You Are Sixteen Going on Seventeen!

by The Peppermint Field

Blaine and Tina are having their seventeenth birthdays in the same week! How will Mike and Kurt commemorate the occasion? Sound of Music appreciation, dancing, memories and new shoes will all appear. Blaine/Kurt, Mike/Tina. One-shot.

An : So perhaps I've been listening to the Sound of Music soundtrack too much recently but if Blaine and Tina are a year below Kurt and Mike (and we simply follow along with the forced storyline that Blaine was a junior in season three, which always seemed improbable) then it was only logical my brain made this connection. Mike/Tina/Blaine/Kurt friendships are one of my favourite things and I've adored the Sound of Music for as long as I can remember. Please leave a comment, I would appreciate it profusely

It just so happened that Blaine and Tina had birthdays within a few days of one another. It was only a logical conclusion their boyfriends wanted to spoil them.

It was Kurt that had come to Mike originally.

The four of them-Blaine, Tina, Kurt and Mike- had been celebrating the end of a particularly gruelling assessment week. Between Glee, Football, AP Chemistry, NYADA stress, Tina's Particularly Nasty Physics Exam (capitalized for full effect) they'd had little to time to relax and had all collapsed in Kurt's bedroom while the Hummel's Sound of Music tape played for the umpteenth time. Blaine was leaning back into Kurt's chest, the tall boy leaning against the headboard of the bed, silently mouthing the words. Mike and Tina, an entanglement of limbs wrapped up in Kurt's armchair, occasionally daring to mutter sweet murmurings only to be shushed quickly by Kurt.

It was an odd thing Sixteen Going on Seventeen. Tina most certainly wanted to hate it. A song all about blindly following a man, the patronising and condescending tone conveyed by Rolf, the pure naivety of Liesel. It was all enough to make her shudder. However, Tina couldn't find it in herself to truly hate it. The sense of romance it contained. A forbidden romance, taking place against the backdrop of a gorgeous European estate backdrop. A gazebo sheltering the young couple not only from a storm but also a demanding father. The rain battering again the walls in sharp contrast to the music. Tina had grown up with The Sound of Music. With her sister in tow they'd spent many a Saturday night (wearing their white dresses with blue satins sashes) curled up on the sofa, singing along. It had been Britney Spears and this film that had truly made Tina fall in love with music and performing. An unlikely but effective combination. She loved Mike and she was most certainly her own person, she just couldn't shake the hold this song held over her. There was nothing anyone could do to stop her sighing before Rolf started singing, she wasn't letting go of her objections, despite the glare Kurt sent her way. Then, she pushed her torso up slightly and kissed Mike gently on the cheek.

Mike liked The Sound of Music. Not as much as some other musicals but it was still good and full of happiness. What Mike liked the most though was how much Maria reminded him of Tina. They were so willing to help, so good with children, fixing problems with music, self-sufficient, daring and beautiful. He'd told Tina that once and she'd laughed it off, she was so humble and sweet and he was utterly in love. He liked the gazebo scene well enough, if only for the dancing and the storm of epic and dramatic proportions. Perhaps he could so something like that with the Glee Club? Have half on chairs, figure out a semi-circle configuration and have everyone leap and spin and catch one another, he mused. Well, perhaps one day? There were still those to master jazz squares. He kissed Tina on the forehead. Her jazz squares were awesome which only added to how fantastic she already was before.

In the dark days Blaine had named 'pre-Kurt' he had seen The Sound of Music several times and he had enjoyed it. That number had risen considerably when he was just friends with Kurt, and it had sky-rocketed since they were dating. He took Kurt's hand in his and played with his boyfriend's fingers, not that Kurt noticed. Certainly, Blaine liked the film for the music and the scenery and Liesel on benches and children jumping on beds made him feel occasionally envious but mostly Blaine liked it because Kurt loved it. Blaine loved Kurt and it was as simple as that. They'd watched Captain America last movies-at-home date anyway.

