Hello my lovelies!
So I know I've already posted this story before but I realized that after I finished posting it, from time to time I'd go back and add scenes and rewrite parts. I decided as a tribute to all Wevid lovers I'd re-post my finished version for you guys to enjoy. Be sure to have a box to tissues ready my darlings.
Enjoy,
Bree Z Claire
I do NOT own Glee or any songs used in this Fic.
All songs used will be mentioned at the end.
[In the Beginning]
"Can I borrow that?"
Wes looked up from where he was colouring his airplane, every speck and flake of crayon remained perfectly within the outline until a voice startled his 'tickle-me-pink' crayon slightly out of the template design. Above him, standing slightly slouched from across the table, stood a young boy with chocolate-coloured skin. He stood smiling at Wes with a wide grin and curious eyes. The boy was pointing at Wes' crayon set.
"Why?" Wes looked from his crayons, meticulously arranged in the order of the rainbow, and back to the boy with furrowed brows. It was only his third day of kindergarten and he wasn't too keen on the idea of letting other boys mess with his crayon order.
"I used up all my blue. I love blue. Blue's my favourite colour! What's your favourite colour? Actually, now that I think about it, I think I used up my red too," the boy pouted his large lips and turned for a moment to look back at his table. "Jeff, is my red still there?"
"No…I think Nick ate it."
"I did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
Wes looked to see a blonde-haired boy and a brown-haired boy, now arguing and throwing crayons. He looked at his own, empty table surrounded by little green and pink plastic chairs and quickly shook out the thought. It wasn't his fault he didn't make friends very easily. Boys were messy. And loud. He was special that's all…that's what his mommy told him.
"Umm…" Wes glanced up to see the boy looking down at the ground, clearly uncomfortable. "If you don't want to, it's ok…it's just…it doesn't look like you used it much…so I thought…" Wes watched as the boy fiddled with his Superman jacket zipper and suddenly felt his face warm, which was funny considering it had been rainy and cold all day. He quickly grabbed his red and blue - in that order- and held them out to the boy with a smile.
"Here," He locked eyes with the boy, now bouncing happily on his toes, and felt his face flush once more—maybe he should talk to Ms. Adams about calling his mommy. Wes stared at the boy and felt himself smile in spite of the mysterious butterflies that filled his stomach. When the other boy beamed back, Wes shyly looked down. "Just don't break it."
"Thanks! I won't, I promise!" the boy took the crayons from Wes and skipped back to his table; crayons cupped tightly between his hands.
Wes looked back down at his airplane. Peach coloured passengers ate brown peanuts and drank yellow apple juice with white straws. The stewardess' handed out green blankets and orange pillows to other passengers as a boy slept soundly with his pink teddy bear. A pink line ran from the bear onto they boy's mother's face; a streak of imperfection on an otherwise flawless picture. Of course he would've preferred blue blankets and a red teddy bear but that would have required the use of his precious red and blue crayons, which were out of the question. Favourite things were meant to be preserved. Wes sighed and crumpled his paper. He flipped to a new page in his colouring book –a bird– and had just started colouring it yellow when he caught sight of a familiar Superman jacket. Wes looked up to see the same boy from before only this time with a smaller smile on his face.
"Come sit with us." He said quietly.
Wes stared. "What?"
"Come sit…with us…if you want…You look kind of lonely here. You know what my momma use to say? Three's a crowd but four's a party. And you can't have a party with just one person…so you should come and sit with me, Jeff and Nick." His wide grin made Wes smile. He frowned a moment later.
"My daddy says that class time is class time and parties are for special occasions only."
The boy stared at him for a moment, his grin fading a little. After a slight hesitation, he said, "You're funny. Come sit with us, it'll be fun! Nick's eating crayons—"
"My daddy says crayons are wrong for eating…"
"—and Jeff's gluing crayons together—"
"Well I think you and your friends are—"
"Sometimes I think they're both—"
"Crazy!" they both finished together. The two boys stared at each other for a while before bursting out in laughter.
~~ xXx ~~
"You broke it." Wes looked down at his red crayon. It wasn't just snapped inside the paper, but it was snapped clearly in half with the paper cover torn off.
"I'm sorry…I-I didn't mean to." The boy, David, stare at him with large brown eyes.
"I told you NOT to break it! You said you wouldn't! You promised!" Wes felt the sting of tears prick the back of his eyes. "You lied! You lied! You lied!" Wes stomped his feet before running off to his cubby. He tucked himself tightly into the soft wooden walls and wrapped his coat around himself before quietly sobbing. He was glad that Ms. Adams, who had taken Tommy Green to the nurse after he threw up on her, was not there to see him. She would've called home immediately and then Wes' father would know he was crying in class. When Wes got home his father would be mad.
"Why are you causing trouble in class?" He would say. "I paid good money to send you to a good school and you cause trouble? Go to your room and study your school work, and don't you dare come out till you show me some quality work sheets!"
"But Steven," Wes' mommy would plea, "Wes has his piano practice now—"
"He can play after his work!" and then his daddy would hurry off to his business meeting, leaving a tearful Wes in his mommy's arm for a long half-hour. After, she would comfort him by teaching him a new Chopin piece, gently guiding his small fingers across the smooth keys until he tired out and fell asleep.
