Getting up on the stage and singing with Blaine was a rush and Tina was feeling much better now. “Thank you for this, Blaine. I don’t know why I didn’t think about talking to you earlier about how I’m feeling.” Okay, maybe she had an idea but she didn’t want to think about that. She walked over to the edge of the stage and sat down. Then she patted the space next to her to invite him to join her. Tina looked out at the seats and imagined them full of people cheering her on. A satisfied smile blossomed on her face. “So how are we going to convince Mr. Schue to approve the second part of your master plan?” When she said their teacher’s name, a hint of bitterness and resentment showed. Some of her negative feelings about the New Directions was the result of his choices.
Blaine propped both hands on his hips watching Tina walk off while he grinned filled to the brim with adrenaline from singing and dancing with someone who he only wanted to make happy and seeing it worked. One last peek up at the lighting fixture above–he nodded contentedly and stepped out a circle of white to follow. Navy trimmed cream boat shoes and bare ankles came into view beside her before he plopped down and took her hand letting her daydream before he bounced their shoulders together. “Okay! Two things? Number one? You know you can come to me? Don’t you,” he asked softly, “about anything? Even if my head isn’t in the game? I’m here. Number two’s easy.” He shrugged so matter-of-factly that it seemed he didn’t really think of any other possible outcome other than what he was about say. “I’m going to tell him I want to sing with you. That we’ve worked hard, we deserve the chance and you’ve worked on your own song so you deserve it too. Or? We don’t give him a choice. We’ll take over the glee club until we’re done. It’s not the first time,” Blaine grinned, “Rachel Berry ring a bell?”
❝You think so?❞ She looked to him for guidance, but she knew exactly what he was going through himself. After all, she lived with Kurt and they talked about it often. So she squeezed his hand in return to offer him some comfort. ❝What about you? How are you holding up?❞
“I know so. Would I ever lie to you? Never. You’re going to come out of this haze and shine even brighter, Rachel.” He bounced their hands between where his leg and her leg touched–head tilted and eyebrows jerked expectantly high. “Isn’t that what stars do,” he hummed and smiled so big she could swear he believed it about himself too. “I miss him every day but! I’m–I’m holding up just fine.” What’d he just say about lying? It wasn’t a bad lie if he didn’t want her worrying? Oh! Even better? Skimming briefly over the truth to an answer better suited for a friend who had enough of her own problems do deal with? That one! That excuse was perfect.
“I get it,” Duran said quietly. He didn’t have anyone he cared about personally, but he could see how others acted around their significant others, and he supported their right to be with each other. “I’m gay too,” he added. It wasn’t an important detail, and he wondered why he even had to bring it up. Maybe it was time to change the subject. “So, you don’t want to talk about Dalton.” Duran could let that go. Maybe eventually Blaine would open up about how he felt, and Duran would always be willing to listen. “Tell me more about yourself though. About how you like McKinley, your friends there, or what their glee club is like. I hear you don’t even have to sing there, or something. I don’t know how those clubs even work. I’ve never sang before.” He grinned nervously. “I mean, I sing in the shower, and I’ve heard I talk in my sleep, but enough about me. We’re talking about you right now.” He was definitely babbling now. With a nervous chuckle, Duran pressed his lips together, deciding to let Blaine speak. As far as Duran knew, Blaine was in a relationship, and he wasn’t going to fling himself at the first gay man who showed even a friendly interest in him.
