Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Part One

Since finding out that he wouldn't be going to NYADA, Kurt had been a bit down. No, that was an understatement; he was downright depressed. He had pinned all his hopes on that one school and now… Now Kurt simply didn't know what to do with himself. He and Blaine had talked long and hard about Kurt's options, he could wait a year and see if he could get in next year. He could try to get late admissions to another school in New York to study drama and music. But the truth was that despite his single-mindedness of the past three years, he wasn't sure anymore if that was what he really wanted.

And so, Blaine went off for his summer job singing at Six Flags again, leaving a very confused boyfriend at home to figure out who he was and what he really wanted from life.

Kurt took long walks beside the reservoir when he wasn't working at his father's garage or the part-time job he'd found at a local bakery. Those walks gave him time and peace to really think. What was it about his Broadway dreams that attracted him most? Was it the music or was it some need to finally be accepted? He somehow suspected that it was the latter. He'd always accepted that he was different from everyone in Lima Ohio, but that didn't make it any easier to live there. Somewhere along the way, his dreams of leaving that town had morphed into dreams of being a famous Broadway star, despite the fact that he had always known there would be few roles for a man like him. Because he wasn't just different from the people in Lima; he was just plain different.

Since Blaine had gotten the part of Tony in West Side Story, Kurt had doubted how realistic his goals were, but he had allowed Blaine and Rachel and his father to encourage him to pursue those goals anyway. When Rachel had accused him of self-sabotage, perhaps she had been right, but not in the way she believed at the time. No matter how talented he was, he had known that he would never make it on Broadway. So why had he pushed it? Why had he not considered any other options?

Kurt took a seat on the grassy ridge of the reservoir and stared out at the glassy water as the sunlight danced across the surface. He tossed in a pebble to see the ripples it made.

What did New York offer that was so tempting?

Even in New York, there was bigotry, though not as prominent as it was in Lima. He'd seen that for himself during their trip to Nationals. And while the cultural offerings were great there, other cities had shows and museums too. Since he had outgrown his girly phase, where he felt the need to wear women's fashion on a regular basis, he didn't stand out quite as badly as he once had, though he still prided himself on his progressive fashion sense. But there were other cities where he would be just as well received.

In truth, there were two reasons against going to New York. One was Blaine, and one was his father. He didn't want to be that far from either of them. Blaine, of course, would be going to New York next fall, but his father… Unless he was reelected and made the move to DC more permanent, he would probably always live in Ohio. And Burt Hummel's health was a very real concern for Kurt. He didn't want to look back and regret not spending enough time with his father. He had already lost one parent and though he knew that Carole now looked on him like another son, he didn't want to miss any time with his father.

But where did that leave him? He couldn't stay in Lima. He just couldn't. But he didn't want to be far away either. Columbus or Cleveland were options. So were Cincinnati and Indianapolis. All four were major metropolitan areas, but all were less than half a day driving distance. He could go to school in any of those cities and find some sort of gay community and still be close enough to come home on weekends.

But what would he study? What did he want to do for the rest of his life? What was he really good at besides singing?

He was good with fashion, but he didn't really have any interest in designing. Same with interior decorating. It was fun to do it for himself or his friends and family, but he didn't really want to make a living at that. He was good with languages—in fact, he was already pretty fluent with French and Spanish and was learning Italian for fun— but he didn't want to be a translator.

And then it hit him. He loved to cook and bake more than almost anything. He loved seeing other people appreciate his hard work. And he was damned good at it too. Even though it was just his summer job, the owner of the bakery was already letting him make some of the pastries and cakes. He could go to culinary school and become a pastry chef. And if he was meant to be famous, he could have a cooking show on cable someday. If not, he'd just open his own bakery or something.

"Hey Hummel," a voice called out from much closer than Kurt would have preferred, considering his thinking process was being interrupted.

Kurt turned to find Noah Puckerman approaching. "Noah? What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving for California?"

Puck shrugged. "Didn't work out. I tried to get a permit for my company and found out a few things. Did you know that there are more than 3000 pool cleaning companies in the Los Angeles area alone? And the taxes there are crazy. I'd end up giving almost half my money back to the state. On top of that, the guy I talked to in the government said that most businesses have their own equipment so most people with pools don't bother to buy anything. It would cost me a fortune to get all the stuff I'd need to do the job."

Kurt was somewhat impressed that Puck had actually taken the time to figure all that out before he got out to California. "So what are you going to do?"

Puck grabbed a backpack that Kurt hadn't noticed before and pulled some papers out. "This."

Kurt took the stack of papers and looked them over. "These are college applications."

Puck shrugged. "Yeah. I know I got crap grades, but I did pretty good on my SATs. And if that doesn't work, I'll go to community college instead. I gotta get the hell out of this town, Hummel."

Kurt sniffed. "I know what you mean. I was just thinking about schools that I could apply to for late admissions. UC, Ohio State, Kent State, Dayton… Anything not in Lima."

"Dayton's kinda expensive since it isn't a state school," Puck said. "I've got applications for the others, though. I brought a couple of each, since I thought I might mess them up. I was gonna work out my answers and then put them online later. Maybe we could do that together."

Kurt smiled. "Sure."

PKPKPKPKPK

"So, what have you been up to since I left?" Blaine asked over Skype a couple days later. They had texted a few times, but Blaine's busy rehearsal and performance schedule didn't leave him much time to spend with Kurt on the phone or Skype. This was his first day off since going to Six Flags, so he finally had the chance to catch up with his boyfriend.

"Puck and I have been filling out college applications together," Kurt said. "We're hoping some schools will take pity on our lack of preparation. I helped him write his essay, and it turned out pretty good. He's got quite the story to tell."

"Colleges?" Blaine asked with a frown. "Where?" Kurt listed the schools he had applied to and Blaine's frown deepened. "But I thought… What about New York?"

Kurt sighed. "I've thought about it, Blaine and I really don't think I need to go to New York to get a good education. Besides, none of the schools would accept late applications. Anyway, I kind of want to be closer to my dad."

"But Kurt…" Blaine didn't get to finish his thought because someone came knocking at his door.

"You ready to go?"

Kurt could see a rather good looking young man smiling at Blaine in a way that was anything but platonic. Blaine smiled back at him. "Sure, just give me a minute." Blaine came back over to the computer and said, "Listen, I promised Chad that I would help him find some clothes that fit him better. We definitely need to talk about this some more. You can't just make decisions like that without me."

Kurt frowned. "I'm pretty sure that this is my decision to make, Blaine."

"Not when it affects both of us," Blaine said with a hint of frustration.

Kurt glanced over Blaine's shoulder and saw the blond menace named Chad smirking at him. "Fine, we'll talk later. Call me when you get back. And tell your friend that chartreuse is definitely not his color. In fact, it isn't anyone's color. It makes him look like a jaundiced corpse."

Kurt signed off without waiting for a response.

PKPKPKPKPK

Blaine didn't call Kurt back. In fact he didn't bother to text him for three days, and there was no apology for keeping Kurt waiting. In that same time, Kurt had sent several texts and tried to call or Skype Blaine six times. Blaine's texted reply, when it finally came, was short and simple: "Really busy. Can't call right now, but we still need to talk."

The more Kurt considered Blaine's words, and his lack of consideration, the angrier Kurt got. A week after their aborted conversation, he still had not heard a word from Blaine other than that single text.

"…so I got Mr. Schue, Miss Pillsbury, Coach Beiste, and Mr. Preminger to write letters of recommendation like you said I should," Puck was saying when Kurt realized he had spaced out once again. "Dude, you listening?"

"Yeah," Kurt said and then sighed. "Sorry, my mind has been stuck on repeat for a while. You said you got a letter from Mr. Preminger? Why him? He's the art teacher."

Puck shrugged. "I kinda thought I might apply for either the art department or music department. I thought maybe I could get my teaching certification in one of the two."

"You draw?" Kurt asked with surprise.

Puck shrugged again. "Yeah. I'm not great or anything, but it's something I like to do. I don't think I'll ever be a famous artist or anything like that, but I can make a decent likeness. And I like kids, so I thought I could teach that or music to little kids."