"Wes?" A tiny voice stirred Wes from his fearful thoughts. It was David, but Wes couldn't see him with his jacket covering his head. Wes squeezed his eyes shut even more and yelled, though it sounded more like a squeak. "Go away."
"Wes…I'm sorry."
Wes sounded muffled beneath his thick coat, but David swore he heard something along the lines of 'liar liar' and his pants being on fire. He carefully peeled away the jacket to see the smaller Asian boy huddled tightly in the cubby corner with red eyes and a runny nose.
"G'waydavid." The boy mumbled.
"Wes, I'm sorry. I broke my promise and I'm sorry." He stared at Wes with pleading eyes; he didn't like having people mad at him, even Wes…especially Wes. "My sister told me that if I ever broke a promise I'd have seven years of bad luck."
"That's a mirror. If you break a mirror you get seven years of bad luck."
"Oh…"
The little Asian boy still wasn't looking at him and it hurt David in a way he couldn't understand. He'd been hurt before. He'd fallen off his bike, tripped playing soccer, banged his head on a table while playing hide-and-go-seek with friends, and even chipped a tooth playing sand-man by walking into a tetherball pole. But none of those pains even came close to making him feel the way he did now. For a long moment David stood there not quite sure what to do, and then he reached into his pocket…
"Here." And finally Wes looked up.
"What is…"Wes stared at the red crayon. "I thought Nick ate it…"
David giggled, "Nick ate Jeff's red crayon, not mine. I forgot that I put it in my pocket to keep it safe. Red is my favourite colour too! Blue first though, and then red. Nick's really nice but I think he really likes eating crayons too. I tried one once but—"
"Are you giving your crayon…to me?"
"Well…yeah." But then David quickly swiped it back, holding it close to his heart, "But only if you forgive me! And…and only if we can be friends again…and…umm…oh! You have to sit next to me every class so I can keep an eye on you…I mean it…my…your crayon." By the time David finished stumbling through his sentences, Wes was laughing so hard he had begun to cry again. This sight didn't escape David, who looked down at the boy with concerned eyes.
"Wes? Please don't cry anymore…I don't like it when you cry." And just when he began to tear, Wes jumped up and flung his arms around David's neck in a tight bear hug, his feet dangling above the ground. The gesture surprised him at first, but David smiled and gingerly patted the other boy on the back while wrapping his other arm around Wes' waist. After a couple minutes, David stirred.
"My sister said that boys hugging boys is weird."
Wes leaned back slightly, now on his tippy-toes, arms still around the taller boy's neck, with a cocked head and a raised eyebrow. "David…you ARE weird."
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Boys! Boys! What is going on here? David? Wesley?" Ms. Adams came quickly around the corner and pulled the boys apart. "I hope I don't have to call anyone's parents?"
"No Ms. Adams." The two boys chimed, suddenly interested in their shoes.
"Well then, let's get back to colouring shall we?" Ms. Adams then led the two back to their table, where Jeff and Nick were nowhere to be found. After telling them Jeff had gone with Nick to the nurse because of a stomach ache, she left the two to run back to the nurse's office muttering something that sounded like, "why crayons are so appealing to these boys I'll never figure out."
"Wes?" David said after a beat.
"Yes, David?"
"Friends?"
Wes beamed. He remembered his first day at school, his mommy's hand grasped tightly around his, his father warning him to behave because of the money he spent to send him to such a big school. He remembered sitting down at his little table and watching all the other boys have fun singing and doing arts and crafts. He remembered how the other boys thought less of him because he didn't want to get his hands messy while the others mixed their blue, red, and yellow paint. He remembered running home, away from all the turned backs and scary looks, into his mommy's arms and her stroking his hair, telling him how special he was. He remembered asking her why the other boys didn't like him and how she said that when the day came, he too would have a friend just as special as he was.
Wes looked at David now with his Superman jacket and a rainbow of crayon smears covering his chocolate-coloured hands and knew that they'd be friends forever.
"Friends."
~~ xXx ~~
[Dalton: Junior year.]
"I. Hate. Shakespeare." Blaine groaned as he left the classroom, Kurt and David laughed at their friend's lack of enthusiasm as they all made their way back to their dorms.
"Oh c'mon, it's not that bad Blaine, although it does become increasingly tiring hearing about Polonius' constant rambling." Kurt smiled.
"Not to mention his doublefaceness."
"David, 'doublefaceness' is not a word."
"It be can if believe you do!" David said half-heartedly, and then took his seventh glance down the halls of Dalton. Wes had not been to any of their classes together, and Jeff had told him Wes didn't show up to second period. He wasn't answering any of David's texts either and coming from Wes, this was extremely strange behaviour. Being the straight-A student he was, Wes never skipped class and even if he did he always checked in with David for homework and notes.
"Thanks Yoda. I think your grammar and spelling begins to suffer when your other half isn't around though." Kurt mocked sympathetically, in his few months at Dalton not once were David and Wes separate from each other. The two boys were practically joined at the hip, sometimes literally. Blaine had told him that at Dalton's Halloween party they had dressed up as a merged condom package, happily throwing condoms at all the guests. It took about two weeks of constant searching and cleaning before all the condom packages were found and disposed of.
