It was a Wednesday afternoon, and Kurt found himself surprisingly without plans. It was a bit strange, because before he'd reunited with Blaine and Wes, Kurt had spent most of his afternoons going home and helping his dad out in the shop, helping Carole make dinner or even hanging out with Mercedes and Rachel. Sometimes he even helped Finn with his Spanish. But ever since that fateful day, Kurt couldn't seem to get an afternoon to himself. He was either driving to Dalton to see the guys or they were driving here to meet him for coffee at the Lima Bean. Kurt was never without a coffee date these days.

He didn't feel like anything had changed. He was still just Kurt Hummel. He hadn't done anything to climb the social ladder and he was definitely still being harassed, but… he was starting to feel different. Little by little. It was as though his self-esteem was playing hot and cold most days, but today… he felt better. He felt like things were maybe looking up. He felt marginally more confident, and he felt more like Kurt. The Kurt he so desperately wanted and needed to be.

So it was sort of a nice feeling to have absolutely nothing to do, and to be able to just go home for a change. He figured he'd chat with Carole and see if she needed any help before going to relieve his Dad from the shop and finish up for the night. Maybe he'd text Blaine or Wes tonight to make plans for the next day.

It was as he was still pondering the possibilities for the next day that he felt an arm link its way through his. He turned his head and was surprised to find that it was Santana. The bright red of her cheerios uniform assaulted his senses for a moment and he had to blink a few times before he could think straight.

"If I didn't know you were as gay as a rainbow, Porcelein, I'd say you were staring at my tatas- which I don't know if I'd be completely opposed to. I wouldn't mind getting my mack on with you. Brits says you're pretty good at the whole kissing thing."

Kurt felt a bit blindsided. What the hell was going on here? How did this conversation take such a dangerously awkward turn so quickly? Was she insulting him on purpose? Was he supposed to be upset… was he upset?

"Yeah, maybe if you grew the right parts Santana. Look me up when you do."

He attempted to pull away and keep walking, but she held him in stride with her with a squeeze of her freakishly muscular arms.

"Kurt, wait."

He looked surprised. Santana never called him Kurt; not even when they had been on Cheerios together. He gave her a searching look, trying to find something there that reminded him why they really were friends.

"I was wondering if we could get coffee?"

She looked a little bit anxious, and almost unnoticeably humiliated at being nervous for asking to hang out with him. Santana didn't do nice that well.

To be fair, Kurt didn't always do nice that well himself.

"I just," she continued quickly. "I had fun the other day when we went as a group. I thought maybe you and I could go again. Maybe… um… maybe make it a thing?"

"A thing?" he repeated slowly, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Yeah, like maybe we could do it more than once."

Kurt was sure he was never going to need coffee again. Although he wasn't sure he really minded. He stared at her for a few seconds longer, and finally finding what he needed, he nodded.

"Okay."

Once they'd reached the Lima Bean they had jointly been annoyed to find that the line was rather long. He mustered up a sigh and a smile and dragged her into the line. It was definitely a bit awkward because he and Santana never hung out together alone. Usually there were several others present and the two of them generally tolerated the other's presence. Now here he was, standing in line with Santana Lopez, and he couldn't decide if he was okay with this being a 'thing' or not.

She was definitely grumpy, and Kurt had to think that it couldn't be the having to wait in line for coffee that was making her snippy. Regardless, it made conversation a bit less scintillating than he was used to, and a bit more mindless and fast paced.

"Like old times, eh?" he joked as they moved up the line together. "I've just been severely lacking in Santana-Kurt time."

She shot him a glare.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Come on, you know you've missed me at Cheerio practice."

"I see you everyday, ladylips."

"I think that nickname is a bit unoriginal."

"Yeah, well, if it fits though. If it makes you feel better I've got an even better one for Sam."

"Oh?"

She just smirked.

"Come on, you can't just leave me hanging! What's the name?"

"I'm saving it. For a special occasion."

"Santana!"

"Oh geez, put the eyes away. Trouty Mouth."

Kurt scowled. "Okay, listen. I think that's a bit far don't you? I actually really hate it when you call me ladylips, but Trouty Mouth is just plain hurtful, don't you think? I mean…. you're comparing me to a fish. I do not look like a fish! Fish are all slimy and live in water, and I hate water, and my lips do not look like a fish's lips. Ha. Fish lips. That would be a funny one...um, but please don't call me fish lips either."

"God you're so dumb. That's the name I'm saving for Sam."

A pause.

"Ooooohhh."

"Yeah. Seriously, if this line doesn't start moving I'm going to go all Lima Heights on someone."

"Calm down, we're almost at the front."

"You can say that because you've already been plied with coffee today. I wouldn't be surprised if you had coffee instead of blood. I haven't had mine though. And I needs my caf� mocha. Now."

"Oh hey look. We're at the front."

"I'm going first."

"Bitch."

Thwack.

"Want to split a cookie with me?"

"No."

"You know you want one."

"It'll go strait to your hips, Porcelain. And we both know you couldn't stand the love handles getting any bigger."

"Oh my god, you are seriously a bitch. Brittany would split a cookie with me."

"I hate you."

Once they had gotten their coffee and were sitting down, the conversation had begun to die out. Now they were just sitting silently sipping at their coffee.

"So," he began awkwardly. "Did you invite me here to just sit here and stare out the window?"

She didn't answer for quite some time, and he worried all of a sudden that this was some sort of joke.

"I think I'm a lesbian," she said, just when he'd turned to stare out the window too.

Kurt blinked. What did one say to that?

"I kindof figured you were at least I," he replied with a careful shrug.

"I'm in love with Brit."

Holy crap. This was way above his normal threshold for sharing and caring when it came to Santana. Why in the world had she come to him? Most days he felt like he was struggling just to keep his head above water, and she thought he was the right person to come to? He supposed that he might be the only one who could really understand. It's this thought that makes him think he'll help her however he can. No one had helped him. The least he could do was be there for someone else.

He stayed quiet and silently urged her to continue.

"I don't know what to do."

He swallowed a bite of cookie and delicately tore off another chunk to pass to her. She took it with a grimace.

"Santana," he began, "what do you want to do? Are you asking my advice on whether you should come out not?'

She looked around cautiously as though making sure that no one was listening in.

Denial, then.

"I don't want people to treat me like they do you."

He bit his tongue. She didn't see to care that she had potentially offended him.

"I can't tell you what to do," he said finally, with a shrug. "If you want to be with Britney you'll probably have to come out. And you should. She doesn't deserve to be your dirty secret. She's special."

She eyed him calculatingly, but nodded.

"You're right."

"So, do you know what you want?"

"I can't. I just... not now. I think I should talk to Brittany about it first."

"Good idea."

Silence consumed them again. Kurt finished tipped back his head to finish off the remaining dregs of coffee, and then stood up, feeling that their moment was over.

"Kurt," she called out just as he turned his back.

He turned back to her.

"Thank you."

"See you next week," he replied, letting her know in his own way that he did feel for her.

"Same time, same place," she said softly as he walked away. He heard, and a full-fledged smile graced his features.

Maybe they could be friends.