Title: Little Sister
Author:emo_chick_87
Pairing,Character(s): Kurt/Puck, Natalia (OC)
Rating: PG for language.
Word Count:2800ish words
Spoilers: Season One.
Genre: Romance/Family
Warnings: None I can think of...
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. Don't rub it in okay. I'm still in the depression stage.
Summary: Kurt, Puck and his sister meet at a Wal-Mart.
Also I know that we saw Puck's sister already but can we all pretend that we didn't because that helps the story.
.
.
.
When Kurt heard the whoosh of the automatic door opening he knew that was what the entrance to hell must sound like. He wanted to throttle Finn within an inch of his life. Then just for making him do this he wanted to take that inch. The fact that he had to trudge out this late for moisturize was completely Finn's fault anyway. Kurt wasn't the one gesticulating wildly and loudly espousing the virtuous qualities of one Miss Rachael Berry. It also wasn't his meaty hoof-like hand that swept across Kurt's vanity table. Sending every single product Kurt owned onto the uncarpeted area of floor. Showering himself with glass and highly priced lotion. Of course he'd used the last of his emergency stash the day before when Karofsky had caught him staring at Puck's ass. Apparently that was a slushie worthy offense. Kurt just thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't said anything to Puck. He had a feeling that it would be more than a dumpster dive if Puck knew about his newly acquired Mohawk Fever. His delicate features could not handle even a night without moisturizing. Which is why he's here at 10:23 pm, on a Thursday. Why he is at a Wal-Mart.
It takes him at least fifteen minutes to find something that would even come close to acceptable. He's heading towards the checkout when he hears it. The quiet choked sobs, the harsh scrape of plastic hangers on the rough metal of the racks, shaky shuddering breaths. He knows that the sounds can't be coming from someone anyone older than thirteen. His dad had taught him from a young age that Hummels don't leave a lady in trouble. So he really didn't have a choice. He headed towards the muffled cries. When he finds himself in the junior miss department he isn't surprised. If this was what he had to choose from he'd be crying too.
By the time turns the corner he is confronted with a sight that he never would have believed. Puck was crouched next to a slightly chubby twelve year old. Even from this distance he can see that Puck is doing his best to console the girl about whatever it was but he was being completely unsuccessful. Despite the gravity of the situation Kurt couldn't keep his bitch in check.
"So Puckerman, starting before they even hit puberty? Taking breaking hearts to a new low I see."
"Hummel?" There's a mix of happiness, confusion and embarrassment that flit across Puck's face before Kurt's words hit him. When they do, the full force of Puck's anger hits Kurt square in the chest. He wishes he had kept his mouth shut.
"Screw you. I can't deal with your shit right now. I have bigger things to worry about." With that Kurt realizes that this is a serious situation and in all his years has never felt lower.
"What's wrong? Is she lost? Do you need me to help you find her mother?" Worry floods him.
"No nothing like that. Just leave us alone."
"Noah Puckerman, if you think I'm going to leave you alone with a crying twelve year old in the middle of a Wal-Mart then you really aren't as smart as I thought you were. What can I do to help?"
When Puck stands to grab him and pull him away from the girl Kurt realizes three verifiable facts. The first is that Puck's fingers wrapped around the bare skin of his forearm sends a sharp shock through his entire body. The second is that he is most definitely in love with Noah Puckerman and the third is that Puck's entire top half is covered with a polyester blue smock.
"What the hell? Do you work here? Unhand me you ape."
"Yeah I work here. Not all of us have daddy's charge card. Some of us actually have people to feed okay. That's my kid sister, okay. I got it under control. Just leave okay." The desperate edge to Puck's voice tells Kurt that he really doesn't have this under control. He steels himself because he is not backing down.
"Listen, whatever it is I can help. I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong." He keeps his tone soft and can practically feel the moment Puck's resolve breaks.
"Okay, so there's this huge dance coming up at Nat's school. I guess it's a really big deal and she doesn't have anything to wear. She had to come with me tonight because she couldn't stay home. She's been trying stuff on for the past three hours and nothing fits. She's too big for the junior miss but too small for the normal clothes."
Kurt finally gets it. " I got this." He gives Puck a small nod and heads towards Puck's sister. He kneels on the floor, not even thinking of his Armani jeans on the stained carpet, and extends his hand.
"Hi, I'm Kurt. I'm a friend of your brother's. What's your name?"
A small hand makes it way to curl around his " I'm Natalia."
