A/N: I couldn't stop thinking this after that episode. What if Trent was the one that Blaine asked to the Sadie Hawkins dance at his old school and got beat the crap out of with? It would explain a lot, amirite?
The Sunshine of the Group
Trent Warbler's Story
"At my old school, there was a Sadie Hawkins dance and I had just come out, so I asked a friend of mine, the only other gay guy in the school. While we were waiting for his dad to pick us up, these three guys … beat the living crap out of us."
"Blaine and I joined the Warblers together. It was a band of brothers."
x36TDx
"Trent!" Blaine called down the hallway. Trent turned back around to see Blaine. "Wait up!" Blaine hustled along to catch up with his friend, then they walked together.
"Got something going on in there?" Trent asked, amused, as they walked out of the doors of the school.
"The, uh, Sadie Hawkins dance," Blaine said, once they were finally outside. "Do you want to go? With me? As friends?"
"Sure," Trent agreed. He cast a look sideways at Blaine. "It's a date… sort of."
"Aren't you afraid of what everyone else will think?" Blaine asked.
"No," Trent replied simply. "They can push us into lockers, laugh at us, throw anything they want, I'm not changing who I am. No closet's keeping me in."
x36TDx
"Bow or regular?" Blaine asked, holding each up in turn.
"Pink sequins!" Trent exclaimed, barely even listening to Blaine, rushing to admire the pink sequined tux jackets. "Note for later in life, I must have one of these. They're absolutely fabulous."
"Great," Blaine said. "Bowtie or tie-tie?"
"How about you wear the bowtie and I will wear the regular tie?" Trent said. Blaine looked at the ties in his hands.
"Deal," he agreed.
x36TDx
"This has been fun!" Trent exclaimed. "Who knew, we like to dance!"
"Dancing is way fun!" Blaine agreed.
"Especially dancing with you," Trent said. Blaine blushed a little, then, over Trent's shoulders, he spotted three guys walking towards them.
"Trent, turn around," Blaine said, dead seriously. Trent whipped around. The three thugs were almost on top of them.
The thugs had words – none of them nice. They went for Blaine – Trent stepped in front of him, to protect him.
When Trent's dad finally showed up, Trent was lying on the pavement, cut and bruised, Blaine was sitting next to him, also beaten, holding his hand, trying to keep him conscious.
x36TDx
Ten days later, Trent and Blaine were both transferred to Dalton. Most of their remaining contusions were covered by the uniform, thankfully. No one asked questions, maybe the kids at Dalton were used to mid-semester transfers. Their first day, the Warblers threw an impromptu performance in the commons, Blaine was mesmerized.
"Blaine? I'm Wes, this is David. We'd like to talk to you," Wes said. Blaine hesitantly turned around. Wes and David looked nice enough. Trent tagged along as Wes and David led Blaine into the Warbler's practice room.
"Why did you want to talk to me?" Blaine asked.
"A lot of kids transfer to Dalton because they've been bullied," David explained. "We all wear uniforms, we're all equals."
"I am the Captain of the Warblers," Wes explained, "and I would like to invite you to… audition."
"We saw you rocking out at the concert," David said.
"Oh, I don't know…" Blaine said. Warblers started popping out of the woodwork (including Nick, Jeff, and Thad), harmonizing a tune. Blaine blushed a bit and began singing the song, gaining confidence as the song progressed, until the very end, and the transformation had completed: plain old Blaine Anderson was gone. Blaine Warbler was here, to stay.
"I don't know, guys, but it looks like we've got a new soloist contender," Wes said. The rest of the Warblers agreed. "Welcome to the Warblers, Blaine. And Blaine's friend…"
"Trent," Trent supplied, shaking hands with Wes.
"Welcome to the Warblers, Trent."
x36TDx
"By far the best thing we've ever done together," Trent gushed.
"I think the list of things we've done together is so short, this would have to be the best thing we've ever done," Blaine said.
"We should remedy that," Trent replied. "The Warblers? They're one of the most prestigious show choirs in the state! Blaine, you have to become lead soloist."
"I don't know," Blaine said. "I'm not that great…"
"Blaine, you're a freshman," Trent said. "They can spout all their 'everyone's equal' stuff to someone else, because we are freshmen on our first day at a new school and we got asked to join the second most prestigious show choir in Ohio."
"But how many show choirs can there really be in Ohio?" Blaine asked, reclining on his dorm bed.
"Are you kidding me?" Trent asked. "How are you not psyched about this?"
"Maybe because I got beat up so badly that I had to transfer schools?" Blaine shot back.
"I was… I was there, Blaine," Trent said, quietly.
"I know you were, I'm sorry," Blaine said. "I'm just a little frustrated. I'm gonna go to the gym. Coming?"
"Nah, I'll be here," Trent said. "Someone with taste has to set up this room." Blaine smiled a little, finally, finally.
x36TDx
Blaine came back from the gym a few hours later.
"This is going to sound strange, but beating up a punching bag really does feel good," Blaine announced, dropping his gym bag in the place his dresser had been before he left. It landed on Trent.
"I may have changed the room around a little bit," Trent said, throwing the bag into Blaine's actual dresser. "By myself, I might add. Let's face it, we're doing pretty good for a couple of kids who were in the emergency room a week ago."
"You were the one with the concussion, not me," Blaine said.
"Yeah, and you have cracked ribs," Trent said. Blaine winced slightly, as if he hadn't remembered until then that he'd cracked two ribs and the doctors hadn't been able to do anything but prescribe something for the pain. They would heal on their own, kept in place by muscle groups. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I'm fine," Blaine said. "I'm much better than fine. I finally feel like I belong, you know?"
A knock at the door. Blaine made to stand to get it, but Trent was up before Blaine even finished wincing. Blaine fished in his bag for his pain pills as Trent let in two of the Warblers. Nick and Jeff, bearing gifts. Cookies!