"That's actually really noble," Kurt said. "I could definitely see you teaching little kids. You're so great with your sister."

Puck grinned at him. "She's pretty great, isn't she?"

Kurt had never met Sarah Puckerman until recently, but working on their college applications, Kurt had spent a bit of time over at Puck's house.

"Hey, isn't that your phone?" Puck asked.

Sure enough, Kurt's iphone was playing the ringtone that was assigned to Blaine. Kurt sighed and picked it up. "So glad you could finally fit me into your busy schedule." Puck looked curiously at Kurt but didn't try to see who it was.

"I have been busy," Blaine said a little defensively. "I have six shows a day and rehearsals on top of that."

"And you don't get two minutes to just shoot me a simple text to let me know you're alive?" Kurt asked snidely. "How was your shopping date with the worst dressed man in Ohio? That takes some work, you know, considering the sheer number of males wearing plaid in this state."

"Stop being such a bitch," Blaine said.

"I'm being a bitch?" Kurt asked. "I'm not the one who said we need to talk and then didn't answer any of my texts or calls for more than a week."

"Dude, maybe I should go," Puck said quietly but not quietly enough.

"Is that Puck?" Blaine demanded. "You two seem to be getting awfully friendly."

"There is nothing going on with me and Noah," Kurt denied. "We're helping each other and we're friends. Stop trying to put this off on me. And Noah, you don't have to go anywhere. We aren't finished and these applications and financial aid forms need to be turned in today."

"You're unbelievable," Blaine said. "We can't even have a conversation in private now?"

"Be grateful I haven't put you on speakerphone so the rest of the house can hear what an ass you're being," Kurt snarked.

"I'm being an ass?" Blaine said. "You are the one who is making decisions about our future without consulting me."

"No, I'm making decisions about my future," Kurt said in a deadly quiet voice. "Right now, I'm not sure we have a future."

"Kurt, you don't mean that," Blaine said in a voice filled with hurt.

Kurt realized that perhaps he might have taken things a little too far. "I don't know, Blaine. A month ago… But now, I have to face some pretty hard realities. One of those realities is that I'm not going to NYADA. I aced that audition. Carmen Tibideaux loved me. But I didn't get accepted. Do you want to know why?"

"You don't know why," Blaine said.

"Yes I do," Kurt argued. "I requested the notes from my audition and the school sent them. They do that, you know, so students can see where they can improve."

"What did it say?" Blaine asked softly.

"It said that I am very talented and did nearly flawlessly on my audition," Kurt said in a broken voice. "It also said that because of my vocal range and physical attributes I would never be anything more than a chorus boy. She suggested that the acceptance committee concentrate on students with the potential to succeed."

"Kurt…"

"No," Kurt said. "I'm not upset. I knew that long before I got those notes. I couldn't even get one of the leads in our school musical, and I was friends with the director. I knew then that I was fooling myself, but I wanted… I wanted to go someplace where I could be accepted. But the truth is that there are a lot of cities in this country with strong gay communities where I could live quite happily. And I realized that I don't need the approval from an audience as long as I have the approval of my friends and family. That's why I was able to get over you getting the lead so easy."

"Then why pursue NYADA?" Blaine asked.

"Because we had plans," Kurt said. "You and me and Rachel and Finn. We were all going to go to New York and have this wonderful life together. But it was just a dream, Blaine."

"So you're just giving up?" Blaine asked.

"On that dream," Kurt agreed. "But I had other dreams before Broadway and I've been rethinking those dreams lately."

"Like what?" Blaine asked.

"I want to be a pastry chef," Kurt said. "And maybe open my own bakery or cafe. But I don't have to be in New York to do that."

"What about us?" Blaine asked.

"I don't know," Kurt said honestly. "I can't… You have to do what's best for you and I have to do what's best for me. I'd like to think that we can find a way to be together and still do that, but right now, I just don't know."

"You said you'd never leave me," Blaine said quietly.

"And I'm not," Kurt denied. "But Blaine, you've been gone two weeks and we've spoken twice. I'm not saying I should be the center of your universe 24/7, but the occasional thought might be nice. You want me to plan my future with you, but you can't even text me during your busy schedule? And before you get defensive again, I've seen your schedule. I know how hard you're working. But I also know that you get breaks. You have almost 30 minutes between those six performances each day. And your rehearsals are only an hour. Plus you get meals. If you wanted to call or text me, you could."

"There's always something going on," Blaine said lamely. "My friends…"

"Like Chad?" Kurt asked and there was definitely a note of jealousy there.

"Yeah, but there are others," Blaine said lamely. In truth, both boys recognized the similarities between Chad and Sebastian but neither could bring themselves to mention it. "And it always seems like there's something they want me to do."

"I work two jobs," Kurt said. "And I have most of the glee club here for the summer. I know what it's like to be busy. But I still make time for you. Think about that, Blaine. Before you get down on my for being unsure of where we stand, consider if you really know how you feel. You want me to make you my first priority, over my own dreams and ambitions, but you can't even take time away from your friends—friends you've known for two weeks—to call me."

"Kurt, I love you," Blaine said.

"I know," Kurt sighed. "And I love you too. But do you love me enough to let me do what's right for me? I thought you'd be happy that I was applying to schools this year, but all you care about is that they don't fit into your plans. Do you love me enough to not forget me if I'm not right in your face all day every day?"

"I…"

Kurt shook his head. "Think about it. And let me know what you come up with. In the meantime, I have to get these applications finished before I miss another deadline."

Kurt ended the call without waiting for Blaine's response.

"Dude, are you okay?" Puck asked. He shifted from his place by Kurt's desk to the bed and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know," Kurt said as he swiped at a tear that had escaped. "Was I… was I too harsh? Did I just blow everything out of proportion?"

"Nah," Puck said. "You were right. He can't expect you to give up on a life because it doesn't fit in with his plans. Especially if he hasn't even made time to call you since he's been gone."

Kurt swallowed thickly and nodded. He rubbed his hands down his legs and then stood up. "Well, let's get back to work. We both still have applications to submit today."

Chapter Text

Part Two

The applications were submitted and Kurt tried not to think about them anymore once they were gone. It wouldn't help anything if he spent all day pondering his fate. Either he would be accepted or he wouldn't. And if he wasn't, then he could regroup—again—and apply again for the next year. In the meantime, he had more pressing issues to consider, like the fact that Blaine hadn't called. It had been more than a week and Kurt knew for a fact that Blaine had a day off in that time. But he tried not to think about that either.

Instead, Kurt threw himself into his work. Every morning, he was up before the sun so that he could spend a few hours making pastries and cakes for the bakery's customers. He worked there until noon, took an hour for lunch, and then worked at the garage until seven in the evening. On Saturdays, he worked at the garage from seven to seven. His only day off, Sundays, were usually spent trying to catch up on errands and sleep and chores, not to mention trying to spend some time with his friends. The good news was that Kurt was putting away a lot of money towards college. The bad news was that the stress was beginning to wear on him. Because no matter how he tried to put Blaine and school out of his mind, the anxiety plagued him all the time.

It was on a Saturday, almost two weeks after his last conversation with Blaine, when Puck walked into the garage. Kurt assumed that he was there to see him, but Puck only waved before going over to talk to Kurt's dad. With a shrug, Kurt went back to work on the car on the lift above him. He was flushing out the radiator and giving it an oil change. A few minutes later, he had forgotten all about Noah Puckerman.

In fact, he didn't think about Puck again until he was lowering the car back to floor level and saw Puck watching him from the other side of the lift.

"You about finished, Hummel?"

Kurt frowned. "Um, yeah. Why? Did you need something?"

"Yeah, you," Puck said. "You and me are going out to do something fun. So you need to finish and then get cleaned up. I'm pretty sure you don't want to go anywhere with grease on your face."

Kurt grabbed a semi-clean rag from his overall pocket and swiped it across his face, suddenly embarrassed. "I can't just leave. I've got more cars to service. It's not even noon and I'm on the schedule until close."

