A/N: I loove you. Have some Niff. And also, I don't own Glee, because if I did, the show would be about the Warblers. No question.

Chapter Three:

"Anyhow, it wasn't until the Sexy lesson that Nick finally caught on. Under the cover of tons and tons of bubbles, Nick finally kissed Jeff. Jeff was surprised, but very, very happy. They went back to their room to continue kissing and they've been dating ever since."

"We've got to hold another emergency meeting," Blaine said, setting down his coffee.

"Why?" Kurt laughed.

"Weren't you listening? The judges at Regionals have their eye out for something new, which means the Warblers gotta do something sexified," Blaine said. He grinned.

"Turn to the left," Nick instructed. Jeff did so. "Now your other left." Jeff turned the other direction slowly. "I don't get it, what am I looking at?"

"Never mind," Jeff sighed. He jumped onto his bed and stuffed his head into his pillow, groaning exasperatedly.

"I love your hair!" Nick protested. "I've always loved your hair."

"You're jealous of my hair, there's a difference," Jeff said, "and yours is getting pretty good too."

"Because I haven't seen my mom in a while," Nick replied.

"Anyone who would cut off a man's hair is definitely psycho," Jeff said. "It's the source of my power."

"Calm down, Sampson," Nick laughed.

"No, I'm serious," Jeff said. "I'll show you, come on." He jumped out of bed, seized Nick's arm, and dragged him out to the quad. "Watch that guy over there. The blond." Nick stared very intently at the indicated junior. Jeff shook his hair lazily, then pushed it out of his face. The guy immediately sprung up from his bench and walked over to them. Nick absolutely stared, because there was Jeff and some guy hitting it off right in front of him.

It had never occurred to Nick that Jeff didn't like him in that way. He'd always just assumed he did. But now, seeing this other guy make the moves on his man – well, not his man, but his best friend at any rate, and the guy he wanted to be his man – it made him angry. He suppressed the urge to body-check the new guy (especially since he was taller even than Jeff), settling for standing there awkwardly while he listened to the two of them make plans. Finally the guy was moving away and Jeff turned back to Nick.

"See what I mean?" Jeff grinned.

"How did you learn to do that?" Nick asked.

"Middle school wasn't all bad," Jeff laughed.

"You-you had a boyfriend in middle school?" Nick asked.

"If you could call him that, I guess," Jeff shrugged. "It was fun. Why? Jealous the socially awkward kid with no self-esteem could get a date?"

"No, of course not," Nick said quickly.

"I think you are," Jeff teased. "We'll get you another date. Just because you bombed the last one, there's no reason to give it up."

How did Jeff still think Nick was straight after all the time the two had spent together? Wasn't it obvious Nick was pining for Jeff? Oh. Maybe it wasn't? Nick should make a move on Jeff, then, just to make it obvious. But what if Jeff didn't like him like that? What if Jeff only liked him as a friend?

"Besides, there are, like, 3 billion girls on the planet, you'll find a good one," Jeff continued. "We wouldn't want you to get a bad one. I'll teach you the hair thing, mmkay?"

"Uh… yeah, definitely," Nick said, completely oblivious to whatever Jeff had just said. He'd been lost in his thoughts.

"Are you listening in there, Nicky?" Jeff laughed.

"Of course I am," Nick said, shaking his head vigorously. "Yes, yes. I'm here."

"Good," Jeff said, still laughing a bit. "Come on, we need to figure out what I'm going to wear on my date tonight."

"You have a date tonight?" Nick asked.

"Sure, why not?" Jeff shrugged. "Well, I mean, it's Thursday, but other than that?"

"I… I don't know," Nick said. "That's… fantastic. Let's find you something to wear."

It was the worst thing Nick had ever experienced, helping Jeff get ready for his date. He looked fabulous, of course, but that wasn't the point, really.

"Wish me luck?" Jeff asked, almost flirtatiously.

"All the luck in the world," Nick replied, trying to smile. "I Niff you."

"I Niff you too," Jeff grinned, before leaving their dorm room. Nick managed to hold out a full minute before he broke down.

Jeff didn't love him.

Jeff had had other boys, maybe tons, although that seemed unlikely.

Now that Nick thought about it, he vaguely recalled Jeff going out with someone on odd nights for some months the year before, and he hadn't thought anything of it. No wonder Jeff didn't really think of him like that. God, Nick was more oblivious than Blaine!

Nick vowed that if he and Jeff made it through this snafu, he'd make sure Blaine and Kurt got together.

