This is the first story I've posted online (despite a LONG history writing personally and for friends) and my first Klaine story. I LOVE this pairing 3 Hope you enjoy, please r&r! :) More to come soon if anyone is interested.
Flushed and beaming, Kurt skipped off the stage, Mercedes following close behind him. As soon as they stepped from the bright lights into the darkness behind the heavy velvet curtains, he spun around to jump at her in an exuberant hug.
"That was –"
"Awesome!" She finished for him, spinning him around before his feet fell back to the ground. Laughing, she reached up to smooth the Snooki-esque hairdo all the girls were touting – admittedly there were some downsides to show-choir-dom, but the good far outweighed the bad. "You rocked it out!"
Kurt brushed off the compliment with a smile that said I know, right. "Your solo was... inspired!"
They took a momentary break from congratulating one another to high five the others, returning to the string of compliments as New Directions filed along backstage and through the doors that would lead them back to their dressing room. As they piled into the corridor, Kurt's elated recounting of every perfect note from himself and Mercedes was halted by Rachel's agitated tittering at the front of the group.
"Don't smile at them, Finn, they're our biggest competition!" Kurt caught her scolding her boyfriend, and glanced around interestedly to see exactly who it was they were all supposed to be in a flap about. Standing in perfect formation against the opposite wall, and not looking at all fazed by New Direction's appearance, was a group of boys all in uniform. He knew instantly who they were – The Dalton Academy Warblers. They were infamous on the show-choir circuit, well-known for their perfectly smooth a cappella numbers and dapper, private-schoolboy appearance, and Kurt was a little star-struck to be seeing them in the flesh for the first time. Although he had never admitted it to any of the others, not even Mercedes, Kurt had longed for a miraculous transfer to the posh private school and a shot at wearing his very own smart navy blazer and singing in the Warblers. Of course, that had been in the old days before Mr Schuester had come along and transformed McKinley's show choir from drab to fab, but still... they looked perfect. Not a hair out of place, Kurt mused as his eyes travelled from the back of the group forwards. The boy standing at the front was obviously the leader – somehow this was clear just from the way the group formed around him. Kurt noted how his blazer fitted his broad shoulders snugly, how his thick dark hair was combed just right, how – how could it be? Was it really...
"B-Blaine?" He stuttered, then wanted to pull the word back in the moment it had left his mouth. As the head Warbler turned to look at him, Kurt froze – it was definitely him. Blaine looked as startled as Kurt felt, possibly even more so. Like a rabbit caught in the headlights, he stood rooted to the spot, his wide eyes staring fixedly at Kurt. Before Blaine could find any words, a sharp-featured boy standing directly to his right – his wingman? Kurt wondered – gave Blaine a push forward.
"Sorry, fangirl, you'll have to wait until we win this thing for autographs." He sneered at Kurt, and before Kurt could reply the Warblers had disappeared through the door leading to the stage. Stunned, it took Kurt a moment to register the fact that the others had all turned to look at him expectantly. Unsurprisingly, Rachel was the first to ask what they all wanted to know.
"You know Blaine Anderson?"
"I –" Kurt faltered, a thousand emotions rising to the surface at ones and his cheeks turning crimson. How could he explain this? "I did – once."
This would have to do, Kurt decided, as he pushed past the others towards the bathrooms. Mercedes called after him – "Kurt!" – but he didn't stop and he didn't look back. All the joy and exhilaration that had come from their performance had died the moment he recognised the Warbler, and now he felt the hot prickle of tears as he let the heavy bathroom door swing shut behind him.