"It's covered," Puck said. "I talked to your dad and he's having one of the other guys come in. I think you need a break from work and your dad agrees with me. So, if you're finished, let's get going."

Kurt motioned to Carlos, one of the high school students who worked at the garage as a runner. He would move the car out to the lot so that the customer could pick it up after they paid. Kurt handed him the keys and the paperwork for the cashier. Before he could go over to his dad to question him, he saw his father talking to Jerry, one of the mechanics who was always complaining about needing more hours. Burt saw Kurt and smiled and waved him off. Kurt gave him a half smile and nodded before turning to Puck.

"Well, I guess I'm all yours for the rest f the day," Kurt said wryly.

"Cool," Puck said. "Let's go."

Kurt went back to his house to get cleaned up, which included a shower and a thorough scrub under his nails. He might work in a garage, but he refused to look like he worked in a garage. He knew that Puck was waiting for him in the living room, so Kurt didn't spend as long as usual on his moisturizing routine or his hair. And he quickly selected something comfortable to wear. It wasn't as though he was trying to impress Puck. So he opted for comfortable jeans and a fitted white t-shirt with a lightweight gray vest. On his feet, he pulled on a pair of gray Converse that matched his vest.

"Lookin' good," Puck said when Kurt emerged.

Kurt just shrugged, knowing that he wasn't at his best, but he had done what he could in the short period of time given him.

"No, seriously," Puck said, as though he could read Kurt's thoughts. "You look good; a lot more comfortable than you usually look. And I like your hair that way. It's less stiff and more natural."

"Thanks, I think," Kurt said warily. "Now, what did you have in mind when you kidnapped me from my job?"

"You probably don't know because you're so busy all the time, but the county fair is on," Puck said. "I thought we could hang out there. Ride a few rides, play a few games, eat junk food…"

Kurt rolled his eyes, but he smiled. "Actually, I do like the fair. And I had forgotten that it was this week. That sounds like a lot of fun."

"Good, so let's get a move on," Puck said.

PKPKPKPKPK

"Never again!" Kurt laughed as he stumbled off the tilt-a-whirl. "I am never riding that thing with you again!"

"Admit it, Hummel," Puck smirked. "You loved how it squashed us up together!"

Kurt flushed but laughed it off. "I will admit no such thing. Have you smelled yourself lately?"

Puck lifted his arm and sniffed his pit. "Nope, still shower fresh. That Axe shit sticks around pretty good."

"I cannot believe you just did that," Kurt laughed. "You smelled your armpit in public!"

Puck shrugged. "My ma always says I'm uncouth and shouldn't be allowed in public. So, where to next?"

"The midway," Kurt said. "I'm itching to play some games. And get lemonade."

"You got it princess," Puck said as he slung his arm casually over Kurt's shoulder.

They played a number of games and Kurt beat Puck at most of them spectacularly. By the time they finished, Kurt was loaded down with stuffed toys and trinkets while Puck only had a mini-basketball. Despite Kurt's merciless teasing, Puck was rather proud of his basketball. They walked out to the car and dropped their prizes off before heading back in to ride more rides.

It was while they were waiting in line for the Ferris wheel that Kurt's phone began to ring. Kurt looked at Puck, and the other boy nodded, so Kurt answered.

"Hello Blaine," Kurt said.

"Hi Kurt," Blaine said quietly.

Kurt covered his free ear and said loudly, "You'll have to speak up. I can hardly hear you. Things are pretty noisy here."

"Where are you?" Blaine asked, louder this time.

"The county fair," Kurt said. "Waiting in line for the Ferris wheel."

"I guess this is a bad time to talk," Blaine said.

"Yeah," Kurt agreed.

"Princess, it's our turn," Puck told Kurt. Kurt nodded and followed Puck into the waiting car. It was a bit quieter there.

"You're with Puck again?" Blaine asked.

"Yes," Kurt said warily. "He thought I've been working too hard, so he convinced my father to kick me out of the garage today and brought me to the fair."

"You two seem to be getting pretty cozy," Blaine said and the jealously was clear in his voice now that their car was above the crowds of people.

Kurt glanced at Puck, who was watching him with a worried expression. "We're just friends. And this is honestly the first time we've hung out alone together since we sent in the applications. I'm not really sure I like the fact that you don't seem to trust me at all. Have I asked about Chad?"

Blaine sighed. "I really didn't call to argue."

"Then why did you call?" Kurt asked. "It's been two weeks, Blaine."

"I needed time to think," Blaine said.

"And did you?" Kurt asked. He tried not to give away his anxiety in his voice, but it was written all over his face and Puck took his hand for comfort.

"Maybe you were right," Blaine said. "Maybe I'm just not ready for the kind of commitment that we've been talking about."

"I see," Kurt said and he tightened his grip on Puck's hand as tears began to track down his cheeks. "And what made you come to that conclusion?"

Blaine was silent for a very long time before he said, "Chad."

Kurt swallowed back the angry and hurt words that wanted to burst out. Instead he bit his lips until he felt like he could answer without screaming. "Well. I guess that settles everything. I hope you and he are very happy together."

"It's not like that," Blaine said quickly. "He wasn't… isn't… I don't want to be with him or even date him. He was just here and convenient and I…" Kurt could almost picture Blaine shaking his head as he struggled to find the right words. "I'm not choosing him over you. And I didn't sleep with him. But I did let him kiss me and I know I shouldn't have but I just wanted to feel wanted and things have been so messed up with us. But I… If I can do something like that, then maybe you were right and I'm not really ready for a committed relationship. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too," Kurt said. He leaned into Puck as the larger boy pulled him into a hug. "I have to go. The ride's about to end."

"Can I… can we…?" Blaine couldn't seem to finish his question.

"I don't know," Kurt said. "I have to go."

He ended the call and buried his face in Puck's shoulder as he finally let the tears flow. He was vaguely aware of Puck saying something to the ride operator when the car stopped for a moment, but then they were moving again, and Kurt just let the tears go. He took comfort from Puck's arms and the soothing way his hands rubbed circles on Kurt's back.

It took a few minutes for Kurt to pull himself together enough to realize that the ride was moving full speed again. "I'm sorry. I…"

"Hey, it's fine," Puck said as he gently wiped the last traces of tears from Kurt's cheek. "What happened?"

"He… he kissed…" Kurt couldn't finish, but he didn't have to.

"You want me to go crack some skulls at Six Flags?" Puck asked, completely serious.

Kurt chuckled sadly. "No. But thank you for the offer. I knew… I knew that blond freak was after him. And Blaine said it wasn't anything serious, but it made him realize that he's not ready for the kind of commitment we've been talking about for the last year."

"So that's it?" Puck asked with some disbelief. "He's an asshat."

Kurt really laughed at that, but his laugh turned to crying again. "He was my f-first…everything."

Puck pulled Kurt into his arms again. And let the smaller boy bury his face in his chest again, though there weren't nearly as many tears this time.

"My first time was with Santana," Puck said quietly. "We'd been going out for a while and I really thought… well, anyway, she made it clear that she didn't feel the same way. She was only in it for the juice. I mean, we were both pretty popular, and together we were even more popular. Part of me wanted to tell her to fuck off, cuz, well, I thought it was supposed to be more than that. But the other part was just happy to get laid, so I went along with it. And then later, there were the MILFs and the other cheerleaders. Don't let this get around, but there weren't as many as people seem to think."

Kurt sat up and wiped his face. "Your secret is safe with me."

Puck gave him a small smile. "Anyway, they all just wanted something from me. Either sex or popularity or… to piss off their husbands or boyfriends. Even Quinn… well, I never said, but she was the one who came on to me that night. And she wasn't drunk. But she was carrying my kid by the time it all came out and I wasn't gonna call her a liar. So I took the blame and let everyone think I was a man-whore."

"Oh, Noah," Kurt sighed.

"First Santana and then Quinn," Puck said. "After that, I just sort of gave up on love. I figured my mom was right and no one would ever really want a loser like me. I was only good for one thing. Even Goody-two-shoes Rachel Berry wanted to use me for sex. But then I met Lauren and she made me realize a few things."

