Chapter Text
The tension was almost stifling as Kurt walked down the hallway with David. He knew why too. Kurt had walked away from him at a time David had needed him most. Had needed someone who understood, at least a little, what he had been going through.
The thing was, Kurt’s reasoning for why he had cut off all communication was weak. Blaine had freaked when he found out that Kurt had been exchanging those text messages with Chandler. Kurt feels now as he did then, that Blaine shouldn’t have had that big a problem with it considering the whole Sebastian issue. However, he had really loved Blaine at the time and hadn’t wanted to lose him over something like that. Kurt had gone too far when he cut off communication with David, but he hadn’t wanted Blaine to have any reason to doubt what Kurt felt for him. David had never called him out on it and Kurt felt that he should have. It was probably the one regret Kurt’s had since high school.
Steeling himself for an uncomfortable conversation Kurt asked quietly, “David, can you stop a minute? We need to talk.”
“Nothing to talk about Kurt. So what have you been up to?”
“Nothing to…David. No, we need to talk about this, or things are just going to be awkward between us. And I really don’t want that.”
“And if I don’t want to discuss this? It’s over and done with Kurt. Leave it in the past okay.” The annoyance in Dave’s voice would be hard to miss and he wishes Kurt would drop it. Dave doesn’t need to deal with the emotions talking this out would cause; this was supposed to be a stress free day.
Kurt worries his bottom lip between his teeth. He can sense that David doesn’t want to talk, but Kurt needs to get this off his chest. Taking a deep breath he starts, “Look you don’t have to say anything alright. Just, just hear me out and then I swear I’ll never bring it up again. Please?”
Dave stands there, uncertainty filling his frame. Finally with a small puff of breath escaping between his lips, Dave nods. He never could say no when it came Kurt. But that’s all the okay Dave’s going to give, the rest is up to him.
Kurt takes a cleansing breath and raises his eyes to David’s, making sure to look him dead on, so he knows Kurt’s sincere. “I…I fucked up where you were concerned.”
Dave can feel his eyebrows hitting his hairline. He had expected anything but that to come out of Kurt’s mouth, especially the swearing. Dave will admit he’s intrigued now as to the rest.
“I shouldn’t have cut off communication with you over something that, frankly had no impact on the friendship we had started. And for that I’m truly sorry David. I have no excuse for doing it, but I’m hoping you can forgive me.”
Dave is trying to recall if he had ever heard Kurt apologize for anything. And could he forgive Kurt for just dropping him? Crossing his arms over his chest, Dave mulls over what Kurt has said. He’s concentrating on his thoughts of the past and what his answer is going to be, so David doesn’t see Kurt’s eyes fall to the ground or hear the shaky sigh.
Kurt hadn’t really expected David to forgive him. He certainly wouldn’t have considering Kurt had offered no explanation. As awkward as things will be, Kurt will just have to pick an area to volunteer with that will minimize his interaction with David. Though Kurt will admit he’s pretty disappointed. When he had realized it was David he’d been checking out, while surprised, Kurt was more elated then anything else. He had always wondered what had become of David. It had looked like Kurt would have the chance to catch up and find out if David was fully out. Was David happy and in a relationship, or had he never gotten comfortable enough to date yet? Some indiscernible sound breaks Kurt out of his thoughts as he whips his head up.
Dave is regarding Kurt with a serious expression upon his face. “Why did you do it?” he asks in a soft voice, before continuing. “Was it me, something I said or did?”
David sounds vulnerable, Kurt realizes. And he had never thought that that would be the reason David came up with as to why Kurt had stopped calling. Kurt should have though; he (and maybe Paul) had been privy to how David had felt at that point. Kurt had known David was struggling with his self worth, considering his mom thought David needed to be cured and Azimio had run the minute David had told him he was gay.
“No! Um…I mean no David it was definitely not you, at all.” Kurt can feel he’s blushing and rather hopes that David will accept his answer, knowing though that his oncoming embarrassment is inevitable. Kurt can only guess how his admission will make David feel and wishes to whoever may be out there that this won’t cause irreparable damage.
“Then…why?”
Clearing his throat and rubbing a hand along his neck, Kurt looks at David again. “Blaine and I had this fight over a guy I had been texting with. He accused me of cheating and sang this break up song to me. I…panicked and not only broke off texting Chandler, but also talking to you. I had wanted Blaine to know he wasn’t in danger of losing me to someone else. It was…incredibly stupid of me, but at the time I thought Blaine was the one, you know and well…” Kurt trails off, he can already see a lingering pain in David’s eyes and now he feels like shit.
