As much as Hunter anticipated Blaine rejoining the Warblers, he had started to dread the idea. For once he had found something to hold onto. A power source not only tending to his needs, but also his interests. Music. To lose that now, well that’d just send Hunter back down that self destructive little road he both craved && despised at the same time. Though knowing himself, it was going to come sooner or later. Just maybe this time Blaine would be the one to push him down it. His hues dropped to the synced up pace they were walking at. It was as if they’d begun a number, they were so in tune together. && Nothing could of pissed off Hunter more. A fake smile graced his lips as he tried to speed up just a smidgen. “Good to hear you’re finally back where you belong, Blaine. && You’re welcome.” Even if he was irritated, the little bit of thanks felt good. Even if it was false. Though his instinct was to be hateful && angry, the Warbler captain was glad to have the legend back on their team. He was a great player after all. Someone who changed people. A real leader. Nope, now he hated him again.
Was Hunter walking faster because he wanted to get this over with? Within a step or two–Blaine noticed the distance between them growing and gave the other boy’s shoulder a confused furrow of his eyebrows. Blaine kept his sigh internal as he sped up now fully convinced that Hunter’s pace was a clear indication he’d rather make this a short conversation. Meeting up with him again–he smiled and darted a measuring glance over Hunter’s profile. “If you don’t mind me asking.. What did you really want to talk about? I’m sure a welcome back could’ve been handled during practice. What’s on your mind? If this is about why I changed my mind and came back after saying I wouldn’t? I did a lot of thinking and realized that Dalton is what’s better for me. Other than that? I’d rather not talk about it if that’s alright.” Somehow bearing his heart to Hunter wasn’t on his list of things he really wanted to do. Sebastian knew why. Trent and Nick knew faint details and he was happy to leave it at that. Turning his attention back towards the ground and watching it pass by under his shoes–the corner of Blaine’s mouth twitched in what was supposed to be a smile and didn’t quite pan out.
“Kidding, Blaine. Kidding,” he nodded. Leaning in to peck him on the lips he shook his head whilst laughing. Sebastian looked down and nodded. This was one of the very few times that anyone had expressed any compassion to him. Of course his parents had but moments with them were few and far in between. They worked a lot and he was quite the lone wolf. “Yes, that was extremely corny but I loved it,” he smiled.
Looking over to the wall and back at Blaine he raised an eyebrow. “How ‘bout we get a few pillows and lay down and talk by the fireplace? I’m a bit cold and well, my neck hurts like a motherfucker sooooo…” he chuckled. The thought of the heat on his back was almost paradisal.
Blaine felt his cheeks explode with heat at the peck. It was such a small gesture that lasted a millisecond but held so much affection inside it that he had to look down between them before he could properly catch a breath. Only after he was sure he was breathing right did Blaine look up and meet Sebastian’s green eyes that always pinched together in the sweetest way when he smiled like that. Did the other boy have any idea how innocent he could look when he was stripped bare of all the snark and cannon fodder sarcasm or perverted comments? No.
Thing was? Blaine didn’t dare tell him because he knew that if he ever did? He might not ever get to see that Sebastian again. Blaine laughed and shrugged in a small streak of embarrassment that faded into a hum. “I’m glad you did. I can be pretty corny if you haven’t noticed,” his nose scrunched. Taking in a slow breath as he looked at the fireplace–Blaine hesitated for only a moment before he brushed his palms against his knees and stood. “Sure. Let me go get pillows and blankets from my room. You can start the fire if you want. Everything’s right there.” Off he went after a backwards step or two and a pivot on bare feet.
“You have? I’m not sure that makes me feel better, Emma. It’s not like I need to add to your To-Do List.” Blaine cringed. He was already ‘the new kid’ trying to fit in and being accepted into the theater crowd so early on was a dream come true and he liked Emma. A lot. Now, he was just another clumsy mess giving her yet another project. Unless? Blaine looked at the pieces of the prop and bit his lip. “You know,” he shrugged and scrunched his nose in a ‘hear me out’ kinda way. “I was pretty good at helping with sets and props at my old school. I could stay and help you catch up? I wield a mean bottle of Gorilla Glue,” he grinned before laughing softly trying to get over his embarrassment with a baiting hum of a chuckle.
He breaths deep, sighing heavily with his exhale. “Yeah.” he shakes his head a little and presses the heels of his hands into his eyes. He’s embarrassed, honestly, on top of coming down from the dream. He shouldn’t be having nightmares at all. It was ridiculous. Some men go off to war and don’t have PTSD but Kurt? He was jumped and his paranoia is invading his sleep. In his defense, he was being watched whenever he went out. It justified some of it but not all, he thinks. Ridiculous.
He props himself up with his hands behind himself and turns his gaze to the ceiling. “I’m so tired of this.” He whispers softly. “So goddamn tired… They follow me. When I go out at night. They’re part of the same bullshit crowd as me, and just stare for a while.” He drinks more lately so he can still enjoy himself.
Blaine pushes himself back so he’s sitting upright and using his headboard as something to lean against. Concern fills his gaze as he watches Kurt struggling so hard. His heart goes out to him and even though they’ve only really known each other for a short amount of time? What he has seen of Kurt and got to know about him? Made Blaine want to make everything okay for him though he had no idea how or where to even start. Opening up his house to him whenever he needed was at least something he could do. But he wanted to do more.