"Like what?" Kurt wondered.

"Like someone could want me for something besides sex," Puck said. "I mean, I know things didn't really work out between us, and that hurt at the time, but she gave me a lot while we were together. She made me believe that maybe I could actually get what I wanted someday if I went about things different."

"What do you want?" Kurt asked quietly.

"A family," Puck said. "And someone who loves me for me. I've never had anyone love me for me. Not even my ma. She's… she's pretty bitter because my dad is a fuck up and ditched us. And somehow that was my fault."

"It wasn't your fault," Kurt said. "No matter what your mother said. No child has the power to break up a marriage or keep one together. That's all on the parents."

"That's what Coach Beiste said," Puck said. "She's pretty smart. I got pretty messed up when I thought I wasn't going to graduate and she really helped me out. We still get together to talk. And she's pretty much said that if I can't get into school somewhere else, she'll let me stay with her while I go to community college."

"Wow," Kurt said.

"Yeah," Puck said. "But I guess the point I was trying to get at with all this sappy shit is that even though things didn't work out with you and the hobbit, you had a pretty good first try."

"Yeah," Kurt agreed. "Blaine was… he made me feel so special at first. He made me believe that I could actually find love and be happy."

"You still can," Puck said. "Even if it isn't with him. Cuz you're a really great guy, Kurt Hummel and you will find the right guy to love you."

Kurt smiled shyly at Puck. "Thank you, Noah. You don't know how much that means to me."

The ride began to slow and Puck smiled. "You should wipe your face and get ready to get off this hunk of metal. I don't think I can convince the guy to give us another free ride."

Kurt laughed and fished out a handkerchief from his pocket. "So, where to next?"

"I was thinking bumper cars," Puck said. "Or, if you're feeling really adventurous, we could try the bungee swing."

"I think maybe I'm up for a little risk-taking," Kurt said with a smile as the car came to a stop at the bottom and the attendant opened their car door.

PKPKPKPKPK

"Where in the world did you find those hideous shades?" Mercedes asked the next day as they made their way through the mall. Kurt didn't really need anything, but he was taking Puck's advice and trying to relax a little more, so when Mercedes had called him that morning, he had put off doing the laundry in favor of spending some time with his best girl friend before she headed off to California next week.

Kurt grinned at her and pushed the sunglasses in question up his nose. They were black horn-rimmed frames with pink rhinestones all over them. "Noah bought them for me at the fair yesterday."

Mercedes' eyes widened. "You went to the fair with Puck? I thought you had to work?"

"I did," Kurt said. "But Noah convinced my father that I needed a day off."

Mercedes reached out and plucked the glasses from Kurt's face. Kurt knew what she was seeing. No matter how long he kept a wet rag over his eyes, he hadn't been able to erase the red-puffiness from a night of crying. He had been able to set aside his hurt for a while and he and Puck had spent the rest of the evening having fun at the fair, but when he was alone in his room, the pain came back.

"What did Puck do?" Mercedes demanded. "You look like you spent all night crying."

Kurt snatched the sunglasses back and put them on. "Puck didn't do anything. Well, that's not true. He was very kind to me and helped me forget for a while, but he wasn't the one who made me cry."

"Boo," Mercedes said and put a hand on his shoulder. "What happened?"

"Blaine and I broke up," Kurt said. It was the first time he had said it out loud and it was harder than he had thought.

"What? But you guys were so…"

"Perfect?" Kurt asked. "Not quite." And so he proceeded to fill her in on the tensions and arguments and nonexistent calls. He didn't mention the kiss with Chad. He wasn't sure why, but he just didn't want to tell anyone that part. Maybe he just didn't want everyone to feel sorry for him. Or maybe he wanted to protect Blaine.

"So, what happens now?" Mercedes asked.

"Now I wait to find out if I got into any of the schools I applied to," Kurt said. "And then I get on with my life. I'll take some time to get over this but then I'll go out and try again."

Chapter Text

Part Three

Puck wanted Kurt to be there when he read through the letters from the schools when they came the next week. So he waited until Kurt got off work on Saturday—Burt was now insistent that Kurt only work until lunch on Saturdays for the rest of the summer—and picked the smaller boy up from the garage. Kurt had saved up his own letters and so the two of them walked from Kurt's house up to the reservoir to open them.

"You go first," Kurt said.

"We'll take turns," Puck said. "Ohio State first." Puck ripped open the envelope and read the first lines of the letter. His face fell. "No go."

Kurt swallowed hard and found his own Ohio State letter. "I was put on a waiting list. They said that if anything opens up, they'll let me know."

One by one, they found that they were either wait listed or rejected outright. Most of the schools explained that admissions was on a first come first served basis and suggested they apply again for the following year.

"One last one," Puck said as he held up the envelope from Duquesne. He didn't have very high hopes. Not only was it out of state and a private university, but it was a tough school to get into. Puck ripped open the envelope expecting the worst. "Wait… It… I got in."

Kurt's face lit up. "You did?"

Puck nodded. "It's not even a form letter. The dean of admissions says that the council was moved by my essay. They've worked with the financial aid office and are giving me a partial scholarship to cover my tuition. And he said that they have forwarded my essay on to a private foundation that is interested in offering me a grant to cover the other costs. It's a foundation that helps Jewish kids from rough backgrounds. They were all impressed with the fact that I want to teach and help other kids."

Kurt threw his arms around Puck's neck and hugged him. "I'm so happy for you!"

"I can't believe it," Puck said in a hoarse whisper. "I'm going to college."

"Believe it, Puckerman," Kurt said in a happy voice. "You're going to have to actually work now."

"Tell me about it," Puck said. "Part of the scholarship requirements is that I have to keep up a decent GPA. But they even offered to arrange for tutors if I need them."

"I'm proud of you," Kurt said. "And I know you're going to do great. You'll surprise even yourself."

"You're turn," Puck said nodding to Kurt's last envelope.

Like Puck, Kurt didn't have high hopes for this school. The International Culinary Academy in Pittsburgh was part of the Le Cordon Bleu's international program and the competition for acceptance was pretty fierce. Kurt opened the envelope and slowly unfolded the letter.

"I got in," Kurt said. "I was accepted in both the culinary arts and the baking and patisserie degree programs. I'm going to be going to school in Pittsburgh too!"

"That is so freakin' awesome dude!" Puck said. "We can like, room together."

Kurt considered that and then smiled. "I think I'd like that, Noah."

"Come on," We gotta go see Coach Beiste and then we gotta tell your dad."

Kurt let Puck drag him along and didn't once consider that they wouldn't share their news together.

PKPKPKPKPK

Burt and Carole drove the two boys to Pittsburgh a couple weeks later to look for a suitable apartment for the two boys. Though rent was higher in the city than in Lima, it wasn't too bad so they were able to find a decent two bedroom place that wasn't far from either school. It took three days to find and be approved for the place that they all could agree upon, but when they headed back to Ohio, even Burt felt better about leaving his boy loose in the city.

Their apartment was in Shadyside on a quiet side street that was within walking distance of a small shopping district. Their building was a renovated house and their apartment took up the second floor. There wasn't a lot of space, but there were two bedrooms and a kitchen that Kurt could work with. The living room was just big enough for a sofa, a chair and a television. The only place to eat was at the counter between the kitchen and living room, but that was okay.

Their bedrooms were small, but they would fit a queen sized bed in each along with a single dresser. Kurt opted for the smaller bedroom, since it had the larger closet. Luckily, the bathroom was fairly large. In fact, it was large enough for Kurt to bring his vanity and set it up in there, since there wasn't room in his bedroom. Puck had already acknowledged that he would likely have to fight for time in the bathroom, but that was okay, since he really didn't take more than ten minutes in there himself. There was even off-street parking, since the owner of the house turned the backyard into a small parking lot.

