I hoped this would be ready sooner than it was... hope it's worth the wait. Love and light to Finchel fans everywhere. – HL
Thud.
Wright State was leading by ten with less than a minute to play, when an opposing defensive end broke through the O-line. Collinson went down hard, the ball still tight in his grip.
Rachel hadn't been paying that much attention, and neither had a lot of the crowd; the game was basically done, the team's playoff seeding assured. But if the sack of their quarterback hadn't gotten their attention, the rapid rush of the coach and trainer onto the field certainly did.
Collinson stayed down.
Rachel turned to Tina. "But – the game's almost over anyway. Why are people so worried? Do they lose points for this?"
"No, it's – " Tina broke off as Collinson was helped to his feet. "Good. Oh, maybe not..."
"Ooh look, Finn's getting ready to play!" Rachel was excited. Tina shushed her, but not before Rachel had drawn a few glares.
"Colly's limping," Tina whispered, nodding at the field where Collinson was being escorted off between the coach and trainer. "Oh no."
Everyone watched as Finn took the last two snaps, running the clock down, but though the game was won there was a big question mark over the team's future.
A big question mark also appeared over Rachel's attempts to get balance in her life. From fearing she was getting too immersed in Finn, things swung the other way; Finn was in intense practice, with very little time for anything else, all resources thrown at making sure he was ready to start against Youngstown. Rachel was confused by this, he'd been slated to start that game anyway but – no matter how many official denials the team made, the rumors still swirled that Collinson was seriously hurt.
And Finn's time to see her was gone. Rachel had no chance to see him after the game. No coffee the next morning. Profuse apologies, and still they had goodnight kisses, but that was all she was getting. This was just for now, Finn tried to promise, and she hoped that was true. She was happy for him to have his chance, but that didn't mean she didn't miss him, and even their goodnight kisses felt lacking when that was the only time she saw him and he was usually exhausted. To go so quickly from sleeping nestled against him to so little, just texts mostly... Rachel didn't know what to think, but it didn't feel good. From feast to famine.
With the rumored team situation, Finn's status was rising. Santana insisted that this didn't change anything for Rachel, which of course meant that it did, many of their floor-mates giving her more space and sometimes remembering her name. Rachel even found herself cornered by Brittany one morning, and instead of some sort of insult she heard a bizarre statement that actually seemed to be trying to be an apology.
Meanwhile... well Finn couldn't go out with her after Sunday rehearsal as they had planned, so Rachel consoled herself by getting more acquainted with her castmates. Chiefly Blaine, of course, who she worked with the most, but some of the others as well. Blaine stuck right by her side in the group, she decided because he was scared of Viola, the girl playing Cosette; the tall thin-faced blonde had made her interest clear and was all over him whenever she had the smallest chance. And it was a good chance for Rachel to gain a friend, with their rapport developing easily even as she practiced her get-rid-of-the-predatory-blonde skills. The way she'd heard a couple of the cheerleaders talking about Finn that morning, she was going to need those.
Finn hated missing Rachel. He hated even more that it was due to him – his big break with the team, sure it kept him distracted but that didn't stop him from wishing he could be with her – and most of all that it was giving her costar an opening that was definitely being taken advantage of. Finn concentrated on working hard at practice, since that was all he could affect, but he knew that even success against Youngstown wouldn't necessarily impress Rachel. Or more, if he did have to take over for Colly like rumors said. Yes she'd been great about cheering him on, but he could tell the game itself didn't matter to her. Which was good in a way, 'cause it meant she was doing it for him, but bad in that if he pulled off some amazing play it would impress just about everyone else way more. And he needed to up his game with her too, somehow.
As he changed for Monday practice in the locker room, he heard voices from the next row, crappy sound like a bad video, but – was that Rachel? He couldn't make out the words over the laughter of whatever morons were there, but he went quickly over to check.
Karofsky and two of his cronies were watching something on a phone, and looked up as he approached.
"Hudson the hero," Karofsky jeered at the sight of him, and his buddies mock-applauded.
