“Are you alright?” Kurt asked him. Puck wasn’t. Puck didn’t want to go back, but to hear that from someone he rarely talked to, or even acknowledged, who he used to slushie and who was considerably more broken than he was himself, it meant a lot to Puck. He still had to be cool.

“Yeah, dude. I’m awesome,” he replied with a snort. Kurt nodded, and Puck started walking faster. He outpaced Kurt by several steps before he heard the harsh slam.

Karofsky said, “Out of the way, fag!” and was about to pass Puck. Kurt had hit the locker hard, the side of his face red from the impact, and his bag was on the floor.

Mercedes yelled Kurt’s name and then “What the hell!?” after Karofsky.

Puck didn’t think. Kurt was just drawing in a breath and as Karofsky came level to Puck, he turned and punched the bully square in the face. Puck wasn’t a light-weight. Karofsky was pushed back and stumbled into the lockers on the facing side from where Kurt was now watching Puck with wide eyes and holding his face as Mercedes and Tina and Mike and even Quinn gathered around him.

“How do you like picking on someone your own size, huh?” Puck yelled. Teachers rushed in. No other punches were landed.

Enough people had been crowded in the hall to testify that Puck was defending Kurt, and Kurt had hit the locker hard enough that he was bleeding. It was an instant suspension for Karofsky, recommended expulsion. Puck wasn’t so lucky. He was just back from Juvie. Because he’d landed a punch he was on the borderline of going back, though eventually he was recommended for just suspension, luckily, and after a great deal of effort on Kurt’s part to keep him out of more trouble.

Sitting in the principal’s office after the event, while all the parents of the parties involved were called in, and Kurt sat holding an icepack to his face, he looked at Puck. “Thank you,” he said softly, and sincerely. “But you shouldn’t have done that.”

Puck shrugged and looked back at Kurt. Karofsky was still with the nurse because of the blow Puck had landed and they weren’t sure whether his nose was broken or not. Of course Puck was scared, and didn’t want to go back, but for the first time, Kurt didn’t look like an arrogant snob to him. He looked like a victim, and he sounded like a friend.

“It’s cool,” Puck replied, “Someone needed to stand up for you.”

Kurt smiled and looked away to wipe away a tear that he couldn’t hold back. “Thanks,” he whispered again.

“Yeah, well, you know, if I was gay, or if you were a girl, I’d totally shag you,” Puck said, making Kurt’s eyes go wide and his breath hitch, just as the Principal walked in with Karofsky and the parents in tow.

Kurt never had a need to go to Dalton. The harassment levels dropped significantly, and Kurt’s attitude lightened up again. When Puck finally got back from his suspension they weren’t quite friends in the classic sense, but they were closer. They did a duet together for Puck’s triumphant return, “Tubthumping,” remixed a bit. Otherwise, things were basically normal at McKinley. Things were gearing up for sectionals where they knew they’d be facing the Dalton Academy Warblers, and they had no idea what they were up against.