Back in Ohio, most of their friends were preparing to head off to college as well. Rachel and Santana had already left for New York and Mercedes had gone to California. Finn was still debating about whether he wanted to go into the military or sign up for classes at the community college. But Quinn was preparing to head to Yale and Mike was getting ready to head to Northwestern. Tina decided to throw a small party the night before Mike was scheduled to leave. It was smaller without the three girls who had already left, but it was a fun night filled with karaoke, gossip and games.

That was also the first night that Kurt had seen Blaine since he returned from Six Flags.

"I heard you were accepted into Le Cordon Bleu's Pittsburgh school," Blaine said when the two found themselves in a corner alone together.

"Yeah," Kurt said. "I've been accepted into both the culinary arts and pastry programs."

"And you're sharing an apartment with Puck," Blaine said.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Please, do not go there."

Blaine shrugged. "I just wondered if things had changed since, you know, we broke up."

"Cheesus, Blaine," Kurt huffed. "Puck's straight, remember?"

"I know," Blaine said. "But… well, I've always thought he's really more pansexual than heterosexual, don't you think? I mean, at least he has been since Lauren."

"Whatever his sexuality, we're still just friends," Kurt said. "Not that it's any of your business."

"I know," Blaine sighed. "I know I totally screwed up, Kurt. And I'm not going to ask you to try again. But I really do hope you can forgive me so we can maybe be friends again. Someday. I really miss you. You were my best friend."

Kurt sighed. "You were my best friend too. And I do miss you. But right now, it still really hurts. Just… give me a little more time?"

Blaine looked sad but hopeful when he nodded. "I can do that."

Blaine walked away and Puck was by Kurt's side in an instant. "You okay? The offer to kill the hobbit still stands."

"No, I'd rather my roommate wasn't a fugitive from the law," Kurt said. "Anyway, I'm okay. I think I'm getting over it."

"He want you back?" Puck asked.

"As a friend," Kurt said. "He was my best friend before and while we dated. I think I miss that more than anything else."

"So you'll forgive him," Puck said.

"I'm not sure I need to forgive him," Kurt said. "We weren't… we were still together, but I knew that we were headed for a breakup even if Blaine didn't. That kiss was his wakeup call. That's all."

"So you guys are friends again?" Puck asked.

"Not yet," Kurt said. "I understand, but that doesn't make it hurt any less right now. It'll take some time to get to where we can be friends again. But I'm pretty sure it will happen."

Puck was silent as he stared into his cup of soda. Unlike Rachel, Tina hadn't been able to get rid of her parents, so there was no booze at this little party. Puck had considered bringing his own, but decided against it. He'd been laying off the booze since he found out he'd been accepted into Duquesne. He finally had something worthwhile to look forward to and didn't want to fuck it up.

"You ready to go?" Puck finally asked. He was staying at Kurt's that night because they would spend most of the next day loading up the U-Haul for their move to Pittsburgh. The day after that, they were actually moving.

"Yeah," Kurt agreed and went to say his goodbyes to the rest of the glee club.

PKPKPKPKPK

The trip to Pittsburgh was interesting. Finn and Burt drove the U-Haul while Kurt drove his new black hybrid Beetle (He had traded in the Navigator because it hogged way too much gas and the insurance was insanely high). Puck followed behind him in his old pickup with Sam, who had come along to help. And Carole brought up the rear with her minivan which would be used to haul the others back to Ohio.

After the five hour road trip, they pulled up to their apartment and spent another five hours unloading the U-Haul. They had collected furniture from friends and family and had even purchased a few items, so the apartment was soon filled with comfortable places to relax. It was also filled with boxes. Carole had save much of her kitchen equipment and other household items when they had combined the two houses, so they were set for dishes and pots and pans. They even had a few lamps, though Kurt had insisted upon new bedding and towels.

Once the truck was unloaded, Burt and Finn had gone to drop off the truck while the others stayed to unpack a little bit. Carole and Sam had most of the kitchen squared away by the time the other two returned, while puck and Kurt got to work on their respective bedrooms.

Eventually, however, the time came for those who did not live there to find a bed for the night. After promising to stop in to help again for a few hours the next morning before they headed back to Lima, Burt drove the four of them to a hotel for the night and Kurt and Puck were left alone in their new place.

"I think this belongs to you," Puck said as he carried a box clearly labeled "Scarves" into Kurt's bedroom.

"Finn," Kurt muttered, knowing that only his brother would not know to put that box in Kurt's room.

"Probably," Puck said. "Carole helped me make up my bed. Do you want a hand with yours?"

"Thanks," Kurt said with a smile as he pulled his linens out of a box in the corner of the room.

The two set about making up the bed together and soon had Kurt's bed made and ready for occupation.

"I thought about hooking up the TV," Puck said. "But I'm just too tired to do it tonight."

Kurt nodded. "I'm just going to get changed and head for bed. Do you want in the bathroom first? It will take me a few minutes to find all my cleansers and moisturizers."

"Thanks," Puck said. He went to his room to grab his pajamas and then went to take a quick shower. Their apartment had window air conditioners, but it was still a bit warm and they had been working hard all afternoon. He looked at the empty shower and realized that he hadn't found any soap yet.

"Kurt?" Puck called from the bathroom.

"What's up?" Kurt asked as he came to the door to find Puck looking rather delectable with only a fluffy white towel wrapped around his waist.

"You find any soap yet?" Puck asked easily, unconcerned with his nudity.

"Um, yes," Kurt said blankly. "I'll just… go get that."

Kurt practically ran back to his bedroom to collect the box of shower items that had been put in there by mistake (Finn), and carried it back to the bathroom. "There should be body wash and shampoo in there. I think Carole even snuck in a bottle of Axe for you."

"Thanks," Puck said and then waited for Kurt to leave the room before turning on the shower.

PKPKPKPKPK

Lying in the unfamiliar room after taking his turn in the bathroom, Kurt considered his friendship with Puck. Three years in glee together and they had only ever exchanged a few words. They had been friendly by the end, but not true friends. Sure he had cared about Puck the way he cared about all of the glee kids, but they hadn't really been friends. He had always been his former bully or Finn's friend.

But this summer, things had changed. It had begun with the college applications and grown through Kurt's breakup with Blaine. Somehow, Puck had come to be one of Kurt's best friends. And wasn't that a completely unexpected turn of events. In the weeks since the fair, Kurt and Puck had sent quite a bit of time together. It had partly been spent talking about their plans for when they made the move to Pittsburgh, but they had also talked about music and movies. They had talked about their dreams and fears. In truth, the two boys had more in common than either of them would have expected.

But they really were just friends, no matter how many times Blaine brought up the possibility of more.

After seeing Puck in the bathroom, earlier, however, Kurt wondered just how stupid he was to think that he could live with a man as attractive as Puck without developing some sort of crush on him. He was absolutely beautiful. His eyes… they were mesmerizing. And his body was a work of art. And apparently he had no qualms about showing it off, even to his gay roommate.

With a groan, Kurt rolled over onto his side as his cock took interest in his memory of Puck in just a towel. This was not good. This was really not good. But as Kurt slipped his hand into his pajama pants, he decided that one night of fantasy wouldn't make a difference.

PKPKPKPKPK

The two boys went to pick up their books from the bookstore the morning after the others headed back to Ohio. The apartment was pretty much unpacked and they were settled in. Only the cable and internet still had to be turned on. So rather than sit around the house, they decided to check things out and get their books.

Duquesne's campus was just outside downtown Pittsburgh, though it seemed like it was pretty secluded despite its location. The two boys had brought the campus map included in Puck's admissions package and used it to give themselves a tour of the campus, finding where each of Puck's classes would be, before heading to the bookstore.

"Wow," Puck muttered. "These books are expensive."

"Get the used books," Kurt told him. "They're cheaper and a lot of them have notes in them from previous students that can be helpful. At the end of the semester, you can sell some of them back."

Puck took Kurt's advice, but was still amazed at how much money he ended up spending on a bunch of books. Rather than spend more money on notebooks and other supplies there, they decided that they could stop at an office supply store instead.

