AN: Have a birthday present (okay, a fanfic chapter) on me. :)

Going downstairs and into a basement seemed like an odd place for a bedroom thought Rachel as she looked around. But Kurt's room felt very warm and comfortable. The walls while white with a grainy texture, matched well with all the dark wood pieces and navy blue bed covers and accents.

"Your bedroom is very nice," said Rachel. "I like all the wood and the blue."

Kurt nodded as she wandered around the room.

"Blue is one of my favorite colors," he said. "And I love the feel of wood versus anything else. My dad indulged me when I became a teenager by getting a craftsman at a local wood shop to do all the furniture and the ceiling beams."

"This is all original?" said Rachel, looking surprised.

"And cheaper than going to Ashley Furniture or wherever it is everyone gets their pre-made furniture these days," he said, waving his hand.

"It is good to support locally owned business." She sat down on the captain style bed after she had spoken. "I'm jealous of all your storage. And the dark wood is just beautiful."

"Much better than the white furniture in Brittany's place."

"It was definitely different," agreed Rachel. "I felt like I was back in the 70's."

"Could be how old it was," said Kurt as he sat down in his desk chair.

"Maybe," Rachel said. "Kurt, did you... I mean..."

"Did I like being in the closet with you?" said Kurt, finishing her thought, giving her a look.

Rachel nodded, lowering her head.

"It was... enjoyable and surprising," said Kurt. "I know we didn't talk about it in the SUV, but..."

"It's alright," said Rachel, shaking her head. "We discussed music, which was a high enjoyable conversation about Soundheim and the impact on modern revivals." She paused. "So you're not put off by me?" She looked down. "Most everyone else is."

"You're fine," said Kurt complacently. "At least... the girl I met in the closet is and she's standing in front of me. It took me a few minutes to reconcile the two, but I know you are her."

"I am me," Rachel said simply. "But the Rachel you know from class and Glee club is me too."

"I know," said Kurt. "And I know I'm probably not what you're expecting either."

"You are a nice person when you're not so abrasive about my ambition."

Kurt sighed. "We're all ambitious. You'd be surprised at that if you'd let people see you for you and take the time to get to know them."

Rachel nodded, fiddling with her hair. Kurt decided to lighten the mood with a joke.

"So are my lips any better in the light?" A smirk graced his lips once Rachel looked up. She started to giggle.

"You do speak well and enunciate your words," she said with a nod. "My grandmother would be able to understand you."

Kurt came over and sat down beside her on the bed. "Well, that's good at least. I wouldn't want my 'Hello, how are you?' to be 'Mellow are your spoons' or something."

Rachel laughed, shaking her head. "Kurt it isn't that bad. You can usually guess what they are saying based on context if you can understand some of the words."

"Oh I don't know. I though 'May your spoons be mellow' sounds like a fun greeting."

"Only you," she said with a smile. "You are a bit more silly when we're not in school."

"It's all the melodrama," said Kurt, waving his hand. "It tends to sap out all the comedy."

"Would it be alright to kiss you?" asked Rachel. "Because right now I'd really like to."

He looked at her, uncertain for a second. "I'd like that, I think," said Kurt. She pressed her lips to Kurt's, who responded in return. Kurt had placed his hands on the bed, and Rachel placed hers over his. They changed positions to pull closer, and Rachel pulled on Kurt's shirt by accident. This caught Kurt's attention and he laughed. So did Rachel after a few seconds, still holding onto his clothes. They rested their foreheads against each other.

"I don't think we're going to make it as friends, however," Kurt said softly.

"I think... I think I like you," said Rachel. "That sounds odd, doesn't it? Coming from me at least. We haven't had the best of starts."

"Maybe..." agreed Kurt. "But I think I like the idea of you holding my hand... even if it was false courage at first."

Rachel squeezed his hand with a half smile.

"Hey Kurt," said the voice of Burt Hummel as he came down the stairs. "Have you seen my spare truck keys? I can't find them anyw- Oh. Hello."

"Dad!" said Kurt quickly, standing. He immediately looked guilty. "I can explain..."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Hummel," said Rachel, standing up and walking over to Burt. "Rachel Berry."

"I think the pleasure is mine," said Burt with a smile at Rachel. He eyed his son sternly. "Kurt..."

"I know," he said, trying to avoid his father's gaze. "I um..."

"Next time you bring someone home, the least you could do is introduce me to your friends," said Burt.

"Sorry Dad," said Kurt. "I wasn't thinking."

"I can see that," said Burt. He looked amused. "She's cute, I can see why you were distracted."