Kurt adored The Sound of Music. He liked Julie Andrews, the romance, the costumes, the music, Julie Andrews, the very idea of making clothes out of curtains, singing with a forbidden boy in the rain, Julie Andrews, The Nazi graveyard chase, an insanely amazing wedding scene and Julie Andrews. This was a film that came with hurt, it was his mother's favourite and he used to pretend, after she had died, that Maria was his governess. It blocked out school and his father's grief and the overwhelming and pure loneliness he was experiencing. The hurt was still there but every re-watch helped his acceptance of this situation, he loved his mother and his father and Blaine and Carole and Finn. His family was growing and it made him happy. Kurt had always loved Liesel and Rolf's duet. He knew why Tina was sighing and he understood (although he absolutely knew she liked it more that she admitted) but it had always entranced him. Forbidden relationships hiding from conservative authorities tended to do so. He felt Blaine's hand take his and start to play with his fingers and he smiled down at his boyfriend. He was so lucky.

~~
A few days later:

Mike and Kurt were the only Glee Club members in their Government class. It was a blessing, to have a friend to sit with. They passed notes about Glee when the teacher was boring the class to tears and stopped one another from storming out several times due to the sheer prejudice and ignorance of other students. It didn't even have to be their opinions, the lack of intellectual thought in the compulsory class was enough to drive either boy to frustration.
They had a substitute that day though. She's assigned group work so she could sit at her desk and read her magazine with earphones and the students could do whatever they wanted.
Kurt turned to Mike immediately, "Blaine and Tina have birthdays next week. I believe that a serenade is in order. Also, new shoes."
Mike's eyes went wide immediately, "Me? Singing?"
"You're fantastic, Mike. You were amazing in West Side Story and I have the best idea."
Mike was too nice to deny anyone the chance to spurt out their creative vision so he nodded, prompting Kurt to continue.
"The Sound of Music. They're both turning seventeen. We're both already seventeen. We have Glee last period the day before Tina's birthday and Blaine's is two days after."
Mike had originally planned on Breadsticks followed by arranging the Chinese Club to have their book club on the same night so he would have the house to himself and Tina. Along, with a necklace and a dance he'd choreographed just for her. Kurt sounded like he had some grandiose plan and he still wasn't sure how The Sound of Music was part of this all. Kurt had evidently recognised this though as he rolled his eyes,
"We open Glee with a stunning rendition of Sixteen Going on Seventeen. I know Blaine knows the words as he has a fantastic memory and we watch it all the time. I checked with Tina by dragging her into an emergency NYADA practice and she does too." Mike smiled at the thought of how selfless Tina was but then realised what exactly what Kurt was asking,
"I don't know Kurt, I mean..."
Kurt cut him off, "Think about how you can choreograph the dancing," he wheedled, leaning to the side twisting his shoulders from side to side. Mike couldn't say no to most people and Kurt wasn't an exception.

"Okay. Do we need to ask, Mr Schue?"
"He's already agreed. Okay, so we open with this and then you will perform the dance you've been choreographing for Tina. Don't deny it, I saw you practising. Then I will sing something, though I haven't decided what, for Blaine. Then we will close with an impressive duet..."
Kurt was speaking a mile a minute and Mike was nodding and already seeing how this was going work and as Kurt paused to take breath he quickly spoke.
"My house tonight? We can start practising?"
"Fabulous," Kurt smiled. "I'm so excited" and he hugged Mike. Neither of them cared when the hockey team yelled something offensive. Blaine and Tina were going to have amazing birthdays.

~
Glee Club, The Eve of Tina's Birthday:

Kurt had been in a state of pure excitement for the last week. He'd bought himself shoes, shoes for Mike (who'd payed him back in dance tutoring), shoes for Blaine, chosen shoes for Mike to buy Tina. He'd spent study hall of today decorating the choir room. He had an outfit change for today's meeting, it was his boyfriend's birthday in three days, they were doing a Sound fo Music number, he'd had three coffees already today.

