Well hello! This is the first of what i hope to be many forays into the wonderful world of Kurtofsky-ness, and it was just a random idea that hit me over the head and demanded that i wrote it. So, here goes, my first published Kurtofsky...

Hope you like it :)

Over and out x

Oh, and if i owned Glee, Kurt would be getting some from Karofsky, Sam or Puck. Just sayin'...

Even though Dave Karofsky had been at the helm of the Bully Whips for about a month, and had become something of an aqaintance over that time, as well as having apologised tearfully to Kurt just before prom, when someone who had terrorised you for the previous two years drags you into a bathroom and quickly locks the door you don't really stop to think that they're a changed person.

"Get the hell off me you neanderthal!"

Dave turned to the shrill voice, confused and surprised by Kurt's reaction. He had a halfway formulated plan of what he wanted to achieve and it was tearing him up inside just to have got to the point where he had resolved to ask Kurt for help. So when his good intentions suddenly blew up in his face as Kurt's wide and terrified eyes looked back at him, all he could do was splutter.

"I wasn't... you weren't... it's... it's not..." He managed to somehow choke out before he had the prescence of mind to stop himself from scaring Kurt further.

Kurt was just realising that instead of menace Karofsky had a shocked, almost hurt expression on his face, his incoherent babble leading to the comprehension that he might have been a fraction off with his supposition of motive.

Trying to calm down his racing heart, he took a step back towards the footballer after having stumbled backwards only moments earlier.

"Karofsky, uh... What did you want?" He asked almost tentatively, seeing that the larger boy had the first sparkling of unshed tears in his hazel eyes.

Karofsky wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans, suddenly feeling extremely nervous and anxious. He had spent weeks building up to this decision and had thought he was past it, but one sentence from Kurt and it was all back in full force, all his trepidation swimming around in his mind like a shark.

He took a deep breath and said "Sorry for scaring you Kurt. I just... didn't know how else to get to talk to you."

As Kurt just looked at him with curiosity and smiled a tiny bit, he got the hint and carried on.

"I've made a decision. I don't know how I'm going to face everything, and I know this won't be easy, but i... I can't deal with it any more. The pseudo relationship with Santana, the pretense, trying to join in conversations about which Cheerio was the hottest and more recently ones about how lucky I was to be fucking Santana. It's like i can't see which way is up any more, you know? I thought I could manage, get out, go to college with people I didn't know and make a change then. But I'm just suffocating." He locked eyes with Kurt, silently willing him to understand what he was saying, what he wanted.

Kurt blinked once, twice, a few times, as if to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. He took another step towards Karofsky and reached out an arm, amazed when it made contact with the jock's arm without him flinching. He kept the eye contact that felt like daggers were piercing him and just angled his eyes upwards more, suddenly aware of how much bigger the other boy was. Yes, he'd always known he was physically intimidating, but Kurt was suddenly in close contact with him and the height difference was dawning on him.

In the dark it's getting hard to breathe
Suffocating, something's wrong
I feel so incomplete

He felt Kurt's hand on his arm and he could see the brunette's small, slender fingers curving almost protectively over his forearm as if they belonged there. Shaking rebellious thoughts like that from his head, he kept his cool and didn't wince at the touch, even though he hadn't ever thought the day would come where Kurt would touch him, even in a friendly way, anywhere.

He had come to his realisation slowly over the past couple of weeks, sure, but he hadn't ever really thought about what it would mean in the long term. Don't get him wrong, he knew just exactly what he was letting himself in for in the homophobic town of Lima, Ohio, he had been one of those people only a few months before. But he hadn't given actually being gay, being out and having a... a boyfriend any consideration at all. Possibly because he was still convincing himself he could actually do it, more probably because he couldn't, at that moment, see any future for himself romantically because he was still in love with the perfect boy in front of him.

Kurt let the second lot of shock wash over him uninterrupted for a few seconds as he tried to assimilate the words he had just heard with the boy stood in front of him. Dave Kaforsky had just said that he wanted to...

"Did you just say you wanted to come out?"

