drink, hoping to drown the nerves Meena’s call had drawn up.
“That’s ok. I understand being busy.” Kurt placed his wine glass back down on the table but kept his fingers wrapped around the stem. “Is Meena….” He pronounced the name like he was testing it out. “Your girlfriend?”
Puck snorted as he set the beer back on the table. “No. We went out a few times, but it didn’t work out. We’re good friends though.”
“But then….” Puck watched Kurt pull his wine glass closer, like he was anticipating needing a drink. “Who is Max?”
As Kurt looked at him, apprehension in his eyes, something clicked in Puck’s mind. “He’s my dog. Did you think that he’s my… that I have a….” Puck couldn’t bring himself to say the word “son.” Kids were the last thing on Puck’s mind. In fact, they didn’t even really make the list anymore.
“Well, it has been seven years.” Kurt took a long drink from his wine glass as his ears turned bright red. Puck didn’t even bother trying to hold back his laugh.
“Here.” Still chuckling, Puck reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. After opening it, he slid out the picture of Max and Meena, taking care to make sure their prom picture stayed tucked away. The last thing he wanted was for Kurt to know that he still carried it in his wallet. “That’s from last Halloween.” Puck took a quick look at the picture before handing it over to Kurt.
In it, Meena’s long hair was dyed bright orange with black streaks. (She always got very excited whenever a holiday rolled around.) She had her arm around Max, and her face was frozen mid-laugh. Max, however, was looking woefully at the camera, a pumpkin hat, complete with stem and curly little vine, on his head. There was more to the costume, but Meena hadn’t been able to get him to hold still long enough to put it on him. In the end, she’d had to settle for just the hat. And even that had taken many treats to get on him.
As Kurt took the photo from him, their fingers brushed together slightly. The touch, though shocking, felt familiar and more importantly… natural. Puck wanted to hold onto that feeling, if only for a second longer, but Kurt hastily pulled his hand away. Feeling disappointed, Puck dropped his hand back to the table.
“He, uh….” Wanting to get past the moment, Puck struggled for something to say. “He sort of came with my apartment.” Puck snorted as he thought back to the day he’d gotten Max. “The day I moved in, Meena, my neighbor, brought him over and shoved him my arms.” Kurt raised his head to look at him, eyebrows arched in question. “He was a puppy then.” In response, Kurt mouthed the word ‘ah’ before looking back down. “Apparently the previous tenants had moved away and left him behind.” Kurt looked up from the picture again, his face shocked. “He was there alone for a few days before the barking finally got to Meena. She took care of him until I moved in.”
Kurt handed the picture back and Puck slipped it away. “Why didn’t she keep him then?”
“She said that she didn’t mind walking him and feeding him, but that she didn’t want to be a full time puppy paramour.” Puck laughed at the memory. When the chuckle died away, he noticed that Kurt’s wine glass was empty. “Do you want another?” He pointed at the glass, and he started looking around for Debby.
Kurt looked momentarily confused by the sudden change of topic. “Oh, umh, yes. Please.” Puck finally caught the waitress’s attention and signaled that Kurt wanted a fresh drink. “And you just decided to keep him?”
“I’ll be honest; I didn’t want a dog at first. But I didn’t have the heart to abandon him again.” Puck smiled wryly when he saw Kurt’s mouth fall open a little in surprise. “And now I can’t imagine what my life would be like without him.” Puck immediately knew that he’d said the wrong thing.
The easiness that had developed between them suddenly disappeared. And the tension that took its place was so palpable that Puck was sure he could cut it with a knife.
Debby swept over with her tray. “Ok, here you are.” She whisked the empty glass away before replacing it with a fresh one. “Your meal will be out shortly.”
“Thank you.” Kurt tried to smile at the waitress, but Puck could see the strain in it. “Does… does Meena still help you look after Max?” Puck could tell that Kurt was trying to recapture what they’d just lost.
“Yep.” Puck took another drink, trying to swallow the weirdness that had developed between them. “I work at night mostly, and she usually works days. So she takes him out at night and makes sure he has dinner and stuff.”
“Wow, sounds like she does a lot for you.” Kurt wouldn’t meet Puck’s eyes when he spoke. And Puck couldn’t help but feel like he’d picked up on some bitterness in his tone. It was strange.