Rachel laughed at that, putting her hands over her mouth. Kurt crossed his arms with a glare at his Dad.

"Your spares are in the glass bowl up above the kitchen sink. Where they usually are."

"I'll just have to look again. I didn't see them," said Burt, giving a small sigh and a wink at Rachel.

"I don't think you looked there the first time," said Kurt, looking skeptical.

"You just make sure this little lady gets home safe," said Burt, shaking a finger at Kurt. "No funny business."

Kurt nodded, his face and neck red. Burt headed back up the stairs, but didn't close the door like Kurt had. Rachel wanted to say something, but Kurt put a hand on her shoulder until they no longer heard footsteps. Kurt sat down on the bed, putting his head in his hands.

"Oh god, I can't believe that just happened."

"And here you thought your dad wouldn't catch us," she said, looking at the stairway. "He's probably going to think the worst of me now."

"I don't think he will Rachel. I think my dad's in shock that I even tried anything daring. I usually stay out of trouble."

"As do I," said Rachel. "I'm pretty squeaky clean, although there was that time I did pull Sarah Kinsey's bow out of her hair when I was eight because she said I couldn't wear a braid like her." She sat down beside him. "It was funny that he needed his spares this late at night."

"He didn't. He must have saw you somehow. He knows exactly where his spare keys are." Kurt moved around to get comfortable, crossing his legs and put his hands on top of them. "He can't fool me like that. I know better."

"Dads are good at figuring out that we're doing something wrong," said Rachel with a smile. She reached over and pinched Kurt's cheek. "I think you need one of those popsicles. You are blushing hard."

"I guess I really wasn't thinking," said Kurt, looking at the floor. "I- wanted to talk to you for a while."

"Well, we can talk," said Rachel. "We have time."

"Are you serious?" exclaimed Quinn as she slammed her locker shut the next morning before homeroom. Santana and Brittany was standing beside her, leaning against the metal.

"Mike and Matt both confirmed it. They were making out in the closet in the spare bedroom."

"I don't believe it. Kurt's..." said Quinn. She dropped her tone in the crowded hallway. "Gay. Like Capital G gay. Everyone knows that."

"Maybe Rachel's hiding a little something something behind that skirt," smirked Santana.

"No, she's got to be up to something," said Quinn, thinking. She frowned. "Maybe she thinks if it gets out that she's dating Kurt... it'll put all our guards down and she can get to Finn. You know she just wants to put her claws in him."

"Well, of course, she's been staring at him since Glee club started," said Santana.

"Or maybe she thinks that since Kurt's dad and Finn's mom are dating, she can get Kurt to get her in closer to him," said Quinn, putting a hand over her mouth as she thought. "I bet anything she thinks she can get at him after school somehow."

"Or maybe she does like Kurt," said Brittany, twirling her ponytail. "Kurt is really nice when you get to know him."

"Hardly," said Quinn. "Kurt's so fashion forward and Rachel dresses off the children's clearance rack. There's no way they'd ever like each other."

"Maybe he's planning a hostile makeover," said Santana cheekily, sharing a grin with Brittany.

"She's got to be planning something," said Quinn, brushing off the comment. "And I think I see how we can find out."

Quinn spied two people walking in the door. She looked at Santana, who nodded. Tina and Mercedes were walking in very slowly. They didn't look well at all, wearing sunglasses inside and stumbling slightly.

"Looks like you had fun at Brittany's party last night," said Quinn to Tina and Mercedes. They stopped after she had spoke.

"I think we had too much of that margarita stuff," said Tina with a wince. "Is it always that bright in here?"

"Oh how quaint," said Santana. "They're having their first hangover."

"It was fun for a little while," said Mercedes as she peeked out from under her sunglasses. "Thank you Brittany." The blonde cheerleader perked up at that, smiling back at the comment.

"Sounds like you two had as much fun as your best friend Kurt did last night," said Santana, eyeing Quinn, who nodded at Santana's bait and hook.

"Oh yeah, sitting and waiting on Finn so he could drive his drunk ass home," Mercedes said with a sniff.

"No, I drove my boyfriend home," said Quinn. "But I heard Kurt did take a cute little brunette home from the party."

"Wait, what?" said Tina. "Cute little-"

"Brunette?" repeated Mercedes. "You don't mean..."

Santana looked smug. "Oh we do. Your boy was taking a girl home last night."

"Who?" asked Tina. "Because Kurt wasn't talking to anyone except us for most of the night."