Mike was excited but he was nervous. His very personality was nervous. Everything was a potential stressor and performing for the girl he loved (and having all of his friends there) was a situation that could easily send him over the edge. The coffee and shoes Kurt had forced on him were helping though.
They were in the choir room early. There were twinkling lights across the ceiling, a semi circle of benches, and two chairs at the front of the risers: covered in fabric with neatly embossed name cards: 'Tina Cohen-Chang' and 'Blaine Anderson. It was beautiful and Mike was breathing in a desperate attempt to quell his nerves.

Rachel and Finn arrived first and Kurt sent them such a glare and raised eyebrow that neither of them, Rachel included, said nothing at all regarding the situation. Kurt knew that Tina and Blaine had calculus on the other side of the school together and Puck was in charge of making sure they arrived last (he'd been bribed with Kurt's cooking). the others trickled in and were directed to their seats, smiling appreciatively. Mr Schue opened his mouth to speak but Kurt intercepted with his self-designed, "Silence Please" sign before he had a chance to say anything.
Then Puck entered, slipping inside and closing the door on Blaine and Tina. Both of whom voiced their protests loudly and knocked.
Kurt and Mike breathed in deeply simultaneously and assumed their positions. Two of the band members opened the doors and the soon-to-be-seventeen year olds were shocked into silence by the scene/. Their boyfriends stepped forward to take they hands and escorted them to their seats.
"Kurt, what's" Blaine started but Kurt put a finger to his lips and silenced them. Mike nodded at Brad and the music began.
Kurt began,
"You Wait Little Boy on an empty stage for fate to turn the light on."
Mike continued,
"Your Life Little Girl, is an empty page that men will want to write on"

Together they reached out and lifted their partner's hand, leading them away from their chairs, and both of them realised the prompt and sang together, "To write on..."

"...Eager Young Lads and Breways and Cads..."
Mike and Kurt sang Rolf's part together and Blaine and Tina joined in appropriately.
Kurt thought of Jeramiah and Sebastien and perhaps even-a-little about Chandler. Mike avoided looking at Artie, despite knowing there was no animosity between the two of them.

"...I am Seventeen Going on Eighteen. I'll take care of you..."
Blaine and Tina could simply feel how much their counterpart's loved them at this line and Mike's choreographing involving a clever dip at this moment could only help.

"...You need someone older and wiser, telling you what to do..."
It was a complete coincidence that Mike had choreographed it so that he was positioned a step away from Tina for this line.
The musical break had Blaine and Tina up on the benches and they instinctively knew what to do. the rest of the glee club sighed and clapped a little as the group of four ran though the jumps between benches with what appeared to be a practised routine. Blaine and Tina were ready to sing.
"...I am sixteen going on seventeen, innocent as a rose..."
The pair sang sweetly, Tina turning to embrace Mike and Blaine making exaggerated facial expressions. Tina flung her arms out wide for, "Bachelor Dandies..." and Blaine mimed drinking for, "Drinkers of Brandies" before they stepped forward to complete the line,
"What do I know of those?"

The playful, acting banter continued throughout Liesel's parts, Mike had created choreography simple enough for Blaine and Tina to ease in and act along and it was wonderful.
The crashing of cymbals began and back up on benches were Blaine and Tina, trying not to trip as their boyfriends moved faster and faster on the floor in an almost dizzying configuration.

Then suddenly it was over and Mike looked at Tina and Blaine looked at Kurt and then Kurt and Mike sneaked a look at each other and the whole club was staring at the four of them and finally they were kissing. Tina melding herself to Mike's body, pushing him slightly back so he was leaning back over the piano and Blaine and Kurt kissed sweetly but conscious of the others. They didn't tend to like public displays of affection, but the aftermath of a Sound of Music number seemed to provide the setting for an exception. The club members were clapping and when Kurt was pulled out his reverie by applause he realised that his elaborate plan wasn't finished. He may have then pushed Blaine back to his chair, who retreated with a slight whine, before discreetly kicking Mike in the shin so that Tina could also sit back down. Mike stared at Kurt for a moment as the band members moved away the makeshift gazebo furniture before realising it was time for him to dance. Kurt retreated to Mr Schue's office which which he's commandeered as a dressing room. Mike faced the Glee club but focused on Tina.