"What are you watching?"
"Evidence of your moment of triumph," he scoffed. "Ten seconds at most, you couldn't manage more. Pull up a bench."
Finn glared at them, staying standing.
"Suit yourself, I thought you wanted to see." Karofsky smirked. "Everyone else already has." He pulled his phone away as Finn made a grab for it.
"Fine." Finn sat, his muscles still coiled tightly. "Show me." And he sat and watched, saw Rachel walk down the hall into a crowd of jeering cheerleaders in the lounge, heard her do her best to stand up to them. His heart went out to her, at seeing her cringe at the onslaught of mockery and insult; he'd forgotten how alone she really was, in the jock world that he was at least far more used to.
He hated how she'd been humiliated. But his heart warmed at how she'd stood up to it, the defiance in her voice and the set of her head as she asserted "my guy's spare shirt" (didn't hurt that she meant him, either, or looked really hot in it even when being embarrassed by most of the cheerleading corps).
"Take your shirt off, I want to see the scratches that little tiger gave you," Karofsky jeered. "Or maybe I'll get my own. When you're done. Or when she finally realizes she can do better."
Finn did his best to ignore all of this. The team was too important for him to retaliate, and Rachel was too important to turn her into the object that Karofsky was treating her as.
"Damn sure this isn't what I meant when I told you to work on the speed of your blocks, Karofsky," the offensive coach's voice came from the door. "If you're not ten times better blocking for Hudson than you were for Collinson we're screwed for sure."
Karofsky gritted his teeth. "Yes Coach."
"And get out on the field, since you're dressed. Now. All of you." The coach waited as the three offensive linemen went by.
"Hey Karofsky!" Finn called after them. "You want to know when I'll be 'done'? Try never."
"Hudson, get dressed," the coach ordered. "Focus on your job. No matter what those idiots say and no matter how special that girl is."
"Yes Coach," Finn responded, doing his best to put his emotions away. He needed to be perfect for Saturday.
Wright State wasn't the only college where the video of Rachel's 'walk' was making the rounds.
"When were you going to tell me that you'd managed to get together with Rachel?" The question from Kurt came as soon as Finn returned his brother's call that night.
"Uh... now?" Finn scrunched his face up. He'd forgotten he hadn't told his family about Rachel. Everything had gone so fast, he'd been so busy... he would have told them when he made arrangements about the Youngstown game tickets, right? Since they were going to sit together... yeah, nice way to blindside everyone, Hudson. "How did you find out?"
"Surely you haven't not seen the video of her wearing your shirt. At least I assume that's your shirt."
"Yeah, that's my shirt." Finn smiled. "She looks cute in it, doesn't she?"
"A set-up 'walk of shame' video of your girl and all you can say is how cute she is? You're so gone."
Finn wasn't going to argue with that. "It's not what it looks like though."
"She isn't your girlfriend? She didn't spend the night with you? She's very emphatic that it's her guy's shirt."
Yeah, all that happened, just..."
"Just what?"
"Just not like that. Like what people think or how they made it look. Sure she spent the night, her roommate kicked her out again, she had to sleep somewhere – "
"Baby, it's cold outside," Kurt crooned.
"Stop that. It was just to sleep. We don't want to go too fast, we've only been properly together for like ten days. And that's all the details you're getting."
"Is she coming to the game?"
"Yes, she's coming to the game. They don't rehearse on Saturdays."
"Rehearse – so she got the part and you didn't tell me that either?"
Even annoyed, Finn couldn't help but snicker at Kurt's priorities. "Yeah, she got the part. And she's gonna be great in it too. It's tough though, our schedules don't fit together all that well right now. And –" he cut himself off. He didn't want to get into the other issues.
"And?"
"And nothing."
"I can tell it's not nothing. What's the problem?"
Finn sighed. "I don't know. We're great together, at least I think we are, and please don't tell Mom but sleeping with Rachel is awesome, even without doing anything much, but – I don't know. Something feels off."
"Off?"
