Author's Note: Some spoilers in this author's note. Beware. While I loved the Michael episode, I was disgusted with the Warblers. I got the idea that Blaine would begin to see them as the bullies and he would be just so dis-heartened by their seeming evolution from safe haven to bullies. Since the show did not give any indication that the Warblers reached out to Blaine at all or offered any real apologies to Kurt or Blaine, I thought I would write a short chapter story about how that would affect Blaine. Of course Regionals are on the horizon, so they play a major role in this story as well.
Disclaimers: I do not own Glee or any of its characters. This story does contain spoilers (sort of) for the Michael episode. There is also my own personal Regionals storyline that will be explored.
It has been two weeks since the slushie assault. Two weeks since Sebastian failed to injure Kurt with his rock salt laced slushie. Two weeks since Blaine saved Kurt. Two weeks since Blaine has heard or seen anything from any of the Warblers. Blaine was told about the New Directions' "Black or White" lesson that all the Warblers, but Sebastian, seemed to learn from. But, still, not one single Warbler called to check up on him, came to see him, or reached out to him in any way (despite the fact that Santana informed them of his then-upcoming eye surgery). So much for brotherhood it seems.
It has been about one week since Blaine had his eye surgery. Tomorrow he would be allowed to return to McKinley. The Glee Club has been texting non-stop all day, seemingly bursting with excitement at his impending return. He has received visits, cards, flowers, phone calls, and text messages from all of them over the last two weeks. Blaine was thankful that New Directions seemed to care so much about him and his health. It almost made up for the fact that he was all but abandoned by the Warblers. Once a Warbler, always a Warbler apparently didn't mean as much to them as it had to him and Kurt. Even if the other Warblers didn't know about the rock salt, which Kurt assured him seemed to be the case, they did know that Sebastian was intending to slushie Kurt, a former Warbler. That was not okay in Blaine's books. Not just because Kurt had been a Warbler, but because he was Kurt. Nobody was supposed to hurt and humiliate his Kurt, especially not people who were supposed to be their friends. The Warblers were now the bullies, and Blaine was having a hard time understanding how that had happened.
~ov^vo~
Blaine has been back at school for three days. Kurt is worried about him. Blaine has been more reserved than he used to be. He doesn't voice an opinion in Glee Club unless asked a direct question (despite the fact that they are discussing possible song selections and soloists for Regionals which is set to take place in about a week and a half) and when he laughs with the group the laughter does not reach his eyes. The only time that Kurt sees Blaine's eyes light up anymore is when he tells Kurt how much he loves him. Kurt can tell that Blaine is trying so hard to be himself. For Kurt. He doesn't want Kurt to have to worry about him, Kurt knows him well enough to know that, but Kurt is worried.
Kurt has been watching Blaine, paying close attention to everything he says, be it verbally or non-verbally. You see, with Blaine, his body language and eyes say even more than his words at times… especially when he is feeling vulnerable or hurt. Kurt knows what is bothering Blaine. He knows that Blaine is upset about the lack of concern shown by the Warblers, the guys he had counted as his closest friends just a short while ago. But, he is more upset that the Warblers have become bullies.
It would be fair to say that Kurt was beyond angry - angry at Sebastian, angry at the Warblers. Sure, he is upset that the Warblers had been willing to slushie him. But, more than that, he is enraged that not one of them has reached out to Blaine since he was injured. He can't stand the fact that in just over a week they will have to see them at Regionals. He is looking forward to crucifying them, though.
While Kurt is angry and out for Warbler blood, Blaine seems to be merely existing. It is as though someone close to him died. Kurt knows that to be the truth more or less. The Warblers were his brothers and now they are nowhere to be found, the cause of serious injury to Blaine and attempted injury to Kurt. In Blaine's mind, they are the bullies now, not the safe haven Blaine used to know. Kurt has to find a way to get to Blaine, to break him out of his own head. Not so New Directions can win Regionals, but so Blaine can finally feel happy again.
~ov^vo~
Kurt calls an emergency meeting of the New Directions that night in the McKinley Auditorium. Blaine was very carefully left off of any and all communications regarding the meeting. Kurt planned it specifically when he knew that Blaine had to be home to answer a phone call from his parents. Fingers crossed, he prays that his plan will work. Hopefully it doesn't backfire and make things worse.
Rachel is the first to speak, "Ummmm… Kurt? What is going on? What is with the meeting? Why isn't Blaine here? Oh no! You guys didn't…"
"Rachel, shut up!" Kurt cuts into Rachel's babbling string of questions. "We are here to discuss two things… Blaine and Regionals."
"Is Blaine ok, Kurt?" Mike asks softly.
Kurt turns and looks at Mike, giving him a small, soft smile. Mike and Blaine had become particularly close since he transferred, even despite Finn's crazy jealousy streak. Leave it to Mike to key in on the fact that all was not well in Blaine-land. "He is physically ok, Mike" Kurt responds. Taking a deep breath, Kurt bites his lip and surveys the group sitting in front of him. "I don't know if you all have noticed, but since Blaine has been back at school he has not been himself. He hasn't sung anything, he hasn't instigated any discussions about possible Regionals numbers, and when he laughs it isn't his heart-filled laugh, but a small little laugh."
Everyone is quiet for a moment. The silence is broken by Santana asking, "He is upset about the Warblers, isn't he?" Kurt looks her in the eye, gives a nod of his head, and responds, "Yes. Not one of them has been in touch with him since he was injured at the parking garage. No card, no phone calls, no text messages, no visits, nothing."
All of a sudden everyone is out of their seats and yelling in indignation.
"What do you mean they haven't contacted him?" Finn yells.
"What the hell, man? I thought the Garglers were supposed to be like his boys." Puck growls.
Britney is crying while Santana curses viciously in Spanish (well, Kurt figures it is viciously, based on the anger flashing in her eyes).
"Guys. Guys!" Kurt shouts to get their attention back on him. "I don't believe it either. Yeah, he is hurt that they haven't acted as if they cared that he was injured. But, what I think he is most upset about is that the Warblers are not acting like the guys he used to know. Last year, there is no way that those guys would have even considered throwing a slushie at the competition. I was one of them, I know. Now, here they are intending to slushie someone who used to be a Warbler and injuring another former Warbler in the process. They used to love Blaine. And, what bothers me the most about the fact that none of them have contacted him is that most of them know what Blaine went through at his last public school. He went through some horrible bullying. Dalton and the Warblers saved him, fixed him. Now they are the bullies and he is injured again. And, I know it freaks him out that it could have been me."
Sam shakes his head, a sad look in his eye, and asks, "What can we do to help, Kurt?"
Kurt gives them all a huge smile and states in a voice equal parts hope and mischief, "I have an idea…"
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