(Disclaimer: It's a fan fiction website and I'm writing fiction based on a show of which I am a fan. And that's as far as it goes. I'm just a fan.)

Chapter 14: Bare

Brittany was a bit disturbed because she didn't know how to feel about this. Rachel had come to realize that it wasn't just a conversation topic Britt had brought up; it was really something that was bothering her.

They were at the mirror in the ladies room after the "Bare – The Musical" rehearsal they were at the college to watch, and Rachel had answered what she thought was just an interesting thought-provoking type question when Brittany had asked why it was so hot to watch those two guys kissing on stage. "Well, it's two gorgeous guys, which is nice to look at," she had quipped, but the look on Brittany's face showed that it wasn't just a conversation point. She thought a bit deeper and offered, "I guess love is love, and it's always beautiful to see. Especially when actors are as amazing as those two are, right?"

Brittany kind of nodded her head, but she asked, "I don't get why it would be so hot for a girl to see that, though. It doesn't make any sense to me. Not really. I don't know what to think about that."

"Well… maybe it's like when you're watching a movie, when the handsome actor is saying romantic lines to the girl, you kind of put yourself in her place, and when he kisses her you're still in her place, but when the camera is on her, then you're just analyzing what you would have said if that had been you, and stuff like that. So if it's two guys, you can listen to the lines from either one or both of them and imagine yourself on the receiving end of all those romantic lines, and you can look at both gorgeous faces and imagine yourself looking at someone like that." She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe it's because you can imagine yourself in a scene like that the whole time, and you never get pulled out of the moment when the camera turns to the girl instead." She suddenly shook her head, realizing something. "I, well I don't know."

Brittany actually looked upset.

So Rachel thought of another thing. "You know, the most passionate love stories in fiction and movies and all, are the against-all-odds ones, the ones that have the couples fighting to be together because their love is so strong. Right? So, even though I wish it wasn't this way, whenever you have a gay relationship starting up, they have a lot of odds to face that are just inherent in the fact that they're gay in a world where there are obstacles that shouldn't be there but they are. So in fiction, that ramps up the passion and the effect it has on the audience when they beat the odds and get together. Do you think that's what it is?"

Brittany gave a non-committal shake of her head and just said, "I don't picture myself looking at either one of the guys. I don't really imagine being in the scene like that, not even in movies. It never seems to apply to me."

As they headed back to the rest of their group, Rachel worked on more questions for Brittany that she'd bring up another time.

Rachel's actor friend Charles was laughing at something Artie had said as the girls joined them at the table. Brittany asked him as soon as she sat down, "So are you two a couple?"

Charles asked her, "Who two?"

"You and the guy who plays Peter," Brittany clarified.

"Oh, no. We're not a couple. I'm straight."

"Well, you're very good actors, then. That was some convincing kissing."

Charles laughed and thanked her for complimenting his acting.

Dave asked him if it's weird kissing a guy on stage like that, "If you're straight, does it bother you?"

"Nah, not at all," was Charles' immediate response, "Kissing a girl on stage is the same… if you're not into a girl you're playing opposite and you have to kiss her, it's like kissing a dinner plate or something. It's just nothing. It's no problem or anything. It's all just acting. Jordan's gay, but I think him kissing me is not much different than him kissing a girl on stage. The only bad thing is if you actually are into a girl you have to kiss. That's when you have a hard time getting your acting in gear, because it's distracting. But even then, as soon as you're in front of everyone, and all the rest of the cast and everything, you're just feeling nothing but the pressure to act and interpret the scene well and even just remember your lines and all that."

Even though Dave was becoming more interested in acting lately, the only thing he really noted from that advice from Charles was the fact that the tall and sophisticated-looking and really kind of interesting Jordan, who was walking toward their table at the moment, was gay.

"Hey, Jordan, you in on pizza? We're ordering." Charles called out as he headed over to them.

"Yeah, sure." Jordan sat down, and Charles began introducing him around the table. He didn't say much, but Dave kind of liked that particular trait in people. Cute and quiet.

