Black Holes & Revelations 11/?
A/N: All the same rules apply that were listed in chapter 1, and all same sentiments from chapter 10.
Thank you to everyone who is supporting me and this fic - it means more than I can say!
Chapter 11
While Quinn was getting ready to meet Kurt, across town Rachel and Finn were sitting together in the choir room. Glee practice had been over for an hour but, as captains, Rachel insisted that Finn discuss Sectionals that were fast approaching and they needed to be fully prepared. They were now sitting in silence (Rachel deep in concentration) after going over, and mildly arguing about, her proposed set-list that she was planning on presenting to Mr. Schuester the following day.
Finn fumbled with his hands awkwardly in the seat next to her trying to decide if interrupting her would be a wise choice. He couldn't stand it any longer, and after taking one final glance at her he nervously half-turned towards the girl next to him. "Uh, Rachel?"
Not looking up from the sheet music and notebook sitting in her lap, she merely hummed in reply.
Finn looked at the girl, looked to his feet, then back to her again. "So uh, I was wondering..." he trailed off hoping to get more of her attention. He knew she was probably listening, but couldn't be completely sure seeing how her brow was furrowed in what seemed to be in deep contemplation. He wondered to himself about how anyone could get this caught up in music. After all it was just a show choir competition, not a Broadway show.
Rachel continued to stare at the papers in front of her with fierce concentration, but soon realized Finn had stopped talking. Not wanting to be rude, she folded her hands and placed them on top of the papers on her lap and turned towards the awkward boy next to her giving him all of her attention. "Yes Finn?" she asked brightly.
Though he was relieved to finally get her attention, now that he had it he wasn't sure how to proceed. He was pretty sure Rachel was still into him, and now that he was single they could maybe start going out. "I thought maybe we could have a go at it...?" He smiled his best lopsided grin, his puppy dog eyes shining while he searched her face for her reaction.
"Excuse me?" Her eyes were wide with disbelief for what he had just said. "Have a go at it?"
This wasn't exactly how he thought she'd react. "What I mean is, you know, maybe go out sometime. On a date. With me. Since I'm, you know, single now" he mumbled out still trying to figure out where he went wrong. He was sure she'd jump at the chance to go out with him since that seemed to be her goal for quite a while now.
After puffing out what sounded like a disgusted sigh, Rachel looked back at the papers in her lap. "While I am flattered that you want to 'have a go at it' with me, this is not exactly how I had hoped you'd ask me." She started to place everything in her bag sitting next to her as she continued, "I know we're still in high school, Finn, but that doesn't mean proper courting cannot still take place." The diva inside was quickly emerging within her as she stood with a huff and began to walk towards the door.
Finn quickly stood up nearly knocking his chair over as if someone had pushed him out of it once her words and actions suddenly startled him from the befuddlement he had found himself in. "Rachel, wait!" He stood in the middle of the room with his arms hanging unceremoniously by his sides.
Rachel paused by the door and turned slowly around with a disappointed glint in her eyes. "Yes Finn?" Her voice sounded bored as she peered at the boy in front of her.
"I'm sorry, I was just, I don't know - nervous...?" he offered as an explanation.
"Was that an answer or a question?" The diva's tone became more and more irritated with each word he expressed. "If this is how you first asked Quinn out I must say I'm at a loss for why she said yes."
Although now I realize why she said yes. She needed someone popular, and someone - a boy - that her parents would approve of. And let's not forget someone to help squash her feelings for me.
Rachel looked back at the boy who appeared dumbfounded in front of her. She did like him, but she wanted someone to ask her out because they were really enthusiastic about going out with her, not just because they were now single with a tone that was more of 'why not' rather than 'I want you'. She may have been outwardly confident in how she presented herself to the world, but inside she was just a girl who wanted some reassurance that she was worth having around. This sentiment was especially important, in Rachel's eyes, coming from a potential suitor.
