Blaine taps his fingers on the steering wheel, taking up the rhythm of the familiar song playing in the background. He smiles: Yes, even Katy Perry is relegated to the background, when Rachel Berry's present. Although Rachel's only talking right now. His smile turns into a grin, inwardly.

But it's just fine, really, because at least, Rachel is talking about music.

See. Kurt has been worrying for nothing. The way it seems, she doesn't want to use their short drive together to... pump Blaine for information, after all. The special kind of information.

Blaine tilts his head and nods at something Rachel has said.

To Kurt's defence, Blaine must admit it did look kind of suspicious how she jumped on the opportunity to get a lift out of Blaine, after an extended family dinner with the Hudmels.

But then it is only rational, that he drives her home, isn't it? Why should Finn get into his car, when Blaine could take her to her place on his own way home?

Yes, surely Rachel is only being rational, practical, here. So no reason for Blaine to not be just that.

He kind of likes it, actually. The way she's blabbering happily about nothing in particular now, songs and Glee club and the dinner... It's easy to just make light conversation, although he really has to work to squeeze his share of statements in as well. But it's nice, all in all.

Blaine's mind flashes back to Kurt's frown as they said goodbye. How he hugged Blaine close, grumbling under his breath. Something about how he'd just bet that she would make a move. Blaine had kissed him, and told him 'don't worry, I got this'. Well, looks like they really have worried for nothing.

Blaine pulls into Rachel's driveway, and smiles at her, opening his mouth to say his goodbyes.

He meets her beaming face.

Then she reaches over and turns the key in the ignition. The buzz of the engine dies.

Oh. Okay. Blaine's lips press together in a tighter line to not lose his smile.

It does say nothing, really, though. She could have waited until he wasn't in danger of driving them into a roadside ditch anymore to say a lot of things. No need for his alarm bells to go off. There might still be rational expla...

"So, Blaine, about business." Blaine feels his shoulders come up. He knows his treacherous eyebrows do the same, although he's really trying to keep his features smooth a bit longer. Because maybe if he stalled long enough, she might actually leave it... Oh, who is he kidding.

Blaine sets his jaw, shifting to aim for composed and calmly determined instead.

Rachel continues to smile at him, brightly: "So, do you have a minute, do you want to come in?"

"Rachel... I don't..." Blaine raises his hands carefully, but Rachel just claps hers together with resolution:

"Okay, here it is, then. Alright, you know what I want to know."

Blaine blinks at her dazedly, mouth ajar at her expectantly raised brows.

It must be something she's seeing in his face, then, that suddenly has a frown flash across her face.

She cocks her head to the side, smile turning compassionate:

"Blaine, are you actually uncomfortable discussing matters like this with me?"

Oh. Well, if she asks like that... Blaine draws in a breath and his lips make to form a sound, but Rachel beats him to it: "Because of the unresolved sexual tension between us?"

Wait, what? Blaine's face falls. Woa. Rachel nods understandingly, like she's simply just stated the obvious. She turns her eyes away looking out of the front window into the distance, with a touch of nostalgia. "Of course... because we had this thing once..."

"R-rachel... " Oh, wow. Seriously, now. Blaine doesn't even know where to begin with this. He squirms in his seat, feeling sweat collect on his forehead. How can he get out of this without hurting her feelings...?

But then Rachel faces him again: "Blaine, I'm only joking." She pokes his forearm with a finger, snickering.

Blaine's frame slumps, muscles going somewhat limp. Oh, thank god, good. He feels a little guilty, because his shaky sigh probably shouldn't sound as relieved as it does, but she really had him there for a moment.

Huh. Maybe the girl is a better actress than he gave her credit for.

He actually doesn't like the alternative too much. Being that he is even easier to play than he dreaded.

He shifts in his seat with apprehension, when Rachel speaks again. Her tone has become gentle but binding. Another good move, he has to admit.

"Blaine, I'd really, really appreciate your input on the matter..."

Blaine takes a deep breath, but still fidgets:

"Rachel, I think Kurt said it all... I really can't..." Blaine falters, when Rachel leans closer:

"Blaine, I understand you feel you have to be loyal here, but there must be something you can tell me..." Her eyes seem even bigger now, with those long lashes fluttering up at him, and Blaine actually feels something in his stomach flutter in response... Oh, no, not so fast! Those are base tricks, he's not lulled in that easy. Is he?

Oh, well. The soft waver in her voice surely doesn't do much to help his case. And damn her if she doesn't know it: "Blaine, I just... feel so unprepared, I've asked so many people already, and I have to validate all this information..."

Blaine recalls faintly how Kurt has warned him she would probably try that. That... looking so desperate and pleading and... a little vulnerable. But... it can't be all an act... can it?

Because through it all she really manages to sound sincere, utterly so, and that is what gets to Blaine, if he's honest.

He watches how her hand flails lightly: " And I really don't know if Santana is such a reliable source these days concerning the matter..."

Blaine has to grin at that, and Rachel glowers at the dashboard for a second.

He almost jumps, when she turns back to him abruptly, voice bright again:

"Oh, oh, I know: I could tell you what she told me and then you could comment on it, tell me if it does work that way?"

Blaine backpedals over the force of her enthusiasm. Okay, he really has to take a stand now. He brings up his hands.

