Rating: T
Characters: Sebastian, Blaine, Nick, Trent, Tina, Sam, Mr Schu, Warblers, New Directions
Summary: In an instance of role reversal, Sebastian finds himself helping Blaine one last time before they graduate and go their separate ways. Part of my Second Chance verse. Warnings inside.
Warnings: Swearing, reference to self-harm
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the song.
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REVERSE ME:
Sebastian groaned as his phone blared to life beside his bed, yanking him from sleep. He groped around for it, sliding a finger across the screen before holding it to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Seb, I need help."
"B-Blaine? What happened?" Sebastian slowly sat up. "What time is it?"
There was a strange hiccupping sound on the other end. "T-Two thirty," Blaine answered.
"Blaine, are you crying? What's wrong?" Sebastian held his phone between his shoulder and ear as he pulled on a pair of jeans.
"I'm never good enough am I?"
"Blaine, you need to tell me what happened," Sebastian said again.
"I worked so hard for all this and what do I get? Absolutely nothing."
"Blaine, shut up and tell me what the fuck is going on. Are you at home?" Sebastian quickly tugged a shirt on before he grabbed his keys and headed downstairs.
"Y-Yeah… Are you coming over?"
"Well you're not telling me what's wrong so I'll be there in twenty minutes and you'll have a coffee ready for me when I open the door."
"O-Okay. I'll see you soon then."
Sebastian hung up as he climbed into his car. He sped most of the way to Blaine's and found himself there five minutes earlier than he had suspected. He peered up at the dark house before he took a deep breath and climbed out. He strode up to the front door, the concrete path cold beneath his socked feet – he couldn't find shoes. Sebastian knocked on the door before burying his hands in his pockets.
Blaine slowly opened the door and Sebastian's jaw dropped. The boy's hair was ungelled, his old Dalton t-shirt was stained with what looked like ketchup and wrapped around Blaine's elbow was a dirty old bandage.
"Hi," Blaine murmured with a sniff and a swallow.
"That's not ketchup on your shirt, is it?" Sebastian asked quietly.
Blaine shook his head as he turned and headed back inside. Sebastian followed quickly, shutting the front door behind him before he watched as Blaine curled up on the couch. Sebastian moved to sit beside him in the dark, glancing around at the half-eaten pizza on the coffee table and the wads of used tissues, some specked with blood.
"Blaine, what happened?" Sebastian asked again as he turned to his friend.
"I got into NYADA," he murmured, staring off into space.
"Well, isn't that a good thing? You'll be with Kurt…"
"Yeah, 'cause it's so great getting into NYADA after Kurt and Rachel. I must be so talented. They never worked at all to get where they are – I worked every day since I was four years old to get into a good school and I get in and nobody cares!"
"I care," Sebastian said gently. "But why do you think that? Did someone say something to you?"
"It's what they didn't say," Blaine said as he started crying again. "Nobody cares about me…"
Sebastian shook his head as he pulled Blaine into his arms. "That's not true. The Warblers still love you, Blaine. We never stopped loving you."
Blaine squeezed Sebastian's arm as he cried into Sebastian's shoulder. "My parents didn't even congratulate me."
"That's because your parents suck," Sebastian said. "They don't know what they're missing."
"What are they missing? I'm pathetic…"
Sebastian looked down at Blaine. "They're missing the sweetest, most talented and amazing guy I've ever met."
Blaine looked back up at Sebastian, his eyes wide. He leaned up closer to Sebastian but the Warbler cottoned on and pushed Blaine away.
"You don't want to kiss me, Blaine."
"Yes I do."
"No, you're not going to lose Kurt because of me." Sebastian got up off the couch. "You're going to go to bed and in the morning you're going to shower and gel your damn hair and then we're getting the Warblers together. We're going to McKinley and we're going to sing a song to your stupid little glee club and we're going to make them see how fucking talented you are."
"But tomorrow's the last glee club ever for me; I don't want to ruin it…"
"Well they should have treated you better. Now go to bed," Sebastian winked. "Tomorrow's going to be good."