"Hi Blaine!" Nick and Jeff chattered excitedly, then stared as he popped pills in front of them.
"Oh, um, they're legal," Blaine said, quickly, stashing the orange container in his bag. Nick and Jeff seemed happy with this answer.
"You were fantastic today, Blaine," Nick said. "Wes said he's never seen anyone with that much potential or natural talent."
"You're coming to practice later, right? It's at six," Jeff said.
"We'll be there," Blaine said.
"Can I… ask something?" Trent asked.
"Sure," Nick shrugged.
"Is everyone who goes here gay?" Trent asked. Nick laughed.
"Of course not," Nick said. "Wes and David both have girlfriends… supposedly." He grinned, waving his eyebrows suggestively. "If you know what I mean."
"And not everyone who is gay comes here for the no-bullying policy," Jeff said. "I did, but Nicky originally came for the academics."
"It was a short battle," Nick joked, squeezing Jeff's arm.
"What about you two?" Jeff asked.
"Oh, we're not–" Trent said, overlapping with Blaine's, "Totally just friends."
"Uh-huh, sure," Jeff grinned. Another knock on the door. "That'll be Thad." He opened the door, and there was Warbler Thad. "Come on in, it's a part-ay."
x36TDx
"Please welcome our newest Warblers, Blaine Anderson and Trent Nixon," Wes announced. The doors opened, and Blaine and Trent pranced in. "For our newest Warblers, our oldest tradition… an actual Warbler." He indicated the canary on the table. "Meet Machiavelli, one of an unbroken line of canaries who've been at Dalton since 1891. It's your job to take care of him, so he can live to carry on the Warbler legacy. Protect him, that bird is your voice. Now to business, Regionals is just weeks away, auditions for solos will be held tomorrow afternoon. I hope to see you there, Blaine." Trent looked at Blaine. Blaine was almost blushing, like he was embarrassed of being good. "Maybe I should explain… The Warblers are led by a council in association with the captain. We don't have a director. The council is elected at the end of each school year and, when school reconvenes, will be upperclassmen. While the council is elected every June, and usually comprises different Warblers each year, the captain is always invited for reelection in September, if he hasn't graduated. The council picks the songs and the soloists, through a review process, but don't worry, everyone gets a say. My fellow councilors will be graduating at the end of the year, but I'm only a junior. The captain, that's me, runs the practices and makes sure everything stays in shipshape on a day-to-day basis. Make sense?" Trent and Blaine nodded. Trent picked up the canary cage, happily.
"Okay, Wes, let's not bore them to death with policy on their first day," the Warbler to the left of Wes said.
"Alright," Wes said. "Onto new business, our set list for Regionals."
x36TDx
"Blaine, you have to audition!" Trent said, while cooing over their canary. "Mac wants you to, don't you? Yes, you do."
"Alright, fine, I'll audition," Blaine said. "I'm not going to get it, there are seniors who are much more deserving of it than I am."
"The person who is the best singer deserves it," Trent said, "whether he's a freshman or a senior. No one ever won a competition giving seniors mercy solos."
"So you don't want a solo when you're a senior?" Blaine asked.
"Sure I do, but that's what concerts are for," Trent said. Blaine blinked.
"That's a good point," he finally said.
x36TDx
Blaine got the solo for Regionals – both of them, and the Warblers won. Spurred on by this win, Blaine led the Warblers in concerts and other shows. Nationals was a world of its own. Blaine was fantastic, but they didn't even come in top ten. It wasn't about the competition with the Warblers though – it was about the music, and that's why they all loved it so much.
The new school year came, and with it new arrivals to the Warblers. Wes was unanimously reelected Captain as David and Thad joined him on the council. Blaine continued to win every solo, despite how many times Nick, Jeff, or anyone else auditioned against him. Impromptu performances in the hallways were his passion – he loved to just kick it into high gear with a song. As the bell rang on one morning, and Blaine was in a particularly Katy Perry mood, he was stopped on the stairs.
"Excuse me," a voice came from behind him. Blaine automatically turned around. He was used to being called 'excuse me'. "Um, hi. Can I ask you a question? I'm new here." Blaine took in the new kid. He wasn't even close to wearing a Warbler uniform… well, maybe it was close, but his jeans had rips.
"My name's Blaine." He held out his hand to shake the new boy's.
"Kurt." They shook hands. "So, what exactly is going on?"
"The Warblers!" Blaine said, excited even for his own performance. Then, he remembered the kid was new and didn't know. "Every now and then they throw an impromptu performance in the senior commons. Tends to shut the school down for a while."
"So, wait, the glee club here is kind of cool?" Kurt asked.
"The Warblers are like rock stars!" Blaine insisted. "Come on, I know a shortcut." He grabbed Kurt's hand and dragged him down the slow-motion hallway. What a coincidence, Kurt's first day at Dalton, and the Warblers are throwing an impromptu performance… Blaine's first day, they'd done the same thing? Not a coincidence? Blaine pulled Kurt into the commons.
"Ooh, I stick out like a sore thumb," Kurt bemoaned, looking around at all the blazers.
"Next time don't forget your jacket, new kid. You'll fit right in," Blaine said, fixing Kurt's lapel. He dropped his bag with no care to where it landed. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" The Warblers started up behind him.
x36TDx
"We missed you today!" Blaine announced, dropping his bag in his desk chair and addressing Trent, Nick, Jeff, and Thad. "And what are you all doing hanging out in my room?" Trent and Blaine weren't roommates anymore, he was rooming with Thad now, and Blaine had his own room, by all accounts.
"Old habits die hard," Jeff shrugged. "Got any threes, Nicky?"
"Nah, go fish," Nick replied. Jeff sighed and drew a card from the center of the circle.
"I met a new kid today," Blaine said.