"On the contrary Kurt, I think this is actually an improvement, and very Yoda." Blaine laughed as the countertenor rolled his eyes.
But just as David was about reply, all three boys received identical texts:
From Wes:
Emergency Warbler meeting. Mandatory.
The three exchanged identical, questioning glances and quickly made their way to the Warbler's practice room.
~~ xXx ~~
This isn't good, David thought as he took his place behind the Warbler's Council table. Usually when important meeting were called, all three council members made arrangements beforehand and made clear, organized speeches under careful instructions of Wes. David felt like he'd swallowed a stone when he took his seat with Wes and Thad already in place. Council members were always seated well before meetings began.
Once the last of the Warbler's made their way into the room, Thad cleared his throat and began the meeting with the routine 'welcome' and 'thank you for coming on such short notice' speeches. This really isn't good, David thought again. It was only on very very rare occasions that Wes didn't open the Warbler meetings. One time when Wes had caught strep throat he was told that under no circumstances was he able to speak for an entire week, which only led to him writing out extremely detailed notes of what should be said during meetings and how the notes would be said. Really, how they would be said. Once you've read 'with passion and earnest' about five times in a row, it starts to lose its meaning. It eventually boiled down to Wes writing on a white board and underlining the important words, which to Wes was all of them.
"…So now, without further ado, I'd like to hand this meeting over to Wesley Montgomery." The council head was greeted with polite applause before he also cleared his throat and began.
"Thank you Thad," the thickness in his voice gave David a sinking feeling. He watched his friend as Wes continued his speech more formal and calm than he had ever seen. To anyone else it would've sounded perfectly normal, maybe Wes had a cold or a cough, but David knew better; Wes was holding something in. He could see the red rims that outlined his eyes, the dark circles under his eyes and the slightly deepened, sunken look to his cheeks.
Wes stood perfectly still with perfect posture aside from his hands which were constantly fidgeting; a clear sign Wes was distressed. To any other Warbler, Wes' actions and appearance didn't strike up any alarm. Winter finales were coming up and most assumed that the Council Head was just stressed due to the heavy work load. To David, however, these features and actions were amplified a thousand times. David was so distracted by Wes' features that he almost didn't catch the punch-line.
"…I am truly grateful for the faith you have all put in me to lead this council for the past few years, which is why it will be truly difficult to leave you all."
~ xXx ~
Everyone's around, no words are coming now.
And I can't find my breath, can we just say the rest with no sound
~ xXx ~
"My dad wants me to fly back to Beijing with him and take over the family business."
David and Blaine stared at their friend as he shifted awkwardly against the headboard of his bed. Wes kept his eyes down, intensely focused on the stray fabric of his Dalton uniform. Shortly after Wes dropped the bomb on the Warblers, shouts of 'what the hell?' and 'how could you do this to us right before Regionals?' were quickly passed around the room. However, after explaining as vaguely as humanly possible, Wes excused himself from the meeting and marched straight up to his dorm room. To say that the Warblers were left shocked and frazzled was the understatement of the year. As Thad tried to tame the rowdy a Capella group, David and Blaine hurried to their friend.
The three sat in the dorm room in silence now. Wes sat in the corner made by his bed and the wall while Blaine and David sat on David's bed. None of them dared to move a muscle until Blaine spoke from where he and David sat. "What does this mean?" he asked slowly.
Wes continued to look down at his uniform, feeling sick. "It means that...that I'll be moving away."
"For how long?"
Wes shifted to look out the window beside him. David sat perfectly still, cross-legged next to Blaine, staring off into nothing with a glassy look in his eyes. Blaine pushed once more; even though he knew the answer he feared most of all.
"For how long will you be moving away, Wes?"
Silence.
"Wes."
"I don't know. A week? A month? Years? We're talking about taking over a business here Blaine and who knows—"
And that was all he could take. David all but leaped from the bed and sprinted towards the door, throwing it open and running out. As the door snapped back into the door stopper, Blaine stared out into the empty doorway, back to Wes, and to the door again. Wes, without so much as a flinch, continued to stare out the window.
~~ xXx ~~
[Grade School Memories]
"David, I don't think this is right." Wes looked down from the park bench he was standing on. His bright red cape flapped in the gentle spring breeze, "I don't think benches were meant for jumping off of."
David, who stood a few feet back on the sidewalk, looked up at his friend and smiled encouragingly. "Wes, it's called imagination; use it!" When the little Asian boy gave him a look of confusion he continued. "Look, we're supposed to be superheroes saving the world from the evil lake monsters!" He pointed to the small lake next to the playground where a family of geese waddled about.
"Defending the world from evil lake monsters shouldn't involve jumping off benches. My daddy always said that benches were made for sitting and not jumping."
"That's because he's no fun!"
"My daddy's plenty fun! Remember he made us snacks when you came over?"
"He fed us carrot sticks, Wes. Carrot sticks."
Wes pouted. "I like carrot sticks…they're crunchy."
"So are chips and tacos." David gave an exasperated sigh. "Just jump off the bench Wes!"
"Okay, here I go—AHHHHhhhh!"
~~ xXx ~~
"And this, boys," Ms. Millie said as she finished bandaging Wes' knee, "is why we don't jump off benches especially when those benches are wet and next to pavement and rocks. What on earth were you boys thinking?"