Blaine cracked a smile but nodded before he got to his feet. "Thanks Sebastian."
"No problem, Blaine," Sebastian replied as he hugged the boy carefully. "Stay safe, okay?"
"I will."
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The next day was spent in the auditorium. Dalton had already held its graduation ceremonies and the Warblers were all bored while they waited for colleges to accept their applications. It had been no problem getting them all to McKinley to practice a song with Blaine.
"Blaine, you're on lead. Trent, Nick, Jeff and I will sing back up for you with the rest doing their magic harmonising," Sebastian had said as soon as Blaine arrived. He'd shoved sheet music into his hands before they'd started rehearsing.
When they took a break for lunch, Blaine pulled Sebastian aside.
"Thanks for doing this, Seb. I needed it."
"No problem," Sebastian answered with a grin. "I wasn't going to let them tear you down. Besides, one more chance to boss the Warblers around isn't something I'm going to give up."
"And thanks for last night… I'm sorry I tried to kiss you."
"It's fine. It was nothing. You were upset. Don't worry about it."
Blaine grinned and threw an arm around Sebastian's shoulders, forcing him to walk on his tiptoes. "Guess we won't get to do this again…"
"We'll have to rent a space each summer and throw a Warbler party and just sing Katy Perry and One Direction covers."
"And blow them all outta the park."
Sebastian laughed brightly. It was good to be happy.
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At the end of the day, Blaine left to get the members of the New Directions while the Warblers got themselves ready. For the first time, they were performing out of their uniforms. Instead they had decided to adopt skinny jeans and black t-shirts. Sebastian had fetched face paint from the store on his way to McKinley and they now stood around painting lightning bolts over each other's faces as they waited.
"Sebastian, we look ridiculous! Why couldn't we just wear our uniforms?" Trent asked as Jeff painted a bright blue bolt over his eye.
"Because while this is Blaine's day, you're indulging me. I've wanted to sing this song for years but never had a reason to and this is the way I wanted to do it. Besides, it makes us look scarier." Sebastian grinned at Nick who was putting the finishing touches on a black bolt on his face.
"This is making your eye pop," Nick laughed.
"Good because the red looks good on you too," Sebastian said before he leaned forward to kiss Nick gently. "Thanks for helping out today."
"No problem," Nick said as the New Directions arrived.
"What are they doing here?" Sebastian heard the Asian girl ask.
"Isn't it a little late to say you're going back to Dalton?" one of the younger guys asked.
Blaine stepped up onto the stage. "Actually, the Warblers are here to help me sing a song that is about something I've struggled with for a long time. Something that I didn't know how to talk until very early this morning. The Warblers are here because they've always supported and loved me, no matter what happened. So I hope you enjoy the performance."
The Warblers got into formation before Blaine let loose of the emotions he'd been holding in for two and a half years.
Stop fucking around with my emotions
I like you better when you're numb
I'm sick and tired of false devotion
Devote yourself to moving on
Or suck it up and let it go
Blaine's four backup singers took the last line…
But you're always out to get me
Before Blaine chimed in again for the chorus.
You're the snake hidden in my daffodils when I'm picking flowers
That's just my luck these days
Why can't you just be happy for me?
You're the break lines failing as my car swerves off the freeway
It kind of feels like sabotage
Why can't you just be happy for
Why can't you just be happy for me?
Blaine could see the expressions of shock on the New Directions' faces and he shot Sebastian a satisfied grin before they leapt – literally – into the second verse.
You think your opinions make you savvy
Your running mouth falls on deaf ears
You say you're winning 'cause you're laughing
Well I'm crying crocodile tears
Just suck it up and let it go
But you're always out to get me
You're the snake hidden in my daffodils when I'm picking flowers
That's just my luck these days
Why can't you just be happy for me?
You're the break lines failing as my car swerves off the freeway
It kind of feels like sabotage
Why can't you just be happy for,
Why can't you just be happy for me?