"Really? I didn't hear about any transfers," Nick said.
"You hear about transfers?" Blaine asked.
"How do you think Wes found out about you two?" Nick asked. "Thad, you got any eights, buddy?"
"Nope," Thad said. "Go fish."
"Then that's why he wasn't wearing a uniform," Blaine said.
"You can be really slow sometimes," Trent said.
"I wonder what he was doing here…" Blaine wondered aloud.
"Spying?" Thad guessed. "He probably goes to some other school. Got any nines?"
x36TDx
"Latte?" Blaine pushed a coffee cup across the table to Kurt. "This is Wes and David."
"It's very civilized for you to invite me for coffee before you beat me up for spying," Kurt said.
"We are not going to beat you up," Wes said, quickly.
"You were such a terrible spy, we thought it was sort of… endearing," David said.
"Which made me think spying on us wasn't really the reason you came," Blaine finished.
"Can I ask you guys a question?" Kurt asked. "Are you guys all gay?" Blaine laughed. Kurt reminded him so much of Trent, if he actually ever did transfer, he would fit right in. It wasn't just that they asked the same question, it was everything about him. Except something… there was something different about Kurt.
"Uh, no," Blaine said. "I mean, I am, but these two have girlfriends." He had to stop himself from adding 'or so they say… if you know what I mean'.
"This is not a gay school. We just have a zero-tolerance harassment policy," David said.
"Everyone gets treated the same, no matter what they are," Wes said. "It's pretty simple." Kurt looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't make any words.
"Could you guys excuse us?" Blaine asked the other two.
"Take it easy, Kurt," Wes said as he left. He shot Blaine a look that quite plainly reaffirmed everything that Blaine had been thinking – Kurt would be a great addition to the Warblers.
"I take it you're having trouble at school," Blaine said. It seemed like it had been forever since he'd transferred, he'd gotten so used to Dalton, almost forgot what bullying was like – almost. Every time he saw Trent's smile falter for a second, he remembered. Remembered what it was that made him transfer in the first place.
"I'm the only person out of the closet at my school," Kurt said. "And I tried to stay strong about it, but there's this Neanderthal who's made it his mission to make my life a living hell." His voice cracked and Blaine suddenly felt like he'd known Kurt forever. "And nobody seems to notice."
"I know how you feel," Blaine said. He took a deep breath and tried to stay casual. Blaine was the only person in the world Kurt felt like he could open up to, probably looked up to him, just like Trent did, for being as proud as he was about who he was. "I got taunted at my old school and it really… it pissed me off. I even complained about it to the faculty, and they were sympathetic and all but you could just tell that nobody really… cared." It hadn't been a surprise, the thugs kicking the crap out of him and Trent. They'd been pushing the two of them around for a few months. Trent first, then Blaine when he'd come out too. Trent let it roll over him, always had, always would, that was just who he was. "It was like, hey, if you're gay, your life's just gonna be miserable. Sorry, nothing we can do about it. So I left. I came here. Simple as that. So you have two options. I mean, I'd love to tell you to come enroll here, but tuition at Dalton's sort of steep and I know that's not an option for everybody. Or. You can refuse to be the victim." Unless you get a concussion and lay on the pavement, dying. "Prejudice is just ignorance, Kurt. And you have a chance, right now, to teach him."
"How?" Kurt asked.
"Confront him!" Blaine said. "Call him out. I ran, Kurt, I didn't stand up. I let bullies chase me away, and it is something that I really, really regret."
x36TDx
"Kurt reminds me of you," Blaine said. Trent and Blaine were doing homework together in Blaine's room. "He just needs the courage to stand up for himself."
"No short order of that in here," Trent said, indicating himself.
"Except… it's different with him," Blaine said. "This bully kissed him."
"Oh," Trent said. "That's a whole new level of not okay."
"And he'd never been kissed before," Blaine said.
"That's just sad," Trent said. When Trent looked sad, he looked really sad. "I don't know what I'd do if that happened to me."
"You've never been kissed?" Blaine asked. How did he know so little about his best friend?
"Not one that counted," Trent said. "It's okay, though. I'm 15. How's Kurt dealing with it?"
"I tried to talk to the guy for him, but he slammed me against a chain link fence and Kurt almost pushed him down the stairs," Blaine said.
"Are you okay?" Trent asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Blaine said. "This is all just… bringing stuff back."
"You should go to the gym, then," Trent said. "It always makes you feel better."
"That's when I'm angry or frustrated," Blaine said. "This is something different. I don't know…"
x36TDx
"Going out with Kurt again tonight?" Trent asked.
"Yes, actually, I am, how did you know?" Blaine asked.
"Because you asked Wes for a ride to Lima," Nick replied. "Do you know you're totally smitten for this guy? Because I've noticed you're sort of painfully oblivious to this kind of thing. I bet a dollar."
"I am not," Blaine said. "We're friends. Just like I'm friends with you or Trent or Wes."
"We seriously need to meet this guy," Jeff said. "I see your dollar and raise you another."
"Just think of Trent. Only… more flamboyant," Blaine said.
"Does he find himself catching on fire randomly?" Nick asked, concerned. "I see your dollar and raise you five."
"Why?" Blaine asked, suspiciously.
"Because anyone more flamboyant than Trent would be so flaming, they'd actually be in flames," Jeff said, without even looking up. "I call your five dollars, what d'you got?"
"I don't know, what game are we playing?" Nick asked. "I just like betting." He set his cards down on the table.
"I think my cards are higher than yours, so I win, right?" Jeff asked.
"Sure," Nick shrugged, pushing the chips to Jeff's side of the table.
x36TDx
"Warblers, I have news," Blaine said. "It's sort of… good thing, bad thing."
"Alright," Wes said. "Warbler Blaine, you have the floor."