"We were playing superheroes Ms. Millie." David stood on his tippy-toes as he watched his friend being patched up on the table. "Wes was the Flash and I was Superman and we were protecting the playground from the evil quacking lake monsters that were chasing Nick."
Ms. Millie smiled and shook her head. "And what was the Flash doing on a bench? Can he fly?"
David let out a small giggle, "No, Ms. Millie! The Flash needed to get a better look out of the land. We would've gone on the play structure but Thad was King of the Hill so he pushed us off."
"Thad's bossy." Wes muttered.
"So are you."
"I am not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Ms. Millie! Ms. Millie!" The three turned to the sound of Jeff running through the door. "Nick got bit by the evil lake monsters!" The latter came walking in, his right hand cupped close to his body with his left hand.
"Oh my goodness what happened sweetheart?" Ms. Millie knelt down next to Nick who tearfully held out a small red finger. "Oh dear, those geese aren't very good playmates are they? Now let's go get some ice for that finger." She turned back to the boy on the table and set him back down on the ground, "Wesley, you're free to go but be more careful next time ok? And stay away from those geese, do I make myself clear?" After receiving a chorused 'yes ma'am' from the duo, she quickly led Nick to the office but stopped when a small hand tugged at her skirt.
She looked down to see Jeff staring up with concerned, pleading eyes. She sighed, "Jeff would you like to come along as well?" The blond boy happily nodded and dragged his friend to the office quickly followed by the smiling teacher.
David was still giggling at this sight when a small sniffle made him turn around. Wes, who was now sitting on the carpet, rubbed his nose. "Are you okay Wes?" The dark-skinned boy sat down and gently patted his friend's injured knee, "does it hurt?" he asked.
"A little bit." He wiped his eyes but soon broke out in sobs and cries. "David, I'm a bad superhero! I keep tripping and falling—"
"That's only because of the cape. Here," he untied the fabric around his friend's neck and tied it around his own. "I'll wear it for you. That way you won't trip anymore. Besides, I don't think Flash wears a cape and now you can run twice as fast and I can do enough flying for both of us!"
The Asian boy was still unconvinced, "But what if I fall down again…"
"Well then," David flung his arm around Wes' shoulders and squeezed the boy close. "I'll always be right there to pick you back up. That's what friends are for."
"Always?" the smaller friend asked.
"Always!"
~~ xXx ~~
When the lunch bell rang throughout the halls of Dalton, everyone quickly rushed out of their classrooms to their respected tables in the dinning hall. Dalton's proclaimed 'Rock Stars' however, seemed to be the only ones not present. Ever since Wes' big announcement a few days before, the Warblers had been unable to focus without their Council Head present let alone work on their set-list for Regionals and thus had been spending much of their waking hours in the Warbler's practice room…when they weren't busy spazing of course.
If ever Thad began to pull everyone together, someone would break down in a fit usually leading David to walk out as well, tired with all that's happened so far in the week. Kurt, despite his concern for his friend, stepped up as second in command.
"I understand that the Warblers are in a bit of a pickle right now but we can't let a missing council member keep us from winning at Regionals. And quite frankly, David and Thad aren't exactly the 'take charge' kind that Wes is. The Warblers are falling apart and someone needs to get them back on track." So while Kurt handled the Warblers' affairs, it fell on Blaine to sort out the communication, or lack of, between David and Wes.
As the school bell rang on Friday afternoon, the day students happily rushed off to their homes to begin their plans for the weekend. The Warblers, however, were stuck at Dalton so they could finish up their set-list for Regionals. Blaine stopped by Kurt's chemistry class and together they headed to Kurt's locker.
"Any progress on our boys?" Kurt asked hopefully but Blaine only gave him a grim smile.
"I've tried talking to Wes all week but every time I try getting through to him he just closes up and tells me to leave him alone."
"What about David?" Kurt closed his locker and the couple made their way to the Warblers practice room.
Blaine frowned. "David has been so…out of focus since Wes dropped the news on us. Even the teachers are starting to get worried; I heard he failed his history test today."
"He what?"
"I know…"
The usual excited chatter was not what greeted the two Warblers as they opened the door. Stress and anxiety filled the air, everyone and everything in the room was dead silent. Jeff sat beside Nick who glanced around apprehensively. Trent, in lieu of his usual place behind the couch, shook his leg nervously from where he sat on the couch arm as Flint drummed his fingers on the chess table near the back. Kurt and Blaine shared a look and silently took their place on the leather couch. Just like any other meeting, the three council members were already seated at the front of the room but just like their fellow Warblers, something was very off. Thad sat closest to the door, fidgeting as he bounced his leg and ripped up pieces of paper from his water bottle. Wes sat perfectly straight as always but the gentle smile that use to grace his fellow Warblers and give them confidence had faded, replaced by a very straight, thin line. David stared down at his Official Minutes sheet in silence.
Kurt cleared his throat, "Well…either Pavarotti kicked the tiny can again or we're just all really excited about Regionals." His attempt at raising spirits was met with no takers. Blaine gave him a small smile, it was worth a try.
Wes either didn't hear or pretended not to as he began the meeting with a bang of his gavel. "The time is 3:02PM. Let this Warblers meeting commence. My fellow Warblers, it has come to my attention that the behaviour in this choir room has been lacking the proper poise of that suited for distinguished young gentlemen such as ourselves.