"Just... I don't know. The whole thing keeps being one step forward two steps back. Or the other way around really, we're making progress and it's great but then things push us off it and it gets dialed back. Or maybe it's sideways, not back really but some other direction entirely."
"And here I always thought you were directionally challenged," Kurt joked.
"Yeah funny bro, not helping," Finn grumbled.
"Was I supposed to be helping?"
"That's what you claim when you stick your nose in, so yes."
"Let the record show that I was asked to help," Kurt declared. Finn sighed. He disliked interference, but maybe Kurt had some insight. Especially into the potential complication.
"Advice only," Finn stated. "And only to me." The last thing he needed was Kurt going behind his back to talk to Rachel.
"Fine. So what's the other direction you so evasively referred to?"
"Well... like I said, we've both been busy. I'm at practice almost all the time these days, she's at rehearsal for her show."
"That's just a slowdown. Make sure you spend time together when you can, give her attention. Little notes are good. And set up some dates, things to look forward to."
"I'm not an idiot, Kurt. I'm trying all that. But I had to cancel on her for practice, and she ended up hanging around with this guy from her show that's really friendly."
"Oh." Kurt paused. "That's not good. I take it they're just friends and you don't want to push the issue?"
"Yeah. She says he's gay."
"Then what's the problem? Aside from your insecurities about being ditched for a gay best friend," Kurt teased.
"He hasn't actually said so."
"Oh." Kurt left that hanging.
"So she just thinks he's gay."
"She thought you were gay."
"Yeah, well, reminding her about that turned out to be not that great an idea."
"Ah." Pause. "And you don't think he's gay?"
"Seems like a regular dude to me." Finn groaned. "I mean... not to put it like that. Dumb, sorry. I didn't really think about it at the time. Just he seemed to be all over her, like he was into her, and hey at least I know what that should look like."
"Hmph." Kurt's wordless response sounded a bit like a concession of that point. "Please tell me you're not planning to ask him."
"Of course not. It's up to him, I know."
"Yes it is."
"Homophobia sucks," Finn grumbled.
"Tell me about it."
"I know, just – why can't I have a simple conversation with him about this? I don't have a problem with him being gay, at this point I'd have a problem with him being straight."
"So sorry people's concern for their lives is getting in the way of you policing your girlfriend's friends," Kurt said drily.
"Yeah, okay, it's not about me." Finn sighed. "Sorry."
"I know I raised you better than that. Or to think that someone would exploit being thought gay to get close to girls."
"Yes Mom."
"Maybe you could just back up to the actual concern. It's not as if you're worried about him being interested in girls in general, just about him being interested in Rachel."
"Why wouldn't he be into Rachel? She's really awesome."
"And oddly likes you," Kurt put in. "Isn't that all that should matter, who she is interested in. Which seems to be you, and she thinks he's gay."
"She thought I was gay."
"We've covered that."
"While still being interested in me."
"Are you suggesting she has some sort of complex about this? She goes for guys she thinks are gay and unavailable?"
"No." Finn exhaled. "Just – they've got more in common. They start going on excitedly about musicals, quoting stuff, and well thanks to you I at least know what they're doing but you know it's not my thing."
"Aww, you feel left out."
Finn snorted in protest, but privately he admitted there was something to that. He really liked the way Rachel looked at him, he just – wanted more of it. He liked to see those beautiful brown eyes trained excitedly on him, not on some other dude. No matter what the topic was, or who the other dude was into, or anything. Rachel's megawatt smile lit him up, and he didn't want to share.
"What's his name, anyway?" Kurt asked.
"Blaine. Uh, Blaine Anderson."
"Huh."
"You haven't heard of him, have you?"
"For the five hundred and thirty-ninth time, we do not all know each other."
"Thought it was just at four hundred and eighty-five last time."
Kurt laughed. "Maybe it was."
Rachel perked up as Wednesday night finally arrived, and with it her rescheduled date with Finn. It was the only night they both had free, until after the game on Saturday. Finn did have practice, but it was an early one. So Rachel took her time after her classes to make sure she was ready.