"As you all undoubtedly have heard, I have made a new friend in Kurt Hummel, who attends McKinley High, and has been the unfortunate victim of bullying and harassment," Blaine said. "Effective noon tomorrow, he is transferring here. At McKinley, he was one of the best members of their glee club, and would undoubtedly be a vital addition to the Warblers. Good thing, bad thing."
"Bring him in," Wes agreed, looking at David and Thad for support. They both nodded. Wes banged his gavel. It is law.
"Thank you," Blaine said to the council. "Thank you," he added to everyone else.
x36TDx
"He has no idea how much he is smitten for the new kid," Nick said to Jeff and Trent.
"Or the new kid is smitten for him," Jeff replied.
"Operation … hmm. What's new kid's name?" Nick asked.
"Kurt," Trent supplied.
"Kurt… Blaine. Kurblaine? Blakurt?" Nick asked.
"Klaine," Jeff said, decisively. "Operation Klaine."
"Operation Klaine goes into effect first thing after Sectionals," Nick said. Trent had to hold himself together. Nick and Jeff walked off to get lunch, and Trent went back to his room. Thad was somewhere else, he didn't care at the moment. Trent had never let himself think about Blaine in that way, not since the dance. Had it been a date? Was it a date? It wasn't a date. He'd pretty much made it all up in his head.
Trent would be lying if he said he didn't care for Blaine. He liked him a lot, loved him like a brother, just like the rest of the Warblers. But maybe, just maybe Trent liked Blaine a little more than the other Warblers did, liked him in a different way, maybe even loved him a little bit? That was a dangerous road to travel down. Blaine was gay, sure, but he never seemed to have an interest in any actual men, except Kurt. Maybe Trent had missed his chance, should have taken advantage of the weeks after their transfer when they'd hung out together almost every day and really gotten to know each other. They'd only been vague acquaintances before Dalton, now they were something akin to best friends.
He'd definitely missed his chance.
x36TDx
Kurt lived off campus and drove to school every day, so Nick and Jeff had a hard time pulling off any kind of operation to get him with Blaine. That, coupled with the fact that Blaine was painfully oblivious to his surroundings, and Nick and Jeff were not happy campers.
"Why can't they just hold still so we can lock them in a closet or something?" Jeff asked, sighing.
"They'll get together on their own time," Thad said. "It's the Statue of Liberty."
"But I can't stand it anymore! I want them together now!" Nick said. "I don't see anything at all, man, you're tripping."
"Nicky and I deserve to have a couple to go on dates with," Jeff said. "You have to focus your eyes passed the paper."
"There are plenty of couples around here," Thad said. "There's a boat too!"
"Is there any use in asking you to stop?" Trent sighed.
"Probably not," Nick said. "I see it now. I think."
"Why would we stop?" Jeff asked. "Kurt and Blaine are made for each other."
"No reason," Trent said.
x36TDx
Pretty soon, it was Christmas. Blaine got a gig singing Baby, It's Cold Outside, and decided to practice with Kurt, because Kurt was a fantastic singer, but any of the other Warblers were too. It's not like they weren't a super exclusive show choir or anything. The night before most everyone left for Christmas break, Nick and Jeff threw a Warbler party – a tradition they'd learned from the seniors the year before, one that even Wes condoned. Warbler parties meant a few things: pizza, alcohol, ridiculously stupid games for teenage boys to play, namely Truth or Dare, and, of course, music.
To Nick and Jeff's dismay, Kurt didn't come to the Warbler party. He lived off campus, so they understood, but the whole point of the party was to dare Kurt and Blaine to kiss each other and sit back while they declared their undying love for each other. To their surprise, the party went in a much different direction.
While Nick and Jeff spent the grand majority of the party making out on one of the couches, Trent spent the evening spying on Blaine over his cup of whatever Thad had smuggled onto campus. Blaine was a very light drunk, and often laughed at things that weren't even really funny. Trent finally drained his cup, gaining the liquid courage.
"Blaine, can I talk to you?" Trent asked.
"Hey Trent!" Blaine said, as if just noticing he was there. "Awesome party, amirite?"
"Yeah, it's great," Trent said. "Do you… uh…" He faltered, losing the courage he had.
"What?" Blaine asked, dancing to the beat of whatever song was playing.
"I was just thinking about what you said about kisses," Trent said.
"Yeah?" Blaine asked.
"I realized I never asked you if you'd been kissed," Trent continued.
"Interesting," Blaine said. He danced around, making an orbit around Trent, then around Nick and Jeff's couch, then around half the room. Trent thought he'd drunkenly forgotten they'd even been talking and set to get himself another drink, when Blaine came back. "No."
"No, what?" Trent asked.
"No, I haven't," Blaine said. "Been kissed. That counted. But I'm sure I can fix that." He linked an arm around the back of Trent's neck and pulled him down the few inches that separated their heights, crashing their lips together. It was intense, and attracted the attention of every Warbler in the room, except Nick and Jeff who were too busy to notice anything. Several Warblers catcalled, including David and Thad. Blaine finally pulled back out of necessity for air. "That was a hell of a thing. Thanks Trent." He danced away and began kissing the rest of the Warblers. What a friendly drunk. Trent stood there, feeling his lips for a minute.
Wonderful.
x36TDx
"This emergency meeting is called to order!" Wes announced. "Junior member Blaine Anderson, the floor is yours."
"Esteemed council, I'll be brief," Blaine addressed them. "Simply put, I'm in love." This was exciting – and the first the Warblers had heard anything about it, except Wes, of course, who knew the whole story. Everyone automatically looked at Kurt, then back to Blaine. "I'm not really good at talking about my feelings, I'm much better at singing them, but still, I could use a little help, which is why I'm enlisting the Warblers to help me serenade this individual in song… off-campus."