If they're gonna do this – wait, did he just concede to himself they're gonna do this? Blaine presses his eyes shut shortly. Oh, my. A sigh.

Well. Alright, then. So if they're gonna do this, they are at least doing it his way. Right? Because he's in control, here, after all. Right.

Then why is his voice coming out stammering? Oh, never mind. "Rachel, can I...I want to... " Blaine's brain is working feverishly figuring out what approach he could try. Not the easiest task, because images of Kurt's I-told-you face keep flashing up in his mind distracting him. But then again... Kurt. How would Kurt go on from here... ?

Blaine looks up to meet eager eyes.

"Rachel." Deep breath. Okay, no turning back now. "Do you... like kissing Finn?" Rachel's expression becomes puzzled, so Blaine hurries to specify for good measure: "O-on the lips, I mean?"

Rachel tilts her head to the side thoughtfully. "Yes... he's kind of good at that..."

"Fine." Blaine smiles. "And how do you go about it, you know, when you kiss him?"

Her eyes narrow and she shrugs: "What, why, I just do it..."

Good, this is good. Blaine keeps his voice calm:

"And how do you both figure out, what to do, when kissing, how to hold your head, what to do next...?"

She flails: "I don't know, it just happens, by some kind of... instinct..."

Her eyes shoot back to him, when Blaine makes a happy little gesture with his hands like 'see, there you have it'.

Trying not to look too smug, but aiming for friendly and non-committal instead.

"B-but..." Rachel's lips purse defiantly, taking in a breath, but Blaine cuts her short gently, gaining confidence:

"Rachel, I really think you should trust that instinct, that dynamic, that inward rhythm as well with other things."

There. Quite smooth, Anderson. Yes, Blaine's kind of proud of how he's done this, actually. He still stays on alert, though. Better safe than sorry.

Rachel looks at him unmoving for a moment, thoughts visibly working behind dark brown eyes. Probably formulating and planning out her next move, Blaine muses. Dreads.

But then she just sinks back into her seat with sigh.

Blaine' frame relaxes. He didn't realize he'd been holding his breath.

Rachel huffs, her soft laughter a bit self-deprecating, but overall warm:

"Oh, well. Finn and I, we're not actually doing stuff yet. I just want to, you know, be prepared..."

She searches out Blaine's eyes then, affection in her own: "And I do get what you and Kurt are trying to say, I am not deaf, you know." She laughs. "Stubb...insistent, but not deaf, as my perfect pitch should prove. I hear you, and I appreciate it."

Blaine can't but return her smile. Her shoulders lift, then fall: "And there's enough about the theory on the internet, although I can't really research from home... and of course Santana's described the technical aspects quite graphically..." Her voice gets a bit petulant again, but only lightly: "I just want to, you know, cover every angle...I want to know everything I need to know. In theory at least..."

Blaine nudges her forearm gently with the heel of his hand:

"And you will know everything once you talk to Finn and figure it out with him. But not before." He turns in his seat so he can look at her better: "Rachel, I get how you want to be good at everything." She rolls her eyes in a mock way of 'do you now', but one corner of her mouth comes up in a lopsided smile. Blaine returns it and adds so softly that it's barely more than a whisper, albeit one brimming with conviction: "And I don't think there's a way you'll fail..."

She bats her lashes down at that and now it's Blaine who leans closer, even if only slightly. "Rachel, Finn loves you... and when you're ready..." He lets it trail off with a shrug.

She laughs again, and it sounds a bit like a snort: "You're right, so maybe in two or three years ..."

Blaine watches her make a face then grin at him, and he joins her in a low chuckle.

"Well, take your time, Rachel." It's voiced as a kind of after-thought.

Then Blaine's look falls on the clock on the display of his cell in the deposit between the seats. A jolt runs through him and he blurts out: "With Finn, I mean, Rachel, take your time with Finn, because..." He points to the time apologetically through his grin: "Rachel, I really have to drive now, it's getting late..."

"Oh. Oh, yeah, of course!" Rachel unbuckles her seat belt, and turns to him once more, hand already on the door handle.

Their eyes meet: "Thank you, Blaine, anyway..."

Blaine feels comfortably warm inside, when they exchange smiles once more, that turn into grins.

Then Rachel gets out. He waits until she is at the door, then starts the engine. When he finally pulls out of the driveway, he sees her waving from the porch, before she gets inside.

Well. Blaine lets out a long contented breath.

That went well, all in all, didn't it?

He turns the music up louder and hums along, while he follows the by now familiar roads out of Lima.



He's not even yet out of the town district, though, when his phone buzzes.

A grin spreads on his features. Must be a message from Kurt.

Blaine can as much as see it already: She did it, didn't she? She appealed to your chivalry, and you couldn't help yourself, right?

Blaine's amused snort melts into a sigh. Of course Kurt was right about this. About it all. From the start. As usual. He smiles.

At the next opportunity, he pulls over to the side of the empty street and reaches for his cell.

He frowns. Oh, it's a text alright:

There's just this one, tiny thing: You know, I get the part about being careful with your teeth, but Santana said there was this spot you should concentrate on... is it true? *R

Blaine groans. Oh, come on...



But then, slowly, the groan turns into a grin, even if Blaine can't really put his finger on why.