She really wanted to get them back where they should be, date-wise; things had gotten sort of perfunctory and domestic, just seeing each other a bit in the dorms, so she opted for a sexy look for the night. Gorgeous girlfriend rather than dorm-mate or sleeping buddy. The cheerleaders had practice too, so she had no interruptions and plenty of space for her preparations.
Shower with her new scented body wash... carefully dry and curl her hair... curl her eyelashes too, then do that smoky eye she'd admired in her latest beauty magazine... perfectly apply the rest of her makeup, dress in a low-cut midnight blue top and a shaped black mini that accentuated her figure... finally, apply perfume and put on a pair of skyscraper heels that should both bring her more up to his level and also suggest she was ready to get more serious.
There. Ten minutes to spare. Rachel waited.
Seven o'clock came, and went. No Finn.
The dorms were still quiet though, practice must have run late. That's fine.
At ten past seven the noise of the players returning was unmistakeable. She peered out – no sign of Finn yet, but they were all clean and out of uniform, so... I'm sure he'll be here soon. He would be taking extra care with his grooming as well.
Seven-fifteen.
He remembers, right? We haven't talked about it today, we haven't had a chance to talk at all recently...
She checked her phone for a message or missed call. Nothing.
Seven-twenty.
Santana breezed into the room, dropped off her cheer team bag, took one look at Rachel sitting there morosely, laughed, and left.
Seven-thirty.
A knock interrupted Rachel's gloom. Sudden euphoria flooded her, all the more since she'd been down, and she raced to answer it.
Mike. Looking very apologetic, but still it was only Mike.
"Coach kept Finn late after practice," Mike said. "They're drilling him on the playbook, it could be another hour or even more. He's really sorry, Rachel."
Rachel bit her lip, trying to keep back her tears at this disappointment. "Did he ask you to tell me?"
"No, he didn't have a chance to talk at all or he'd've called you, I know he would have. But he's been looking forward to tonight so much, you should have seen how happy he was this morning talking about it."
"That would have been nice." Rachel sank back onto her bed. "I've barely seen him at all since Friday."
"He misses you too." Mike paused. "You look amazing," he offered.
"Thank you." Rachel stared at the floor, though, her disappointment evident, and Mike left.
A few minutes later, though, she pulled herself together. I didn't get all dressed up to sit here and cry, she told herself defiantly. If he can't make it, then he can't. And it wasn't the only offer I had.
Rachel pulled her phone out and made a call. "Hi! So I know I said I was busy tonight but it turns out I'm not..."
Singing always helped her feel better anyway.
Just after eight-thirty, finally released by the head coach and with his head completely stuffed with plays he was sure they'd never attempt, Finn dug his phone out of his locker.
Message from Rachel. One only, and he was relieved to see there wasn't a slew of missed calls from her being upset. But his relief vanished when he read her text.
Sorry you couldn't make it tonight. Going for karaoke with Blaine.
Time of message: 7:36, almost an hour before.
Shit. Finn's big chance with the team was turning into a miss of his chances with Rachel.
Wait a minute, didn't she talk about that karaoke place last week? Wimpy something.
Finn showered quickly, but managed to slow himself down enough to shave and dress neatly, the same as he'd planned before the playbook got in the way. She'd already been out for a while, so rushing wouldn't help; he needed to look good to go get his girl.
Wimpy John's was a family pub with a picture of a tall striking woman holding a baseball bat on their sign. It seemed like a strange place to find Rachel, even more to find Blaine as well, but signs outside advertised Wednesday night karaoke, so Finn gave thanks that he'd paid attention to her mention of the place and went inside.
He spotted them almost immediately, in a side booth, Rachel's back to the door and Blaine across from her. Blaine saw him as he went over to them, and nodded to Rachel. She didn't turn, but a moment later Finn was at her side.
"I am so sorry about tonight, Rachel," Finn pleaded, taking her hand. She looked up at him, her expression unreadable. "Coach just grabbed me and wouldn't even let me call."