Lots of protests, many, loudly. The Warblers didn't like to perform in informal settings, it was a traditional thing, but they knew they would do anything for Blaine. Finally:
"And where would this performance take place?" Wes asked.
"The Gap at the North Hills mall," Blaine announced. "I'd like to call it: The Warbler's Gap Attack."
"Why the Gap?" Kurt asked.
"The guy I like is a junior manager." Kurt looked like Trent felt, but Trent had learned to keep his feelings a secret – or at least try. Kurt went home after the meeting. Trent followed Nick and Jeff to their room.
"That had to be hard for Kurt," Nick said softly.
"Do you think he'll go?" Jeff asked.
"Sure, scope out the competition," Nick said. Nick and Jeff looked at Trent who was no longer in control of his emotions. "Trent, you okay, buddy?" Trent shook his head, wiping away the first tears.
"Oh my God, Trent," Jeff said. "I'm sorry, we didn't realize…"
"I'm fine," Trent said shortly.
"Let it all out," Jeff advised, handing him a pillow.
"I just hate Valentine's Day," Trent choked out. "I'm always alone… even – even last year when he asked me to the dance…" Nick turned to look at Jeff and mouthed 'dance?'. Jeff shrugged.
"Trent, who are you talking about?" Nick asked.
"Blaine!" Trent burst out with a whole new wave of tears.
"Oh. My God. I'm even more sorry," Nick replied. "We had no idea… Wow. Are you – are you alright? Do you need some emergency chocolate? Jeff, get him the emergency chocolate."
"That's for emergencies," Jeff whined.
"Does this not look like an emergency to you?" Nick half-shouted. He wrenched open the secret drawer and pulled out a chocolate bar. "Here you go." Trent took the bar with trembling hands but didn't open it.
"I – I'm sorry," Trent blubbered, sniffing. "You probably love Valentine's."
"We're happily in love, every day is Valentine's," Jeff said. "We don't need Hallmark to tell us when to tell each other 'I love you'." He looked at Nick and mouthed 'I love you'. Nick grinned and blew him a kiss.
"You should have told us you liked Blaine, we would've set you up last year," Nick said. "The 36 Mafia has the power. But… it might be too late now."
"The Three 6 Mafia? Isn't that a group? Like bad hip-hop and popped collars?" Trent asked.
"Sure are," Jeff said. "Ever since I can remember I been poppin my collar, poppin-poppin my collar." He hopped back and forth in a little line, making the motion of popping his collar.
"No," Nick said. "Jeff and I are the 36 Mafia. It's how many times we each auditioned against Blaine before we gave up. Anyhow, in the spirit of us being even more completely oblivious to life than Blaine, how about a slumber party tomorrow night after the Gap attack?"
"It's Tuesday," Trent pointed out. Nick shrugged.
"Just the three of us, we can braid Jeff's hair and paint each other's nails and watch Sleepless in Seattle," Nick said. "Or anything more or less stereotypical if you prefer."
"No, it sounds perfect," Trent said.
x36TDx
"Oh, harsh!" Nick whispered to Jeff from where they were spying on Blaine and Jeremiah. "He made it all up in his head."
"Hey, that hurts," Trent whispered, "making it all up in your head."
"Indeed," Jeff agreed. "When I was 7, I thought I was in a relationship with this guy named Tyler, but it turns out he only wanted my mom's macaroni." Nick and Trent didn't really know what to say to that, and turned their attention back to Blaine.
"Sheesh, how old is he? 26?" Nick asked. Trent shrugged. "Maybe we should invite Blaine and Kurt to our party, they both look pretty down."
"They'll get over it," Jeff said. "But David's coming, I already invited him."
"Why?" Nick asked.
"He and his girlfriend broke up," Jeff said. "And that's worth an invite to our girl time. He'll probably hate it anyway."
x36TDx
After the sleepover (which David loved, by the way, they started a band and released their first youtube cover, Like a 36), Trent was feeling better about the whole thing, and then after Kurt's Lonely Hearts Club dinner, he finally got a chance to talk to Kurt alone.
In a word, Kurt was fabulous. It was absolutely boggling they hadn't gotten to know each other yet, because they were basically the exact same person. About two hours into their conversation, Kurt finally spilled about his crush on Blaine.
"Blaine would be lucky to get a guy like you," Trent said. "You're pretty amazing."
"No, don't be silly," Kurt laughed, almost choking on his drink. "It'll never happen."
"Why not?" Trent asked. "He hasn't shut up about you since the day you met, you gotta know that."
"What?" Kurt asked. The laugh in his voice was even higher than his normal register and Trent could tell he was embarrassed.
"Just give him a little time, he'll realize you're there," Trent advised. "I've known him for… a while. He's sort of slow, but he'll come around. I promise." Trent smiled at Kurt. "And it'll be worth it."
x36TDx
Nick and Jeff finally procured a working plan to make Blaine realize he wanted Kurt as badly as Kurt wanted him. Kurt, singing an emotional song. Works every time.
"I just… a duet?" Trent asked. "There are plenty of talented people on this team, why does he have to sing his duet with Kurt?"
"Because they're in love," Jeff said.
"You two have never sung a duet," Trent pointed out. "Uno."
"We're going to remedy that," Nick said. "Wes promised us the next concert duet."
"A concert would be a good time for a duet," Trent said. "We are going to lose."
"It'll be worth it," Jeff shrugged. "What's in it for us if we win, anyway? A trophy? I'd rather have Nicky." Trent sighed. Jeff was right.
"You're not mad at us, are you?" Nick asked.
"Nah," Trent finally said. "They'll be good together." He threw down his last card. "I win."
x36TDx
Things went fast after that, it was a blur. They lost at Regionals, but Kurt and Blaine got each other. Kurt transferred back to McKinley not long after that. Blaine, who had never been one to break the rules before, spent every day sneaking looks at his cell phone in class, hoping Kurt had texted him.
