Chapter Text
Kurt shakes his head slightly at the sweater Rachel picks up, but she just pouts and moves on to the next display, still chattering away.
"Does anything ever change in Lima?" Rachel asks. "You and Noah don't go back often, I know."
"No, the main thing that changes is Audrey," Kurt has to agree. "We're usually there for at least a week twice a year. The rest tends to vary."
They continue shopping for a few more moments, Kurt appreciating the relative silence as Rachel looks for things for herself and Kurt keeps an eye out for anything they can put back for Hanukkah for Hannah.
"How many people do you keep in touch with?" Rachel asks curiously. "Sometimes I miss everyone, but it seems odd when I contact most of them, now."
"Well, Finn of course," Kurt says. "And Mike and Tina, more than anyone else. I suppose I'm going to have to add to my reality-show repertoire for the summer, just for Mike."
"Oh, well, of course you keep in touch with Finn!" Rachel says. "I suppose it seemed strange to keep in touch with an ex-boyfriend at first." She pauses. "But you could catch me up a little on all three of them!"
Kurt talks about Mike and Tina as they finish at the store and sit down at the cafe next door, talking about the So You Think You Can Dance auditions for Mike and the fact that Mike and Tina actually had broken up for several months before getting back together.
"And Finn?"
"Finn loves Wisconsin," Kurt says, mentally trying to figure out how best to word things after the conversation he and Noah had had. "I mean, he loves the team and the classes, but Rachel, some of the things that get said."
"What do you mean?" Rachel frowns.
"You remember that blind item?" Rachel nods. "It's by far not the last time that things have been said or rumored about him. He's not going around dating on campus and he's not sleeping around. Add to that the fact that he's publicly said he's not certain that he'll enter the draft."
"And there are rumors," Rachel finishes, sighing. "Oh, that's awful. Why won't people just let it be? I think it's commendable to choose to focus on one's schoolwork and, well. Athletic pursuits."
"Yes, well, I wish the gossip-mongers and even Carole felt the same way," Kurt says. "Which is why— well, Noah and I were wondering if you'd do Finn a favor. A solid, as Noah said."
"What do you mean?" Rachel looks confused. "What can I do?"
"You're going to be in Lima for a week or so, and Finn will still be there for another few weeks." Kurt sighs and rolls his eyes. "Carole insisted that he hang around Lima longer this summer, since he wasn't taking any summer classes. He's bored out of his mind, but Carole's happy. Regardless, perhaps you could be seen in his company? He's not going to be dating anyone, Rachel, that's not what I'm saying."
"You want me to fake-date him," Rachel says. "I understand. He gets to be seen possibly rekindling a high school romance that would now be long-distance, and I would get the increased publicity as an up-and-coming Broadway performer!"
Kurt resists the urge to laugh, because that's not going to help his case, but he's not sure that senior at Juilliard is quite the same as an up-and-coming Broadway performer, especially given that she's not been to a single audition quite yet. Instead, he nods. "Yes, exactly."
"Are we talking about just once in Lima, or perhaps a few more times if he comes to visit here?" Rachel asks, her gaze calculating.
"Let's wait and see," Kurt says. "Rachel, I mean it. You can't look at this as even a chance of getting back together with him."
"I know," Rachel assures Kurt. "But it is rather mutually beneficial."
"That's the hope, yes. If you're able to take any sort of picture, Noah knows the right places to make sure it's seen online. And we'll make sure you're identified. 'Rachel Berry, Juilliard senior and up-and-coming Broadway performer'?"
"Yes, please," Rachel agrees with a smile. "I'll post any pictures to Facebook immediately."
Kurt nods and takes another sip of his coffee. He can't believe they've come to this, but the gossip is getting increasingly nasty, and the more gossip there is, the more he and Noah can't help but worry. Finn thinks Wisconsin would be different than the SEC, and what happened with Baptiste two years ago, but Kurt knows that they can't be sure. Karofsky's experience at Georgia Tech is far more likely to be atypical than typical in the world of college football, and Karofsky has little to no pressure regarding going pro and entering the draft.
Privately, Noah has told Kurt that he's even more worried should Finn bow to the pressure and enter the draft. The NFL isn't going to be as understanding, without an institutional commitment to equality and tolerance like Wisconsin has had. A few photo opportunities that, as Rachel says, are mutually beneficial – at least it should keep Finn safe.