Rachel gave a small sigh and looked up at him. He held her gaze, and after a while she nodded. "I suppose it was asking for trouble trying to have a date after practice," she said. Her mouth was still in a pout, but she didn't seem sad. Or angry.
"Still my fault then. I just really wanted to try to see you." Finn exhaled. "You look stunning." And she so did, all made up and gorgeous, silky hair he wanted to run his hands through and lips he wanted to dive into. Not that he didn't usually, just... even more.
A small smile appeared. "Thank you."
"And, uh, thanks Blaine, for keeping her company. I really appreciate it." Finn spared a look for his potential rival, and he did mean what he said – he was glad Rachel hadn't been alone – even though he wished he hadn't given Blaine the opening. Still, they were sitting across from each other so it's not like he'd been substituted.
Blaine smiled. "No problem. Glad you could join us."
I bet.
"So, uh, you showed all the other singers how it's done yet?" Finn asked Rachel.
She smiled, legitimately this time. "Once or twice."
"Once each individually and once together," Blaine explained.
"Do you need a menu?" The waitress interrupted them.
"Uh..."
"Yes he does," Rachel put in, sliding over and pulling Finn in to sit next to her. "You must be starved. And you have to get your strength up for the game."
"Yes I am starving," Finn answered, dimpling. Then he kissed her softly, deepening as he felt her respond.
Blaine cleared his throat, interrupting. "Presumably you also want some food," he said, and Rachel blushed.
"Yeah."
Things eased after that, with Rachel close by his side, though Finn was still on his guard with Blaine. But he didn't mind listening to them talk while he ate his burger, and though he couldn't keep up with the details of their discussion, mostly musical critiques of the other singers and their music choices, he could follow the general flow.
It seemed innocent enough. Still, he'd be a lot happier if he could settle the issue of what Blaine was up to. Would-be gay best friend – though that could be a complication in itself, he'd learned – or competition? And if the dude was really after Rachel, how could he convince her of that, when she was so oblivious to the possibility that her new friend could have an agenda?
An accidental opening came after he'd finished his meal, as he found himself tapping to the rhythm of the music, currently a boyband number being sung by a pair of girls.
"You know this song?" Blaine raised his eyebrows. "Wouldn't've pegged you for a Directioner."
Finn started, only now realizing what he'd been doing, then grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I know it. Not really my thing, but my brother's ex-boyfriend is a fan. He wouldn't stop talking about them."
Blaine blinked. "So... huh." He paused, then chuckled. "So you're getting into a song you don't really like."
"It's catchy. And Mark used to play it all the time. I put up with it 'cause he made my brother happy. Until he didn't, but Kurt had an easier time ditching the guy than my brain had ditching the song." Okay, so that was not exactly what had happened, but he wasn't going to go into private details, and he figured he'd said enough to get his point across. Kurt wouldn't mind people thinking he'd dumped Mark instead of the reverse.
Though while Blaine seemed to have reacted somehow, Finn couldn't tell how. He looped his arm over Rachel's shoulders, happy to feel her shift further into him in response. Even if she was sitting more stiffly than he'd like. Was she onto him, or just uncomfortable? Or still annoyed about earlier? He refocused his attention back on Blaine, who seemed a little discomfited. Maybe.
The girls finished, to general applause. "That was okay," Blaine commented. "But I think we need to raise the quality again." He grinned at Rachel. "I'll find us a song."
That seemed presumptuous... or maybe not. Maybe they'd already agreed that Blaine could take the lead on things like that, or it was his turn. Finn didn't like this but didn't comment, trying to avoid adding another thing that Rachel could get annoyed with him for.
Once Blaine had gone in the direction of the karaoke booth, Rachel gave Finn a pointed look. "I know what you're doing," she accused.
"What?"
"With bringing up your brother. I bet Kurt's ex doesn't like music like that at all. Or doesn't even exist."