As the Warblers formed a semicircle, Blaine felt the adrenaline race through him. He released the pain and hurt and anger as he danced furiously, the Warblers still singing the fills around him.
Why can't you just be happy for me?
(I'll never be good enough no, I'll never be good enough)
Why can't you just be happy for me?
(I'll never be good enough no, I'll never be good enough)
But you're always out to get me
You're the snake hidden in my daffodils when I'm picking flowers
That's just my luck these days
Why can't you just be happy for me?
You're the break lines failing as my car swerves off the freeway
It kind of feels like sabotage
Why can't you just be happy for,
Why can't you just be happy for me?
The New Directions sat in stunned silence while the Warblers waited expectantly for the praise they all knew they deserved. Sebastian was watching Blaine nervously though – he could see his friend's expression falling and his hands turning to fists as the frustration welled up again.
"Blaine, that song … really wasn't appropriate for this week's assignment," the choir director said from where he sat.
Blaine was stunned into silence of his own but Sebastian stepped forward.
"That was not the purpose of this performance and you know it! Did you not see what just happened?! Did you not listen to a word he just sang?!"
"Sebastian, don't bother," Blaine murmured.
"No! No, Blaine is the most talented kid any of you will ever meet and he deserves the recognition he's worked for!" Sebastian took a deep breath. "He can sing, dance, act – he plays piano more beautifully than anyone I've ever known! He got into NYADA and you people don't give a damn because Rachel and Kurt are already there! Blaine is the captain of this club and you don't care… We fought long and hard to get him back but he stuck with you. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"Do you really feel that way, Blaine?" the choir director asked.
"I've always felt … alien here. I never fit in… I thought getting into NYADA would be enough for you people but it wasn't. And I was sick of being ignored," Blaine admitted. "I'm sorry Mr Schu."
"Don't apologise to them, Blaine," Sebastian narrowed his gaze on the show choir. "They should apologise to you."
Starting with the blonde guy with the huge lips and the Asian girl, the New Directions slowly climbed up onto the stage to apologise to and embrace Blaine one by one. The choir director – Mr Schu – approached Sebastian and the Warblers, extending a hand to Sebastian.
Sebastian shook it as he looked to the teacher apprehensively. "I suppose you have something to say?"
"Thank you for helping Blaine. Thank you for recognising what we didn't. Thank you for teaching me not to minimise any achievement, no matter how small and no matter who achieved it."
Sebastian nodded. "You're welcome. Though I never expected to teach you anything. I just needed to help Blaine."
"You did well, Sebastian. You've come a long way from trying to blind him."
Sebastian shrugged as he grinned. "Well, I try."
Mr Schu nodded in recognition before he joined his students again. Sebastian felt a hand at his waist and he turned to find Nick standing beside him.
"You did do good, Seb," Nick said with a smile. "I'm proud of you."
"Well, I owed him," Sebastian answered as he watched Blaine. Their friend glanced over to them and grinned broadly. The Warblers nodded before they left.
Stepping out into the early summer sun, Sebastian threw an around Nick's neck.
"I am so glad high school is over."
"Things are going to be so much easier at college," Nick mused.
"I think for the first time … I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
Nick looked up at Sebastian and smiled before he leaned up to kiss him.
Tomorrow would be good.
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A/N:
Song: The Irony of Choking on a Life Saver – All Time Low
And the Blaine fic is finally done :D It's very different from what I think I originally planned but I don't remember what I originally planned so it had to change a little. And I was listening to the song and I was just like "Blaine, you need to sing this like, yesterday." I would really suggest going to YouTube and listening to it to get a better feel of the performance though, I couldn't quite articulate how I wanted the performance to go but I tried my best.
The next fic I'm hoping to write is going to be a multi-chapter in the same style as "Weekend at the Smythes" but detailing Nick and Seb's wedding day :) That one's going to need a plan and stuff though so it won't be up too quickly but I'll try to get it out by Friday or Saturday. Thanks again for reading and I hope you liked it –Frankie xoxo