AU GLEE SEASON ONE

This is another experimental Fic! Hope you enjoy the ride. Comments are appreciated.

Some of the scenes are taken straight from Glee episodes to help incorporate this fic into the storyline of Glee.. however, it takes a turn for AU pretty quick.

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Mercedes sat nervously on the white couch in Kurt's white room as he took a quick shower. He had been slushied on the way to his locker after the last class of the day. Mercedes had been with him at the time, but just standing far enough away that none of the syrupy icy gloop had hit her; only a little bit of back spray which was easily wiped off without a second thought.

She had been to his house a few times before, so, she wasn't sure why she was so nervous this time around. Being left alone in Kurt's room sure wasn't helping, though. Looking around at the minimalistic decor of the white on white room, she noticed a few of Kurt's hats sitting on his shelf and wondered what was hidden in the big white file boxes on the same shelf. Probably full of back issues of Vogue, she thought to herself.

The shower turned off and it wasn't much long after that Kurt's bathroom door opened and he stepped out in a fluffy white bathrobe. Mercedes could feel her cheeks warming in embarrassment as Kurt strode out of the bathroom in his usual graceful, self-confident saunter. He turned to his long, low dresser. It was one of the only things in the room that wasn't white, but it was still very edgy and minimalist in nature. It was a dark mahogany wood with modern chrome pulls. Mercedes had never paid so much attention to furniture and decor as she was that afternoon. If she didn't spend her energy studying the furniture, though, she just knew her thoughts would be stuck on the fact that Kurt was standing in front of her in a bathrobe.

"Sorry about this, 'cedes," sighed Kurt as he straightened from leaning over the dresser after choosing some new clothes to wear. "I'm just going to get dressed and then I'm all yours."

Mercedes bit her lip at his word choice and nodded her head in response. Thankfully, he carried his pile of clothes back to the bathroom to change. Mercedes exhaled when Kurt shut the bathroom door behind him.

"Pull yourself together, Girl," she reprimanded herself through clenched teeth.

A few minutes later, Kurt came out of the bathroom dressed in jeans and a red polo. Mercedes rocked her weight forward on the white couch, hoping they could go upstairs to pop some popcorn and watch Cabaret like they had planned. Sitting in Kurt's room when she had so many sudden feelings about her friend was just plain awkward.

"Oh Gaga, what time is it?" asked Kurt as he checked his hair in the mirror. "I hope it hasn't already started."

"Nope," replied Mercedes, looking down at her watch. "We've still got ten minutes."

"Excellent," breathed Kurt, turning from the mirror to flash Mercedes a smile. "Let's go, Liza Minnelli awaits."

Mercedes grinned and stood. Kurt moved to the bottom of the staircase but stopped before going up, he turned back to her and motioned for her to go up ahead of him.

"Ladies first," he said with another smile.

"Your rims are clean," sighed Mercedes the next day. "We've polished them, like three times already."

With the help of Coach Sue Sylvester and her squad of Cheerios, Rachel had managed to set up a car wash to raise money for the Glee club so they could hire that condescending dwarf dude to choreograph for them. It was taking place after school and seriously cutting in Mercedes' personal plans. She huffed out a frustrated sigh and looked across the vehicle at Kurt.

"Did you bring a change of clothes?" asked Kurt, choosing to ignore her complaints. "Because we're going straight to sing-along Sound of Music."

"So, listen, Kurt," spoke Mercedes, pushing through her nerves. "This is like the third time we've gone out. Can we just make it official?"

"Make what official?" asked Kurt, sudden frustration filling his voice.

"You know, that we're dating," laughed Mercedes, trying to cover her anxiety.

"I'm sorry Mercedes," replied Kurt, his face contorting into a strange mixture of a grimace and amusement at the same time which he quickly schooled into a solemn, guarded expression. "I thought I had made it very clear..."

He stopped when he saw the look of confusion and the beginnings of hurt cross Mercedes' face. How could she not know? It was obvious wasn't it? He was gay! But if it wasn't obvious to Mercedes, perhaps that meant that it wasn't obvious to other people at McKinley, too. He had never actually outright told anyone of his sexual orientation.

"... that we are just friends," amended Kurt.

Mercedes' face fell.

"Why?" she asked, her voice suddenly choked and much lower in volume.

Kurt bit his lower lip, not sure what to say.

"Is it because I'm more curvalicious than most girls?" asked Mercedes, her voice beginning to grow in strength once more, though she sounded like she might be panicking. "Or that I'm black? Or that I'm very much a diva because I'll have you know..."