"May I remind you that despite Landon Martin's absence in 1962, a mere two days from Nationals, due to a broken leg, the Warblers were still able to pull together in order to win second place? I can only hope that my leaving won't cause the Warblers to dilapidate.
"Thadeus and I have spoken and we have come to the conclusion that in order to keep the Warblers from spiralling into chaos, it is my duty to choose my successor as Head Councilman of the Warblers." It was at this point that the Warblers spoke up.
"'C-chaos'? What chaos? I—I never said chaos! Surely you mock us, sir!"
"Does the successor have to be a lead to be considered?"
"Can a new comer be a successor?"
"Does successor get full rein of the gavel?"
"How will the successor be decided?" Everyone was rendered silent when David spoke up. His head still remained down but his voice was strong. Wes was the first to recover.
"H-his capability of handling the choir group under pressure, attention to detail, respect and obedience towards the Dalton Academy's Warblers Handbook, skill in the care and treatment of future warbler mascots –Pavarotti has yet to find himself a successor– and the ability to resolve conflicts, all these and more will be observed and noted of each of you. By Sunday evening I will have made my decision and come Monday morning you will all have a new Head Warbler Councilman. At 3:47PM, this meeting of the Warblers is adjourned." With a final smash of his gavel, Wes promptly got up and left the room without so much as a glance back.
~~ xXx ~~
And I know this isn't enough, I still don't measure up.
And I'm not prepared, sorry is never there when you need it.
~~ xXx ~~
When the rest of the Warblers had filed out of the room aside from Blaine, David took a seat beside his friend. He sunk his head into his hands, "What am I doing Blaine? I can't—How could he just…UGH!" Blaine watched in silence as David leapt up and paced the floor, clearly agitated, occasionally swiping at papers and all other expendable objects he could find. When he finally settled down and reclaimed his spot on the couch, Blaine finally spoke.
"David…you and Wes are two of the closest people I've ever met. Do you think that maybe…the reason you're feeling this way is because—"
"What? Blaine, no! Of course not…Wes and I…He…I mean it's not like I haven't…" he let out a sigh. "It wouldn't even matter now that he's…" he muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Blaine looked at his friend again, trying hard to assess all that had happened during the week. David was always the quirky one; the fun one; the happy one. Seeing him so drained and lifeless made Blaine feel helpless…and heartbroken. He had pondered countless times exactly what kind of relationship David and Wes had had but always just brushed it off as an extremely co-dependant friendship like everyone else had assumed. But seeing his friends act this way made him think it may be something different…something stronger. He laid a hand on the Warbler's shoulder.
"David. Whatever you're feeling…whatever you're going through…I can only support you and lend my ears to you. But you know what I can suggest?" David turned to face him. "Sing. Sing your heart out. It isn't healthy keeping all these feelings bottled up inside, trust me."
With a warm smile to his friend, the lead Warbler grabbed his bag and left.
David soon found himself sitting at the grand piano in the Warblers practice room, mindlessly fingering the keys, rolling around the advice his friend had given him. So he began to sing…
Cover my eyes
Cover my ears
Tell me these words are a lie
He sat there for hours on end playing gently, singing out all his feelings, his heartaches, and his deepest fears. He could feel himself slipping away. Wes. They had always been together. They were the best of friends. But what could he do now? The two of them had always been able to talk about anything and everything without hesitation. But now was different. He didn't know how or why he felt this way, but he knew this time was different.
It can't be true
That I'm losing you
The sun cannot fall from the sky
Can you hear heaven cry
Tears of an angel
Tears of an angel
Tears of an angel
Tears of an angel
He sat and played till his fingers began to shake uncontrollably and the keys turned damp with silent tears. He sang until his voice was raw and his breath support failed him. It was only then that he got up and walked back to his empty dorm room in silence.
Stop every clock
Stars are in shock
The river will flow to the sea
I won't let you fly
I won't say goodbye
I won't let you slip away from me
Can you hear heaven cry
Tears of an angel
Sometimes Wes would walk by, looking for a Warbler member or he'd be taking the long route to study hall. He stopped dead when he heard a familiar voice, feeling himself being pulled towards it until he was right up against the door. He'd been doing a good job at keep his emotions at bay but now standing here listening to David sing, he let it all go, letting his tears overwhelm him. As the song came to a close the sound of running feet filled the marble hallway. David still sat for hours…knowing exactly who those foot steps belonged to.
Cover my eyes
Cover my ears
Tell me these words are a lie
~~ xXx ~~
"You need to talk to him." Blaine stood akimbo by Wes' open door. It had been a daily routine for them. Everyday Blaine would step in and talk while Wes continued shuffling his things around the room. Always silent. Never speaking once. Numerous duffle bags and taped up boxes were still flung around the room from where the occupant was packing. Blaine almost didn't recognize the room as Wes' at first. "Wes, the two of you haven't talked all week and it's not doing either of you any good. Everyone can see that." When he was met with silence once again, Blaine got fed up. He moved across the room and grabbed his friend's arm, his voice rising. "Stop avoiding him before it's too late, Wes! You leave tomorrow morning and you haven't even said two words to the guy! David—"
"I can't, Blaine." the shorter boy was so thrown off by the quiet severity in his friend's voice that he backed off immediately but his voice remained stern.