Blaine scooted his chair towards the table giving Duran his full attention now that he decided to stick around. The guy seemed interesting and it felt good to be sitting with someone from Dalton–even if they’d only just met. He tried to place his face among the many in the hallways wondering if Duran would soon ring a bell whiel they talked. Fingers slotted themselves against the insides of his elbows that were bent on the tabletop and he laughed softly at the blurted out ‘I’m gay too’. His company seemed to instantly want to change the subject giving Blaine only enough time to raise his brows and go to say something but stutter his lips closed instead. Duran’s interest in him puzzled him but it was endearing that he seemed to want to know so much about someone who abandoned Dalton in favor of McKinley and the boy he loved. “I–ah–well–.” How was he supposed to sum it up and not ramble/hog the conversation? “McKinley’s great. I knew my friends a little through Kurt before I transferred but it’s nice getting to know them better. They’re good people. A little dramatic,” he flashed a devilish grin, “but underneath–they care about each other.” The Warblers might not be so–over the top–as the New Directions but they weren’t without their share of dramatics. What performance group was? “I’m just glad they–never mind. That’s a whole world of information I’m sure you don’t want to hear.” He breezed onto something else. Duran brought up a point he had yet to think over. “You don’t have to sing–no–now that I think about it there are a couple people there who rarely utter a word.” Mike Chang being the one to instantly come to mind. Why was that? “We don’t have to keep talking about me–you know? This conversation can go two ways.”
( mssg » blaine | sent ) You aren’t being harsh. I’m bulletproof, Blaine. You know that. I can handle anything… Except if it were to come to the point that I’d never be able to talk to you again. I’ll do everything to gain your trust back. I just want to show you who I really am. I would regret it forever if you only saw my dark side. ( mssg »blaine | sent ) I’ll say more when I get there, I’d rather talk about it in person too. I can finally get out of this bar. I really didn’t want to go home just yet. My father has been on an angry streak lately. Are you sure you don’t want me to bring anything? Do you need any Ibuprofen? Are you hungry?
( mssg » sebastian | sent ) Bulletproof. Right. How’d I forget? I started to think I was getting past those protective layers you hide yourself behind. i think that’s what hurts the most. That doubt I have that maybe I was wrong. I hate that it’s THere. I hate that we are reduced to this conversation when it’s the last thing I would have expected. ( mssg » sebastian | sent ) don’t answer that. We’re supposed to be talking about this when you get here. Sorry. I’m just awake and this hurts and I’m rambling. Can fingers ramble? i’m doing the finger version of rambling. ( mssg » sebastian | sent ) You don’t have to go home to that. You can come here and stay as long as you need to. I’m not going to send you home to that mess. got stronger stuff and my mom keeps a massive container of Advil in the house. Coffee? coffee would be gReat. I’m always drowsy with the medication and I don’t want to be out of it your entire visit. Thank you.
“I really doubt you need more,” she assured him, laughing a bit more. She remained smiling, waiting for him to tell her, but when he did, her smile fell a bit. “NYADA? As in where Kurt goes?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, what happened to your plan to go to NYU?”
Good to know his jitters were justified? “Y-yeah. NYADA,” he pinched the inside corner of his bottom lip with his teeth, bowed his head and tried to explain. “We talked about it. Kurt’s fine. Happy even. I think. Wait. No. He is. I–NYU was a backup in case he wouldn’t be?” All he knew was that he wanted to be near him. Blaine was desperate for the chance to make things right and he’d take breadcrumbs from Kurt if they lead him to a place where it was a possibility. Having some tossed his way only renewed his sense of urgency to keep them coming. Whatever it took? He’d gladly do it. Plus? It was NYADA. A dream school for every one of them. How could he not want to go there?
Returning the hug, Tina was glad to have Blaine in her life. He seemed like the only person in this school who seemed to give a damn about her now. She smiled at him when they separated. There was something comforting about hand holding. “Sounds absolutely perfect to me and no, that is never a bad thing at all.” Laughing lightly, Tina was feeling better now that she and Blaine talked. As they walked into the auditorium, she was glad that no one else was there because she could only imagine what they’d say. Tina took a deep breath and pushed that thought away, not willing to ruin her improved mood.
