FRENCH LESSONS

[SCENE FILLER. This is just silly finchel fluff 'cause I felt like it. Let's call it Season 1, a post-babygate / pre Hell-O scene, since the last chapter had already referenced a period of a few weeks where they were hanging out. And KISSING. Lots of kissing. eventually with tongue (and loads of laughing). I kind of wanted to know how exactly THAT worked out and figured maybe you did too? =) Ooo La La ... ENJOY!]

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His skin was on FIRE. Like, ALL of his skin. Skin in places he didn't even recognize as capable of getting hot. Like between his toes and the arch of his foot and inside his ear canals.

Rachel's kisses were so addictive and made him crazy with need and he didn't wanna show it but he was just head to toe burning.

She'd only just stopped over (at his request this time, since his mom was working until midnight again) to bring a fresh batch of muffins she'd made – a new recipe (chocolate raspberry truffle, which were the best things he's ever tasted in his life) and maybe play a few games of 500 Rummy.

So they ate some pizza (which he'd just called for delivery before she arrived). She'd picked off the pepperoni from her slice this time and he totally didn't mind, because she plopped them on his slice instead. When he questioned her about it, she informed him that technically she's a vegan and had already cheated on her diet once this month when she ate the tuna casserole his mother had cooked for the three of them a week ago.

"Rach, I'm so sorry! I didn't know, I mean, you ate pepperoni when we went bowling. Why didn't you say something sooner? We coulda figured out something else for you, maybe a salad or something–"

"It's fine Finn, seriously. I do need the extra protein once and a while, although I should probably pay better attention to kosher rules. And your mother's cooking is entirely too wonderful to have disappointed her that way. I do eat fish occasionally but I try to avoid dairy."

"And yet you're eating cheese pizza tonight."

"Which is why I gave you my pepperoni. I didn't want to cheat THAT MUCH all in one night."

He just laughed at her weird Rachel logic and went about hoovering three more slices of pizza. Afterward they played cards for a little bit until he beat her two games out of three and she suggested a game of truth or dare instead.

He usually only played that one as a drinking game at parties when he was already half toasted, and had never played it with Rachel yet.

He was a little weirded out at the idea at first, mostly because he was stone cold sober and afraid she was gonna ask him stuff about how he felt about her or worse, THEY WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED. But after the first two times they'd hung out, once he'd thoroughly vented his anger and hurt over the whole lying-cheating-baby thing, she hadn't discussed it again unless he did first; for that, he was grateful.

He also thought maybe it would be a kind of fun way to get to know each other better by playing a game like this, and figured if she did ask him a truth question that he wasn't comfortable answering, he'd just switch to dare and hope she took the hint.

They were about five questions in and he decided this game was more fun playing it sober with Rachel than half drunk at the parties he was accustomed to, but it still felt weird to not have a red solo cup or a can of PBR in his hand and he found himself chugging a lot more Coke than normal.

He chuckled, practically daring her to accept the idea that popped into his head. A sudden overwhelming curiosity of what a drunk Rachel would look like was killing his curiosity. "We could make this game more interesting if we were drinking. I think mom has some peach schnapps or something in the kitchen cabinet."

She looked at him with astonished disapproval. "Finn, we're not raiding your mother's alcoholic beverages! That would be rude, and also quite illegal and irresponsible since we're both under age."

He laughed at her over-the-top protest. "Aw come on Rach, live a little! Nobody would have to know. TRUTH – have you ever even had any booze before?"

She crossed her arms and jutted out her chin proudly. "YES! As a matter of fact, I had a sip of wine at my cousin's bat mitzvah when daddy wasn't looking! It was disgusting though and I really didn't see what all the fuss was about."

"Sip of wine huh? Oooo you're a real party animal, aren't you Berry?" he joked, poking her sides playfully. They sat on the living room floor at the coffee table, their abandoned card game still scattered on the table top, half of Finn's third muffin still waiting for his next giant bite to polish it off.

"Don't! That tickles Finn!" she slapped at him playfully and grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa to bop him in the face with. In retaliation he went in for a full-on tickle war and soon found himself on top of her pinning her to the floor, in a not-so-unfamiliar way as they'd been in the auditorium a couple months ago.

While he was still pinning her down, straddled over her legs with her wrists firmly in his grasp, she giggled and squirmed below him and then let out a big laughing huff. "Okay I give! No more tickles! It's my turn anyway... truth or dare?"