Okay, he hadn't meant to blurt it like that, because it startled Karofsky out of his trance and made him jump ever so slightly, but enough to knock Kurt's hand out of place on his arm. He was still reeling from the revelation that the boy who had bullied him for so long, had stolen his first kiss and then threatened to kill him, then ended up protecting him and gradually become less of an enemy, but had refused to come out at prom, was making such a hard, life changing decision.

Karofsky chuckled dryly at his outburst, saying "Yeah, I think I did Fancy. It's not like I've had some life-affirming epiphany in the last week or anything, but I just... I can't deal with the lies any more. In the closet, in the dark, it gets so hard to even breathe sometimes, to even function. And the more I pretend, the more I try to convince the whole world that I'm something I'm not, it's like a bit of me just gets ripped away, isn't there any more. I feel so incomplete, like I'm living a half life. You're really the only person I know who knows what that's like Kurt."

He was astounded by Karofsky's words. He had struggled himself with admitting it out loud, coming out, but his father had already known, and in the end most people had assumed anyway. He was the kind of person who knew that the things he did and the clothes he wore would mark him out, and he'd never really felt the crushing pressure that it was obvious the slightly shaking boy in front of him did. But he had felt some pressure alright, and he knew exactly what Karofsky was worried about.

"You're right. I do know. I can't imagine exactly what you're going through, but I know enough. And that means that I know just how much this will cost you, and just how much it's taken for you to make this decision. But Dave," he shot a surprised glance Kurt's way when he heard his first name, "how are you planning on, well... coming out?"

Kurt had hit the snag. The one flaw in his plan really, because althought he was certain about his path, for better or (probably) worse, he really wasn't sure how to go about it. It wasn't like he was the kind of person that comandeered the PA system and announced it to the whole school, but he couldn't just tell one person or whatever, because if it was one of his football buddies, hell, anyone, they'd probably just think he was joking.

He scratched the back of his neck and said "I, uh, didn't really think that far. I mean, you're just supposed to tell people right?"

Kurt had to stop his eyes from follwing the curve of Dave's arm up as it caused his t-shirt to rise up and expose a sliver of skin, instead closing tham and trying not to laugh as he shook his head at the footballer's lack of thought.

"Well that is the general idea, yes. But at a school like this, as a person such as youself, if you just wandered up to someone and said 'Hey, I'm gay by the way' I don't think they'd take you very seriously." He watched one of Dave's eyebrows rise up as he spoke and wondered why.

Dave had already realised that on his own, but he let Kurt carry on talking his way though their - his - problem without saying anything.

"So you're going to have to do something that will get the attention of more than one person."

"Well as much as I'd love to go announcing it over the tannoy system, I don't think that's a practical idea, and I don't fancy getting past Coach Sylvester when she's doing her daily rant." Dave said, pushing himself up to sit beside one of the sinks as he tried to think of what would get everyone's attention.

They stop and stare
And try to drag us down

Kurt walked over and hesitantly sat down next to him, crossing his legs at the ankle and swinging them slightly. He still couldn't believe that Dave was going to come out, especially after him saying he couldn't at Prom only weeks before. All because he had known that with everyone there even everyone dancing and enjoying themselves, they would instinctively stop and stare at something like two guys like themselves, who had been enemies for so long, dancing together at Prom.

"No, I don't think I do either. But I think you might have to make a spectacle. Come out with a bang. Because you're intent on doing this, and they will try to drag you down anyway, so you might as well make the transition as short as possible. I imagine people walking up to you all day and asking if you've suddenly become a faggot will be a bit drawn out." He said, his hatred for that insult showing through in his words as he spat them out.

Dave had noticed the bitterness, that harshness, in Kurt's words, and he also knew that he was the cause of them, or at least partly. He had, not so long ago, been one of the people that threw insults like 'fag' of 'homo' or 'fairy' at Kurt, every one biting at himself just as much as the boy who was proud, brave and thouroughly undeserving of such taunts.