Especially seeing how exhausted Kurt was and how much this was eating at him. “Kurt? You know you’re safe here, right? I know it’s hard to let it go but you can do that while you’re here if you can. You deserve some rest. I get it if you can’t.” His concern turned into confusion when Kurt admitted his attackers were following him. “They are,” he asked lowly and frowned. “What do you mean they’re part of the same crowd as you? Were they once friends of yours?”
“I came to apologize on behalf of us.” Nick began, when he entered Blaine’s hospital room. He didn’t expect a peep out of Blaine, but he still wanted to make things right even if the others didn’t exactly agree with him. They had just left McKinley after the confrontation with the other New Directions. Nick informed the other Warblers that he would return before curfew, Sebastian of course put his foot down but honestly he didn’t care, Blaine was his friend. And he had to make things right, there was hopefully a chance. “I had no idea he put rock salt in that slushie. We all had no idea.” He told him as a tear fell down his cheek. Things should not be like this. He was a mess, everybody was a mess but Nick was the only one who cared enough to take the initiative. He was happy that there was nobody in the room for this, he didn’t exactly want an audience.
Blaine could barely talk Kurt into leaving when his father came to pick him up. Only after reassuring his boyfriend repeatedly while high as a kite–a feat that deserved some sort of credit that he was able to make a solid case while feeling like he was floating on cloud..er..twenty–did Kurt agree to go get some sleep. A out of it as Blaine was? He couldn’t make himself do the same unless he couldn’t fight the fog floating through his brain. Now that he was alone? His mind was too busy with thoughts about the Warblers to drift off. –What happened to them?– Thinking that he never knew Sebastian was hitting home hard. Wondering how he could have been so blind to someone who he once thought so much about as a friend was one thing. But the others? Blaine ended up sitting in the bed with his fingers laced together, biting his lip and trying not to cry because it hurt too much as he tried to figure out the answer. –None of them even tried to help.– Hearing someone coming into the room–Blaine turned his head so he could see who. “Nick?” There was no hiding his surprise. Giving no pause–Nick tried his best to explain. Confirming Blaine’s suspicions about who did it didn’t make him feel better. Only worse. Blaine’s heart sank even further at the sight of him crying. “Nick,” he repeated himself in a slow whisper. “It’s–Please. Don’t cry. Come here. Sit down. Let’s talk. Are you okay?”
For the time being, ruling the Warblers was Hunters only taste of reality. Sure, he was the cruel && ruthless villain to most people once he put on that blazer — but that didn’t make him love it any less. An aggressive personality didn’t always have to mean he wasn’t happy. Only now with Blaine back, where would that leave him? Once upon a time he would of considered the team player role, but now? No, he’d lost too much now to let go of this too. He would be willing to set aside his differences, in hopes that they could at least get along. Just as long as Blaine doesn’t try to take over. His classic smirk took up half his face as he tried to remain calm, && confident. “Great.” The word was drawn out, lingering as his feet took him towards the Lima Bean, staying at a pace just a step or two ahead of Blaine. Just how he always liked it. “So you’re back now. Permanently?” No reason to waste time beating around the bush.
Stuck in place for a beat or two as he tried to find the willpower to have this conversation he knew would eventually have to happen but didn’t expect it to be today–Blaine watched Hunter’s retreat and rubbed his neck. Best to get it over with. Because he already had a gut instinct how this was going to pan out. Hunter might’ve wanted him here and been a key player in nudging Sebastian to convince him to return. He had no idea that it worked–Sebastian was sworn to secrecy about Blaine’s decision in case he changed his mind. From what Blaine observed about him so far and through sidelong glances during their meeting? Blaine was expecting him to want to get a few things out in the clear. –And he could only imagine what ‘those things’ were. Trying to be optimistic–he hurried to catch up to him side by side and nodded as they fell into step with one another. “Yes. I’m back. Permanently. I guess I should thank you for your help in that decision.” Blaine could play nice. Hunter did deserve some credit and they could be friends if Hunter didn’t try to do anymore James Bond villain tactics against Blaine’s other friends.. Could be being the key words. “I’m really happy to be here.”
Sees Barry leaning in close and has to swallow past the hundreds of butterfly wings that suddenly start fluttering through his insides. The closer he gets–the longer Blaine holds his breath after it hitches the hardest. ..And then? EW! He laughing and scrunching his nose as he wipes slobber off his cheek. “You know what,” more laughter, “that’s just–so–so you. Adorable..and yet somehow? Gross..” Oooh! Burn!
Isaac quickly ran through a scale on his sax as he listened to Blaine. He shrugged and adjusted the mouthpiece of the instrument. He really didn’t disclose this kind of information, but at this point– he didn’t care. “I know quite a lot of his stuff…” He tapped his feet. “Really kinda like him,” He murmured, not really to the other boy, but to his saxophone.
Watching Isaac give the confession of being–dare he say–a Timberlake fan towards his saxophone made Blaine’s smile grow until the whites of his teeth showed. Okay. That was sort of adorable. “Isaac? I promise not to tell anyone your deep, dark secret. I mean–most of this school knows and rolls their eyes at some of the music I love the most. I’ll spare you the same treatment. Mind if I start with a few notes? This piano is as in tune as it’s ever going to get.” Sad. But true. “Join in whenever you want.”
pianokeysandbowties 