"Blaine needs a Warbler party," Thad concluded.
"All Blaine does at a Warbler party is get drunk and kiss everyone," Nick said. "I'm sure Kurt wouldn't appreciate that. It's hard enough being apart like this."
"I think the rest of us need a Warbler party," Jeff said. "If I have to listen to him whine about Kurt one more time, I am going to lose it."
"I like Kurt," Trent said. "He's fun. I swear, one night we must have talked for three hours just about the Stevens." He noticed everyone staring at him. "Sondheim. Schwartz."
"That's all good and well for you, but what about those of us whose music choices are far less stereotypical?" Nick asked.
"Uncultured swine, I'm telling you," Trent remarked to no one. "You will be lucky if we ever get another transfer as good as him."
"And you wonder why we thought you were into Kurt," Jeff replied, rolling his eyes.
"I'm not telling you how to live your life, but you could use some stereotype," Trent said.
"I could use less stereotype," Thad said. He shuffled the cards in his hands and held them out to Jeff.
"Athlete, Superstar, Teacher," Jeff read, before throwing two cards back at Thad and keeping the Superstar one.
"And what is your stereotype?" Nick asked Thad. Thad just laughed as Jeff picked his salary. "C'mon Thad."
"Guess," he laughed.
"That's not fair, we didn't make you guess," Jeff said.
"I guess you're not a very good superstar, if you're only making 35k a year," Thad shot back.
x36TDx
"Warblers, I have a very important announcement," Blaine said. He'd convened an emergency meeting of the Warbler's council and all the existing Warblers – ones who hadn't graduated. "It's not good news."
"No!" Trent exclaimed.
"Yes, I'm afraid," Blaine said. "Effective tomorrow, I will be transferring to McKinley. You guys are my brothers, but I… I love Kurt and I can't stand to be away from him like this."
"The council respects your decision," Nick said, nodding. The other Warblers, however, seemed to disagree.
"Who's going to be our soloist?"
"Nick will," Blaine said. "He was fantastic during the end of season concert. I have faith in him."
"The council takes that under advisement," Nick said, his blush showing beneath his feigned cool.
"The Warblers were great before I got here, and they'll be great long after all of us are gone. I'll miss all of you, and I hope you know what you've meant to me," Blaine said. The Warblers all nodded, sad at the thought of losing their star. "It'll be okay guys, it's not like I'm moving across the country. We'll see each other."
"Yeah, at competitions," Trent said. Blaine laughed.
"Bring it." Trent smiled too, but there were tears in his eyes. "Oh, don't cry! I won't go if you cry!" He hugged Trent. Then, suddenly, it was a pig pile on Blaine with every Warbler trying to hug him at once.
x36TDx
The very next morning, who should come knocking on the library door for auditions, but Sebastian Smythe. He had talent, and he was incredibly charming. He easily made it into the inner ranks of the Warblers, even somehow managed to talk his way into getting Blaine's vacated council seat, and though Nick was elected Captain (because that's what Blaine had wanted), Sebastian still seemed to get what he wanted. He even moved into Blaine's old room.
"Okay, did I get the wrong room or something?" Sebastian asked, walking in to see Trent, Nick, Jeff, and Thad playing cards on the floor in the center of the room.
"Oh, hi, Sebastian," Jeff said, barely looking up. "Got any threes, Nicky?"
"Nah, go fish," Nick replied. Sebastian looked around, then dropped his bag in his desk chair and collapsed on his bed. "Thad, you got any eights, buddy?"
"Nope, go fish," Thad said. "Nice day out there, Sebastian?"
"Uh, yeah, it's alright," Sebastian said.
"We can deal you in next round if you want," Jeff said.
"Sure, cool," Sebastian agreed, sitting up.
"Got any nines?" Thad asked Trent. Trent relinquished a nine to Thad. "Sweet, got any twos?"
"Go fish. So what's your story?" Trent asked.
"My dad swore this wasn't a gay school," Sebastian said, sitting down between Trent and Nick.
"It's getting gayer with every transfer, I promise you," Jeff replied, "but it's still not a gay school."
"That reminds me, David has a new girlfriend," Thad said.
"Funny how we hear about him having girlfriends, but never you," Trent said. Thad laughed.
"You know me, I can't be tamed," he replied.
"Are you attached?" Jeff asked Sebastian.
"Hell no," Sebastian said. "That love crap is a fairytale. I like my men hot, mysterious, and gone by the next morning." Nick handed a five dollar bill to Jeff, and Jeff smirked. "What was that?"
"So gay," Jeff replied, flipping his hair out of his eyes. "Whose turn is it?"
"Mine," Trent said. "Got any Kings?" Jeff threw two Kings at Trent, and Trent set down his matching set of all four. "How about threes?"
"You're such a dick," Jeff said, giving Trent his three threes.
"Alright then, Aces!" Trent exclaimed.
"Go fish, you fucker," Jeff replied.
"You were betting on me?" Sebastian asked.
"We bet on a lot of things," Jeff said. "It comes with the territory."
"They don't call us the 36 Mafia for nothing," Nick said.
"No one actually calls you that," Trent said.
"They should," Nick said. "Without us, Blaine never would have ended up with Kurt."
"Yeah, and without you, we wouldn't be virtually starless," Thad said.
"Starless?" Sebastian asked.
"Blaine was the star of the show," Trent said. "He was amazing."
"This was his room," Jeff explained. "Trent used to live here. He has a key."
"What happened to this Blaine?" Sebastian asked.
"He transferred to public school to be with his boyfriend," Nick said. "No question, really. I'd go wherever Jeff went."
"Really?" Jeff asked, putting his head on Nick's shoulder.
"Hey! No looking at my cards!" Nick exclaimed, pulling his deck out of Jeff's view.
"What was he like?" Sebastian asked.
