This is a one-shot, probably AU, missing scene(s) from 2.06 Never Been Kissed.

.xo.

Kurt watched with a small smile on his face as Finn leaned down to press a kiss against Rachel's lips, one arm holding onto the top of her open locker and the other gripping her hip lightly.

He longed for that.

Not for him. Not anymore. They were practically brothers.

And definitely not for her.

But for what they had. The closeness; the honesty; the affection. He wanted that with someone.

Someone who wasn't a closeted jock who thought it would be okay to thrust himself upon an unsuspecting victim in the middle of a huge fight in the boys' locker room.

He adjusted the strap on his satchel and plastered a (not so fake anymore) smile on his face as he made his way towards the two cavity-inducing lovebirds.

"So sorry to interrupt, Nathan and Haley, but can I borrow you for a moment?" he asked, the question directed at Rachel. "I just need to ask you a quick question."

"Certainly," she said with a large smile. "I'll see you at lunch?" she questioned her boyfriend. At his nod, she stood on her toes and pressed another quick kiss to his lips before reaching out for Kurt's hand and walking with him down the hallway. "So, what can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you would be available for a sleepover tonight. It's Friday and we have a late Glee rehearsal. I … it would mean a lot to me if you said yes."

Rachel furrowed her brow and tugged him to a stop. She scrutinized his face for a moment before smiling. "This isn't going to end with me in a cat suit again, is it?"

Kurt laughed and pulled her into a hug before shaking his head. "Nope. First, it's just going to be me and you, and that's something I can definitely live without seeing. And second, come by around eight. My dad's been going to sleep around then."

"I could come over earlier, if you wanted. Help settle him down for the night," she offered.

"Carole actually does that," he replied with a smile of his own. "When she's not working, she and Finn usually come by. And it's Friday night so I bet she'll be there after eight but she can entertain dad while you and I start our girls' night."

"Sounds like a plan," she smiled before the warning bell went off and she flitted down the hall towards class.

Kurt watched her go, actually quite glad that they'd become friends. Sure, he was friends with Mercedes still, but it seemed like she was growing into her own and he was feeling somewhat left behind. At the end of last year she'd ditched him for Quinn and just a couple of weeks ago he'd been ditched for Santana, of all people.

But Rachel? She understood him. Maybe better than Mercedes had.

He couldn't wait to tell her about Blaine.

-x-

"You mean to tell me you're cancelling our date so you can go hang out with Kurt?" Finn asked as he and Rachel stood beside her locker at the end of school.

"Not cancelling, Finn. Just moving it up. Instead of waiting until five to go bowling, let's just go now."

"But Cosmic Bowling," he pouted softly, the same tone he used when he found out Rachel wanted to throw the duets competition and he wouldn't be getting a free dinner at Breadstix.

Rachel pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she watch her boyfriend try not to show how truly disappointed he was that their date night wouldn't be what was originally planned. Part of her felt terrible that she was changing their plans so she could spend time with Kurt. But the other part, the admittedly slightly larger part, was so glad that he finally considered her a friend that she was willing to do just about anything to keep it that way.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, her hand moving up to cup his cheek. "I know how much you love Cosmic Bowling. But Kurt … he … it's just … me and him are a lot alike, Finn. We both know what it feels like to be different. And now he finally wants to be different together." She let out a frustrated sigh at the confused look on her boyfriend's face. "He's been having a really rough time lately. I think tonight might be some sort of therapy for him. We're probably just going to watch TV, give each other manicures, eat ice cream and gossip." She paused. "And if you accept the fact that I am spending the night with Kurt and act maturely about it, I promise to have Kurt take me shopping tomorrow."

"Uhm, I don't get it," Finn admitted with a pout.

"I'll have him take me to Victoria's Secret," she told him boldly.

"Have fun tonight, babe," Finn said with a smiled as he pressed his lips to her cheek.

She nodded, satisfied, before taking his hand. "Dad is meeting with clients until six tonight and Daddy is at a convention in Chicago until Sunday night. Wanna come over?"

"Can we make out?"

"Of course," Rachel smiled. "Until Dad gets home."