"Wes, you can't just go on pretending like you don't care. You need to go and—"
"You don't think I haven't tried!" Wes threw down his duffle bag and kicked violently at the furniture. A picture frame crashed to the floor sending tiny shards of glass deep into the carpet. "You don't think that every time I walk by that Warblers Hall and hear him playing that I don't go right up to the door? That I don't stand there for hours and hours while he plays his heart out for me? That it takes all of my very being not to break down and leave everything my father's offered me every time I see him crying because of what I'm doing to him? I can see it in his eyes Blaine and I don't need you to tell me what I already know! So you can just go and fuck yourself Blaine! " The lead Warbler winced; Wes had never sworn in his entire life.
Wes choked and gasped for air before falling to his knees, tears streaming down his pale face. Blaine, never seeing his friend more open and vulnerable in all their years together, just pulled him close and held his friend tightly. He rocked him back and forth, calming him, and from where they sat, all tangled limbs and tears, Blaine could just make out the picture of Wes and David lying on the floor where it had fallen. It was the two of them were performing on stage as a welcome to all the Warblers the year Blaine transferred. They always had been inseparable.
"Shhh, it's going to be alright Wes…" Passing Warblers stopped by the door to offer their sympathies, having heard the fight, but quietly shuffled along when Blaine gave a small shake of his head.
After the Asian boy began to collect himself, he spoke again, barely a whisper this time. "This is killing me Blaine; it's clawing the flesh right off of me. You may not know this but I do care about him, Blaine. I care more than you could ever know."
~~ xXx ~~
The silence was deafening in the choir room. The group of boys sat on edge, all traces of laughter and smiles wiped clean from their faces, now replaced with stiff with uncomfortable hesitation with each boy deep in thought. The tension was coiled so tight it could've snapped like a broken elastic within a matter of seconds. Jeff, already fidgeting, was the first to speak up.
"So today's the big day…" he and Nick shared a solemn look. "The day we find out who take's Wes' place on the Council."
Nick shook his head, "I still can't believe it." The brunette leaned back into his friend.
"I don't think anyone can." Trent took his seat on the couch opposite to Jeff and Nick. Blaine and Kurt walked in, deep in conversation, and were greeted by their fellow Warblers.
"Hey guys," Blaine addressed the group. Despite his natural dapper demeanour, even Blaine had an air of caution to him as he glanced over at Kurt before continuing. "Let's try not to focus on the negatives today, but rather the celebration of our new Head Councilman, whoever that may be."
"I agree whole heartedly." Kurt clapped his hands together, forcing a smile. "Today we are faced with new changes so we should learn to take it with our heads held high."
The doors swung open then and Thad made a beeline for the Council desk. If Blaine was known for his dapper attitude and Kurt for his optimism, Thad was known for his serious and bookish ways, but even if the Warblers knew what to expect when facing Thad, today seemed to hold an even darker and gloomier cloud than usual over his head as he took centre seat at the Council desk. Nick and Jeff shared a frown and wondered if Thad already knew Wes' decision – Council members were always informed ahead of time of what news would be delivered during meetings.
The Warblers looked around, clearly unnerved about the absence of their two Council heads. Kurt and Blaine hurriedly took their seats.
"I thought Wes was supposed to announce the news." Flint leaned forward from where he sat on the back table.
Trent looked up, "And where's David?"
Thad folded his hands on the desk. "Wes had a few things to take care of. He and David will arrive shortly." And as if on cue, the sounds of two synchronized foot steps approached the doors.
Wes and David walked in side by side, neither of them making eye contact with the other. It was almost funny how in sync the two were even when they didn't mean to be.
While David took his normal position beside Thad, Wes stayed standing to the side of the desk where members usual stood when making announcements. Without another moment's hesitation, he cleared his throat and began to speak.
"The time is now 12:46PM let this Warblers meeting commence.
"My fellow Warblers, I thank you all for taking time out of schedules to gather for this emergency meeting to announce my resignation as well as the appointment of our new Head Warbler Councilman. As many of you may know, the position of Head Councilman holds great responsibility. Not only does he engage in the music arrangements and runs every Warblers meeting, he is also involved in overlooking all of the Warblers affairs, mediating any arguments between group members, and planning events such as our retirement home performances as well as larger performances such as Regionals and Sectionals.
"This man must be responsible, organized, reliable, and capable of controlling the group when things become out of hand. He must do his best to remain unbiased and make decisions based on the better good of the group rather than the individual. He must put faith and trust into his fellow Councilmen and consult their opinion on large issues and must always keep a constant communication between Council and his fellow Warblers. He is a man of honour and principle and must strive to uphold the Dalton Academy's Warblers Handbook of rules, regulations, and traditions.
"After giving this much thought. I have great pleasure in appointing the position of Head Councilman to Warbler Jeff Sterling."
There was a beat in which the entire room shared an intake of breath followed by a round of applause. Jeff stood hesitantly and approached his friend, half caught between a beaming smile and tears of goodbye. When he came close enough, the two shared a brotherly hug before stepping back.
"Y-you're sure about this?"