Finn continued to play dumb. It wasn't like he'd lied, at least not to the extent she was accusing him of. "Why would I do that?"
"You're testing Blaine, and you shouldn't."
"Look, if he's got a problem with that sort of thing, with people like my brother and your dads, we shouldn't be hanging around with him."
"He does not have a problem with 'that sort of thing'. He loves musical theater for God's sake. And he's gay," she hissed quietly.
"Then what's the problem? I support Kurt one hundred percent and I'm not gonna act like I don't." He took a gulp of his drink. "He's my brother, he's important to me, I talk about him. It doesn't have to mean anything."
"Except that you chose to – arggh." Rachel ground out her frustration. "Okay, fine. But Blaine not responding doesn't mean anything. It's a big admission to make, no matter who it's to, and he hardly knows us."
"Fine."
"He might even be put off by how easily you talk about someone else being gay. Trust is very important."
Finn smirked at her change of tactic. She knew he had a point, and it clearly irritated her, though he didn't want to irritate her too much. "Rach, the whole world knows Kurt's gay. It's normal so we talk about it like it's normal, it's not like I made an announcement."
Rachel pouted but said nothing.
"But, y'know, since Blaine knows we don't have any problems..."
"Finn!"
"Assuming he's one way can be just as bad as expecting the other. And either way," Finn went on, closing in on Rachel's upturned face, "he shouldn't be cozying up to you."
Rachel evaded Finn's kiss. "You don't own me just because we're together."
"'Course not. But it does make you a really bad beard. Unless you want people to think that you're cheating on me."
"You don't – "
"'Course not."
Rachel sighed and kissed him. "I suppose you're right. But he's not cozying up, not really. A lot of the time I've been talking about you."
"Really?" Finn couldn't help but smirk at that.
"Yes, really. I've missed you. And he seems to like hearing about you. Even if I'm wrong – which I'm not – listening to me swoon over another guy isn't exactly a come-on technique."
Finn's smirk broadened to a grin at the 'swoon'. Except –
"Just act like you're listening. Let her talk about anything that makes her happy, even if it's memories of another guy, what does it matter who she's talking about as long as you're the one who's actually there. Get her used to being happy around you and compliment her a lot. If she has a smile on her face during the evening, you'll have a big smile on your face at the end of it."
Finn shook his head, trying to push aside those memories from last year, how the senior players had swapped strategies for getting girls. That dude had scooped up Colly's ex really fast, from what he recalled. This sort of talk wasn't something he'd really paid attention to, since he wanted a girl he was with to be really into him for himself. But it meant Rachel was wrong – this could be a move.
Not that he could actually tell her that. He hadn't gone in for the 'dating strategies' like some of his teammates did, and he certainly didn't want Rachel to think he had.
"If anything I think he's interested in you."
Finn stared at Rachel, but she seemed serious. He tried to come up with a reply to that – something about having to take no for an answer from either of them – but saw Blaine returning.
"So, Rachel was telling me you're starting next game," Blaine said as he sat down. "Congratulations, man."
"Uh, thanks," Finn answered. Maybe this guy really was fine with him being the topic of conversation. "It's just one start, and we've already made the playoffs, but it's a great opportunity. It's why I've been so busy this week."
"Well I'd love to come watch. Give a little moral support, spread my horizons."
Finn was taken aback. This was unexpected, and he wasn't that happy with the idea of Blaine following Rachel that far. Especially not horning in on his big game. "It's an away game, at Youngstown."
Blaine waved off that concern. "Youngstown's not far. I can take Rachel, that way she won't have to drive."
"Actually..." Finn turned to Rachel. "I was hoping you would take my truck there for me. I have to go there with the team, but once the game's over I can take off. My family's coming so I was hoping we could all get together afterwards."
Rachel blinked. "You want me to drive your truck?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, if that's okay with you, if it's not too much trouble or too big or something –"
Rachel kissed him. "Not a problem. I've driven my daddy's SUV, he's even taller than you. I'm just touched you would trust me with your baby."