Their next stop was to the ICA so that Kurt could pick up the things he would need. He didn't have as many books to buy, but he did have to wear a chef's uniform. He was grateful for the fact that the traditional white jacket and checkered pants were not used for the students at the school. Rather than the plain white double-breasted jacket, they were required to wear white with black trim, cuffs, collar, shoulders and yoke. They were still required to wear the black and white checked pants but there were several options for the toque. Kurt purchased four: the white with black and white checked band, the checked with the black band, the plain black and the white with a black band.

"These definitely will need to be tailored," Kurt said as he tried on one of the white jackets. "There is no way I'm wearing these baggy things. But, at least they're cotton and not polyester."

Puck snorted in amusement. He had no doubt that Kurt would be the only student in the school with tailored uniforms.

Kurt had already purchased his knife set as recommended by the package he got from the school, so the only other thing he needed to pick up were regular school supplies. So he and Puck headed back towards their apartment and kept an eye out for an office supply store. They spotted one in the small shopping area near their home and decided to take their purchases home and walk back to the store.

Walking up the four blocks to the office supply store, Kurt noticed that there was more than one same sex couple out on the street. Some were holding hands and others had their arms wrapped around each other. There were more straight couples than gay, but it was nice to know that they had picked a neighborhood that seemed to be pretty receptive. Kurt also noted that Puck watched the gay couples with a thoughtful expression.

"It's kinda nice," Puck eventually said, "that they can be together without people yelling rude things or starting shit."

"Yeah," Kurt said happily. "It is."

Chapter Text

Part Four

Classes started a few days later and Puck and Kurt went their separate ways. Kurt was wearing his newly tailored uniform (his sewing machine had definitely come in handy already) and Puck was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt that met Kurt's approval (meaning there were no holes or vulgar sayings of the t-shirt). After hectic days, they met back up in their living room that evening.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever done," Puck told Kurt.

"What was?" Kurt wondered.

"Dude, those people were all like really smart," Puck said. "I'm so screwed. I have no hope of actually passing any of these classes. One class, the teacher wants a paper every week. In another, there's like tons of reading and a group project. Just looking at the other students, I know nobody's gonna want me in their group."

"Yes they will," Kurt said. "Because you are smarter than you think and you are also a very good person. If those students are so smart, then they'll see that. How were your art and music classes?"

"Those were cool," Puck said. "I mean, the professor in my music class was pretty impressive. And he's already got us working on song writing. He said that we'd get more into theory as we went. And the intro to drawing class looks pretty easy. What about your classes?"

"Well, Culinary math is a joke after taking calculus in high school," Kurt said. "But the basic Baking and pastry techniques class is great. Nutrition and food safety are pretty boring, but won't be too hard. Tomorrow, I'll be taking Culinary Fundamentals."

"Sounds like more fun than my classes," Puck pouted. "So, you going to make dinner, oh future chef?"

"Ass," Kurt said with a chuckle. "Sure, I'll make something. But I am not cooking every night."

"Even if I promise to do the dishes and take out the garbage?" Puck negotiated.

"Even then," Kurt said firmly. "You're on kitchen duty three nights a week."

"You realize that I suck at cooking, right?" Puck asked.

"I'm sure you can muddle through," Kurt said. "Even if it means soup and sandwiches."

Puck shrugged. He could do soup and sandwiches. And he was killer at waffles and pancakes, as long as Kurt didn't mind breakfast for dinner. He followed Kurt to the kitchen and took a seat at the counter while Kurt washed his hands. "So, what's on the menu for tonight?"

"Stir fry," Kurt said. "It's quick and easy."

Puck watched as Kurt set the rice to cook before chopping up the various vegetables and preparing the marinated meat. Once that was done, Kurt heated the wok and soon the apartment was filled with enticing aromas.

When Kurt had plated up two portions, he joined Puck at the counter. "Cooking really isn't that hard. You just have to be willing to try."

Puck swallowed the bite he was chewing and grinned. "I can try, but I'll guarantee you that anything I make will not compare to this."

PKPKPKPKPK

The two students worked hard as the semester unfolded. Their schedules didn't always mesh, but they did end up spending most evenings together. Puck had joined a study group which met at their apartment on Tuesday evenings. And the two of them often spent time on the weekends just exploring the city. Once they got past the hurdle of midterms, Kurt and Puck took a weekend to head back to Ohio. It was Burt's birthday and Puck wanted to see his sister. It was a good weekend, but in the end, both were happy to get back to Pittsburgh and the life they were building there.

Puck was surprised to find that he was actually passing all of his classes as finals approached. He had worked hard, and though his grades weren't the greatest, they were good enough to keep his scholarship. He used the tutors that had been arranged, but he found that he needed their help less and less as the semester went on and he learned techniques for studying that actually worked for him. He decided that he would use the tutors for the spring semester again, but after that, try to go it on his own.

Kurt, on the other hand, was having the time of his life as he tested out new recipes and learned basic cooking techniques that were never covered in home economics. The instructors encouraged creativity in their projects even while teaching them the proper ways to prepare traditional menus. It was a lot of hard work, but Kurt loved every minute of it. Because many of the courses overlapped between the culinary and pastry degrees, Kurt was able to take both at the same time. He would probably have to take a couple extra semesters to complete all his required courses, but he could do that in the summers, since he had no intention of going back to Lima for months at a time.

As the semester drew to a close, Puck and Kurt both packed their bags for a week in Ohio for the holidays. They were both looking forward to the time off, after the stress of finals.

"How'd you do on that last final?" Kurt asked once they were on the road. He was driving his new baby, even though Puck hated how 'girly' it was. Kurt always huffed back at that and said that at least he hadn't gotten the pink one.

"I'm pretty sure I aced it," Puck said. The class had been one of Puck's hardest—history—but it was a general education requirement and he had to take it. In the end, he had done pretty well once he learned how to take proper notes from his tutors. His study group helped him as well, since they discussed the topics in depth and Puck found that helped him a lot more than just listening to a teacher talk. "I'd be surprised if I got less than a B."

"That's a huge step for a guy who once claimed that a C- was a Puckerman A," Kurt teased.

"That's because I'd never gotten a grade higher than a B- in my life until I came here," Puck said. "You know, I've been thinking a lot about it lately. They really should teach students how to study. I mean, it would have made a huge difference for guys like me if I'd known all the stuff that my tutors have taught me this year."

"Well, maybe you could teach your students," Kurt said. "Or those you think need to learn that lesson."

"Yeah," Puck said thoughtfully.

Kurt dropped Puck off at his mother's house and promised that they would see each other again in a couple days. By that time, Puck would be more than ready to get away from his mother and the glee gang all had plans to hang out together while the college kids were home for the holidays.

PKPKPKPKPK

Finn had completed his first semester at community college and was actually pretty excited about that fact. He spent more than an hour regaling Kurt with his newly discovered ambitions as the smaller boy unpacked his suitcase. He was going to get his associates degree in business and work with Burt in the garage, maybe even open a second shop and expand the business.

"I was changing this guy's oil and singing along to the radio," Finn said as he explained his epiphany. "And it just sort of hit me. I realized that I was really happy. I like going to work and knowing exactly what my day will bring. I like looking at a car I fixed and knowing that I did my job well. I like living in Lima. I think the only reason I wanted to go anywhere else was because I wanted to be with Rachel. But the truth is I like it here. And I like working in the garage. So that's what I'm gonna do."

"It's a good job," Kurt said. "And I'm glad that you realize that's what you want to do, not just what you've settled for."

"Nah," Finn told him. "The military would have been settling. This is something that I want. I just wish that this was a life that Rachel could want too. Then again, if she did, she wouldn't be Rachel, would she?"

"No," Kurt agreed. "She has more ambition and talent than anyone I've ever met. Except maybe Blaine."

"Yeah," Finn agreed. "How… how are you doing with that? I mean, not being together and all?"

"Actually, a lot better," Kurt said. "I know that I made the right decision for me. Like you, I let Rachel and Blaine's ambitions color my own. Now that I'm out there on my own and doing what I want with my life, I'm actually happy. Really happy."

"Good," Finn said and gave Kurt a one armed hug.

