"Hey you."
Reed almost dropped the papers in his hands as he rounded the corner and Shane was there, leaning against the wall.
"Jesus, Shane, don't do that," Reed huffed, ducking around Shane who turned on his heels and ran to catch up with the other boy.
"Come on," Shane said, holding his hands out at his sides. "I've been asking you out for weeks. You know you want to."
Reed smiled to himself. "No, actually, I don't," he said. Completely truthfully. Kind of.
Shane made a little whining noise. "Come on. One date! I'll... cook. I'll cook! I'll cook and I'll steal a couple of Blaine's Disney movies and it'll just be one night of you and me just hanging, getting to know each other... who knows?" He chuckled. "You might just find out a few things about yourself."
Reed sighed and turned suddenly, Shane almost running into him. Reed put his hands on his own hips.
"When are you going to actually realize that I don't want to go out with you?" he said. Shane tried to push a curl out of his eye but Reed slapped his hand away.
"When I know for a fact you don't," Shane said quietly, stepping closer to Reed. Reed stepped backwards, like a polar opposite magnet.
"No," Reed said firmly. Shane pouted.
"Just one date?" he asked again. Actually, it was more of a whimper.
Reed closed his eyes and turned away from Shane. "No," he muttered.
xxxxxxxxxx
"Shane?"
Shane jumped and looked at the door behind him. Kurt was closing it behind him with a concerned look on his face. Shane smiled sadly.
"Everything okay?" Kurt asked, walking into the Windsor house common room. Shane shrugged.
"The usual," he said. Kurt sat down next to him on the couch.
"Is it the... bedwetting thing again?" he asked seriously. "Blaine told me about that-"
"What?" Shane cried. "No! No, it's not. And I totally stopped that!"
Kurt patted Shane's shoulder.
"Wanna tell me about it?" he asked. Shane slumped back.
"Reed doesn't like me," he said blankly. Kurt nodded.
"Oh, that again," he said. "Yeah."
Shane looked at Kurt. "What do I do?" he said. "You're better at this than me. How do I tell Reed I really, really like him?"
Kurt thought for a moment. "You could sing to him?" he suggested. Shane shook his head.
"That stuff only works in the movies," he said.
"That's true," Kurt said. "Hmm... movie night?"
"Already tried," Shane said miserably. "I even offered to cook."
Kurt made a face. "No offence, but that's enough to scare anyone away." Shane chuckled without humour.
"Face it," Shane said. "I'll be forever alone."
Kurt rolled his eyes. Shane groaned and shoved a pillow over his face.
"Tell you what," Kurt said. "I'll talk to Reed. I'll convince him to accept a date with you, and I'll cook. I'll do everything, actually, so I can make sure everything goes perfectly. I'll even make a special batch of my cookies, just for you two."
Shane's eyes lit up. "You have no idea how much I love you right now," he said, lunging at Kurt. Kurt 'oomph'ed and patted Shane's back.
"Okay," he grunted, trying to push him off. "I love you too, buddy. You're crushing my windpipe."
Shane let go of Kurt with a huge grin on his face. "I'll put in a good word to Blaine about you."
Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Uh, Shane, we're already dating..."
Shane shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with a little more encouragement. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go find something to wear." With that, he stood up and skipped – skipped – out the door. Kurt laughed once and shook his head.
xxxxxxxxxx
Kurt knocked once on his dorm room door. A few seconds later a muffled, "Come in!" sounded from inside so he turned the polished doorhandle and pushed the door open.
Reed was sprawled across the bed with a red pen in his mouth, a blue one in his hand, and a sea of paper all around him. Kurt frowned as he walked slowly into the room.
"I didn't think that assignment was due for another three weeks?" Kurt said. Reed looked up and spat the pen out of his mouth.
"But Ethan and Evan told me it was due tomorr- oh, I'll murder them!" he said through his teeth, trying to stand up off the bed, but instead flailing and landing face-first onto the carpet. Kurt pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Ow," Reed said into the carpet. He raised a hand. "Little help?"
Kurt sighed and went to help his friend up. Reed stood up, steadying himself on the bedpost. When he was sure he wasn't going to fall over air again, he straightened out his blazer and checked his hair.
"I'm okay," he beamed. Kurt nodded.
"So listen," he said as Reed started packing up the mess on the bed. "I was just talking to Shane-"
"Not you, too," Reed groaned. "I don't know what it is about you people and trying to set me up with Shane. I obviously don't wanna go out with him, so why bother trying?"