Dave can’t believe Kurt had walked away over something so asinine. So Eyebrows had thought Kurt was cheating, what a bullshit reason to drop someone you had promised to be friends with and to help them with a monumental change in their lives. Dave almost wants to rip into Kurt, but stops himself because he is not that person anymore. Now having heard the whole story, Dave needs to make up his mind. Dave looks over at Kurt; he’s chewing his bottom lip and twisting his hands like he’s nervous.
“I…don’t expect you to forgive me, David. Like I said, I know I fucked up. But you deserved to know why and I wouldn’t have felt comfortable lying about the reason.”
Dave holds Kurt’s gaze to see if he can discern if Kurt is genuine. Dave thinks he might be, Kurt’s eyes are this dark bluegray at the moment and there’s regret in them. Pain too, but Dave’s unsure what that’s about. “Do you regret it?” He has to know for sure before he says what he wants to.
“Yes, I do. You don’t know how many times I’ve thought about you. About how you were doing, if you were happy finally. I’m so sorry I did that to you, David. I had wanted to contact you after graduation, but then I thought it might be awkward and that maybe you were better off without me as a reminder of the past hanging over you, seeing as you were starting over at college, you know. But yes I regret it very much.” Kurt falls silent hoping he hadn’t said too much.
David can’t help the slight leap his traitorous heart gave when Kurt had mentioned thinking about him. It solidifies his decision. He glances back at Kurt and locks eyes with him again. “I forgive you Kurt. Consider us even with what I did to you in high school. Neither of us will bring any of it up again okay?”
Kurt’s stunned, but warmth starts to bloom out from his heart and before he’s realized it he’s clinging to David, arms wrapped tight around his waist. Giving a light squeeze with his arms Kurt lets go with a slightly embarrassed low chuckle. “Okay” Kurt says, nodding like a bobble head figurine. “Thank you David. Um…do you think we could try at a friendship again? I…I really missed talking to you.” Kurt, far more then he thought he would at the time, really had missed David. He had treated Kurt like a regular guy. David had occasionally teased about Kurt’s love of musicals and fashion, but ever since they had agreed to be friends at the hospital, he never made a derogatory comment with regard to any of that again.
“I’d like that. I missed you too Fa-Kurt.” Dave replied with the slightest of blushes gracing his cheeks. “Um…we should get going though on showing you the different areas you could volunteer in. So over here we have…”
~DKKH~
Seeing Dave and Kurt walk back into the gym, Justin jogs over to them. “Hi guys. So Kurt, have you decided what group you’d like to assist with?”
“Yes, I’d like to help mentor, like David and…” Kurt shoots a questioning glance at Dave, “Derrick?” At David’s firm nod, Kurt looks back at Justin.
Kurt’s request mentally throws Justin. Searchingly he asks, “You sure about that Kurt? I mean, has Dave told you that some of the boys in the mentoring program are…difficult? I had thought you might want to help out with our theater kids, especially the older ones. Maybe give them an inside edge on what needs to be done for college auditions.”
“Oh David’s explained quite well just what I’m to expect from The Lost Boys.” Kurt says with a slight smirk gracing his lips. “I can handle them no problem.” At that he glances over at David, whose lips are twitching just a little.
Justin looks back and forth between the two, knowing that there is an inside joke here that must tie into what Dave told him that night long ago. “If you’re sure…we could definitely use another mentor. Dave and Derrick have been picking up the slack since I got promoted, but I know it’s starting to wear them both a little thin.”
“It’s settled then. When would you like for me to start?”
“Well most of the boys will be leaving in a bit. Do you want to be introduced to them all now? You could then start tomorrow if you don’t mind filling out some paperwork today.”
“Sounds like a plan, lead on Captain,” is tossed back with a jaunty salute.
Dave nearly loses it hearing Kurt tell Justin that he’s well aware of what he’s up against. When Kurt had asked about the mentoring program, Dave had looked at him and told him to expect lots of Little Furies. The bark of laughter that came from Kurt had warmed Dave from the inside out, causing him to shoot Fancy a grin. Kurt merely grinned back and said that as long as they didn’t try to shoulder check him or anything, he was pretty sure he could handle it. Dave felt a momentary flash of guilt, but knew Kurt had forgiven him for that long ago. Honestly, it had felt wonderful to be able to joke with him about the past. They had both come so far since the McKinley days and he was eager to get to know this Fancy.
Introductions to the boys which had been interesting; already they had tried to show dominance over Kurt, who rather smoothly deflated them with a few choice words. Then some filing of paperwork over, Kurt was invited out with the guys for dinner at their usual haunt. It had taken Kurt all but a minute to think over his schedule and echo that he’d be pleased to join them.