"God, I love you," he whispered before pressing his lips against hers, her body against her locker and his body against hers.

-x-

"Please tell me you didn't just spend the hours leading up to our sleepover making out with my almost-brother," Kurt demanded as he opened the door to see Rachel standing there looking more mussed than he'd ever seen her.

Ever.

"Fine," she told him primly as she stepped into the house and shouldered her bag. "I won't tell you."

Kurt shook his head and clucked his tongue at her. "Carole's with my dad in his room so we can head down to mine if you want to. I have a TV and a fridge down there so we won't need many, if any, provisions."

"Lead the way," she said with a smile as he did just that. "Oh," she continued as they walked down the stairs into his basement bedroom. "Do you think you could go shopping with me tomorrow? Just to the mall?"

"Sweetie, you had me at shopping. What is it that we're looking for?" he asked as he motioned for her to place her overnight bag down in the corner by his large mirror.

"Oh, you know, a gift for Finn," she said nonchalantly.

"What kind of gift?" he asked as he settled back onto the couch and motioned for her to do the same. "Are we talking clothes, sports, what?"

"Uhm. Clothes," she admitted as she sat beside him. "But, uhm, not for him to wear."

Kurt stared at her blankly for a moment before it registered what she wanted to shop for. "You want me to take you shopping for naughty girl clothes so you can act all sexy and sultry for Finn?" he screeched.

"You get final say on what I do and do not buy," she bartered quickly before he could start a rant on how wrong it would be for him to know what she was doing with Finn.

"Deal," he said without thinking. "Damnit," he muttered. "You're so going to owe me for this."

"Yeah, yeah," she smiled.

-x-

Two hours and a mini How I Met Your Mother marathon later, Kurt and Rachel sat on his couch, curled together under a blanket that he'd mentioned his mother had knit before her passing. They were both using large spoons to eat Karmel Sutra ice cream straight from the carton.

"So, I met someone," he said slowly as he spooned some more ice cream into his mouth. "When I went undercover at Dalton. I met someone."

"Someone as in a new friend or someone as in something potentially more than a new friend?" she asked as she swiped her tongue across her bottom lip to catch some stray caramel.

"Both," he admitted. "Same guy. Already friends."

"Don't take this the wrong way," Rachel said slowly. "But are you sure he's gay?"

"Yes," Kurt said, a tiny smile on his face. "He came right out and said it. Admittedly, I asked him if he and his two friends were gay, but he said he was and they both had girlfriends. But," he paused to take in another spoonful, "he just came out and said it. His voice didn't crack; he didn't lower his voice or shift his eyes around to make sure no one was watching. He just … he smiled and told me he was gay. Like it wasn't a big deal."

"Maybe it's not to him," Rachel mused. Her eyes scanned his face, noticing how his cheeks grew slightly rosy, his eyes brightened and his smile widened with each sentence he spoke about this new fellow.

"No!" he blurted out, his hand waving the spoon in the air. "It's a huge deal. He said he didn't always go to Dalton. He went to another school where he got bullied and everything because of his sexuality. He said he ran from it."

"How did you two get on that particular topic?"

"I … Karofsky's been particularly brutal lately. And I needed someone to talk to who had been in the same boat as me." At the slightly hurt look on Rachel's face, he put the ice cream down and took her cold hand in his. "He's been there, Rach. With the bullying and the … the abuse. And he told me I had two options. He told me he wished he could tell me to transfer to Dalton and everything would magically be better. But he had done that; he'd run from his problems and he didn't want me to do the same. So he told me to confront Karofsky." He took a deep breath and scooted closer to her, his hands hold hers tighter. "So I did."

Rachel gasped and gripped his hands even tighter. "You did? Oh my goodness! What happened?" Her hands released his and she ran them over his face, through his hair, lifting his sleeves and searching for the bruises she was certain she would find.

And, sickly, she kind of hoped she did. Because her dads were very active in the local ACLU and would be more than happy to take down that stupid Neanderthal.