As they all began getting deeper into a conversation about musical theater trends, it turned out Jordan was not the quiet type at all, he's too into asserting his opinion on everything, but he sure is something to look at, which made up for that in Dave's mind.

There's a way a person can look at you sometimes, that makes it unmistakable what they are thinking. So when Dave said he was going to check out the display in the entrance of the Theater Arts Building, Jordan followed him.

Jordan found that Dave really was standing in front the display, so he put his hand on his lower back as he said, "Hey." Dave never had anyone touch him so easily before. It was almost a shock. He turned (and as he moved of course that caused Jordan's hand to slide along his back since he hadn't removed his hand yet) and he looked up into Jordan's eyes, letting out a quick breath.

Jordan answered his questioning look with one of those little nods of acceptance that say so much. Dave took one step forward and was surrounding the guy just like that. Their lips crushed together and almost immediately their tongues were battling for dominance, but in a good way. Dave tugged Jordan's shirt out from being tucked in, so he could run a hand up his back. Eventually his hands made it to Jordan's chest and the way he was responding with little moans made Dave think he would die if he didn't push this guy up against a wall right now and… But as soon as he did, and both hands flew down Jordan's sides to grab his hips, he felt the beginnings of possible tears welling in his eyes. Is this… fear? No. Love? No, duh. Regret? Definitely not. Sadness? Heck no. He searched his brain for a source of this feeling, and he came up with nothing besides something related to relief. He pulled back, and looked into Jordan's eyes. The answers really weren't there, but the guy sure was hot. He kissed him again, crushing their bodies together against that handy wall, and realized this is where he belongs. Kissing a sexy guy. But is it this guy who is giving him these weird feelings? No… well, kind of, but not like deep feelings for this guy he only just met. Maybe when he gets to know him? His kisses became more gentle and soft, figuring out how to wind down a hot kissing session by cooling down a bit, and as the kisses turned sweet, he gradually came to the realization that this whole sex thing is about feelings. Damn. His dominant thought was, Great. Turns out I am a total teddy bear when it comes to guys. Oh crap, not that again. That's what his sister used to call him: "a big teddy bear," until he started punching her every time she did, and by the time her arm got tired of that abuse she finally stopped calling him that. A big teddy bear? No. Definitely not me. "Dave Karofsky: Badass football player, killer lacrosse fiend, and sweet as heck in the sack." No. That's definitely not it. Maybe it's just this guy, maybe I just like kissing this guy a little softer… damn it, I don't know.

Jordan looked up as if to inquire what made Dave's escalating aggression with his lips and hands and teeth and… everything, begin to wane instead. He searched Dave's eyes with simple curiosity and amusement. Dave's mind whispered "let me take you out for coffee or something" but his lips could only manage, "We should get back, I think that was the pizza guy at the other doors." He did, however, pause to give him one last soft and lingering kiss.

They got back to the table just as Charles and Rachel were getting the price from the pizza guy and starting to divide the total to figure out how much each of them should contribute. Brittany just took a slice of pizza and bit into it, saying, "four eighty each." Jordan looked over at Charlie's phone where he was entering their calculations, and was saying, "Did you calculate the tip before the tax?" All the rest of them were already taking their money out, Santana was already eating a slice of pizza, and seeing Brittany hand over a $5 bill, did the same. Brittany, used to people ignoring her in these situations, simply said, "Five dollars each would make it closer to a 20% tip, though, which is nicer."

Charles and Jordan completed their calculations and Charles announced, "Four eighty each is exactly 15% tip calculated before taxes and then adding the taxes in to the total. But $5 is easier for everyone to make change."

At that point none of them were listening, as everyone else had already forked over their $5 each and were already eating their pizza, Santana saying "That's my girl" and Artie saying to Charles, "You learn to just trust her. I never bother with calculators anymore." They all resumed talking and laughing and eating their pizza, except for Jordan, who scoffed and took Charles's phone to do the calculations again. "Five dollars each would be a 19.7% tip. …Oh. OK." Then he almost dropped the phone when Santana "accidentally" stepped on his foot on her way to sit next to Brittany.

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