“Yeah, she does. I mean, the only reason my plant hasn’t bit it is because of her.” Puck studied Kurt, looking for… something. From what he could see, Kurt’s jaw was clenched, the muscles in his neck unmoving. So Puck decided to push a little more. “Plus she keeps me from OD’ing on Eggos.” Puck wasn’t sure why, but he couldn’t stop himself from going on about Meena.
It wasn’t that he wanted to extoll her virtues. But the more he did, the more upset Kurt seemed to get. It was like Kurt was jealous of her, like he still cared about Puck. And the thought that Kurt could still care for him, despite Biff, caused Puck’s heart to beat painfully. “She even -”
“Sorry about the wait.” As Debby interrupted, Puck noticed Kurt’s face relax, the tension melting away. “We’re a little backed up tonight.” She placed Kurt’s plate on the table first, smiling at him reassuringly. When she turned to Puck, his steak in hand, there was an accusatory question on her face. It very clearly said, “What did you do?”
He wanted to answer, but with Kurt there, he could do little more than smile and say thank you.
“Is there anything else I can get you two?” She hugged the empty tray to her chest.
Together Puck and Kurt said no, that they were fine, and she went on her way.
For the next few minutes, they were silent. While Puck poured some A1 sauce on his steak, he watched Kurt out of the corner of his eye. The weirdness from before was gone. He seemed more at ease now as he pulled a slice of pickle off of his burger.
“So, a veggie burger, huh?” The question was pointless; he’d only asked it to get Kurt talking again. “You a vegetarian now?”
Kurt looked up from his plate, licking the pickle juice off his fingers. “Of course not.” Puck raised his eyebrows in silent question. “It was the only thing on the menu that didn’t sound like it would kill me in five minutes.”
“Well, I’m sure we could fix that.” Puck cut a chunk off his steak and stabbed it with his fork. “I know, for a fact, that the chefs will happily put bacon on anything if you ask them.” He stuck the piece of meat in his mouth and began to chew.
Kurt parted his lips, a retort obviously on the tip of his tongue. Puck paused before swallowing, anticipating whatever Kurt would hurl at him. But it never came. Instead, Kurt closed his mouth and shook his head while rolling his eyes.
The rest of dinner passed easily enough. Eventually they managed to find an easy truce filled with polite small talk, both taking care not to bring up their past. And after finishing their meals, Debby surprised them with a slice of Joe’s infamous “Chocolate Coma” seven-layer cake, courtesy of Joe himself.
At first, one slice of cake with two forks had seemed too intimate, and neither of them had known what to do. But after a few minutes of staring at the cake, Puck picked up his fork and dug in.
Kurt did the same shortly after.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
“Here, let me call you a cab.” Puck stuck his arm out to hail a taxi. He’d have offered to drive Kurt back to his hotel, but he’d walked to the restaurant. Joe’s was right around the corner from Puck’s apartment building.
“No….” Kurt reached out and pulled gently on Puck’s arm. Shocked by the touch, he turned to look at Kurt. “I’m not ready to go back to the hotel yet.” Kurt’s eyes were shining in the light from the lamppost, and he looked so… open. It was like there was nothing between them anymore.
No time.
No hurt feelings.
No Biff.
It was incredible.
Deep down though, Puck knew that no matter what, those obstacles were still there, still between them. Time had passed, and feelings had been damaged in the process. The biggest problem, however, was Biff. Biff was still Kurt’s boyfriend. He was still in the picture, very much separating them.
“Umh….” Puck stared at Kurt. Silently he willed himself not to encourage anything, to just send Kurt on his way. But he couldn’t. “What do you want to do?” Even as the words came out of his mouth, he knew they were a mistake. No matter what Meena thought, this would end badly.
“Could I meet Max?” Kurt’s eyes were hopeful, and Puck couldn’t say no.
“Sure.” Puck smiled as he tried to tell himself that he wasn’t about to make one of the biggest mistakes of his life. “I live right around the corner….”
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Puck shoved his key into the lock on his apartment door. His entire body was humming, jittery electricity filling him. Clutching the key, he came up with a plan. He would invite Kurt inside, introduce him to Max, and then offer to make coffee. Then they would do a little more catching up before saying goodnight. That was it. Nothing else. Period. Taking a deep breath, Puck told himself that his plan was foolproof, that he could handle it.
