Hi! Thanks for all the reviews and alerts... i love it. If you want go check out my other St. Berry stories, also my new Jesse/Quinn AU season 1 friendship story that will have end pairings if St. Berry and Fuinn.
Reviews = love :)
Jesse struggles with the handle of his door. He's carrying two boxes worth of Rachel's things from her dorm.
"Move back St. James, I'll get the door." Jesse hears behind him and makes room for Kurt to pass by.
Kurt and Jesse had found a friendly middle ground over the two days that they have been working together to move Rachel in. Jesse remembers the hesitant look on the younger man's face when Rachel reintroduced them.
"Jesse." Kurt says with a sneer.
"Play nice Kurt." Rachel warns.
"Why? I mean it's not like I have anything to be nice for."
"If you refuse to play nice I will be forced to ask you to leave," Rachel says and Kurt looks at her shocked, "Jesse has become a good friend over the past couple months. He has given me a place to stay and I would appreciate it if you were nice to him. I forgave him for what he did, the least you could do is extend the same courtesy, besides it's not like he personally did anything to you."
"True." Kurt admits before turning back to Jesse. "I'm glad that you have taken in Rachel and I will try to find it in me to be nice to you."
"Thanks." Jesse says warily.
After that meeting Jesse explained to Kurt his past motives and what he had been doing since graduating high school. Kurt listened and found that Jesse was different from the cocky high school senior he remembered. Kurt then told how he reunited with Rachel about a year ago when they ran into each other on campus – Kurt's at NYU for design – and they struck up a friendship. It was because of this the Jesse found Kurt taking over his mid-town apartment to redecorate his guest room into Rachel's room.
"Ok you can bring those boxes into the bedroom." Kurt says, "Besides that stuff will be for Rachel to put away."
"OK. Do you want a beer or anything? Seeing as we're finished." Jesse asks.
"I'll take a glass of white wine if you have any."
"Sure." Jesse says as he places the last box down and goes to the kitchen. "So what time are we expecting Rachel back at?"
"She should be home soon." Kurt says accepting the glass Jesse hands him and takes a seat on the couch.
Kurt watches as the older man cleans up the plates from their lunch and the proceeds to wipe down the counters. Kurt notes just how much like Rachel Jesse is, he sees that they will have no problem getting along. Not that he ever had any doubt; he remembers just how similar they were back in high school. If Kurt was honest he had always thought that the two of them were perfect for each other, though he didn't want to admit it out loud because he had still maintained his doubts about Jesse.
However after these couple days with Jesse and Rachel, Kurt notices just how well they are still suited for each other. He had already talked with Rachel about her relationship with Jesse and all he got out of her was that they were friends. Kurt decides that this he is going to use this time to find out how Jesse views their relationship.
"So St. James how did you get such a nice place?" Kurt asks and Jesse turns to look at Kurt, now perched at the breakfast bar.
"My parents. They gave me this apartment, seeing as they don't use it. It was a nice way for them to show me how much they care."
"Well it's quite the place. So tell me how you bumped into Rachel?" Kurt asks.
"You know this story Kurt," Jesse replies and Kurt looks shocked, "I know that Rachel told you. And I met her when we both participated in a cabaret."
"I know that, but then how did you two rekindle this friendship?"
"Well I had a talk with her before the show and apologized and told her the truth of what happened seven years ago. She forgave me for my part in what happened, then I sang for her…"
"You sang for her?" Kurt asks sitting up straighter, not knowing this.
"Well not for her exactly but more for the both of us, for how I viewed our relationship. I knew that singing Send in the Clowns would be a way for me to finally voice how I had been feeling since I saw her in Gypsy and then when I saw her again."
"Does she know that you sang that for her?"
"I don't think so, but who knows. She no longer is the open girl who couldn't keep secrets or feelings bottled up." Jesse admits sadly.
"That's true, but who could blame her, being open all the time got her hurt. Although I have found that she has gotten back some of her openness." Kurt smiles.
He knows that after her heartbreak with Jesse, Rachel did start to close herself off. He is happy to see that since she started work on their play she has gotten back some of that old Rachel. Kurt is about to tell Jesse that he thinks it is because of him when Rachel bursts through the front door carrying a bag of Chinese food.
"If it isn't my two boys." She says dropping her messenger bag. "And since the two of you worked so hard today I have brought you dinner."
"Wonderful. By the way your room looks amazing." Kurt says getting up to give Rachel a hug. "And though I love me some Chinese food, I have to be going. I've got a date."
"Have fun and call me tomorrow I want details on how cute this boy is." Rachel says hugging Kurt and then showing him out.
Rachel returns from the door and finds Jesse laying out all the food on the coffee table in front of the television. Rachel drops down to the couch and flicks on the TV.
"Thanks for getting the food Ber, by the way how did the meeting with your prof go?" Jesse asks sitting down beside her.
"It went great. He loved my project and he is willing to use my work-shopping as park of mark as long as I hand in notes and details of the production of a new show." Rachel answers going through the channels, before settling on a The Office marathon. "So how was it spending all day with Kurt?"
"It was fine. I forgot just how bossy he could be, but we found out that we had a few things in common so we were able to hold a conversation."
"I get it, you are now into men and you were discussing that with Kurt." Rachel says solemnly.
"Sorry but no I'm still straight, although I can see why guys to find me sexy, I still very much am committed to the opposite sex." Jesse says, poking Rachel in the side.
Rachel swats Jesse back, which just provokes him to tickle her. Rachel yelps and tries to push Jesse away but he won't relent. Rachel finally frees herself by falling off the couch and Jesse stops to laugh at her sprawled on the floor.
"Hey it isn't funny." Rachel pouts.
"Actually it is." Jesse says pulling Rachel back up to the couch.
"No it isn't!" Rachel says and pounces on Jesse in retaliation.
This time Rachel has the upper hand in their little game, however Jesse quickly turns the tables and has both of Rachel's hands pinned behind her back. She's panting above him from laughing so hard and struggling against his grip. Jesse looks up into her flushed face and can't stop the wave of desire that pour through him. Rachel looks down at Jesse and feels the same desire pool in her stomach every time his chest moves against hers as he pulls in oxygen. Her eyes flicker to his lips and she wants nothing more than for him to reach up and claim her lips.
"Rachel?" Jesse whispers and just like that the moment is gone.
Rachel is puling away from Jesse and seating herself properly on the couch. She picks up a box of noodles and stabs at it with her chopsticks.
"Sorry about that." Rachel says and Jesse shakes his head. "But I did have to try and get you back."
Just like that the moment of tension passes and both are relieved. Though secretly they wish the other had made a move, in their minds they go back to their coffee in the diner reminding themselves that they can't go past friendship if they want the show to work out, neither can deal with the drama or the stress that would come if something were to split them up while still working on the production.
They finish their food and Rachel settles against Jesse as they watch Jim and Pam hiding Andy's phone in the ceiling. Jesse wraps his arm around Rachel and they settle into companionable silence. Rachel breaks the silence at the next commercial interval.
"Thank you again for letting me move in Jess."
"Rach it was nothing. I'm just sorry we didn't have a house warming party."
"Well how about next weekend we have some of the cast, Chris and Kurt over for drinks."
"Sounds good, it will be nice to entertain here."
"Yay! Let's start planning tomorrow after rehearsals."
"Ok, but quiet now the show's back." Jesse says.
The pair stays up watching the remaining episodes – until Steve Carrel leaves – before heading off to bed with thoughts of how this whole roommate thing is actually going to work.