He looked over at Kurt and nodded, saying "Yeah, I can't imagine that being all too pleasant. But hey, I'm not the ones with big ideas here. Bully Whips was all Santana, and that was part of her plan to get Brittany, and anything before that I don't think I was ever really the brains behind the operation. I'm more the brawn, remember?" His words showed his own bitterness as he remembered the words Kurt himself had flung across the empty locker room at him before the fateful moment when he had finally lost his control and had given in to temptation, meshing his lips with Kurt's.

Kurt looked up apologetically at Dave when he realised the meaning behind the words, but he just ended up with a hand waved at him, which he assumed was Dave saying it was no big deal. He knew it was, but they had more pressing matters to deal with really.

Light the fuse
Flip the switch
Baby, hold your ground

"Okay, well you've got to flip that switch, and do it fast, like a band-aid, yes? Because once the fuse is lit there's no putting it out, you can't get a lid on it again after this. So are you sure you're sure? Really sure that this is what you want?" He implored, searching Dave's face for any signs of doubt, of regret.

He found only nerves, overshadowed by a desire to, as he was sure Dave was thinking, get things over with.

Dave nodded shaply and said "I'm sure. More than I've probably ever been about anything. Like I said before, I can't handle keeping it a secret any more."

"Okay, well I suggest you buckle your seatbelt and hold your ground, because there's no going back. After today you will still be Dave Karofsky, sure, but you will also be gay. And people will see you as gay, rather than someone with a name."

He was still formulating a plan in his head about just how exactly the larger boy could come out publicly, and he had pretty much all of it planned out, from where to station his friends if someone reacted badly (more than likely) to where in the building most kids would be and at what times. It was just the intrinsic details, like what the method of reveal should be, that he was a little hazy on. He was tempted to call Blaine and ask him his opinion, but somehow after their last confrontation he didn't think Blaine and Dave mixed well. In retrospect he did think that Blaine's plan after the kiss had probably been pretty rubbish, and he hadn't really been thinking about Dave's feelings. So he kept his phone in his pocket and tried to think of something on his own.

You and me
They wanna break us
Let's shake it up
Cause they will never take us

Considering Kurt's words, he acknowledged just how right Kurt was. Everyone at McKinley, from freshmen up to seniors, knew who Kurt was. He was the gay kid. But he doubted half of them could name him. And as much as it scared him that he was about to become a label, something that would make probably most of his friends hate him, and probably his parents too, he couldn't back down now.

"Kurt, you and me, I don't care if Sue Sylvester walks right up and sticks 'Gay Kid 1' and 'Gay Kid 2' labels on us. They, hell, it used to be me, just want to break you down, wear you out, kill your spirit. Why do you think we kept comeing back at you. For Azimio and the rest of them they saw it as a challenge. Because you would never break, and it annoyed them so much. And I admired you so much for that." He was looking down again, desperately interested in his fingernails and not at all in the expression on Kurt Hummel's face.

"Thank you."

It was so quiet that he nearly didn't hear it, but when he looked up again he could see the gratitude in Kurt's eyes.

As Dave sat and mulled over his thoughts, Kurt was contemplating something which he knew was completely mad, and possible dangerous, and definitely not anything Dave would even consider. But...

"Dave? There is something... That will be simple and obvious and no one will be unsure about anything." He started nervously, wondering why he was even broachng the subject. He didn't know why he was even thinking it, not so long ago he would have run cussing from the whole idea and he couldn't see how that much had changed.

Dave leaned forward curiously, wondering what on earth Kurt would be referring to that could tick all those boxes. He had a feeling Kurt was wary of suggesting it and it piqued his curiosity even more wanting to know.

"What?"

"...Kiss me."

He thought his eyes might actually be popping out of his skull as he tried to comprehend what Kurt had said.

"You want me to kiss you?"

Kurt bit his lip nervously, making Dave want to kiss him all the more, which he felt really wasn't fair, and then sighed loudly, seeming to resign himself to something.

"Yes. It's simple and obvious."

Kurt chewed on a fingernail while he waited for Dave's response. He was beginning to regret even ever thinking of such a notion, he was sure that Dave was thinking of ways to have him killed, or put in a mental asylum, or-

"Kurt, you really are weird sometimes." He laughed shakily, pushing himself off the row of sinks and starting to pace up and down the locked bathroom.

