Look at the stars.
Fandom: Glee
Pairings: Purt, Faberry, Britana, Minn
Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.
"Why not, Princess?"
"Noah, No. Just forget it."
"What's up?" Mercedes walked into the choir room to find her best friend and his boyfriend in a heated staring contest. Finn loomed in after her, a silent giant teen shaped shadow. The new couple pulled up seats just as Britney and Santana ambled in, pinkies linked as always, followed by Quinn and Rachel who were holding hands.
"What's going on?" Rachel asked. Kurt blinked and looked up to find they had an audience.
"You know how this week's assignment is to find a song that expresses a positive emotion?" he waited for their affirmative nods before continuing.
"I thought of a song and now Noah wants me to suggest it as a group number."
"So?"
"He also wants me to sing lead and as I was explaining, Mr. Shue will never go for it. Rachel is our star, everyone knows that." Kurt didn't say it with any bitterness or hurt, but Rachel frowned.
"I don't get all the leads, do I?" her voice was small and full of concern.
"I'm sorry, have you been here?" Britney gave her an approximation of an incredulous look. It just came off as really confused.
"You do get most of them, Sweetie. It's fine though, you're an excellent singer." Quinn tried to console her, but Rachel's frown only deepened.
"It's far more likely that you'll get the lead than I will." Kurt explained gently.
"And as I was trying to convince him, there's no guarantee that's what will happen." Puck said stubbornly.
"You should go for it, lady-face." Santana piped in.
"She's right." Mercedes agreed.
"Fine. But when I'm proven right, don't be upset." Shortly there after, the wrest of the club trickled in, quickly followed by the Spanish teacher.
"Mr. Shue? I had an idea for a group number I'd like to run by you."
"Sure Kurt, what is it?"
"Knock you down. I figure if we're still trying to recruit more members, something else that shows how "Down" we are, can't hurt." Kurt explained, complete with air quotes.
"I think that could work, Kurt, thanks. Rachel, do you think you can help us out?" Rachel's mouth opened and closed in shock. For the first time in club history, the tiny diva was speechless. Mercedes, on the other hand, didn't seem to be suffering from the same affliction. She exploded out of her chair, Finn's calming hand sliding off her shoulder quickly.
"Oh, Hell to the nah!"
"Mercedes…" the teacher began in a reasonable tone. The girl simply cut across him.
"Mr. Shue, after all we've been threw, I can't believe you'd do that. I thought you were different, but Kurt was right." And with a sad look, she walked out of the room. Silently, Finn stood to follow his girlfriend, casting a disappointed look at his mentor before he closed the door. Will, for his part, stood rooted to the spot, a confused look clouding his face.
"What did they mean?"
"Mr. Shue, your heart's in the right place, but just because I'm captain doesn't mean the wrest of the club deserves to sway in the background like props." Will blinked.
"What? I haven't…"
"The wrest of us would like a chance to sing lead once in a while." Britney said quietly, cutting him off.
"She's right." Mike agreed.
"I know Mike and I are usually just glorified back-up dancers, but we'd like our own chance in the sun." Matt spoke as his friend nodded.
"You were starting to change, Mr. Shue, but then something happened and you got right back in that rut." Tina explained.
"You didn't even take a minute to think about the song before automatically giving the lead to Rachel. Rachel's an awesome singer, but no matter how hard she tries, certain genres just aren't in her wheelhouse." Arty explained as the confused look morphed into one of surprise, and then slight shame with a little guilt mixed in.
" Give us a chance." Puck said quietly as he stood, pulling a silent Kurt up with him. They headed for the door, followed by the wrest of the club. They found Mercedes on the bleachers, pulling away from Finn and rubbing at her tear-stained cheeks soon after. The couple moved to sit on the bottom level of the structure as their friends approached. Kurt pulled his best friend into a hug.
"I hate being right." he whispered into her hair.
"Not your fault, boo." She gave him a watery smile as they separated.
"You think he'll reconsider?" Rachel asked, a hopeful tilt to her smile.
"Is it just me, or has dating Quinn mellowed her out some." Finn observed.
"Well, love makes you do crazy things." Quinn grinned, pulling her girlfriend closer.
"Seriously guys, focus. I still want to do the song, but as Arty said, it's just not in my wheelhouse."
"The more things seem to change, the more they stay the same." Tina sang under her breath.
"Wait, Rachel Berry actually wants to sway in the background? Pinch me, I think I'm dreaming." Both Mercedes and Kurt slapped the back of Puck's head.
"That's not a pinch." He grinned, unrepentant.
"It's getting cold, yo."
"Wheels, I've always wanted to know, What exactly makes you think you've got street cred?" Santana asked as they all headed back inside a few minutes later.
"Well, look at me." He struck what was supposed to be a gangsta pose.
"I am, and again I ask." She rolled her eyes.
"Leave him be, it's cute." Kurt stood up for his friend. Santana shrugged.
"Thanks." Arty smiled.
"His dress sense on the other hand…" the fashionable boy continued.
"I know, right? Arty, you could look so much hotter if you didn't dress like an old man." Britney volunteered. Suddenly, she clapped her hands excitedly.
"We could give him a make-over, like Tina had that one time!" Arty paled, but before he could protest, Mr. Schuester gestured them all back into the practice room.
"Well, I've thought about it and I've realized you were right. Rachel, Finn, it was wrong of me to favour you all the time. Mercedes, it was wrong of me to trot you out to wail on the last note. As for the wrest of you, I was wrong for sticking you in the back more often than not. For all my shortcomings, I am sorry. We are a club and I will start treating you all as equals. For my first order of business, Kurt, Mercedes, how about helping us out with knock you down."
"Thanks, Mr. Shue." Kurt gave his teacher an approving grin as he and his girl strolled to the front.
"Arty, would you?" and Arty wheeled forward to do the intro.
"Wait, Mercedes is a horse?" Britney loudly whispered to Santana.
The End.