Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

Papa Was a Rolling Stone

bdrake07

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kurt asks.

They're sitting in the auditorium, feet dangling into the orchestra pit, roped into an extra practice by Mr. Schue (who is a firm believer in team-building but is frankly oblivious to all the "extra practicing" the two of them have been doing lately). Kurt's been worried these past few days about Puck, who is definitely doing more kissing than talking and other than that, not much.

And of course, Puck says, "No."

Kurt takes a moment to collect his thoughts, because he hates feeling helpless and he's been feeling helpless for a while, and he thinks he should be the one that his boyfriend can confide in (if that is what Puck is). But it's been Quinn and Finn who have been sending Puck those knowing, pitying looks all week, and Kurt can't help but feel a little left out, even if he knows it's probably not Puck's fault.

"You can talk to me," he says softly as he stares at Puck, who is concentrating steadily on his shoes as his feet swing back and forth. His back is hunched and he looks like a little kid, and it strikes Kurt suddenly that whatever's going on with Puck is probably a bigger deal than he thought.

Puck frowns in the general direction of a xylophone below them. "There's nothing to say." He replies dully. "And besides, you can't help."

Kurt sighs. "Well maybe if you told me, I could decide that for myself," he says to Puck, but Puck doesn't respond and Kurt just sighs again, louder, because there's nothing else to do. He leans back, putting his hands behind him, and swinging his feet in sync with Puck's.

Because Kurt likes to think he's a good boyfriend, if nothing else. He'll just sit here and he supposes they don't really have to say anything. He'll just be there.

And they just sit for a while and move their feet back and forth, back and forth, until suddenly Puck looks over his shoulder and asks, "What happened to your mom?" And Kurt stops moving completely because that's never come up before.

"I... she died." Kurt stammers, a little taken aback, too taken aback to really care as he says the words that normally re-open old wounds. "When I was little. In a car accident."

"Oh," Puck turns back to the pit and the xylophone and his feet. "Do you miss her?"

Kurt swallows, still a little surprised. "Yes," he says. "I don't really remember her that well but I know that I miss her." Puck nods, and it's a little jerky, so Kurt starts to lean forward slowly, creeping towards Puck carefully, so as not to upset this new balance. And Puck is staring a little too hard at that xylophone, and then Kurt figures it out.

They've made out several times at Puck's house, and Kurt has noticed pictures of Puck and Puck's sister and Puck's mom, but never Puck's dad. In fact, there might have been a few pictures lying around that looked like someone's face had been angrily removed.

Kurt takes a deep breath. "Do you miss your dad?" He asks tentatively.

Puck doesn't seem to move or breathe or anything, and for a second Kurt thinks it's over, and Puck is never going to open up to him. Then Puck looks at him abruptly.

"Is it stupid if I say yes?" Puck says bitterly. "He's never coming back. Maybe he's not dead, but he's never coming back."

Kurt never takes his eyes away from Puck's, but he reaches out and grabs Puck's hand, significantly surprised when Puck doesn't flinch or pull away, because normally this would be too much of a "chick move" for him.

"It's not stupid," Kurt answers, because there's nothing else to say. Puck looks away but his hand still stays warm against Kurt's and Kurt may be imagining it, but Puck might have just held on tighter.

Puck starts swinging his feet again and Kurt starts swinging his, and he looks down at their hands with a little smile, because even if he doesn't have to be the boyfriend that Puck comes to for help or advice or even just comfort, it does feel a little bit nice. And maybe he doesn't really understand and maybe there's nothing he can do, but Kurt knows he's definitely better than the guy who just gives up and leaves. There are so many layers to Puck that Kurt hasn't even discovered yet, and Kurt figures it's in his best interest to stick around for a little while.

"That's what makes you so great." Puck says suddenly, and Kurt looks at him, unable to wipe that little smile off his face. "You're here."