Kurt followed his progress with his eyes as the footballer got faster and faster, eventually stopping dead centre and turning to Kurt, a pained expression on his face.

"What about that Blair guy you're always with?" He asked, eyebrows pushing together as he said it.

Kurt started as he realised that he hadn't even given Blaine a thought. He had been so intent on finding a way for Dave to come out that it had never once crossed his mind that he would be cheating on his boyfriend if they went through with his plan. But still, it was only helping out an aquaintance, right?

"It's Blaine. And... He'll understand. It's not as if it's cheating, really, just... just helping an aquaint- a friend out. I'm sure he'd do the same thing." Kurt said, raising his chin and staring at Dave defiantly, as if daring him to contradict him.

He really wished that Kurt would stop doing that face, the confident, 'bitch please' one, because it made him look so beautiful it hurt. And here he was asking him to kiss him. Was he insane. The last time Dave had tried that it had resulted in him being pushed harshly away and Kurt looking terrified. The beautiful singer obviously wasn't thinking it all the way through.

"Yeah, I'm sure. But Kurt, why the hell do you want to? Sorry for bringing it up, but you didn't seem so enthused last time I kissed you." He cringed as Kurt's eyes flashed with something he couldn't distinguish.

Kurt flinched automatically at the reminder, but regained his compusure enough to say "Well last time it was rather unexpected. You were the guy who'd been shoving me into lockers for the past semester, and suddenly there you were kissing me, it was a bit of a shock. Now you're the guy who's been stopping me getting shoved into lockers for the past month and if I know it's coming it won't be a shock. I want to help, and if this is how I can help then I will gladly."

He knew as soon as he'd said it that it was completely true. He wanted to help in any way he could, and if kissing him in a hallway helped him come out and soothe the hurt he was obviously feeling then he was glad to do it.

"Okay."

One word and everything around him seemed to get imfitesimally brighter. He was finally getting all the crap off his chest that he'd been carrying around for who the hell knows how long, and Kurt Hummel was offerng to kiss him. Sure, it wasn't really anything but platonic, but the sheer fact that he was offering made Dave's heart perk up a little bit. He was going to do that locker room kiss over again and this time it would be a proper kiss. An apology of sorts.

Set off all the fires
Set off your alarms
I don't care what they say
Cause they don't who we are

"Okay, you've got yourself a deal. But Kurt, are you sure it'll work?"

Kurt just smirked and gestured to the locked door and the bustling corridor outside.

"Dave, it'll spread around the school like wildfire. You put that match to the fuel and boom, the gossips'll have a field day. I'm betting they take pictures. You don't have anything to worry about. At least, not until people start to react." He pulled an apologetic face.

He smiled sadly at Kurt and said "I have a feeling that won't be pretty. But I've made my decision, I'm gonna go through with it."

As Kurt smiled slightly hesitantly back at him and then ran a hand through his normally perfectly styled hair he stared and nearly missed his words.

"Okay, well you need to do it somewhere very busy, probably in a main corridor before or after lunch. You'll have to give me a signal though or something, because I'll have to get a little way away from my friends. They love me, but the downside is that they're very protective."

Dave didn't really know what to say to that. His friends would back him up in a fight, sure, but he didn't think any of them loved him. In fact, he'd hazard a guess just bringing up the word would have them running for the metaphorical hills screaming 'faggot'. They were lovely people. Note the sarcasm.

"Uh, well how will I know where you'll be?"

"I don't know, I'll be where I always am. Set your alarm, pick a time and place, it's your decision remember?" He said, trying to be gentle but knowing that Dave had to have known some semblence of his schedule to have been right where he was so often when he was bullying him.

Wincing, Dave said "Oh, yeah, I guess. Well, I suppose you're right, before or after lunch seems best. Just watch out for me walking towards you, you should be able to tell. I'll make eye contact or something."

"Good. I will, and Dave?"

"Yeah?" He asked, wondering what he could possibly be unsure about asking, since they'd all but agreed to make out in the hallway.

Kurt looked at the unsure, nervous boy standing across the room from him and wondered if he ever saw the real David Karofsky. Sure, he'd otten a good luck at the better side of the boy in the past few weeks, but nothing like this. He had always seemed so against coming out.