"Why don't you ask him?" said Quinn. The bell rang. "Gotta run. See you at Glee club later." The trio of cheerleaders walked off. Santana gave Quinn a high five as Brittany waved to the two left behind.

"You really think Kurt found someone?" asked Tina. "Come to think of it, he never did text us back any last night."

"I don't know," frowned Mercedes. The bell was still ringing in her ears and it was just making her even more grumpy. "Knowing those three, they're probably just trying to stir up some gossip. Kurt probably just gave someone a ride home because they were too drunk or something."

Rachel was in a good mood when she got to school. She and Kurt had talked for a long time the night before. She had to admit, she kind of liked him. She definitely liked kissing him. But she could tell their quasi relationship friendship was definitely going to have its ups and downs. They both definitely were larger than life personalities.

He was really good at making her smile and laugh, which she really liked.

Was it normal to develop feelings for someone after kissing and talking for a few hours?

At least Kurt didn't come with relationship baggage, which was nice. She wouldn't have to cry about it to her therapist. Rachel was happy that she'd have something positive to tell at her weekly appointments. She stopped in the hallway for a second, surprised that she hadn't even thought of Finn all morning. She hurried up quickly to keep from being run over by her fellow high schoolers. She saw Kurt standing by a classroom, looking down at his phone.

"Okay," she said to herself. "Play it cool." But instead of doing so she accidentally ran right into someone opening their locker. She winced at the pain. The boy apologized, but Rachel rubbed her knee with a wince. She was still rubbing her knee when Kurt looked up. He noticed her, and she gave him a small wave as she hobbled for a second towards him.

"Ah, the old running into the locker gag," he said, giving her a small smile. "Trying to garner sympathy?"

"No, but you can hold my things for a moment," said Rachel, handing him her purse and biology book and notebook. She leaned down and checked her stockings. Thankfully they had not caught on the locker's edge.

"Thank you," she said as she took them back.

"You look cute today," he commented. "I like the off white turtleneck sweater and your dark blue plaid skirt."

"Well, since you do like blue," she said. "I thought it'd be a nice change."

"You dressed for me?" he said, surprised.

"Well, you are a perspective... whatever we are... So I wanted to look nice. You have high standards when it comes to clothing."

"Does everyone at school really think I am gay because of that?" blurted out Kurt.

"I think most people think you are," said Rachel, biting her lip. They hadn't broached this topic yet, but she knew it was inevitable. It was actually one of the things she was afraid of. "But it's mostly that you wear clothes in one day that cost more than the average high school student's entire wardrobe."

"I like to look nice," he said with a slight frown. "If you can't wear nice things for yourself, then what is the point?"

Rachel thought for a split second that comment might have been directed to her, but realized it wasn't.

"It's perspective," said Rachel. "That's all it is Kurt. You like clothes and you are conscious of your appearance. The only thing they can link that to is the stereotypes that are on TV and other media. So liking clothes and dressing in something other than t-shirts and jeans equals gay in their minds."

"I don't like labels and stereotypes," muttered Kurt. "It's too conforming."

Rachel could only nod in agreement. But then, she had done that herself. She would have written off Kurt as gay yesterday if someone had asked her. She nudged him in the shoulder. He looked at her, shrugging his shoulders. He looked off in the distance before speaking.

"Even when you're different around here and can't be easily defined, people still want to put you into a box and label you so it makes you easier to deal with or judge you," he said quietly.

"Nobody that's important to you is going to judge you on the choices you make," said Rachel. "They'll accept you as you are. Because that's what they are supposed to do. Not judging, not labeling."

He mumbled something under his breath and Rachel rubbed his arm. He moved away from her quickly. She sighed. She should have expected this. She knew last night was too good to be true. When she heard the splattering of slushie hitting the lockers beside her, she saw what he was doing. The football player was scowling, but thankfully Kurt had managed to avoid the orange slush that had been aimed right at him.

"You were saying?" he said as he flicked a piece of orange colored ice off his messenger style bag.

"Our peers don't count," said Rachel. "They're just jealous and insecure. We are better than them."

The bell rang for class and Rachel started towards him, and idea in mind. She looped her arm around his waist as she caressed his face with her other hand. She kissed him softly right there in the middle of the hallway while the student body milled around them, heading to their next class.

"Let's see them judge you for that," she said with a smirk, holding her books to her. And with a wave, she left his side and headed to her first class. Kurt stood dumb founded for a moment at what had just happened. But his first class was American literature, which was on the third floor. He darted towards the stairs.

Finn Hudson stood in the hallway, not far from where the scene had taken place, looking very confused.