"We lost - yeah, okay, we were runners-up, I hear you. But still. We should have won. It was my fault." Sebastian wrung his hands nervously. The other Warblers were silent. "Look, next year, I'll be a senior, and I could be in charge, even more than I am now," Sebastian said. He sighed heavily and pushed a hand through his hair, disturbing the gel, before looking back out at the sea of blue-blazered boys in the choir room. "But I don't want to be."
"Really?" Trent asked. His arms were crossed over his chest, and one eyebrow was raised in critical defiance– as usual.
"Really. I know you've all been thinking it, so I might as well go ahead and say it. It's my fault we lost. I get it. I have fucked up the Warblers and I'm sorry."
"Yeah, you should be," David spoke up. "We don't have a 'captain' and you know it, Bas, and yet you think you can come in here with your prep-boy ass and take over."
"...I know you were on the council last year, David. I shouldn't..." Sebastian hung his head. "Just for the record, I wouldn't blame you - any of you - if you kicked me out. I deserve it. No hard feelings if that's what you guys do."
"You know what? You do deserve that, Seb," Jeff said quietly, "But you're really talented. We don't want you gone. I mean, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we think you're a total asshole, but again, you're really talented. You've got a different tone than anyone else in this room, and it gives us an edge. You're completely why we won Sectionals. New Directions is just... different. They're like—they portray themselves as a big bunch of misfits, but they're not misfits, just a little different, and they fit in with each other, so it completely distracts from the point. The Warblers are a team, Sebastian. One unit that works together and usually doesn't malfunction and is really, really good. You're one of us now."
No one spoke, and Jeff looked around. "I just said too much, didn't I?"
"I don't think so. Bas, if you would step down?" David walked around the end of the desk and put a hand lightly on Sebastian's shoulder.
"...yeah. I-it's you and Thad and... N-nick on the council, right?"
Nick shook his head slowly. "No. I took over for Thad, who took over for David, who took over for Wes, but I think you should be the third council member, Sebastian."
Sebastian looked up sharply. "I can't." Every boy in the room was smiling or nodding in assent. Even Trent looked relatively pleased, and Sebastian just looked down at his shoes.
"I can't. I've fucked up the Warblers. I don't deserve it, Jeff said so. You guys all agree with him, I know you do. You don't want me on your council."
"Bas..."
"You guys should all hate me," Sebastian muttered before turning and heading towards the door. He could feel two dozen pairs of eyes on his back, but he didn't turn around once, didn't make eye contact with anyone as he pushed open the door. Once it had shut firmly behind him, Sebastian let the tears that had sprung to his eyes fall, sinking down against the wall outside the choir room.
He had cared, for once, and they had cared in return. And just like the last time, and the time before, everything went a little too far.