"Oh, you know, your typical Teenage Dream," Trent said, wistfully.
"Hot?"
"Definitely, and the best singer you've ever heard," Trent gushed.
"Whoa, buddy, he's taken," Jeff said to Trent.
"A guy can dream!" Trent replied.
"Whose turn is it?" Thad asked.
"I can't remember. Let's just deal Sebastian in," Jeff said, collecting all the cards. "Besides, Nick only has eights left anyway."
x36TDx
"You guys killed it, as always!" Blaine shouted, as all the Warblers ran to hug him.
"We'd sound so much better with you back in the mix," Trent said. "Is this your triumphant return to Dalton? Please?"
"Actually, I'm here to invite you guys to my opening night at McKinley, West Side Story. I reserved a whole block of tickets just for the Warblers," Blaine said, holding out the tickets to Trent. "It would mean the world to me if you guys could come."
"We'll be there," Sebastian chimed in. "Once a Warbler, Always a Warbler, right?" The group agreed with him, giving Blaine one last hug before dispersing. "Blaine Anderson. Sebastian Smythe."
"Hi!" Blaine said, shaking hands. "Your voice gave me chills. Are you a freshman?"
"Do I look like a freshman?"
x36TDx
"Did anyone else notice how Sebastian was looking at Blaine?" Trent asked on the way back to Nick and Jeff's room. They'd given up hanging out in Sebastian's the first time he'd brought a guy back with him in the middle of the afternoon.
"Like he was a piece of meat?" Jeff asked. "It was disgusting. That's coming from me. Nicky and I are pretty much exhibitionists."
"Speak for yourself," Nick replied. "Whatever it is Sebastian's planning, it's not good."
"I'm sure he's harmless," David said.
"Anything but harmless," Jeff corrected him. "He's probably trying to proposition Blaine as we speak."
"What?" Trent asked.
"Dead serious, first day of school, he comes up to me and asks me to… you know," Jeff said. "I told him, no, I have a boyfriend, he said it didn't bother him if it didn't bother me."
"Blaine wouldn't go for that," David said.
"I don't know, he can be awfully naïve. I worry about him sometimes," Nick said. "What kind of trouble he's going to get into now that the 36 Mafia isn't looking out for him."
"All I know, Kurt will kill him if he cheats," Trent said.
x36TDx
Sebastian easily became a star, using tips from Blaine to recreate his meteoric ascent. He easily replaced Nick as Captain after Sectionals, finding some old by-clause in the Warblers rule book (written in 1891). After that, he began pressuring the Warblers – working them harder than they'd ever worked. It became all about winning, and that's not what the Warblers had been about.
"We should tell Blaine," Trent said. "Him and Sebastian are friends."
"No, this is my mess to deal with," Nick said, firmly. "I'm the one who gave up Captaincy, everything falls on me."
"No one blames you," Jeff told him. "You weren't supposed to become Captain. Wes left it to Blaine."
"I didn't realize how much I wanted to be the next Blaine until I had it," Nick said. A knock on the door.
"Yes?" Jeff asked. Sebastian poked his head in.
"Library, five minutes, bring your A-game," Sebastian said, then left.
"Oh, that can't possibly be good," Trent remarked.
x36TDx
It wasn't good. Blaine, Kurt, and a few of their public school friends had journeyed into Dalton, most likely at the request of Sebastian, for a preview of the Warblers newest number: I Want You Back.
"So, if you want to forfeit now, go ahead," Sebastian said. "Or, Blaine, if you want to rejoin the group you abandoned." Trent almost jumped at Sebastian, about to scream, 'he didn't abandon us', but then Blaine responded.
"I used to be really proud of being a Warbler, not because we were good, but because we were really classy. None of that was classy. Nothing," Blaine spat. Every Warbler in the room besides Sebastian felt their heart break – but none so much as poor Trent. He tried so hard to live up to Blaine's legacy, the boy who had taught him everything worth knowing. The New Directions left, but not without more scathing remarks for Sebastian. He seethed for a few moments, then turned to his group.
"From the top."
x36TDx
"This is bad on so many levels," Jeff whispered to Nick. "Why does he want to see you?"
"Probably going to kill me," Nick said. "I haven't gotten around to making a will, yet, but I want you to have everything I own."
"Nicky, don't joke like that," Jeff said, very seriously. "I love you and I don't want to see you hurt."
"I love you more," Nick said. "Here I go."
It was the walk to the gallows. Sebastian had called Nick to his room, alone. He stressed the alone. It was of the utmost importance. Nick's hand trembled for a second, but he knocked on the door to Sebastian's dorm.
"Ah, Duval," Sebastian said, answering the door. "Come in, come in."
"What do you want with me?" Nick asked, deciding to cut straight to the chase.
"Direct, I like that," Sebastian said, winking. "Have a seat." Nick sat and Sebastian did too, looking far too comfortable in his seat. "What do you know about this Kurt character?"
"Plenty," Nick asked. "Why?"
"Curious," Sebastian replied. "Do tell."
"Trent was the one who was really friends with him," Nick said. "Why don't you ask him?"
"Do you know what I love the most of anything in the world?" Sebastian asked, surveying Nick over his fingertips.
"Blaine?" Nick guessed. Bad answer. Sebastian glared at him.
"No," Sebastian replied, pointedly. "He's pretty, but I don't do emotions. There is one thing I love, though, and that is people who are in love. They'll do anything to protect their other half. It's pathetic really."
"What do you want?" Nick asked, a little upset now. "You hurt Jeff, and I'll kill you."
"That's more the spirit!" Sebastian said, brightly. "Now then, our mutual acquaintance, Blaine and his posse of freaks and weirdos have invited the Warblers to a midnight meeting. I assume, knowing both parties involved, this will be some sort of freakishly hot dance sequence, but I could be wrong."