PKPKPKPKPK

The day after Christmas, Finn and Kurt hosted the glee kids at their house for a holiday party. Despite their history with the hosts, both Rachel and Blaine showed up for the event. Kurt hugged each of them when they arrived, surprising Blaine with his show of affection.

"I've missed you," Kurt told the other boy honestly.

"Yeah, I've missed you too," Blaine said with a smile.

Before they could talk more, however, Puck arrived, carrying his duffle bag. "Dude."

"Noah?" Kurt asked with a frown. "Why do you have…?"

"Later?" Puck said nervously as he looked between Blaine and Kurt.

"Sure," Kurt said. "We should go join the others. Everyone is in the living room."

Kurt and Blaine did have a chance to talk later, agreeing that they really wanted to try and be friends again. Though Kurt had to return to Pittsburgh for his externship, he promised that they could meet for coffee before Kurt left.

Once everyone had left for the night, however, Puck remained on the sofa and Kurt went to join him. "So?"

"Kinda had it out with my mom," Puck said. "She… she made it pretty clear that I'm not welcome in her house anymore. So I kinda was hoping that I could stay with you guys until we head back to Pittsburgh."

"Of course you can stay here," Finn said as he walked through the door, munching on leftovers from the party. "You're like family anyway."

"He's right," Kurt said. "Dad and Carole won't mind."

"Thanks," Puck said. "I thought about taking a bus back, but I still want to see Sarah. Mom's being a bitch, but Sarah will get past her to come see me."

"What was it about this time?" Finn asked.

Puck's face closed up. "Um, you know, the same old shit. Too much like my father or something."

Finn frowned. "I thought she got over that when you got accepted into college."

"Um, yeah," Puck said evasively. "Guess I was wrong."

"Well, I'll go get the guest room set up," Finn said as he wiped his now empty hands on his pants.

Once he was gone, Kurt turned to Puck. "What really happened?"

Puck stared very intently at where he was toying with the loose thread on his shirt. "I told her something. I didn't really mean to, but it just slipped out. And then she blew up at me."

"Noah?" Kurt prodded gently.

Puck looked up into Kurt's eyes finally. "She was being a bitch as usual. Nothing's ever good enough. I'm used to that. But then she started saying shit about… about you."

Kurt nodded. He'd met Puck's mom a few times and knew that she didn't like him. He'd always felt it was because he was gay, but she'd never come right out and said so. "What did she say?"

"She was going on about how my faggot roommate was making me believe I'm better than regular people," Puck said softly. "And I just got tired of it. So I screamed at her. I… I told her to shut the fuck up, because…"

"Because?"

"Because I'm in love with my faggot roommate, so I guess that makes me a fag too," Puck said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Kurt stared at Puck for a long minute as he tried to take in everything Puck had just said with that one sentence. It was a lot to take in. Puck was not as heterosexual as everyone believed. Puck was in love with him. Puck's mother had thrown him out because of his sexuality. Puck was in love with him. Him. Kurt Hummel.

Kurt blinked. "Really?"

Puck shrugged miserably. "Not really the way I pictured telling you."

"No, I suppose not," Kurt said in a somewhat breathless voice.

"I should go to bed," Puck announces suddenly and Kurt realized that he hadn't really responded to Puck's declaration, such as it was.

Kurt grabbed Puck's hand before he could do more than stand and pulled him back onto the sofa, this time much closer. "I… I love you too. But, I've never thought I had a chance because, well, you were straight. So I tried so hard to set aside any romantic feelings and just be your friend. So, I just need a minute while my world view adjusts to include this news. Okay?"

"Yeah," Puck mumbled and then it hit him what Kurt had said. "Wait, you love me too?"

Kurt's mouth slowly broke into a smile. "Yeah, I do."

Puck grinned back at him. "That is so totally awesome, dude."

"Yeah, it kind of is," Kurt agreed. And then he pulled Puck closer to him and let his lips meet Puck's. Their first kiss was soft and gentle and exploratory. But their second kiss was so much more. Lips and teeth and tongues and heat and wet… Now that he had a taste of Puck, Kurt couldn't seem to get enough of him. Eventually, however, he had to pull away or embarrass himself. "Wow. That was…"

"More than awesome," Puck said breathlessly. "Definitely more than awesome."

Chapter Text

Part Five

Despite their declarations, both boys decided to wait on sharing their newfound relationship. It was partly out of respect for Burt. He was still getting used to Kurt having boyfriends, and having Puck staying with them—and living in the same apartment as his son—would be a bit much for him to handle without some forewarning. It was also because things were just still so new to them. They didn't know how they were going to make things work between them and the added pressure of friends and family—even if they meant well—would make things harder for them.

The one person that Kurt told was Blaine.

They met for coffee, as planned, and caught up with each other's lives. Blaine was still excited by their win at sectionals and had received word of his early acceptance to Julliard. He still wanted to try for NYADA, but at least he knew that he had a place to go come the next fall, even if it was his second choice. Kurt told him about his courses and how much he loved everything about ICA.

"Well, except the uniforms," Kurt said with a small pout. "I tailored mine and you should have seen the stink eye I got from the dean. And don't even think about trying to accessorize. I learned that the hard way."

Blaine chuckled. "This is the Kurt Hummel I've missed."

Kurt flushed. "Yes, well, you have no idea just how difficult it is for me to wear a uniform every day. I look just like every other student!"

"I think I know what that's like," Blaine said dryly, recalling Kurt's days at Dalton and his complete dislike of the uniform. It was fine for other boys to wear—in fact Kurt had confessed more than once that he loved seeing Blaine in his Dalton blazer—but Kurt Hummel had to stand out from the crowd. It was just who he was.

"Right," Kurt said with a fond smile. "Well, at least the Dalton Blazers were dashing in that preppy-schoolboy way. These are just… I soothe myself with the knowledge that eventually, I will be able to choose what to wear. I mean, there are a lot more choices in kitchen fashion than I ever dreamed. Some are just plain tacky, but there are colors and patterns and I can continue to tailor my clothes."

"So you don't regret your choice?" Blaine asked quietly. "You could still move to New York after you finish at culinary school."

Kurt smiled fondly at Blaine. "I could, but I don't think I will. New York was nice to visit, but it's… too big and too different."

"You'd be accepted there," Blaine reminded him.

"Because there are thousands of other men just like me," Kurt said. "And I'm accepted in Pittsburgh. There are areas that are just as bad as Lima, but there are areas of New York like that too. You should come visit us sometime. You'll see gay couples walking hand in hand down the street, some with their families… That's all I ever really wanted."

"A family?" Blaine asked. In all the time they had been friends and dated, Kurt had never mentioned family to him.

Kurt nodded. "After my mom died, it was just me and Dad. I always wanted… I don't know, to be part of a real family. And I have that now with Finn and Carole, but I want one for myself too."

As much as Blaine liked kids, he hadn't ever considered having children. He just figured he would be Uncle Blaine to Cooper's kids someday. Even now, he still couldn't imagine it. Maybe someday in the distant future. He decided it was time for a change in subject.

"So how's living with Puck?"

"Noah?" Kurt asked with a fond smile. "It's been good."

"Really? No fights over the bathroom?" Blaine asked. "No arguments about bringing noisy dates home?"

Kurt blushed. "We… neither of us have brought any dates home. And we get along surprisingly well…unless he forgets to put his clothes in the hamper. I can get a little testy when I find his dirty socks in the living room."

"No dates?" Blaine asked. "I can't imagine either one of you would be lacking in offers."

"There have been offers," Kurt admitted. "And I've had coffee with a couple different guys, but none of them… I guess I just wasn't interested."

Blaine hesitated before asking his next question. "Because of me or because of Puck?"

Kurt froze for a minute and then sighed. "Because of Puck."

"So…" Blaine said with a teasing grin. "I was right."

Kurt wanted to refute Blaine's statement, but after their kiss the other night—and several other kisses since— he couldn't. "We've kissed. A couple times, but it's all very new. I mean, just since the party the other night. We…"

"Don't worry, I won't say anything," Blaine said. A part of his heart was crushed at the knowledge that Kurt was truly moving on, but most of him was happy for his first love. "And I really hope the two of you can make things work."