"Natalia, that's a pretty name. So what are ya shopping for?"
"I'm supposed to find a nice dress for the grad dance. I'm graduating sixth grade."
"Sixth grade, huh? Well that's a pretty big deal."
"Yeah well I probably won't even go anyway. None of this crap fits anyway."
"Do me a favor. Close your eyes and pictures your dream dress."
Natalia eyes him warily, sending a questioning look towards Puck. Kurt knows she asking if it's okay to trust him. When Puck nods and she shuts her eyes, Kurt is grateful that Puck trusts him but he's also extremely sad that he is an only child. He would love to have a connection like that with someone.
"Okay, do you see it?"
"Yeah but I can't explain it." Frustration is seeping into her voice and he knows he needs to defuse it.
"Do you know the princesses?" Kurt keeps going as her nod. " Does it look like any of their dresses?"
"Yeah actually it's like Cinderella's on the top, Belle's at the bottom but the color of Aurora's."
"It does sound perfect. When is this dance?"
"A week from Friday."
"Well that's more than enough time. I can make it for you if you want."
"Really? I mean really really?"
"Of course. I can tell you're Noah's main girl. I can't leave his main girl hanging on such an important day. What kind of friend would I be then?"
Kurt is unprepared for the force when Natalia launches herself towards him for a hug so he is propelled backward a bit before he tightens his hold on her. Her warmth against him reminds him just how long it's been since someone's touched him. It almost makes him want to cry but he just hugs her harder.
When he walks away from Natalia she's smiling and bouncing on her heels. He walks up to Puck.
"Bring her by my house tomorrow and I'll get her measurements." He turned to go when he felt Puck's fingers wrap around his wrist.
"Kurt, why are you doing this?" Puck's eyes are pleading in a way that doesn't make sense to him.
"I'm doing this because every little girl deserves to feel like a princess." His vulnerability creeps softly into his speech.
He's halfway home before realizes he never did buy that moisturizer.
.
.
.
Kurt skips school for the first time in his entire high school career. He spend three hours at the local craft store. By the time four o'clock rolls around he had prepped the sewing room and is knee deep in color swatches. He had six different designs that he's finished and is halfway through lucky number seven when he half hears the doorbell ring. He's intensely focused on the intricate sleeve design so his head barely raises until he hears Finn's screech.
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, SHOWING UP AT MY HOUSE?"
When Kurt makes it to the bottom of the stairs he sees Natalia huddled behind Puck. Her knuckles are white and her hand is fisted into the back of Puck's t-shirt.
"Finnegan Angus Hudson, how dare you talk to my guests like that? Kindly remove yourself from the doorway and let them in." Puck seems impressed at Kurt's bellow and he tries not to show how much that affects him. The tension is thick as Finn steps aside and the Puckerman pair take the first steps in the house. It's broken by a soft voice.
"Uh-oh, you're in trouble. You got the three name treatment. Someone's grounded." Followed closely by a, "Angus, dude, seriously. No wonder you kept that shit under wraps."
Kurt motions for Natalia to follow him upstairs. Her startled gasp tells him she's impressed with the room he set up. Beside his basement this is the only place he feels like himself. He still remembers sitting under the sewing table while his mother's voice blended with the whirl of the needle. His love of music was born in this room. In this room, he is his mother's son and it's been ten years since anyone but him has stepped foot in it. Inexplicably, like Puck in his life, Natalia seems to belong there too.
He leaves Natalia to look over the color board and drawings. He doesn't want to feel like he's hovering. He leads Puck down to the basement and sets him up with the gameboy that he hides under his pillow. He hands Puck the Yoshi's World and the Street Fighter to go along with the Tetris with the express instructions that he is to keep himself entertained for the next two hours.
Outside of glee, the next two hours are the most fun Kurt has had in a decade. Of course, Natalia had great taste and picked elements of the first and third drawings. They had seamlessly fit with what Kurt had for the seventh drawing. All in all it was a very successful day. Except for one unsettling conversation that had happened about halfway through the measurements. Kurt had innocently asked what her plans were for the weekend.
"Every Saturday we go to Temple. Sunday I'm working with Noah until about six, I think."
"So yesterday wasn't the first time you've gone with him to work?"
"No. I go with him every time. I get to do my homework by the fitting rooms and everyone knows I'm Noah's little sister so they take turns keeping me occupied. It really hard to get bored there. If you keep all the pieces neat, you can play the board games. When we're done Noah just reseals the box and you never know." Natalia said with a shrug.