"It started out normally," Kurt told her, a somber smile on his face. "He yelled derogatory comments at me; I turned bright red and yelled back. And then …" he paused, his eyes going unfocused for a moment before he looked back to his companion. "And then I yelled at him about him being a scared little boy afraid of his mediocre life, or something like that. And then the strangest, most upsetting moment of my life happened."

"Oh, God," Rachel moaned as she took his hand back in hers. "Did he hit you? Pants you?"

"No," Kurt said softly, his eyes locking on hers. "You need to swear, here and now, that you will not repeat this to anyone. Not even Finn. Promise me, Rachel."

She stared into his eyes, seeing the nerves and fear and resolution in them before nodded slightly. "I promise."

"He kissed me."

Her eyes widened and she opened and shut her mouth several times. She managed a squeak once, but other than that, nothing came out.

"And then he tried for a second but I shoved him away. He got mad and left."

"Oh my God!" Rachel cried out as she sat up straighter. "He kissed you? Like, full-on kissed you?"

"Yes," Kurt nodded. "Yes, he did."

"And you pushed him away," she said, not even questioning it.

"I did," he replied with a nod. "And then he was gone."

"So what did you do? I mean, aside from wash your moth out several times?"

"I, uh … I called Blaine," Kurt answered, the smiled creeping back onto his face again.

"So … that's mystery man's name, huh? Blaine?"

Kurt nodded, his smile widening. "He left school and came to McKinley and confronted Karofsky. Of course, Dave got mad and shoved him against the wall but I pushed him off pretty quickly. Blaine … he tried to tell Karofsky that he wasn't alone but he – Dave, that is – just stormed off. And then … we had a moment."

"You and Blaine?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," he responded, a wistful look crossing his delicate features. "I told him I had never been kissed before Wednesday, when Dave had kissed me. And, you know, I thought for a second he was going to kiss me. To try to erase the bad memory. But he didn't," Kurt smiled again, his smile growing even more. "He just, I don't know … he stood up and invited me to go out to have lunch with him. And I went and it was amazing. We talked about everything. Music, movies, school … it was …"

"The best first date of your life?" Rachel asked with a smile of her own.

"Best first non-date of my life," Kurt corrected, though his cheeks were pink and he was nodding slightly. "I just … I really like him, Rachel. He's not afraid to be who he is. He's strong, he's passionate, he's …"

"Cute?" she interjected cheekily.

"Absolutely to die for," he sighed out before collapsing into a mess of giggles. "I cannot believe I just said that."

"It's your first real crush," Rachel said with a smile. "We're not going to count Finn," she added quickly when he opened his mouth to object. She watched him mull it over for a moment and then nod. "It's only natural," she continued. "I felt – heck, I feel – the same way about Finn even now."

"I want him to like me so bad," Kurt admitted. "But I think right now it's only a friends thing."

"Maybe it is," she shrugged. "But it doesn't have to stay that way forever. Start as friends; get to know each other. And maybe things will progress into something more."

"Maybe …" Kurt sighed out, a dreamy smile crossing his lips. He was about to say something else when his phone buzzed with a new text message.

He smiled widely when he read the screen: So proud of you. Had a great time at lunch. Hope we can do it again some time. Don't be afraid to call or text. I'll always answer.

Rachel peered over his shoulder to read the message as well and had to fight back tears. She had never seen Kurt smile like this before. She loved the way it looked on him.

"Kurt?" she asked quietly as she settled back into the sofa cushions.

"Yeah?" he asked as he typed back a quick reply and settled himself as well.

"I think I'd like to meet your Blaine. If that's okay with you."

"Sure. I don't see why not. But, uh, why?" he asked.

"Because he makes you smile in a way that I've never seen you smile before and I like it. I want to thank him … without embarrassing you … for giving you a reason to smile. He seems like a great guy, Kurt. A really great guy. And you deserve someone like that in your life."

Kurt cleared his throat, trying to keep the tears that were threatening to make an appearance at bay. "I'll text him tomorrow to see if he wants to meet us for lunch at the mall," he told her as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "Thank you," he whispered.

"For being the only one to notice that anything's changed."

She smiled wetly and pulled him tighter against her. "You're welcome."

-FIN(N)!-