"I don't think we ever knew you at all did we? You think I'm brave, but what you're going to do takes courage just as much as anything I do." He took a deep breath and continued "So you're going to go out there, and psych yourself up, and not give a fuck what they say about you, or us, because honestly I couldn't really care less, and you shouldn't either. Because when all they see is 'Gay' they don't know us at all. And I don't want to know them."

All he could do was stare. Seemed that he hadn't quite ever known Kurt before either.

"Look, I have no idea why you're doing this, and even less why you suggested it in the first place, but thanks. For everything. Look, I'll... I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

He got up and strode to the locked door without looking back, not knowing what he would do if he did. Taking a deep breath he stepped into the outside corridor and tried to look as if he hadn't just arranged with his former enemy to probably ruin his life for the next couple of years.

He was sat at his back desk like normal in Spanish with Mercedes and Tina, having a debate about whether Jimmy Choos or Manolo Blahniks were the best, when he remembered that he'd told Dave he'd get them out the way. Or at least warn them. It would be enough with everyone else heckling without his own friends trying to pull them apart.

"'Cedes, Tina, I have a confession to make."

They both turned and looked at him with identical looks of concern and confusion.

"Boo, whatever it is we won't judge you."

He highly doubted she would still hold that opinion afterwards. But still, she needed to not be having a bitch fit at Dave while he was trying to help him.

Steeling himself, he turned to look at them both fully, saying "At lunch, either before or after, there may be an... altercation in the hallway conderning Mr. Karofsky and myself. I wanted you to know it was planned. So, if you would be so kind as to not try and kill him, I would be grateful."

Mercedes was the first to react.

"White boy you'd better not be letting him push you around just to get back to the top!" She threatened, pointing a finger in his face and looking pretty menacing herself.

At the anguished look on Tina's face it was all he could do not to laugh, but when Mercedes had threatened him with the complete wrong idea he had to. They looked at him like he was crazy as he sat there trying to control his giggles as Mr. Shue looked over at them sternly.

Reovering, he adressed them both when he said "Honestly, it's nothing like that. In fact, it's probably the complete opposite. And I suggested it. So your concerns are completely unfounded, though I appreciate the sentiment."

When neither of them looked like they knew what he was talking about he just patted their arms and shook his head, turning back to his work. They'd know by the end of lunch anyway.

Dave was sitting through what was possibly the most boring history lesson he'd ever been in and he was paying approximately no attention to the teacher.

He was trying to control the piercing, nagging doubts that were stealing into his mind as he sat next to Azimio and tried to calm down the part of his mind that was screaming at him to run and never look back, that he was making the worst decision of his life.

He had been telling Kurt the truth when he said he knew what he was getting himself in for. He had been one of those guys who used the word fag as a derogatory term for pretty much anything they hated, had made Kurt's life miserable, or so they'd thought, and he knew it would probably be ten times worse. He was a jock, on the football team, one of the guys. They would probably kick him off the team.

But he had to get Azimio out the picture somehow. Otherwise he was pretty sure the other guy would be throwing the first punch.

"Hey dude, what're you doing at lunch?"

Innocuous enough question.

"I dunno man, I was gonna maybe get in some football practice, Coach has been getting' on my back lately about it." Azimio shrugged, trying to concentrate again on the notes in front of him.

Well, it was a good start, but he needed to make sure that he stayed out of the way.

"I'd love to join you but Santana's insisting on corridor patrol," he rolled his eyes while Azimio smirked, "And you know I can't say no to her."

"You're so whipped man. But you get the hottest piece of ass at the school out of it, so I guess I'll let it slide this time dude." His friend grinned and punched him on the shoulder.

When they finished the lesson and packed up it was the start of lunch, and he had told Kurt before or after. But he really didn't want to do it with Azimio standing right next to him.

He walked towards the field and spotted Kurt on the way there, leaning against his locker and laughing with his two friends, the goth girl and the black chick Azimio was always eyeing up. The brunette looked up at him and cocked his head, moving to push off his locker and walk towards them, but he shook his head, just a tiny bit. It would have to be after lunch when he wasn't being escorted by six feet of pure homophobia.