“No, you’re perfect to me,” Blaine playfully jeered back leaning into her side and skipping a beat or two in his steps to pep them both up on their way to the auditorium. He was all grins by the time they got to the dimly lit, empty stage. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the light he hurried past her to get a few steps ahead and lead them out by slotting their fingers together, walking backward underneath each ray of lights overhead. “We’re winging this without any back up music,” he pursed his lips and swung their hands back and forth, “So I hope you got that tune in your head, Miss Cohen-Chang. You’re starting us off. I dare you not to be dancing in ten seconds or less.” The devilish wink backed up his challenge he was sure he was going to win.
Tina shook her head. “You’ve been a good friend and it wouldn’t be fair for me to get upset with you for having your own thing going on.” Taking a deep breath, she calmed down. “So do you have any idea for songs for our performance today?” She wasn’t sure what he had in mind and there weren’t any that were coming to mind for her. “I do like the idea of leaving them sitting there with their mouths open and having no idea what happened.” Just the image made Tina smile.
“That’s the Tina I know,” Blaine grinned as he stepped close and pulled her into a hug tight enough that he was able to perch his chin on top of her shoulder. Looking past her down the hallway–he glanced from one tile to the other trying to think of something they could sing that’d would keep her on the up and up. “Plus? I love that smile,” warm hands rubbed between her shoulders before he pulled back and held her by them. “Now? Let’s get this party started,” he laced their fingers together and gave her a twirl in the direction of the auditorium. “And if you didn’t figure it out yet? That’s our first song. A little P!nk to kick us off is never a bad thing. I mean,” he rolled his eyes and smirked indignantly at the idea, “How could it ever be?”
( mssg » blaine | sent ) Blaine… Hearing from you is all I wanted. ( mssg » blaine | sent ) & now I finally have the chance to say everything I wanted to say, before I was scared. I never wanted to throw the slushie. I planned it out, thought it would score me some points, & when we were all singing I was going to back down but my impulse took over & I just got so mad. Even if it would of hit Kurt like planned I would still feel just as bad as I do right now. ( mssg » blaine | sent ) & listen, this explanation isn’t for me to give myself a good name. I just want to make it clear, I never ever wanted to hurt you. Or anyone. Right after it hit you I felt everything closing in on me. I shut down, I couldn’t go to help you because I knew if I did it would all go down from there. It’s been the only thing on my mind. Please, Blaine. I don’t apologize much, to anyone. Take this one? I can come visit you, I’ll bring you anything you want. Maybe tell me how surgery went. I owe you my all. How mad at me are you? I regret everything.
( mssg » sebastian | sent ) Score you points with who? The Warblers? The Warblers I left behind this year might’ve done some shady things to get a leg up on the competition. What you did was beyond sneaking into auditoriums to figure out the acoustics and get an unfair practice in. Or any of the other /harmless/ things we’ve done.
( mssg » sebastian | sent ) but then–none of them bothered to come help so I don’t know. Maybe you were on the right track. As much as it hurts to think so. ( mssg » sebastian | sent ) if it hit Kurt we wouldn’t be having this conversation. We wouldn’t be having any conversation actually. ( mssg » sebastian | sent ) I’m sorry that was harsher than i wanted it to be. I know you aren’t the type to apologize much. I’m not the type to turn an apology down if it’s given honestly. I can accept it but we’re going to have to work on trusting each other again. What happened goes deeper than a scratched eye. ( mssg » sebastian | sent ) You can come over. I’d rather talk about this in person. no you don’t have to bring anything. the door will be open. I promise I’ll try to be awake.
“It was a little messy. Maybe you should try to lay off the coffee,” she joked, laughing softly. “So what’s the decision?”
“Thank you for being honest,” he grinned waving off the thought with a stuttering laugh, “I think I need more.” She wanted an answer. Blaine only smiled wider trying not to sound the least bit nervous or doubtful in spite of Kurt’s promise that him going there wouldn’t be weird. “NYADA. I applied two weeks ago. Super excited.” –Please don’t ask what I think you’re going to ask.–
pianokeysandbowties 