He continued chuckling at her still struggling helplessly beneath him, debating if he should go in for the sneak tickle attack or trust letting go of her that she wasn't going to retaliate with another pillow whack again. While debating, he contemplated which option between truth and dare to choose and stared into her deep ebony eyes for a long beat, his gaze darting to her lips every few seconds. He saw something soften in her expression and a sort of flash in her eyes that he thought he recognized by now.

Feeling bold, he finally answered with "Dare."

That look in her eye intensified and devilish grin curled at the corners of her lips. "I dare you..." she trailed for a moment, becoming breathless the longer she stared back into his smiling amber eyes. "I dare you to kiss me."

The slight half smirk on his face bloomed into a beautiful dimpled grin. "That's your idea of a dare? Well, it's a big challenge but I think I can handle it." he amped up the cockiness of his tone and winked at her. "Brace yourself, Miss Berry."

And he finally released her wrists, but only so he could put his hands on either side of her head for support as he lowered his face to hers. They started with a sweet small kiss which she reciprocated with ease. These are the kisses he was used to with her by now. But as they continued moving their lips together, it crossed his mind that she'd DARED him to kiss her... not to mention, these sweet lips-only kisses were so awesome that he wanted more. He figured it was time to step it up.

His tongue gently poked out from behind his teeth, brushing just the very tip of it between her two pillowy soft lips and she made this sound that was somewhere between a squeal and a laugh that got stuck in her throat. He didn't pull back though since she seemed to make no move to stop him. He poked his tongue out a little further, leaving it flaccid and up to her to accept or reject the gesture. When she opened her mouth a little wider, he took it as an invitation of acceptance, so he allowed his tongue to probe a little deeper and felt himself hardening as her tongue met his for the first time.

Then she burst into crazy giggles. Every inch of him was already burning from that 1.37 seconds of tongue-to-tongue contact and she was laughing hysterically beneath him. Naturally he ceased all actions and started to pull away when she halted him.

"I'm sorry Finn, I'm sorry don't... don't stop. We can try that again, if you want to."

"Why, so you can laugh at me some more? I didn't think my kisses were that funny," he teased with mock irritation, one of his large hands sliding to her ribs threatening to resume the tickle fight.

"No! Of course they aren't... I promise not to laugh this time. Try again," she insisted.

He took a deep breath and looked at the beautiful big eyed girl with her hair fanned out like a halo around her head on the thick shag rig of his living room floor. She really was a sight to behold and he felt those butterflies (or whatever dudes get. Grasshoppers maybe?) flapping around in his belly again. He was pretty sure Rachel Berry was trying to kill him or something.

But he wasn't about to turn down the chance to keep kissing her, so he went back in for more. This time he wasn't tentative. His tongue meant business, sliding in deep to explore her mouth. She probed back with her tongue very shyly at first, and as their tongues finally slid together, his underneath and swirling on the side of hers, he felt the vibration bubbling out of her in a choked guffaw. Soon her whole body was shaking from the laughter she was trying to stifle.

He stopped again, laughing himself at the sight of her as the giggle fit finally took over.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry," she tittered and gasped for air. "I didn't mean to, it just.. It tickles!"

He blinked, looking into her eyes with a certain awe and curiosity. "Well that's a new one, never heard anyone say that about my kisses," he teased. "Okay Rach, TRUTH – have you never been French kissed before?"

He watched her cheeks turn a lovely shade of deep pink. "No, I haven't."

"So that means I'm your first? I can be like, your French teacher then?" He smirked proudly.

Her giggles finally extinguished, replaced with a more sober, pensive look. "I suppose that would be a reasonable assumption, and quite fitting actually. Finn, you might not realize it, but... when we kissed in the auditorium that day? That was my first real kiss. Ever."

He watched her blush spread to her neck and she looked away. He could tell she was embarrassed. "Really, you're not kidding? Wow... you're really good at it. I wouldn't have guessed that was your fist time." Warmth swelled in his chest at the thought. He'd been her first kiss... and the more they continued this 'kissing practice', the more he wanted to do other firsts with her as well.

"Yeah? You think so?"

"Yeah I do. I really like kissing you."

"I really like kissing you too. And I'm sorry for laughing so much it's just... I mean, the feeling of our tongues touching it's... it's new for me, you know? It feels wonderful, but I didn't realize it would tickle so much. Not just in my mouth... I'm not sure how to explain. Does it tickle you too?"