Clinging to what little resolve he’d managed to muster up, Puck turned to Kurt before opening the door. He’d expected to find Kurt waiting patiently, maybe even smiling in anticipation of meeting Max.
What he didn’t expect to see was Kurt staring at him, desperation in his eyes. “Noah….” He took a step closer to Puck, and Puck felt himself tense up. “I’ve missed you.” Puck tried to will himself to move, to break the moment. But Kurt was so close that Puck could feel his breath on his skin.
And it was… intoxicating.
“So much.” Kurt slid his hand around the back of Puck’s head. The touch was so familiar and so natural that Puck couldn’t resist. He’d longed to feel Kurt’s touch again for years. And now that he had it, it was like a drug. When Kurt pulled him forward to press their mouths together, he didn’t even bother trying to resist.
The kiss, gentle and hesitant, was like coming home to Puck. And for the first time in a long time, everything felt right. Kurt was back, and Puck never wanted to let go of him.
Claiming Kurt’s mouth with his own, Puck reached out and grabbed Kurt’s hips. Not caring about bruises or being gentle, Puck pulled Kurt roughly towards his body. Kurt came willingly, sliding his arms around Puck’s neck as he did.
The fact that they were still in the hallway was forgotten as Puck turned Kurt towards the wall. Puck pressed Kurt up against the wall, their bodies flush against one another. Kneading his hips, Puck pulled his mouth away from Kurt’s. Kurt whimpered softly, arching his chest against Puck’s. It was clear what he wanted, what he was demanding, but Puck needed to know something first….
Pressing a hot kiss just below Kurt’s ear, Puck let his lips linger on Kurt’s warm skin. Puck drank in the sounds of Kurt’s labored breathing for a second before whispering into his ear. “Your shoulder….” He took a deep breath, fighting the urge to give up and give Kurt exactly what they both wanted then and there. “The tattoo…”
Kurt arched his back again, and Puck pressed him back into the wall. “Is it….” Puck licked his lips, trying to find the right words. “Are they the lyrics I….”
Kurt quit moving against Puck, his body completely still. The sudden lack of movement made Puck pull back slightly. He hated the loss of contact, but he needed to see Kurt’s face.
The look he found there shocked him.
Kurt’s cheeks were flushed pink, and his lips were dark red, but that wasn’t what got to Puck. No, it was the look of complete openness in his clear eyes. It was like he’d stripped and laid himself completely bare for Puck at that moment.
Unable to stand it, Puck turned his face away. He didn’t feel like he was worthy of seeing Kurt like that. It was too much. Kurt, however, slid his hand away from Puck’s neck and used it to turn his face back.
When their eyes met, Kurt nodded and said, “Yes.”
At the sound of that one word, Puck felt something inside of him break. And at that moment he knew, no matter what, Kurt would always be the one for him.
Taking a deep breath, he kissed Kurt once again and together they stumbled into the apartment.
Chapter 9: Always/Realization
Squeeka Cuomo’s Notes
- I’m still taking prompts for puckurt’s 30 Days of Puck/Kurt June Drabble-a-thon. If you’d like to give me a prompt, head on over here. :)
- Important: My beta is in the middle of moving so there won’t be a new chapter next week. Sorry!
- To everyone who has supported me on this journey, thank you. Thank you so much. :)
- Quack: Thank you for your time and dedication.
- Reviews are love.
Skin Deep
Chapter 1: Promises/Seven Years
Chapter 2: Acceptance/Inked
Chapter 3: Out/Initials
Chapter 4: Decisions/Infected
Chapter 5: Doo Wop/Muffins
Chapter 6: Sweaters/Scared
Chapter 7: Marked/Joe’s Place
Part: Chapter 8: Private/Pumpkin
Author: Squeeka Cuomo
Rating: PG-13
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kurt/Puck, Kurt/OMC, OFC, OMC and appearances by the glee kids.
Author’s Note: This fic takes place both in the future and past.
- I know there are tons of spoilers out for the upcoming episodes. Please don’t post them in the comments.
Warning: Everything that has aired is considered fair game. There are spoilers if you haven’t seen through “Original Song.”
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: Seven years after graduation, Puck learns there are some wounds that are more than skin deep.