"Why can't you just hang out at home?"
"I used to be able to. Mrs Rodriguez used to look in on me every once in awhile. Make sure I was okay. But since she died last month Noah doesn't trust me alone with Mama." Her voice seemed sad. Like it was something she just accepted about her life. That did not sit well with Kurt.
"Well, if it's okay with your brother, did you want to come here on Sunday and help me with the dress?" Kurt didn't even get a response before Natalia was bolting down the stairs to ask Puck. Kurt took that as a yes. If Kurt has his way, Natalia will be spending every afternoon Puck works in his house.
.
.
.
When Noah drop Natalia off at eleven on Sunday morning, she glimpses Burt Hummel for the very first time. The feeling of him tipping his hat and calling her little lady will stay with her for the rest of her life. She quickly sees why Kurt is so cool. It's has to be impossible to be anything but that when you're raised by such an amazing dad. By three that afternoon Kurt already had the basic form of the dress complete. Natalia watched in amazement as pieces of silk turn into something beautiful right in front of her eyes. Plus Kurt is letting her sing along to the songs he's playing as loud as she wants. She usually only gets to do that when Mama goes to Phil's for the night and it's just her and Noah. Neither Kurt or Natalia know it but Burt just sits outside the door, resting against the door jam, with a tear in his eye and a smile on his face.
They spend the afternoon listening to a shuffle of Kurt's GLEE playlist. When you put it all together the music they sing is as different as everyone in the club. But like the club they all still fit along the jagged edges. Kurt is happy to hear the sound of a girl's voice fill the room again. When Somebody to Love starts Kurt asks Natalia if she has a boyfriend.
"No. But there is a boy I like. But when I told Noah about him he said he's a douche and doesn't deserve me."
"Why would he say that?"
"Well, Heith throws slurpies at me. Like almost everyday. Noah says that some boys do that kind of stuff if they like a girl but that he's not worth it if he's that kinda guy. But sometimes he's really sweet too. I dunno. You can't really help you like though and I like him."
Kurt stays silent until halfway through Sweet Caroline. Natalia is laying on her stomach on the floor, kicking her feet haphazardly into the air.
"So Kurt are you like my brother?"
"Huh?"
"Are you gay, like my brother?"
"Kurt... are you okay?"
"Yes. Yes I am gay."
"Oh good. I told Noah you'd be perfect for each other but he said he didn't know for sure if you were gay or not."
"How could he not know for sure?"
"That's what I said. I was 'Noah come on he's making me a princess dress. He has to be gay'. But then he got really mad at me and told me that you'd never come out officially and it was wrong to just assume something about you from appearances alone."
"In this case, your first impressions are right."
"Cool. So do you like my brother back?"
"Back? That implies that Noah likes me."
"He does. He told me. Says your name in his sleep too. He's totally into you."
"Huh... well then yes I do."
"Good. By the way those sleeves are looking bad ass."
When Puck picks Natalia up after work Kurt makes sure to let his hand linger while he's handing Puck her backpack. When Puck doesn't pull his hand away right away Kurt thinks that Natalia might be on to something.
.
.
.
Friday comes quickly and after a mandatory spa morning Natalia comes home with her long brown hair in a stylish up-do and her nails match the color of dress perfectly. They quarantine themselves in Natalia's bedroom for two hours and when Puck lays eyes on his baby sister she looks like a woman. Kurt notices him swipe a tear away but is awesome enough not to call him out on it.
"You made that? From scratch?" Running his thumb softly against the pink silk.
"Please, half of my wardrobe are Kurt Hummel originals."
After they take the obligatory before the dance pictures, Natalia runs to meet the car pool that's taking her to and from the dance. That's when Puck notices the flats she's wearing. He recognizes them because he's put them on the shelf at work. Kurt seems to know what he's thinking because he breaks in with, 'They were the best shoes for the dress. They look like glass slippers.'
"Do you think she liked it? I mean I know the silk is a bit extravagant for the occasion but it drapes perfectly and accents her skin tone. What do you think?"
Kurt fixes him with a worried gaze that Puck promptly takes off his face by pressing their lips together in a fierce kiss.
.
.
.
When Natalia breezes through the door three hours later she can't wait to tell Kurt that she finally got her first kiss. She can't wait to tell him about Ben, with his floppy hair and wide smile. When she sees Kurt and Noah cuddled on the sofa, legs tangled around each other, she know she can wait until tomorrow.
Because from the looks of things Kurt isn't going anywhere anytime soon.