"What does this have to do with me?" Nick asked, teeth gritted.
"Easy. I'm going to take out Lady Hummel, and you are going to help."
"Or what?"
"Oh, I think you know what." Sebastian winked at Nick.
x36TDx
"I can't let him hurt Jeff," Nick said, knees hugged to his chest. "What am I supposed to do?"
"What are you supposed to do? What I am supposed to do?" Trent replied. "Blaine is… I don't know what Blaine is anymore, but… This season was supposed to be fun. It was supposed to be about mild-mannered schoolyard teasing about how we could, or couldn't, beat Blaine. This is not what this season was supposed to be."
"Can't let him hurt Jeff," Nick repeated.
"You're not listening to me at all, are you?" Trent asked.
"He's gonna hurt Jeff," Nick said. "Can't let him hurt Jeff."
"He won't hurt Jeff," Trent said.
"He better not hurt Jeff. I'll kill him if he hurts Jeff."
x36TDx
"No one was supposed to get hurt, Sebastian, what the hell?" Nick screamed.
"No one feels worse about this turn of events than I do," Sebastian shot back. "Believe me."
"Why should we believe you? All you ever do is lie," Trent replied. "Blaine was our friend."
"Blaine's my friend too, alright?" Sebastian shouted. "He was… he was my friend."
"I got fifty riding on you in love with him, so if you could just admit it already, I really could use a new–" Thad began.
"Shut up," Sebastian spat. "Get out, why are you even here?" Thad left the library, but not before muttering, 'rude'.
"No one was supposed to get hurt," Nick repeated.
"I know that," Sebastian bemoaned. "Why did he jump in like that?"
"Because you underestimated the one thing you can't understand: Love," Trent said.
"What the hell are you on about?"
"Blaine is absolutely one-hundred-percent in love with Kurt, and there's no changing that," Trent explained. "He transferred schools, left us, just to be with him every day. He saw something about to hurt him, so he jumped in the way. Simple as that."
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Sebastian replied.
"It's true," Nick replied. "You said it yourself, you love people in love, they'll do anything."
"God, I'm an idiot," Sebastian groaned.
x36TDx
Sebastian paid for his transgressions during Michael week in various untraceable ways, the last of which came on the first day of school, the next September, and strangely, wasn't even orchestrated by his fellow Warblers.
"Come in," Sebastian said, disdainfully. The doorknob turned, and there was someone Sebastian had never seen before. "Who are you?"
"Hunter Clarington." He even smelled vaguely of military, new transfer, Sebastian guessed. "Just transferred from Colorado Springs, full scholarship. You must be Sebastian Smythe."
"Indeed," Sebastian said. "What kind of scholarship?"
"Choir," Hunter replied. "They brought me in to lead the Warblers." Sebastian stared at him.
"That's impossible, because I lead the Warblers," he said. Hunter laughed in a stuck up way that made Sebastian want to punch him.
"I'm sure that's impossible, because from what I hear about you, you were basically kicked off the team," Hunter smiled, showing far too many teeth for it to have been genuine. "And before you ask, back off, I'm not even remotely bicurious." Sebastian just sat, gaping at his new roommate.
x36TDx
"Twenty on Sebastian and Hunter hooking up within the month," Thad said, putting the bill down on the table.
"Twenty? I'll put two hundred on that, if anyone's willing," Beats replied. "Could they be more obvious?"
"Have we even gotten one straight transfer, ever?" Nick asked. "Not that I mind, I love that the halls are populated with people like me, but let's be serious, this much gay in one area? Can't be possible."
"Not including Hunter, there's only you, me, Trent, Sebastian, and whatever Thad is, come on," Jeff said. "That's not a lot of gay."
"I'm still mad we haven't figured out what Thad is," Nick responded.
"My money is still on pan or omni," Trent said, shrugging. "I would know, I do live with the guy."
"And he can hear you," Thad replied.
"Besides, 'people like you'?" Trent mocked. "You don't have a people. I have a people."
"I have people!" Jeff said, indignantly.
"Okay, Jeff and I have a people," Trent amended.
"We're the same people!" Nick said.
"No, honey, no," Trent replied, shaking his head.
"I'm not one of the people?" Nick asked.
"Not really, no," Jeff replied. "It's okay, though, I still love you." He kissed Nick.
x36TDx
Steroids.
Steroids.
No.
Steroids.
No.
The Warblers had honor and tradition, didn't they? The Warblers weren't cheaters.
"Listen to me, Hunter, Blaine is flawless," Sebastian said. "If we get him back, we won't need anything else."
Hunter agreed to lure the ex-Warbler back to Dalton for a performance. Hunter later agreed that Blaine was flawless. He also agreed that maybe he was a little more curious than he originally intended, and after that he agreed that Sebastian was the best sex he ever had.
Beats had a field day.
But Blaine didn't come back.
x36TDx
Steroids.
Steroids.
No.
Even Sebastian said no, but Hunter laid down the ultimatum: You take the shots or you don't perform.
The Warblers meekly fell in line.
x36TDx
"Singing with the Warblers is my life, but I couldn't do it. My hormones can't handle heroic doses of testosterone. I don't even shave yet! The Warblers mean everything to me and it's killing me to betray them like this."
"You're not betraying them. Hunter betrayed the Warblers, you're saving them," Blaine told him.
"That's what they said about Brutus and Cassius… Look, if I go public with this, then the Warblers' reputation… it's ruined forever. Years of honorable melodies and harmonies, all forgotten," Trent said.
"Look, the Warblers' reputation was ruined the second they decided to cheat to win," Sam said. "Fact!"
"So what do you say? Will you do this? Will you testify against the Warblers?" Finn asked.
Trent looked at Blaine, standing there with his best puppy dog eyes. His heart was torn between the two loves of his life: Blaine and the Warblers.
A/N: Lemme know what you think?