Skin Deep:
Skin DeepChapter 8: Private/Pumpkin
In which Puck surprises Kurt…
“I… I had a nice time tonight, Pu- I mean, Noah.” There was a hesitancy to Kurt’s voice that made Puck smile. It was rare that Kurt sounded anything less than completely confident. Puck found that he liked knowing Kurt wasn’t always Mr. Self-Assured. It made him seem more human, more accessible.
Unlike like the ice queen that he usually came off as.
“Yeah, me too.” Puck smiled wider. And even though it was pretty dark in the car, he knew Kurt had seen it, because his smile grew as well. “We should…” Puck gripped the steering wheel in front of himself, wondering when he’d gotten so nervous. “Do you maybe wanna….”
Next to him, Kurt laughed. It was a breathy sound that seemed to expel some tension. “I’d love to go out with you again.”
This time it was Puck’s turn to laugh, relief washing over him. “Awesome.” Puck drummed his fingertips on the wheel as the tension flowed out of them. “Awesome.”
The next few seconds were filled with awkward silence. Puck’s mind raced for something to say. Wracking his brain, Puck watched Kurt’s eyes flickering from his house to his lap. When Kurt looked over to him, a hint of smile on his face, Puck was taken aback. He could barely believe that he’d just gone on a date with Kurt Hummel.
Earlier that evening, they’d gone to see a movie (some horror flick that had Kurt clutching his hand) and then grabbed dinner afterwards. As far as first dates went, it had gone pretty well. (As far as Puck was concerned anyway.) They’d had a few moments of weirdness but nothing major. The worst was when they’d each tried to get the other to pick the movie, and some silence as they waited to be seated at the restaurant.
Truth be told, Puck was kind shocked by just how much he’d enjoyed spending time with Kurt.
When he’d asked Kurt out in the choir room the other day, he hadn’t really expected a whole lot to come of it. Sure, he’d walked into the room with the intention of picking up where they’d left off on the Fourth of July. But now that they were parked in front of Kurt’s house, their date over, Puck was surprised to find that he didn’t want to say goodnight.
“Noah?” The silence that had built up melted away when Kurt spoke. His voice was soft, and he looked a little worried. This time though it didn’t amuse Puck. Instead, it made him nervous.
“Yeah?” Puck felt his fingers tighten on the steering wheel again, but now it was in anticipation.
“I, umh….” Kurt dropped his eyes to his lap, which bothered Puck even more. “I had a tabloid-worthy breakup over summer, which you and the whole world know about.” He laughed bitterly.
“I don’t know what happened.” Puck didn’t know why, but he felt compelled to let Kurt know that he didn’t know the reason behind his breakup with Blaine.
“You don’t?” Kurt stared at him, disbelief in his blue eyes.
Puck shook his head and shrugged. “Nope. Other than Finn’s party, I wasn’t really around much this summer. My mom drug me to Boca Raton and then to Springfield to visit relatives. All I ever heard was that you and Blaine split.” Puck shrugged again.
“Oh.” Puck watched as some nameless emotion passed across Kurt’s face. “Well then, I would like to keep whatever is going on between us, between us.” Puck raised his eyebrows, shocked at the request. “For now anyway.”
Puck stared at Kurt, unsure of how he really felt about Kurt’s request, because keeping things “between us” meant hiding. And he’d never been interested in hiding anything. Even Quinn’s pregnancy - he’d wanted to come right out and tell Finn about that. The only reason he hadn’t was because she had asked him not to. But still, keeping his mouth shut and his distance from her had been difficult.
Now here he was again, someone asking him to keep quiet and hide the truth about what was going on.
But as Kurt looked at him, worry and hope in his blue eyes, Puck couldn’t help but feel like it was worth it.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
In which dinner is served…
“Well, how’s it going? Does Kurt look fantastic? Are you two flirting over breadsticks?” Meena’s voice came through the cellphone’s ear piece in an excited deluge. Praying that Kurt wasn’t able to overhear her, Puck pressed the phone closer to his hear.
“Yes, just take care of Max like normal.” Puck tried to keep his voice light and neutral. Across the table, Kurt picked up his wine glass and took another sip as he scanned the restaurant. It was obvious that he was listening in while trying to look anywhere but at Puck. Kurt had never really been a master of subtlety.