Jeff came back from his date around midnight, grinning wide, and missing the tie he'd been wearing, fortunately not his uniform one, just a plain black one.

"Hey, you're still awake," Jeff giggled as he walked in. Nick looked up from his computer, trying to look like he hadn't stayed up this late on purpose waiting for Jeff to get back.

"Lost track of time," Nick said, shrugging. "How was your date?"

"Oh, you know," Jeff grinned. Nick made the executive decision to hate the idiot Jeff was dating. "I don't kiss and tell."

"Obviously," Nick replied, before he could really stop himself. He stood up from his desk and threw himself at his bed.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Jeff asked, a little hurt.

"Why didn't you tell me you'd had boyfriends?" Nick asked.

"I don't even…" Jeff said. "Why do you care?"

"I'm just wondering what else you've kept from me," Nick sighed. "We're supposed to be best friends."

"We are. We are best friends," Jeff said, sitting down on the edge of Nick's bed. "I'll tell you anything. Whatever you want to know."

"Do you like him? The guy you went out with tonight?" Nick asked.

"Of course, he's gorgeous and so funny!" Jeff exclaimed.

"How many others have there been?" Nick asked, quietly.

"A few. Three. Uh… four," Jeff said, uncertainly. "Hold on." He counted silently on his fingers for a moment. "Four." Nick sighed inwardly. "No, wait, there was Jason in seventh grade, then in eighth there was AJ and Kevin, then last year Brian… you knew about Brian, right? You used to come out with us all the time. And now Chris, and oh my God, Chris. Five. What about you, Nick?"

"Um, nope, I never dated anyone," Nick said. "I went on a date, I guess. If you want to count that disaster."

"Oh my God, I'm brilliant," Jeff said, suddenly. "Come out with me and Chris tomorrow night, his best friend would love you. She's amazing, really." Nick looked unconvinced.

"I don't know, J…" Nick began.

"Nicky, it's me. Would I set you up with someone who wasn't perfect for you? I Niff you!" Nick had to admit he had a point.

"I Niff you too."

Jeff smiled and twirled his way into the bathroom. He'd long given up that Nick could possibly be interested in him, long, long, long ago, like forever and a billion years ago, and he didn't even really want Nick to, now that he thought about it. Losing his best friend like that… well, that wouldn't be pretty. He'd admit he'd had a brief infatuation with his best friend when he was eleven or twelve, but it was passing fancy, and by the time they'd seen each other again, it had passed him by.

Chris though.

It wasn't something he thought he'd ever be able to do – just meet a guy and have him be absolutely perfect, not mention have the other like him back. His first kiss with Jason in the seventh grade – it could barely count as anything, but people had found out about the two of them, forced them apart. It was different with AJ, they'd been very quiet about it. Stolen kisses behind closed doors, still, they'd been forced apart.

Kevin had been after Jeff's bout with depression. After Nick had invoked Clause 14 (stealing his dad's emergency credit card to buy a plane ticket, and getting himself grounded for all eternity, but fortunately not from Jeff, after they'd both proved to their parents how much they needed each other), after it was all over, and the bullies were at bay. Kevin had been Jeff's first real boyfriend. They went to the movies and held hands, hugged, kissed, snogged, experimented, even. They'd broken up when Jeff had left to go to Texas in July the summer after eighth grade, and they'd never seen each other again.

Brian was amazing. He was gorgeous, a junior when Jeff was a freshman. Brian had asked him out in January, and Jeff had agreed hesitantly. After Blaine had come in February though, Jeff got a huge surge of confidence, and he and Brian had moved to full boyfriend status. They'd dated until the end of school in June, when Jeff had anxiously broken it off – he wasn't sure what his parents would say. Brian was a senior this year, he and Jeff were civil to each other if they saw each other, not bitter, more on the level of 'that was fun, but it's in the past' (besides the one or two times they'd gotten together in the fall for the heck of it. Those didn't count).

Now Chris.

Chris.

Chris was amazing, 6'1 and blond and fit and so funny. He was a junior, captain of the Lacrosse team, and genuinely interested in Jeff.

It was very surreal for Jeff that anyone could be interested in him, because of his self-esteem problems, but he hadn't really had that problem in a long time. Nick told him every day how amazing he was, the perfect best friend. Yeah, Nick was pretty cool. Jeff had always really liked him, felt a certain bond to him, but let's face it, an hour ago in Chris's single dorm on the fourth floor of the other dorm building across campus, he hadn't been thinking about Nick, not in the slightest.