"Then I guess I can meet you there," Blaine said. "I'd really like to go, Finn. If you don't think I'd be intruding."
"See, he likes you," Rachel whispered, directly into Finn's ear. "Don't worry I'll make sure he knows you're mine."
Finn was torn between an eyeroll and a grimace, but managed to suppress both. He turned back to Blaine. "Well I can see if I can get another ticket," he said. "I can let Rachel know tomorrow."
"That's great, thanks man."
"Yes thank you," Rachel cooed, snuggling closer. Finn didn't have any problem with that. It didn't last long, though.
"We're up!" Blaine called out as the karaoke guy waved their way. "Come on, I picked out a great one."
Finn stood up and helped Rachel get out of the booth, gratified that her hand lingered on his as she went past. He got a good eyeful of how she was dressed, too, and... man. He'd fallen for the sweet girl he'd met in the dorms, but – it didn't hurt that she also turned out to be hot.
'Specially in that skirt. And those heels. Wow.
She put those on for me, right? Right.
He watched as she went to the stage, tamping down the urge to tell off the guys who wolf-whistled her. Then Blaine started to sing: (*)
Once in your life you'll find her
Someone who turns your heart around
And next thing you know
You're closin' down the town
It was pretty easy-listening stuff for evening karaoke, but the crowd went along with it. Finn, though, wasn't cool with Blaine singing stuff like that to Rachel, or with the big dopey eyes he had trained on her, either. Rachel simpered back at him, which was even worse, and took over next:
Wake up and she's still with you
Even though you left her way across town
You're wonderin' to yourself
Hey what've I found
Rachel preened a little at that, much to the audience's approval. Finn wasn't thrilled – but then she looked straight back at him, no flirting now, just her eyes directly into his. He eased. Whatever Blaine might be up to, Rachel was just playing along. And singing along, now together with Blaine:
When you get caught between the moon and New York City
I know it's crazy but it's true
If you get caught between the moon and New York City
The best that you can do (the best that you can do)
The best that you can do is fall in love
Finn snorted at that imagery, finding it as strange as he always had, that you could get caught between the moon and New York City when they were so far apart. Kurt had enjoyed setting him straight about that way too much, but it had become a bit of a family in-joke. Though if he brought that up now, Rachel would definitely think he was pushing the "gay brother" bit.
He caught Rachel's eyes as she sang "love", straight to him. Yeah. Even with the whiplash of their early confusion, and the uncertainty of their current pace... that was how he felt. Not to push it on her, but yeah, especially when they could relax together, he knew this was the real deal.
The pair continued on, finishing the song, and at the end Finn rose to applaud them. To sell that song to a pub crowd was really something, and Rachel's voice especially was so beautiful. Finn felt he could listen to her forever.
"We really should sing together more, our voices go together so well," Blaine was telling her enthusiastically as they returned to the table. "You should have been Cosette! Though please don't tell Viola I said that."
Rachel flushed at the compliment as she sat back at her place. "Thank you but – we both know I could never be Cosette," she demurred. "Not grown-up Cosette. Viola is much more the right type."
Finn looked curiously at Rachel. This didn't sound much like her – she was normally so confident about being able to play roles. Type? What type is this? He tried to think back to when he'd picked her up from rehearsal, were they talking about that blonde girl? He didn't remember anyone else, other than Rachel of course, the director Ryan, Blaine with his "didn't know you had a boyfriend" bit, and some girl that had been near them on stage.
"Viola?" he asked.
"The girl who was on stage with us," Rachel explained. "Tall, pretty, blonde."
Finn shrugged. "Oh, her. Didn't really pay attention to her."
"Oh, everyone pays attention to Viola."
"I don't," Blaine put in. "I'd be much happier singing with you."
Rachel gave Finn a pointed look and mouthed see? But as far as Finn was concerned, Blaine not noticing some blonde girl didn't mean he was gay. Not when Rachel was around to notice instead. He turned his attention back to his drink as the other two continued to talk about whoever-that-was, Blaine arguing and Rachel demurring.