On the other end of the line, Meena laughed delightedly. “Well, I’ll let you get back to your date.” Puck pressed his lips together as he bit back the urge to deny that he was on a date. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He could practically see her leering over the phone.
“Don’t worry, Meena. I’ll be home later.” Before she could say anything else, Puck hung up the phone and shoved it back into his jacket pocket. “Sorry about that.” Puck’s eyes flickered from Kurt to his beer. Grabbing the bottle, he took another drink, hoping to drown the nerves Meena’s call had drawn up.
“That’s ok. I understand being busy.” Kurt placed his wine glass back down on the table but kept his fingers wrapped around the stem. “Is Meena….” He pronounced the name like he was testing it out. “Your girlfriend?”
Puck snorted as he set the beer back on the table. “No. We went out a few times, but it didn’t work out. We’re good friends though.”
“But then….” Puck watched Kurt pull his wine glass closer, like he was anticipating needing a drink. “Who is Max?”
As Kurt looked at him, apprehension in his eyes, something clicked in Puck’s mind. “He’s my dog. Did you think that he’s my… that I have a….” Puck couldn’t bring himself to say the word “son.” Kids were the last thing on Puck’s mind. In fact, they didn’t even really make the list anymore.
“Well, it has been seven years.” Kurt took a long drink from his wine glass as his ears turned bright red. Puck didn’t even bother trying to hold back his laugh.
“Here.” Still chuckling, Puck reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. After opening it, he slid out the picture of Max and Meena, taking care to make sure their prom picture stayed tucked away. The last thing he wanted was for Kurt to know that he still carried it in his wallet. “That’s from last Halloween.” Puck took a quick look at the picture before handing it over to Kurt.
In it, Meena’s long hair was dyed bright orange with black streaks. (She always got very excited whenever a holiday rolled around.) She had her arm around Max, and her face was frozen mid-laugh. Max, however, was looking woefully at the camera, a pumpkin hat, complete with stem and curly little vine, on his head. There was more to the costume, but Meena hadn’t been able to get him to hold still long enough to put it on him. In the end, she’d had to settle for just the hat. And even that had taken many treats to get on him.
As Kurt took the photo from him, their fingers brushed together slightly. The touch, though shocking, felt familiar and more importantly… natural. Puck wanted to hold onto that feeling, if only for a second longer, but Kurt hastily pulled his hand away. Feeling disappointed, Puck dropped his hand back to the table.
“He, uh….” Wanting to get past the moment, Puck struggled for something to say. “He sort of came with my apartment.” Puck snorted as he thought back to the day he’d gotten Max. “The day I moved in, Meena, my neighbor, brought him over and shoved him my arms.” Kurt raised his head to look at him, eyebrows arched in question. “He was a puppy then.” In response, Kurt mouthed the word ‘ah’ before looking back down. “Apparently the previous tenants had moved away and left him behind.” Kurt looked up from the picture again, his face shocked. “He was there alone for a few days before the barking finally got to Meena. She took care of him until I moved in.”
Kurt handed the picture back and Puck slipped it away. “Why didn’t she keep him then?”
“She said that she didn’t mind walking him and feeding him, but that she didn’t want to be a full time puppy paramour.” Puck laughed at the memory. When the chuckle died away, he noticed that Kurt’s wine glass was empty. “Do you want another?” He pointed at the glass, and he started looking around for Debby.
Kurt looked momentarily confused by the sudden change of topic. “Oh, umh, yes. Please.” Puck finally caught the waitress’s attention and signaled that Kurt wanted a fresh drink. “And you just decided to keep him?”
“I’ll be honest; I didn’t want a dog at first. But I didn’t have the heart to abandon him again.” Puck smiled wryly when he saw Kurt’s mouth fall open a little in surprise. “And now I can’t imagine what my life would be like without him.” Puck immediately knew that he’d said the wrong thing.
The easiness that had developed between them suddenly disappeared. And the tension that took its place was so palpable that Puck was sure he could cut it with a knife.
Debby swept over with her tray. “Ok, here you are.” She whisked the empty glass away before replacing it with a fresh one. “Your meal will be out shortly.”