He had to stop to think how best to answer that question. Maybe girls don't get boners but they get other girl part feelings, and maybe that's what she's talking about now? Because he knows where he feels 'tickled' and that's not exactly the sensation he'd describe it as... and she certainly doesn't have the same 'equipment' to really understand anyway.

"Uh... Yeah, sorta. Like... I feel it in my belly." And in many other places that he was NOT going to admit to. "But that's good I think... I think it means we're doing it right. It's how you know it's a good kiss."

"Kiss me again Finn. I'll do my very best not to laugh, I swear."

He complied once again, this time sitting them upright so they were sorta side by side (he needed to do something before she noticed the circus coming to town in his pants, but he sure didn't want to stop kissing her yet until he got to right to that line he didn't really wanna cross yet. The one that would result in him bolting up to his room for a change of undershorts.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and the other behind her neck as he reeled her in for another deep kiss, tilting his head to deepen it. He felt her tongue boldly slide between his lips first and dart bravely over his, deep into his mouth. As he twisted his tongue around hers and applied a fair amount of suction, the giggles burst out of her like a canon.

If nothing else, her giggle interruptions were keeping the mailman at bay.

Still ratcheting down her laughter, she looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry Finn! I'll get better, I promise! Practice makes perfect, right?"

He commenced another tickle battle against her ribs, poking her and catching her around the waist, practically pulling her into his lap. At a certain point she ended up straddling his thighs and this time she dominated him by gripping his wrists and pinning them to the floor on either side of his legs. "No more tickles!" she commanded.

He belly laughed hard then. He knew he could easily break free from her strong grip and have her on her back again in the blink of an eye, but he let her win this round. "Okay Rach. I promise, I'll be good."

Their eyes stayed connected, each daring the other to be the first to look away. Their breathing was becoming a little heavier, something heavy sparking in the atmosphere around them. It felt intense and Finn could feel his grasshoppers starting to jump with anticipation again. She leaned in against his lips and continued where they'd left off, with minimal giggles this time.

After what felt like minutes of uninterrupted French kissing, she finally paused. "You're a very good kisser Finn," she breathed against his mouth.

"You're a very good student," he mumbled back. She'd freed his wrists and he immediately set them at her hips, her small body still straddling his lap. He leaned up and into the next round of kisses and his long fingers slid back around her waist just enough to reach the curve of her ass, digging his fingertips in a little and she gasped then fell over in another fit of laughter.

He sat laughing along with her because really, her giggles were actually pretty contagious and sure beat the shitty shitty depression that was gripping him when she wasn't around. "You're way too ticklish," he finally croaked out when he caught his breath again.

"You were squeezing at my... at my behind though, Finn! I didn't expect that."

"Uh... Sorry, that was kind of a reflex." Lie. That was more like his usual M.O., testing the waters. Anyway, he'd already noticed how freaking hot her ass was and had been waiting a long time to actually feel it for himself. He only got a partial grip but so far, it was everything he'd imagined and then some.

Her giggles finally sobered and she was kneeling next to him now. "Maybe we should take a break. Rematch of Rummy?"

"Fine, if you wanna lose again."

"Winner chooses the next movie."

"Deal, but on the off chance you win, we're NOT watching Funny Girl again, okay?" She nodded in agreement, shuffling the cards expertly.

Fifteen minutes and a round of victory-gloating later, Rachel stood up and bolted for the DVD rack.

"Remember, you promised no Barbra," Finn groaned at her in-your-face sore winner attitude.

Having successfully located the film she'd already had in mind, she spun around flashing him the brightest pearly smile. "Don't worry, I make good on my promises. Rachel Berry is nothing if not honest."

"Cool. So what cheesy chick flick am I gonna have to suffer through this time? 'Cause I'm positive you're not all excited like this to watch Braveheart again."

"Nope. I've selected a Meg Ryan classic that is also quite fitting for us this evening."

"Great," he grimaced. "Do you need a drumroll to announce the title? S'not that email one or the sleepy in Seattle one again is it?"

"No – although BOTH of those were wonderful films, and I WILL make sure you stay awake to finish watching at least one of them one day."

He shook his head, doubtful that would EVER be the case, and feeling like this one would be the hattrick of nap time movies for him. "Sure, whatever you say Rach…. Well which one is it then?"

She plopped on the sofa next to him snatching the remote from his grasp and clicked the play button as she proudly leaned over to place a sweet kiss on his cheek. "French Kiss."

He looked at her with a smirk and slung an arm around her shoulders tugging her closer to his side as he muttered, "Good choice."

. . . . .

~F❤️R~