"We've known each other since pre-school Jeff." Wes smiled a genuine smile. "You goof off, you miss deadlines, you slack off, and you'd rather skip class to go get ice cream with Nick instead of going to math class…But you're loyal and a good man. You're there when it matters most and you work hard about what you're passionate about. I trust you'll make me proud."
Wes walked over to the Council desk to pick up the small wooden mallet and for a brief moment caught David's eye. Immediately he turned away, focusing all his energy back on Jeff and this moment because if he didn't; because if he let himself realize that this would be his last moments here; because if he let himself know he'd never see these people again; because if he let himself think about how he'd never get to see David smile again, he'd crumble then and there. Every wall he'd spent building and rebuilding ever since that day would break and cave like a dam. He was afraid that once that wall came down, it'd never come back up again. And that was a pain Wes didn't think he could take.
So he walked up to Jeff with the gavel he held so dear and handed it to his friend. "Take good care of her, Jeff. Promise me you'll take care of her and everyone else."
His voice never wavered once.
At his place beside a brooding Thad, David could barely muster up a smile for his friend because somewhere deep inside he could feel his heart clench with every word Wes spoke. With every word of 'goodbye' and 'take care' his bones shattered time and time again until all that remained was a barely beating heart among dust to keep him awake at night. By the end of the Warblers meeting, David couldn't even stand. He waited until the room emptied before trying, but even then, could only make it to the piano before collapsing once more.
~~ xXx ~~
[Unwelcomed news]
Wes' cell phone rang from where it sat on his desk. He was about to press 'ignore' again before his saw David's name pop up on caller ID. Clearing his throat, Wes answered as brightly as he could.
"David! Hi, how are you?"
"Cut the crap, Wes, I heard what happened." Wes went silent and David's voice grew softer. "I'm so sorry to hear about your mom, how is she—"
"Fine, thanks."
"Generic, default answers aren't going to work on me Wes." David exhaled and tried again, "C'mon man, talk to me. I know this must be hard on you."
"Tell me about your trip to the Alps."
"Cold with a lot of snow. Wes—"
"Packing snow or powder snow?"
"A little bit of both…"
"Did you build your traditional one-armed snowman with your sister?"
"Wes…"
"I don't want to talk about it, David. I've been talking about it all day. My dad's been with my mom 24/7 so I've been taking care of everything else. Phone calls, business meetings, contracts, paperwork… I swear if I hear any more 'how's you mother doing Wesley dear?' or 'oh I'm so sorry to hear about your mother' from people who don't really give a shit I'm going to murder somebody!"
"I'm sorry Wes…"
"Stop saying that!"
David paused; he could hear his friend struggling to hold back tears while he sat at home feeling utterly helpless. He wished more than anything that he could help his friend. They sat in silence for a few moments longer until David got an idea.
"…Hey Wes?" he could hear a sniffle on the other line, followed by a quiet 'what?'
"Cancel your meetings and forget about the paperwork. Get dressed; I'll be over in 5."
~~ xXx ~~
"What are we doing here David?" Both boys stood on the main auditorium stage at Dalton Academy. It was a private extension of the Theatre house; reserved only for large events such as the winter and spring balls or when Dean Jones wanted to make an announcement to the entire school.
"I thought you could use a break from life," David gestured to the large open room. "So I called in a favour from Max. We have two full hours in this place and I thought we could use this time to relieve some stress." David walked down stage to where a boom box was placed and pressed play. Wes' smile was immediate.
David skipped around and made a small bow; a gesture for Wes to start them off.
Live in my house, I'll be your shelter
Just pay me back
With one thousand kisses
Be my lover and I'll cover you
Wes could feel himself lighten up as he skipped along the stage, handing over the melody to David. David step forward with a smile.
Open your door, I'll be your tenant
Don't got much baggage to lay at your feet
But sweet kisses I've got to spare
I'll be there, and I'll cover you
The two, now at opposite sides of the stages, turned to face each other. Wes beamed. Only David could know how to make him feel this way. He'd never felt happier than when he was with his friend.
I think they meant it
When they said you can't buy love
Now I know you can rent it
A new lease you are my love
On life-be my life
They began crossing the stage to each other now, eyes never leaving the other's eyes.
I've longed to discover something as true as this is
So with a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you
(If you're cold and you're lonely)
With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you
(You've got one nickel only)
With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you
(When you're worn out and tired)
With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you
(When your heart has expired)
Oh lover I'll cover you, yeah
Oh lover I'll cover you
When the song came to a close, David and Wes stood mere inches apart from each other. David looked down at Wes, his eyes seemed to shimmer in the presence of the stage lights and he swore he could see something more in those eyes. Those beautiful eyes that belonged to his friend. David forced the thoughts out of his head…however right those feelings felt to him…
"Umm, David?"
David's breath seemed to catch in his throat so he could only nod to his friend.
"Thank you… for everything." With a smile, Wes wrapped his arms around David in a tight hug. And as he dangled from his friend's neck, he could feel his heart thundering in his chest. In that moment, Wes forgot about everything. He forgot about his responsibilities and duties to his father's company. He forgot about the future that awaited his taking over, and how his life had been perfectly planned out for him since birth. He forgot about his father and –if only for a moment– his sick mother. All he felt was David. And he'd never felt so right in his entire life. He leaned in closer when he felt David's arm around his waist. The two fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.