“Thank you.” Kurt tried to smile at the waitress, but Puck could see the strain in it. “Does… does Meena still help you look after Max?” Puck could tell that Kurt was trying to recapture what they’d just lost.
“Yep.” Puck took another drink, trying to swallow the weirdness that had developed between them. “I work at night mostly, and she usually works days. So she takes him out at night and makes sure he has dinner and stuff.”
“Wow, sounds like she does a lot for you.” Kurt wouldn’t meet Puck’s eyes when he spoke. And Puck couldn’t help but feel like he’d picked up on some bitterness in his tone. It was strange.
“Yeah, she does. I mean, the only reason my plant hasn’t bit it is because of her.” Puck studied Kurt, looking for… something. From what he could see, Kurt’s jaw was clenched, the muscles in his neck unmoving. So Puck decided to push a little more. “Plus she keeps me from OD’ing on Eggos.” Puck wasn’t sure why, but he couldn’t stop himself from going on about Meena.
It wasn’t that he wanted to extoll her virtues. But the more he did, the more upset Kurt seemed to get. It was like Kurt was jealous of her, like he still cared about Puck. And the thought that Kurt could still care for him, despite Biff, caused Puck’s heart to beat painfully. “She even -”
“Sorry about the wait.” As Debby interrupted, Puck noticed Kurt’s face relax, the tension melting away. “We’re a little backed up tonight.” She placed Kurt’s plate on the table first, smiling at him reassuringly. When she turned to Puck, his steak in hand, there was an accusatory question on her face. It very clearly said, “What did you do?”
He wanted to answer, but with Kurt there, he could do little more than smile and say thank you.
“Is there anything else I can get you two?” She hugged the empty tray to her chest.
Together Puck and Kurt said no, that they were fine, and she went on her way.
For the next few minutes, they were silent. While Puck poured some A1 sauce on his steak, he watched Kurt out of the corner of his eye. The weirdness from before was gone. He seemed more at ease now as he pulled a slice of pickle off of his burger.
“So, a veggie burger, huh?” The question was pointless; he’d only asked it to get Kurt talking again. “You a vegetarian now?”
Kurt looked up from his plate, licking the pickle juice off his fingers. “Of course not.” Puck raised his eyebrows in silent question. “It was the only thing on the menu that didn’t sound like it would kill me in five minutes.”
“Well, I’m sure we could fix that.” Puck cut a chunk off his steak and stabbed it with his fork. “I know, for a fact, that the chefs will happily put bacon on anything if you ask them.” He stuck the piece of meat in his mouth and began to chew.
Kurt parted his lips, a retort obviously on the tip of his tongue. Puck paused before swallowing, anticipating whatever Kurt would hurl at him. But it never came. Instead, Kurt closed his mouth and shook his head while rolling his eyes.
The rest of dinner passed easily enough. Eventually they managed to find an easy truce filled with polite small talk, both taking care not to bring up their past. And after finishing their meals, Debby surprised them with a slice of Joe’s infamous “Chocolate Coma” seven-layer cake, courtesy of Joe himself.
At first, one slice of cake with two forks had seemed too intimate, and neither of them had known what to do. But after a few minutes of staring at the cake, Puck picked up his fork and dug in.
Kurt did the same shortly after.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
“Here, let me call you a cab.” Puck stuck his arm out to hail a taxi. He’d have offered to drive Kurt back to his hotel, but he’d walked to the restaurant. Joe’s was right around the corner from Puck’s apartment building.
“No….” Kurt reached out and pulled gently on Puck’s arm. Shocked by the touch, he turned to look at Kurt. “I’m not ready to go back to the hotel yet.” Kurt’s eyes were shining in the light from the lamppost, and he looked so… open. It was like there was nothing between them anymore.
No time.
No hurt feelings.
No Biff.
It was incredible.
Deep down though, Puck knew that no matter what, those obstacles were still there, still between them. Time had passed, and feelings had been damaged in the process. The biggest problem, however, was Biff. Biff was still Kurt’s boyfriend. He was still in the picture, very much separating them.
“Umh….” Puck stared at Kurt. Silently he willed himself not to encourage anything, to just send Kurt on his way. But he couldn’t. “What do you want to do?” Even as the words came out of his mouth, he knew they were a mistake. No matter what Meena thought, this would end badly.