Friday evening came far too soon for Nick's taste. Yes, Emily was perfect and amazing. She was a junior at Crawford Country Day, and pretty, and whatever, but Nick wasn't feeling it. He definitely knew he had feelings for Jeff now, and he assumed from the way he was openly leering at Jeff all through dinner that Emily knew as well. She was cool about it at the end of the night when Jeff and Brian disappeared to God-knows-where. She kissed him on the cheek, laughing, and wished him all the luck in the world.

He would need it.

"Warblers, Warblers, please, this afternoon, please! We are going to be performing Animal by Neon Trees for our sisters at Crawford Country Day. Kurt and I have learned that the judges at Regionals are going to be scoring a little extra for … sexy," Blaine announced. Wes didn't seem to care that Blaine wasn't even close to being on the council, and nor did anyone else. He pretty much had free reign.

"All Warblers opposed?" Wes asked. No one bothered to raise their hands.

"How'd it go with Emily?" Jeff asked Nick as they stood in line, waiting to perform. Nick shook his head. "That sucks. It's not going so well with Chris either. I mean, physically, oh my God, but I don't know, he's gorgeous and everything but there's nothing emotional there."

"So you broke up?" Nick asked.

"I guess you could say that," Jeff said. "We weren't really boyfriends or anything, just went on a couple dates. Two dates and then yesterday."

"Is that what people do?" Nick asked. Jeff shrugged.

"Depends."

"Depends on what?"

"Depends on the people," Jeff said. "How do you not know this stuff? I thought I was the socially awkward one." He reached up to push his hair out of his face and at least six of the girls from Crawford Country Day getting lectured by Blaine swooned. Nick fixed his jacket, trying to ignore how sexy Jeff's hair really was.

It was hard to miss, Jeff's sexiness. It was hard to believe someone that hot had self-esteem issues, but Nick supposed it could happen to anybody.

Then they started singing and for the love of God, Kurt, what on earth are you doing? Even Nick could fake sexy better than that and he'd never even thought about it that much. Then Nick started noticing everyone.

Thad. David. Wes. Even Trent, they were all damn hot! And Blaine, obviously… It was like madness. Suddenly, even though he knew he was dancing and singing and there were people all around, all he could see was Jeff and his dance moves. His hair was a little messed up and his blazer was undone, but then Nick had taken his off entirely.

Kurt and Blaine released the bubbles, and even though there were people all around and bubbles everywhere and they were still singing, Nick found Jeff in the madness and kissed him. Kissed him good.

After all the bubbles were gone, and Nick and Jeff were back in their room, Jeff finally looked over at Nick.

"Was it… did you…" Jeff seemed unable to get the words together. It had been bubbly, Jeff hadn't known it was Nick who kissed him. Was Jeff mad? Nick might be able to play it off like he hadn't…

"It was me," Nick admitted, looking at the ground.

"You…" Jeff began again, gesticulating with his hands as if they could say something his mouth couldn't.

"Yup."

"Why?"

"Wanted to," Nick said. "Seemed outrageous at the time that we never have."

"I… I d-don't…" Jeff stuttered.

"Figured you didn't," Nick finished the unsaid thought. "That's cool. Thought it might be something we tried." He finally forced himself to look up at Jeff, who looked on the point of tears.

"I-I-I," Jeff tried to speak. Nick was unsure if he should get up and try to help or not, so he stayed put. "I Niff you, so freaking much, Nicky."

"I Niff you too," Nick replied automatically. "And I'm sorry, I just thought it would be okay."

"No," Jeff said. "It is okay. It is definitely okay." The parts of Jeff's brain that he'd forcibly shut down years and years ago that pined endlessly for Nick were restarting themselves, booting up, getting ready, gearing themselves for what was about to happen. "Way more than okay." His language centers didn't seem to be able to cope with the changes and his voice was coming out all high and incoherent.

"You okay?" Nick asked, concerned, finally standing up from his bed and moving towards Jeff, afraid he'd triggered something awful in his best friend, and that was the last thing he wanted. As soon as he got within reach, however, Jeff grabbed Nick by the tie and smashed their lips back together, lips saying wordlessly what the brain wanted to communicate.

It was heaven.

A/N: So, uh, just as a favor to me, if you're actually reading and keeping up with this story, leave me a review? I really like to interact with my readers. We can talk, or not, if you don't want to. I just get lonely sometimes, with nothing to do but manipulate fictional characters who've never had an on-screen conversation. Did you like it? Did you not like? You're gonna hate me right off here, I mean what do you do in a story billions of chapters long when they get together in chapter three? Draaamaaa. Enjoy.

I love you all anyway.
Samantha.