Finn looked at a loss for words, opening and closing his mouth several times in an attempt to do a little damage control. He knew she could be a little sensitive, but he wasn't expecting her to be angry about his asking her out. Sure he wasn't the most romantic person in the world, but he did all right. Quinn never seemed to complain about it. Much. "Rach, I...I'm sorry...?" He was confused as to what to say, but thought he should start with an apology.
Rachel's shoulders slumped at his words as her gaze dropped to the floor in between them. "A question again." Sighing sadly to herself, she looked up into his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow Finn." With that she walked out of the room leaving a still bewildered boy inside.
Quinn sat like a raging bundle of nerves at a back booth in the Lima Bean, her steaming mug of herbal tea clutched tightly in between her trembling hands. She was going to do it, she was going to out herself to someone. Sure it was only Kurt, gay himself, but it was still terrifying. Saying it out loud meant it was real, that this was really happening. "Rachel's worth it" she whispered to herself as she rocked gently back and forth.
"Who's worth it, and worth what may I ask?" she heard above her in a sing-song voice that could only belong to one person.
"Kurt!" Quinn breathed out in a startled tone. Why is everyone sneaking up on her today?
"The one and only" he cheekily replied as he slid into the seat across from her. "I apologize for being tardy. In my haste to get out the door I was just buckling up when I realized I hadn't remembered my glasses."
Quinn's face scrunched up with confusion. "Since when do you wear glasses?"
"Geek-chic my dear girl. Your text left me the impression this was going to be a momentous, yet most serious, occasion and I wanted to look the part." He smiled brightly at her as he sipped on his non-fat, low foam, extra shot of espresso cappuccino.
The blonde was unable to contain her amused smile that was spreading across her delicate features. "You sound like Rachel" she breathed out in a faraway sigh. This did not go unnoticed by the boy sitting across from her, and a small knowing smirk peaked out on his lips. Immediately noticing this, Quinn cleared her throat in a feeble attempt to side-step the situation.
Kurt could see what she was doing, and instead of pressing the subject he decided to let it go. For now. There would be time for that, but right now he needed to make her at ease so as not to scare her off from the reason he was here. "So how is my favorite teen queen?" he asked in a chipper voice as he took another sip of his drink.
Scoffing lightly, Quinn rolled her eyes, "Yeah hardly a queen anymore" she replied while over exaggerating and patting her pregnant belly. "But to answer your question, I'm fine. I guess. For the most part. I mean, under the current circumstances..." she trailed off.
"Quinn."
"Yeah?"
"You're babbling."
"Right. Right, so uh. Yeah. How are you?" she asked with the same faraway tone.
"I'm doing well, thank you." Kurt smiled gently and with an enthusiastic fervor hoping it would transpire to the girl in front of him.
Instead Quinn looked around the coffee shop as if worried someone was watching them. "Right. I mean good" she mumbled almost to herself.
He watched her closely with a curious expression on his face, completely understanding her nerves. Still, this ball had to get rolling so he decided to give her a little push. "Soooo do you want to continue this uncomfortable exchange or should we talk about why you wanted to talk to me?"
"Yes, yes, that would be good." Quinn absentmindedly nodded her head while staring down at her tea.
Kurt looked at her expectantly waiting for her to continue, elaborate, start crying - something, ANYTHING but become silent again. "Quinn, sweetie?" he quietly urged. She looked up at him with a blank stare, and he then turned his head up slightly with a bit of a nod in an attempt to get her talking. Nothing. "Honey this is where you start talking unless you want me to try and guess what you're thinking, and believe me, you don't want me to go traipsing around in your mind unguided" he added with a kind and humorous tone.
"Yeah, right I know. Uhm. Right, so. The text I sent you? About me possibly being a, uh, well."
Kurt nodded with a soft smile encouraging her to continue.
"So yeah, I think maybe I am. Or rather, I know I am." The blonde looked back down at her tea as though it was home base and she was safe there.