He had been surprised to see Dave approach him in the corridor with Azimio on his right shoulder but had pushed off his locker and away from the girls anyway, hoping it would be peaceful. Werll, as peaceful as possible. But then the other boy shook his head ever so slightly and carried on down the corridor without a word. Mercedes and Tina were looking after him confused, unable to work out what had just happened.

"Kurt, did anything actually happen then or am I imagining things?"

Ke turned back to his best friends and smiled, rolling his eyes.

"No, nothing happened. I can assure you, when it happens you will definitely know about it. But he said before or after lunch, I guess he wanted to get rid of Azimio first." He said, hoping that he was right. But he couldn't fault Dave if he backed out. It was a very hard decision to make.

After lunch he was standing against the same locker with Tina, trying to style Mercedes' hair in the little mirror in his locker, when he saw Dave approach, alone.

All their fears
Watch 'em all come true
All their words
A world of hurt
Can't tell us what to do

He had seen his chance and he was going to grab it. The corridor was full to bursting but the little alcove where Kurt was chatting to his friends had a somewhat clear space around it, although he sighed inside when he realised why.

He strode over to them at a steady pace, trying to control the nerves that were eating away at his insides. He wanted to do it, couldn't live in the dark any more, but he was still nervous.

As Kurt watched him approach he could see the fear in his eyes. He smiled at the footballer to show he was still sure about his decision and this time really did walk out from his locker and into Dave's path. He could sense Mercedes' eyes boring into his back and hoped that she would keep to her word and let whatever happened happen.

Controlling the butterflies in his own stomach at the sight of Dave, he raised one eyebrow haughtily but jokingly.

"Sure you want to do this?"

Dave closed his eyes, knowing he would never forgive himself if he gave up this chance. He breathed in deeply and then opened them again, staring right at Kurt.

Kurt could see the change that had come over Dave as he closed and opened his eyes. Before they had held nerves, anxiety, and what looked like guilt. When they snapped back open they showed nothing but determination.

"No, but I don't care any more."

Let's blind their eyes
And wave goodbye
We'll start the fire

And with that he reached out an cupped Kurt's face, feeling the smooth skin under tha palm of his hand again and trying not to think of the last time he had done. On arm braced against the locker behind Kurt's head, he leant in and pressed his lips over the perfect, soft pink ones he had been dreaming of for the past two months. The small body pressed against his had stilled at first, but now he could feel Kurt responding and it went straight to his head, like there were very cliché fireworks exploding or other romantic crap.

Feeling a very solid body press him up agains the locker as his lips were claimed by Dave Karofsky was undeniably nice. He had stopped, stunned at first that he was actually kissing Karofsky, but then let himself relax into the kiss, his lips moving without having to be directed as his hand somehow found its self wrapped around Dave's waist, pulling him closer.

He couldn't hear what was going on behind them, didn't care, just wanted to carry on kissing Dave until he ran out of air. He knew the bushfires of gossip would be going crazy, could almost hear the clicking of cameras somewhere in his kiss muddled brain, but he found that he wasn't actaully that bothered. He was feeling the butterflies again but this time they were a pleasant, warming feeling. And he didn't care to stop and analyse what it meant.

Dave was ecstatic. He knew it was a one time deal, nothing was meant by it, but he was kissing Kurt, and nothing that happened afterwards could take that away. He kissed deeper, unthinkingly pressing his tongue to the seam of Kurt's mouth, and was shocked when the soprano's lips parted easily, allowing him to slip his tongue inside, tangling with Kurt's.

It made him think, they could do what they wanted afterwards.

He had somehow got everything he wanted.

Set off all the fires
Set off your alarms
They can give us all they got
You're all I want

A/N: So, there you go! Yes, there was a random Harry Potter reference in there because i'm a HP geek, and the song was 'Set Off' by Hey Monday.

Hope you all liked it, i thought it would just be a one-shot but i'm leaving it open, so if you feel i should continue then please, let me know :) Penny for your thoughts? x