“Could I meet Max?” Kurt’s eyes were hopeful, and Puck couldn’t say no.
“Sure.” Puck smiled as he tried to tell himself that he wasn’t about to make one of the biggest mistakes of his life. “I live right around the corner….”
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Puck shoved his key into the lock on his apartment door. His entire body was humming, jittery electricity filling him. Clutching the key, he came up with a plan. He would invite Kurt inside, introduce him to Max, and then offer to make coffee. Then they would do a little more catching up before saying goodnight. That was it. Nothing else. Period. Taking a deep breath, Puck told himself that his plan was foolproof, that he could handle it.
Clinging to what little resolve he’d managed to muster up, Puck turned to Kurt before opening the door. He’d expected to find Kurt waiting patiently, maybe even smiling in anticipation of meeting Max.
What he didn’t expect to see was Kurt staring at him, desperation in his eyes. “Noah….” He took a step closer to Puck, and Puck felt himself tense up. “I’ve missed you.” Puck tried to will himself to move, to break the moment. But Kurt was so close that Puck could feel his breath on his skin.
And it was… intoxicating.
“So much.” Kurt slid his hand around the back of Puck’s head. The touch was so familiar and so natural that Puck couldn’t resist. He’d longed to feel Kurt’s touch again for years. And now that he had it, it was like a drug. When Kurt pulled him forward to press their mouths together, he didn’t even bother trying to resist.
The kiss, gentle and hesitant, was like coming home to Puck. And for the first time in a long time, everything felt right. Kurt was back, and Puck never wanted to let go of him.
Claiming Kurt’s mouth with his own, Puck reached out and grabbed Kurt’s hips. Not caring about bruises or being gentle, Puck pulled Kurt roughly towards his body. Kurt came willingly, sliding his arms around Puck’s neck as he did.
The fact that they were still in the hallway was forgotten as Puck turned Kurt towards the wall. Puck pressed Kurt up against the wall, their bodies flush against one another. Kneading his hips, Puck pulled his mouth away from Kurt’s. Kurt whimpered softly, arching his chest against Puck’s. It was clear what he wanted, what he was demanding, but Puck needed to know something first….
Pressing a hot kiss just below Kurt’s ear, Puck let his lips linger on Kurt’s warm skin. Puck drank in the sounds of Kurt’s labored breathing for a second before whispering into his ear. “Your shoulder….” He took a deep breath, fighting the urge to give up and give Kurt exactly what they both wanted then and there. “The tattoo…”
Kurt arched his back again, and Puck pressed him back into the wall. “Is it….” Puck licked his lips, trying to find the right words. “Are they the lyrics I….”
Kurt quit moving against Puck, his body completely still. The sudden lack of movement made Puck pull back slightly. He hated the loss of contact, but he needed to see Kurt’s face.
The look he found there shocked him.
Kurt’s cheeks were flushed pink, and his lips were dark red, but that wasn’t what got to Puck. No, it was the look of complete openness in his clear eyes. It was like he’d stripped and laid himself completely bare for Puck at that moment.
Unable to stand it, Puck turned his face away. He didn’t feel like he was worthy of seeing Kurt like that. It was too much. Kurt, however, slid his hand away from Puck’s neck and used it to turn his face back.
When their eyes met, Kurt nodded and said, “Yes.”
At the sound of that one word, Puck felt something inside of him break. And at that moment he knew, no matter what, Kurt would always be the one for him.
Taking a deep breath, he kissed Kurt once again and together they stumbled into the apartment.
Chapter 9: Always/Realization
Squeeka Cuomo’s Notes
- I’m still taking prompts for puckurt’s 30 Days of Puck/Kurt June Drabble-a-thon. If you’d like to give me a prompt, head on over here. :)
- Important: My beta is in the middle of moving so there won’t be a new chapter next week. Sorry!
- To everyone who has supported me on this journey, thank you. Thank you so much. :)
- Quack: Thank you for your time and dedication.
- Reviews are love.
Skin Deep
Chapter 1: Promises/Seven Years
Chapter 2: Acceptance/Inked
Chapter 3: Out/Initials
Chapter 4: Decisions/Infected
Chapter 5: Doo Wop/Muffins
Chapter 6: Sweaters/Scared
Chapter 7: Marked/Joe’s Place