"Um, this is something I've been working on for you, Tina. I hope you like it."
Mike started to dance. He was graceful yet entirely and most certainly determined. His eyes met Tina's unless he was halfway through a turn or flip and Tina felt tears prickle under her eyelids, she let the flow but remained quiet. She was in love with Mike Chang and certain he loved her also. There were no lyrics to the track he was using. Just the music and Mike's body; an entanglement of passion and strength and dedication. When Mike had finished, Tina flung herself at him and they embraced. Celebrating their relationship, their combined strength and their love. Eventually, Mike let her go and disappeared into the office only to have Kurt reappear.

He was wearing a black trench coat over a white shirt with a red tie and smiled tentatively. They all head Blaine gasp quietly.
"I'm not sure if I ever spoke about it properly," Kurt began, "but the first time I met Blaine I received the suggestion to 'not forget my jacket', a shortcut through an abandoned Dalton hallway hand-in-hand with a boy I'd only just met and then he brought me to a Warbler's performance. They sang a cappella, in formation and I'm fairly certain I fell for a particular soloist that day. So, I thought I should return the favour. There are many significant songs that have affected our relationship, Blaine. However, this will always be our first."

Kurt's Teenage Dream was certainly higher than Blaine's and resembled Katy Perry's acoustic version slightly more than it did the original. It was one of their songs though, Blaine reflected, as he too felt tears prickle.

Kurt finished and seemed to hold his breath, his nervousness evident. Blaine stood up and suddenly his arms were full of Kurt and they were hugging and crying and kissing and Blaine pulled away suddenly.
"I guess it was a good thing you were such a terrible spy."
"It has seemed to work out for us, hasn't it?" Kurt replied.

Mike had re-joined everyone and since Kurt had permitted them to speak they were all gushing and talking over one another and exclaiming at Kurt and Mike and finally Rachel silenced everyone (she'd been remarkably compliant so it was bound to happen eventually.
"Now, that you boyfriends have serenaded you, Blaine and Tina. It's time for us, as a club, to extend our birthday wishes. Please sit back down at your allocated seats." The pair did as they were bid and the club arranged themselves into formation.
"Well, actually. Mike and I have one more song." Kurt stated. "It's not too long, but it's important." Rachel sighed softly and everyone, bar Kurt and Mike, returned to the risers.

"Perfection is defined when your heart beats next to mine, and time stand still for us." Kurt sang softly, staring directly at Blaine.
"My hand in your hair, and yours on my chest. Moments with you are my life's best." Mike continued, the volume of the lyrics and piano slowly increasing.
Then together they sang,
"We crossed paths for a reason
The planets aligned in that particular season
Its clear to me that well eventually be
Inseparable
I love your existence
and I can't get enough
Your song is sung in your beautiful voice
My senses rush cause they have no other choice
I breathe you in, and I see through your eyes.
You are an angel with a beautiful disguise.
We crossed paths for a reason
The planets aligned in that particular season
Its clear to me that well eventually be
Inseparable
I love your existence
and I can't get enough
So pucker up and embrace the greatness, you get me high and erase my sadness.
I love your existence, and I can't get enough"

There was silence. Then applause. However, Kurt and Mike only had eyes for two people in the room.
"Happy Birthday Tina."
"Happy Birthday Blaine."

AN: Mike danced to this: watch?v=u0p2jWFiH94 and together Mike and Kurt sang "I Love Your Existence" by youtube musician, Alex Goot.

I hope you enjoyed this piece!