"Me too," Kurt said with a smile.

PKPKPKPKPK

Epilogue

Kurt walked around the large ballroom and took in all of the details. He wasn't sure why this was making him so nervous. He had planned hundreds of events just like this since opening up his own event planning and catering business. Some were even larger than this one, though not many. They were expecting more than five hundred people in just a few hours and Kurt had a list two pages long of things that still needed to be done. At least the tables were set up and looked absolutely spectacular, just as he had known they would.

"You okay?" Puck asked his husband as he wrapped his arms around the smaller man.

Kurt turned in his arms. "I'm not sure why this wedding is making me so nuts. I wasn't even this nervous for our wedding."

"Probably because with the number of celebrities attending could make your business into a household name," Puck said dryly. Kurt glared at him. He really didn't need that reminder. "But you have nothing to be nervous about. You're the best in the business. You have a perfect menu planned. The cake is spectacular and just waiting to be set up. And this room looks better than any other I've seen you or anybody do. Everything is going to be great."

Kurt huffed a laugh into Puck's chest and then smiled up at him. "What would I do without you, Noah?"

"Throw a diva fit that even Rachel Berry couldn't match," Puck said with a smirk. "Now go get cooking. I'm going to pick up Anya and Sophie from Finn and Penny before the drive them nuts. And then the three of us have to get dressed for this little shindig."

"I wish I could be there for the ceremony," Kurt sighed. "But, I really need to get back to the kitchen."

"You can see everyone during the reception," Puck reminded him. "That's the fun part, anyway."

"It's still hard for me to believe that Rachel is marrying Cooper Anderson," Kurt said. "I never would have imagined that ten years ago. Can you imagine the vacuously beautiful and annoyingly talented children they're going to have?"

"Go," Puck said with a chuckle. "I'll see you in few hours."

Kurt went back to the kitchen and got to work, his staff of sous chefs and helpers were hard at work getting everything ready to meet his exacting standards. He could be a real bitch if things weren't perfect. But then again, his demand for perfection had garnered him a reputation as the best in the business. It had also gotten him a two hour documentary on the Food Network which had increased his reputation even more. Now there were talks of his doing a regular series, but Kurt wasn't sure if that was what he really wanted. He liked his work.

When Rachel had come to him six months ago to ask him to do her wedding, he had told her no at first. Six months was simply not enough time to plan one of his amazing weddings. But she had whined and begged until he couldn't stand it any longer and gave in. He hadn't considered the fact that because of her fame on Broadway, and Cooper's fame since landing that lead role on some buddy cop show filmed in New York, that the entire world would be watching, or that there would be more than five hundred people in attendance.

Rather than doing the wedding in New York, where the couple lived, they decided to have it in Pittsburgh, so that it would be easier for Kurt. Besides, it would be closer to their families. Most of the guests could more than afford to travel and so Kurt had planned most of the wedding without Rachel there looking over his shoulder. That part had been nice. But he'd had to make a few trips to New York to make sure she didn't buy a tacky wedding dress in his absence. That had been hell, because he simply hated being away from Puck and the girls.

As Kurt worked he considered how his life had turned out. It had all started with that rejection letter from NYADA, and Kurt now couldn't be happier that he hadn't gotten into the school. He'd bonded with Puck over college applications, and they had grown closer over Kurt's breakup with Blaine. He still remembered that Ferris wheel ride with fondness. But it was the long weeks and months that followed that had set the foundation for their relationship. They had taken their time after declaring their feelings for each other, and their relationship had grown slowly but was all the stronger for their patience.

After graduating from ICA, Kurt had gone to work for a restaurant in town that did some catering. It was doing those catering jobs that Kurt had found his calling. He knew that he could plan better, more beautiful, parties and weddings than the tacky things he had seen. And so Kurt had begun his own business. It was tough at first, since Puck was still in school, but they had made it.

Then Puck graduated and got a job teaching at a liberal private school. It was at that school, during a faculty Christmas party, that Kurt had first met Nadia, the woman who would become the mother to Anya and Sophie. She was another teacher there and they hit it off right away. She was a free-spirit and a lesbian, and she knew in her heart that she was not the maternal type. But she wanted to experience childbirth at least once. And so she proposed to be the surrogate for Kurt and Puck.

At that point in their careers, the two really couldn't afford to even contemplate a paid surrogate, so this offer sounded like a miracle. Still, they took time to really talk it over, together and with Nadia. And then they agreed. A month later, Nadia was pregnant. They found out a few weeks later that it would be twins. Since they decided to use both of their sperm, they wouldn't know until much later who the father was, but they didn't really care. They were just so excited.

When the girls were born, it was soon obvious that the girls did not share the same father. Sophie had inherited Puck's curly dark hair and hazel eyes, while Anya's hair was as straight as a ruler and blond with blue eyes just like Kurt's. Oddly enough, however, personality wise, Anya was more like Puck, while Sophie seemed to take after Kurt's diva side.

Now, five years later, neither Puck nor Kurt could imagine their lives without their beautiful little girls. It hadn't been easy raising twins, especially the first couple years, but they had struggled together and made it through. Now the girls were going to the same school where puck taught and had lots of friends. They were happy girls and Kurt couldn't ask for better.

The hours until the reception flew by as Kurt worked to make everything perfect for one of his oldest friends' wedding day. Soon the wait staff was serving the courses and Kurt was inspecting the plates before they were sent.

"I knew you'd be in here making everything perfect."

Kurt looked up at the familiar voice and smiled. "What are you doing in the kitchen? You're supposed to be out there celebrating with your brother. You are the best man after all."

Blaine shrugged. "I was hoping I could talk you into at least one dance before this party is over."

"The party has barely begun," Kurt said. "After dinner, you should see the array of pastries and sweets I have lined up. Not to mention the cake."

"I'm sure it will all be perfect," Blaine said as he stole a canapé from one of the trays left over from the cocktail hour. "Everything you make is perfect."

"I live a charmed life," Kurt agreed and smiled at his best friend. "So, did you bring Brian?"

Blaine chuckled. "I did. And he's dying to meet you."

Blaine's stage career hadn't lasted long, but his career as a musical composer was just taking off. He'd had two shows go from off-Broadway to Broadway in the last two years, both of them earning multiple awards. And now Blaine was dating the lead from his latest show, which promised to have the same critical success.

"I'm dying to meet him too," Kurt admitted. "I saw him last year in Sweeny Todd when I was out to help Rachel pick out a dress. He was fabulous… and quite hot."

Blaine had to agree with that estimation. "That was before we got together, but things really seem like they're falling into place with him. We… we just connect."

"I know what you mean," Kurt said thinking of Puck. He shook those thoughts off and smiled at Blaine again. "Get out of here so I can finish serving dinner, and I promise you one dance."

"Good," Blaine said and stole another canapé before heading back out to the party.

It actually took another hour before Kurt could clean up a little and head out to the party. He grabbed a clean chef's jacket—his favorite black one with silver piping and buttons—before facing the crowds in the ballroom. Before he could make his way over to where his husband and daughters were dancing on the crowded dance floor, Kurt was stopped by numerous people to congratulate him on the wonderful food. Kurt was polite and smiled but didn't stop to talk long to anyone. Not even when a famous Hollywood actress asked him to do her wedding; he just gave her his card and told her to call him.

"Daddy!"

Kurt was rushed by two very pretty little girls as soon as he came into their line of sight. Puck, smirking, followed after and swept his husband into a close embrace. "Glad you could make it."

"Me too," Kurt said and gave Puck as sweet kiss.

"Come dance with us," Sophie demanded.

"Yes ma'am," Kurt said and let the two girls lead him onto the dance floor. Soon Puck joined them and the four of them danced together. Then Uncle Finn came along and stole the girls' attention, leaving Puck and Kurt to dance together.

"Everything turned out perfect," Puck said.

Kurt thought about his life and had to agree. "Yes, it did. I have everything I never knew I wanted."

The End