"And is there a love interest that has brought you to this revelation?" Kurt's smile grew with each word she uttered. This was very exciting for him to finally be talking to someone, in person, about 'the love that dare not speak its name'.
Without any hesitance she replied, "Yes."
His eyebrows went up with her quick response. "Would you care to elaborate, or should I start guessing?"
Quinn nodded for a couple of seconds before her thoughts caught up with her actions. "Uhm, I-its, well it's..."
Sensing her struggle and not wanting her to get scared off now that she was so close, Kurt decided to offer a bit of assistance. "Let me help. Is she around 5'2", long dark brown hair, big brown eyes, and can storm out with the best divas around?
Eyebrows shot into soft blonde hair. "How did you.."
"Know? Hmm, well number one, I have excellent gaydar, two you're incessant staring at her borderlines intrusive, and three you're supposed torturing of her is more like a 6th grade boy with a crush."
Quinn felt a bit of panic rise up in the pit of her stomach. "Do you think anyone else knows?"
"I doubt it. For one thing, despite her larger than life personality, I don't think people pay that close attention to Rachel. Also I think your pregnancy would've squashed any thoughts you might be playing for the other team pretty quickly."
"Aren't you wondering why I slept with Puck in the first place if I'm, well I'm..."
"You slept with him to either prove you weren't on my team, or to forget about Rachel, or perhaps a combination of both?" He tilted his head knowing at least one or all of the above was a winner.
"I guess I don't need to tell you."
"No, but I do have a question for you." She nodded for him to continue. "How did you figure out that you have feelings for her? I have to admit I thought you'd be married with a couple of kids before you came to terms with your sexuality."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Quinn huffed but couldn't help but understand where he was coming from. She was, after all, a typical Lima-loser in the making. Have it all in high school only too scared to venture out after. "Actually she made me realize it." His eyebrows rose into his hairline. "She cornered me by my locker a couple of weeks ago telling me she had figured out my 'secret'."
"Meaning...?"
"Meaning she had figured out that the reason I've been tormenting her all these years is because I liked her. Like, like her like her."
"Oh dear, this really has turned you back into a grade schooler."
Quinn rolled her eyes while butting in on the boy's giggle. "ANYWAY." She stressed the word to get his attention back.
Still giggling, Kurt cleared his throat in an attempt to stop. "So I take it you do, like her like her." Quinn sat stone faced in front of him not at all amused by his teasing. Sensing it he changed his tone. "Are you sure? I mean, about her?"
Quinn got a faraway look on her face as she barely nodded. "Last night I had a dream we were at a school dance in the gym. There were gold stars hanging from the rafters, and navy blue streamers billowing everywhere. We were slow dancing in the middle of the floor as the lights dimmed. Mercedes was singing on stage - Don't Make Me Over was the song. I was aware there were other people on the dance floor, but they were all in a blurry haze. The only person I could see was Rachel." Her eyes flitted closed for a brief moment as she took in a deep breath. "I could smell her soft perfume, and I could feel her body up against mine, and her breath on my neck. As Mercedes sang the last few lines Rachel looked up at me with those sparkling deep brown eyes. She said she loved me and I leaned in to kiss her..."
By this time Kurt was completely enthralled in her romantic story, sitting forward in his seat as he hung on every word the blonde said. "And?" he urged.
Quinn's eyes blinked open at the harsh light of the coffee shop. "And then my alarm went off and woke me up before our lips met."
"Humph. I hate when that happens." He sat back in his seat taking her dream in. "Well, yes, I would say you have it very bad for Ms. Rachel Barbra Berry."
Quinn nodded in agreement. "That's kind of why I need your help."
"You want her."
"Yes."
"And you want me to help you get her."
"Yes."
"And you'd be willing to do anything I suggest?"
"Within reason." He cocked his head slightly to the side in question. "Yes" she resigned looking down at her tea. Quinn wanted Rachel, and she was willing to do what it took to get her. "Bring it on."
tbc