"No, no, no," exclaimed Kurt, lifting his hands up defensively. "Wow, Mercedes, no! Don't even say that. Don't say things about yourself in such a negative way... None of those things are deterrents. You're amazing and don't you ever think otherwise."

"Then why, Kurt?" asked Mercedes, the waver in her voice telling him just how close to tears she was.

"Mercedes," sighed Kurt, setting the rag he was using down in the bucket of soapy water. He stepped around the front of the Navigator to meet her on the other side. "You're my only real friend here at McKinley."

Mercedes looked up at Kurt when he took her hands in his.

"If we were to date and then break up... I'd have no one," he explained. It was a good cover story, and it was true even if it definitely wasn't his reasoning for not being interested in her. "I guess that sounds a little selfish..."

"Who's to say we'll break up?" asked Mercedes suddenly.

"We're sophomores in High School," deadpanned Kurt, looking at Mercedes solemnly. And I'm gay, he thought to himself.

"Fine, but, Kurt, we were friends first and we can still be friends after... if that even happens," assured Mercedes. "I really like you, Kurt, and I think we could be good together."

Kurt sighed. He stared into Mercedes' eyes for a few silent moments, toying with the idea in his mind. He really didn't want to turn down his best friend, he could see her insecurities surfacing in her eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to reveal his secret just yet. Taking a deep breath and holding it, he squared his shoulders and lifted his chin.

"Will you give me some time to think about it?" he asked.

"Okay," replied Mercedes, cautiously hopeful.

Kurt let the breath he was holding out and nodded. He let go of Mercedes' hands and turned back to finish cleaning the SUV.

Mercedes was uncharacteristically quiet that evening when she and Kurt sat in their favourite booth at Breadstix. It would have bothered Kurt if he wasn't lost in thought. He had always tried to appear confident; he had built up walls to protect himself emotionally, and much of them were shrouded in self-assurance and attitude. The problem was that it was all a farce. He didn't feel anything but insecurity and he was tired of it.

He was tired of "faggot", "lady-boy", and "homo". He was tired of locker slams, tired of having to change his outfit in the middle of the school day because of slushies, tired of picking himself up every time he was pushed down. Perhaps he did have as much self-confidence as the average kid his age, the problem was, it didn't even cover half of the anxieties he faced in a single school week.

He looked across the table at Mercedes, then. She was cutting into her chicken breast, knife and fork in hand. Kurt really did think she was pretty. Her skin was beautiful, her eyes big and brown, and she always did her hair so beautifully. Kurt took a sip of his drink. Could he do this? Could he date Mercedes Jones?

He looked across the table at her again and tried to think of all the things about her that were attractive. Her nose, for example; it was so cute. He loved her nose. Her lips were full and soft looking; that should be appealing, right? He loved how she wore big, dangly earrings and her trendy outfits –wait, no, back to sexually attractive things. Errr... What about her figure? She was curvier than most, but she dressed well for it... ugh, KURT... not clothes... think about her breasts or something.

Kurt cringed.

That was when Mercedes looked up from her plate and smiled across the table at Kurt. He attempted to smile back, but it was forced and she obviously noticed. She frowned and set down her knife and fork.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No," sputtered Kurt. "No, just thinking."

Mercedes' frown grew.

"Kurt..." she questioned.

"Let's do it," Kurt suddenly said, placing his hands on the table on either side of his plate and rolling his shoulders back. "I want to be your boyfriend."

Mercedes blinked at Kurt vacantly for a few moments as his words sunk in.

"So... by 'do it' you mean..."

"Try being more than friends," replied Kurt, rolling his eyes. "You know, date."

"Okay," responded Mercedes, her voice still measured.

"Wow, don't you sound pleased," laughed Kurt in his nervous, breathless manner that always indicated he was trying to cover his own anxiety.

"Yes, well, it isn't the most flattering way to get your first boyfriend," sighed Mercedes.

"You're right," responded Kurt with a light sigh. "Since this is already kind of a date-ish evening, forget what I said and let me ask you out properly tomorrow. I promise to be a gentleman, despite what impressions this conversation just gave you."

Mercedes smiled at his words but shook her head.

"Kiss me goodnight on my doorstep tonight and we'll consider this our first date," she replied, her eyes sparkling with sudden excitement.

Kurt swallowed nervously but managed a much more convincing smile than his last forced one. He nodded before turning his attention to his meal. After taking a bite, he snuck a look over at Mercedes who was also focused on the food on her own plate. She had a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Despite being apprehensive about this entire situation, Kurt enjoyed the knowledge that it was him that put that smile there.

hang on, we're getting there...