Kurt sat down on a newly-cleared spot on the end of the bed. "Come on, Reed! Shane's a really great guy, you know that!"
"If he's such a great guy then why don't you go out with him?" Reed mumbled, just loud enough for Kurt to hear.
"If you haven't already noticed, Blaine kinda has the boyfriend category filled," Kurt said sarcastically. "But thanks for the suggestion."
Reed sighed and put his pile of papers on the bedside desk. "Give me one good reason why I should go out with Shane."
Kurt pursed his lips. "He's... compassionate, kind, caring, and... cute?" he tried. Reed looked pointedly at him. Kurt shook his head.
"Forget I said that," he said. "Point is, he's absolutely crazy about you and it'd just mean so much to him if you gave him one chance."
Reed pondered that for a second, before holding his hands up in defeat. "Fine," he said. "One date."
Kurt stood up and clapped his hands, grinning. Reed held his index finger up.
"But," he said. "One crude joke and I am out of there."
Kurt put his hands on Reed's shoulders. "I promise he'll be the perfect gentleman."
Reed rolled his eyes.
"Go find something to wear. Be back here by five-thirty sharp and at least try to look excited, okay?" Kurt said, walking towards the door. Reed nodded and blew a lock of hair out of his eye.
"Kurt?" he said before the other boy walked out the door. Kurt turned with his hand on the door handle. Reed made a serious face. "You owe me big time."
Kurt grinned and opened the door, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He winced as he heard a crash and an, "I'm okay!" as he wrote a quick text to Shane.
You'd better love me.
Xxxxxxxxxx
A huge grin spread over Shane's face as he read the text from Kurt – he really owed him one. As he rifled through his closet, there was a knock on the door.
"It's open!" he called. The door clicked and the unmistakable smell of Blaine's cologne filled the room.
"Apparently you're going on a date with Reed?" he asked immediately. Shane turned around.
"Why hello there to you to, brother," he said. "I'm doing fine today, thank you so very much for asking. How are you?"
Blaine waved his hands. "Forget that," he said. "Is it true?"
"News really spreads fast around here, huh?" Shane said, turning back to the cupboard. He heard Blaine shift behind him.
"So it's true, right?" Blaine asked again, slower, like he was talking to a toddler.
"Okay, what are you not getting here?" Shane said in the same tone, pausing but not turning around.
"That Reed actually said yes," Blaine said, then dodged the coat hanger that came flying his way. He chuckled.
"It was actually Kurt that set it up for me," Shane said. Blaine raised an eyebrow.
"So what are you guys doing?" he asked, sitting down on the couch.
"Kurt's cooking us something," Shane said, unable to keep the smile from leaking into his voice. "Complete with cookies and everything. And then, um, I was wondering... if I could borrow one of your many, many movies."
Blaine rolled his eyes. "I might as well let you borrow them without asking anymore," he said. Shane threw a glance at his brother over his shoulder.
"Is that a yes?" he asked. Blaine nodded like it was obvious. Shane grinned. "Thanks," he said. "Best brother ever."
"You'd better believe it," Blaine said, standing up. "Well, I'm gonna go find Kurt. Good luck with your... you know, everything, and remember – don't push him."
It was Shane's turn to roll his eyes. "Thanks for the advice," he said. Blaine saluted him and stepped out the door, pulling it closed behind him.
xxxxxxxxxx
"I smell cookies!" Evan yelled as he bolted down the stairs, with Ethan close on his heels hollering war cries and mindless jabber. Kurt put the mixing bowl down on the table and held his palm up to the two boys that were acting like five year olds.
"Okay, so usually I wouldn't mind you guys going all primal cavemen on me, it's actually kind of endearing," he said. "But these cookies, right here, are for a special occasion."
"Is it someone's birthday?" Ethan asked.
"Are they for a party?" Evan said.
"Function?"
"Festival?"
"Carnival?"
"Fete?"
"No," Kurt cut in. Ethan shut his mouth.
"What's the occasion?" Evan asked. Kurt picked the bowl up again.
"Reed and Shane's date," he said, a little excited.
Both the twin's eyes widened simultaneously.
"Shane and the Dormouse?" Ethan said in disbelief.
"Finally!" Evan chided. Kurt grinned and kept mixing.