Until something Rachel said grabbed his attention.
"... but she looks the part, Cosette has to be so pretty that Marius falls in love at first sight..."
Wait, what?
Finn looked over at his girlfriend, who seemed to be saying this quite seriously. Why couldn't that be Rachel? I mean, that's basically what happened, even if I haven't told her that exactly...
Did she really think that it hadn't happened? What did she think they were doing? Or was it that it couldn't happen, at least to her? Had she really thought he himself, her own boyfriend, would have paid attention to that other girl, when she herself was right there?
Rachel was seriously selling herself short.
Probably after a long history of the people around her doing it for her. Other than her dads, of course, but it's not like they could show her she was romantic lead material.
But Finn could. If there was one way he could help push away the cheerleaders trying to tear her down, protect her from them, this was it.
Finn's decision was made even before he realized he was considering it, which was just as well since that way his fear didn't have time to set in. Impulse, go. He downed his water and excused himself, and Rachel and Blaine went on talking while he took a roundabout way that made it look like he was going to the washroom but instead headed to the karaoke booth.
The stage was empty, and the guy-in-charge seemed happy to have some new blood, as he put it.
Um.
If I don't, I'll wish I had, Finn told himself. Man up and sing.
Sure he knew they completely outclassed him on this, and they'd been not-always-that-constructively critiquing the others, but – he meant it, and that should count for something.
He did his best to ignore Rachel's wide-eyed startled face as he was introduced, then stepped up the the mike, looking transfixed at the screen for the lyrics. Sure he knew this one cold, it was an oldie, but every support should help. (**)
Pretty woman, walking down the street
Pretty woman, the kind I like to meet
Pretty woman
I don't believe you, you're not the truth
No one could look as good as you
Mercy
He tried to roll his 'r' a little, not all that well, but the passionate look he gave Rachel was stronger. And she was looking right back at him, her hand at her throat.
He hoped that was good. Not that she thought he was choking or whatever.
Pretty woman, won't you pardon me
Pretty woman, I couldn't help but see
Pretty woman
That you look lovely as can be
Are you lonely just like me
Wow
Finn's energy surged as he got into the song. He had sung it before – hard not to try a little karaoke, spending time with Kurt – but it had been a while. And he hadn't felt anywhere near the truth in those words before.
Pretty woman, stop a while
Pretty woman, talk a while
Pretty woman, give your smile to me
Pretty woman, yeah yeah yeah
Pretty woman, look my way
Pretty woman, say you'll stay with me
'Cause I need you, I'll treat you right
Come with me baby, be mine tonight
He smiled at Rachel, and was elated to see her smile in return. Um, not that he was pushing for that exactly, not tonight. But yeah. Be mine.
Finn kept going to finish the song, and was soon relieved to get the applause of the crowd. More their kind of music, he figured, so at least that was a help in terms of the audience's reception. Rachel seemed happy too, standing and beaming though not clapping, he hoped happy enough to skip the critiquing. And he really wanted her to get his message, that hell yes a guy could fall for her in a heartbeat. He was that guy.
He smiled self-consciously as he reached the table. "So how was I? Be kind, okay, I haven't sung all that much and I'm really rusty."
"Oh," Rachel gasped. "Finn, I – I've never had –" she launched into his arms. "No-one's ever," she choked out, her breath coming in pants against his neck. She kissed him. "You take my breath away," she whispered.
He kissed her back. "Just returning the favor."
Their evening out didn't last much longer. Rachel's hand found a home on Finn's knee, and she was too distracted by him next to her to respond to Blaine's attempts to restart a conversation. Blaine soon excused himself, pleading a need for beauty sleep. Finn insisted on paying the bill.
And sure, he'd make nice and get a ticket for the guy, he didn't want to get between Rachel and her friends. Like Kurt had advised him, all that really mattered was Rachel, and that who she wanted was him.
* Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do), written by Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen. Chosen partly in 'honor' of Tropical Storm Arthur.
** Oh, Pretty Woman, written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees.
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