David felt breathless, "Wes…"
"I know. I feel it too…"
~~ xXx ~~
And now I do want you know I'll hold you up above everyone
And I do want you know I think you'd be good to me
And I'd be so good to you
I would
~~ xXx ~~
Wes always stood at the threshold of the doorway scared of what he couldn't say and what he couldn't do. David kept his feelings bottled up tight until his visits to the Warblers practice room allowed him his sweet release. As the days counted down to zero, things had to change. With all his boxes taped up and all his bags ready for transport, Wes ran to the practice room where only one Warbler sat singing. The glow from the moon chilled his bones but didn't cool the fire that was building inside of him. He could hear a voice as he made a bee-line to his target. He stopped at the doors.
Of all the things I've believed in
I just want to get it over with
Tears form behind my eyes
But I do not cry
Counting the days that pass me by
I've been searching deep down in my soul
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old
It feels like I'm starting all over again
The last three years were just pretend
And I said…
Wes was determined this time. Before he could change his mind, he flung open the doors and stormed into the room. David looked up in shock. Wes stood in the center of the room with closed fist. Their eyes met head on.
"David." Wes panted, his fist shook visibly. "We've been putting this off for long enough. I'm saying goodbye."
"Wes…"
Wes flung his head from side to side. He hated this and the quicker he could get his over with the better. "I'm leaving and I'm never coming back. I'm sorry David. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Goodbye!" He turned and bolted for the door.
"Wes stop!"
And he did.
~~ xXx ~~
They stood frozen for what seemed like an eternity. David had left his seat behind the piano and Wes stood near the doors.
"Wes…I…." He what? What was he suppose to say after something like this? David shifted and looked out the window— he didn't want Wes to see the tears forming behind his eyes. From the moment they met they had looked out for each other, each having the others back when the time called for it. David knew the responsibilities Wes was burdened with since birth, despite his father's heavy demands the man still love his son and vice versa. He knew that Wes' love for his mother was unconditional; moving away to Dalton had been a difficult step for Wes because of her illness. He knew that moving back to his family meant the world to him. David knew all those things and more…so how come he couldn't be happy for Wes now?
Because you love him too much to let him go…
~~ xXx ~~
Wes could feel his whole body tense, he couldn't take this. Every pause made...every breath heard was just too much for him. Get this over with. Get this over with now!
"Just say whatever you need to say David…Please…anything would be better than this." And it would be. He couldn't remember the last time when he and David couldn't think of anything to say to each other. He watched as David continued to stare out the window, completely dazed, and then turn with a concerned look on his face. Wes quickly wiped away the tears from his cheeks.
"David, please. I can't take this silence anymore! You think I'm happy about this? Leaving Blaine? Dalton? The Warblers? You? David…I lo—" the boy stopped short, feeling as if someone was choking him. He swallowed hard and tried again.
"David…I love…I love…" he exhaled sharply, "just being with you. You're everything to me. I want you to understand how good you've been to me, good for me. You're my everything David, my light in the dark, the Shawn to my Cory, the Yin to my Yang, the Mad Hatter to my March Hare…the David to my Wes. I'm never going to forget you David, never." His voice began to crack and David pleaded for him to stop because he couldn't take much more of this, but the boy continued relentlessly.
"So please, please just say something to me before I get on that plane because I'm not prepared to do this if I don't get to hear your voice one last time—"
And that's all he could say before David embraced him, holding the boy tightly as he collapsed in sobs and tears. The past weeks of frustration, anger, guilt, regret, and sadness that had built up between them came crashing down like a broken dam once again. As David held Wes in his arms he was all too aware of the fact of their time together was nowhere near enough. Their time together was fading quicker than he could face.
When the sobs began to quiet, Wes slowing pulled back, his grip stay firm on David's lapel. David could've sworn he went deaf for a brief moment at the words being whispered to him. But he needed to be sure of what he heard. "…What?"
"I love you, David Thompson." And David, for the first time in weeks, smiled.
"I love you, Wesley Christopher Montgomery." And embraced the boy once more.
They sat in the moonlight's soft glow, holding each other closely as they waited for the new day to come. Their final day.
~~ xXx ~~
But things don't always work out the way we want them to. In the morning Wes would leave. The two boys would part. No tears would be shed and no goodbyes would be exchanged. Wes would board his father's private jet and fly home as planned. He would take over his father's business and lead his corporation to be one of the most successful shipping companies in the entire world. Wes would do his best to forget his time at Dalton, he would forget the uniforms, the Warblers, and soon enough he would forget his friends, Nick, Jeff, Thad, Blaine, and David. He would forget as hard as he could.
That is…until he meets someone. He starts his new life with someone not from Dalton; someone who has watched over him since his first breaths in the world; someone who places a hand on his shoulder when he finds Wes staring at a singing warbler, or a tie too red, or a blazer too blue.
And then there's a confession.
And a ring in a deep green velvet box.
Promises are made.
A hesitant heart, but he says yes.
And then there's a wedding.
But that's another story entirely…
Song List:
Good to You - Marianas Trench
Tears of an Angel - Ryandan
I'll Cover You - Rent
Goodbye to You - Michelle Branch