Thanks clover-inK90, Guest, TeebsSingerWriter, and Hermione1017 for reviewing and letting me know how I'm doing!

Chapters 3 and 4 are combined into one chapter because they're both pretty short. Sorry this chapter's a bit shorter than the others. Please let me know how I'm doing!

Chapter 3: The Wizard and I


"It didn't go well?" Blaine asked sympathetically when he turned around because he heard the door slam.

"I didn't even get to audition!" Kurt said, throwing himself on the couch. "I didn't even get to finish saying what I was auditioning for and- and he just told me to leave! He said he didn't deal with 'my kind.' Why couldn't I be more like you?"

"More like me?" Blaine frowned, question written all over his face, moving to sit on the couch next to Kurt.

"When people see you, they don't see you and think 'gay' right off the bat. Like they do with me," Kurt said.


"And one day, he'll say to me, 'Elphaba, a girl who is so superior, shouldn't a girl who's so good inside have a matching exterior? And since folks here to an absurd degree seems fixated on your verdigris, would it be all right by you if I de-greenified you?'

"And though of course, that's not important to me- "All right, why not?" I'll reply,"


"Kurt… we need to talk," Finn said hesitantly.

"What is it, Finn?" Kurt asked.

"That song you were practicing…"

"Oh? Did you like it?" Kurt asked, smiling expectantly.

"Well, yeah but-"

"But what, Finn?"

"It's… you can't do this to him, man!" Finn groaned.

"Do what to who, Finn?" Kurt asked testily.

"Sing that mash up in Glee with him," Finn said.

"Why not, Finn?" Kurt asked.

"If you sing that song with him, you'll make him a target," Finn said.

"You're overreacting!" Kurt hissed.

"It'll be so bad he'll have to quit!" Finn said. "He'll get so much trouble from the other guys, he won't have any other choice! It's a good song, Kurt but you can't sing it with him!" There was a pregnant pause.

"Because I'm a guy?" Kurt asked. Finn didn't answer and Kurt glared and pushed past Finn.

"Come on, Kurt! Don't be mad! As long as you're mine? Is he even gay?" Finn asked but Kurt didn't stop to listen to him.

He didn't notice Blaine looking at him as he threw the sheet music in the trash, tearing it up into little pieces.


"I know we're giving up lunch but are you ready to practice?" Blaine asked with a grin.

"Yeah," Kurt said, smiling weakly.

"Everything okay?" Blaine asked.

"Um, I just didn't get anything good on the assignment. I was really hoping I'd get… inspirational," Kurt lied.

"Oh, well, no problem, I came up with something," Blaine said.

"Great, I can't wait to hear it," Kurt said.

"Hear it? You're singing it with me," Blaine grinned, handing him the sheet music. "It's a mash up between Some Where Only We Know and Defying Gravity."

"Defying- Blaine-" Kurt tried to object but the music started up and Kurt realized he was singing first. "Something has changed within me." Blaine sucked in a breath, finally getting to hear Kurt's singing voice. "Something is not the same."

"If you have a minute why don't we go talk about it somewhere only we know?" Blaine sang.

"I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game. Too late for second-guessing- too late to go back to sleep. It's time to trust my instincts," Kurt took in a breath. "Close my eyes… and leap!"

"I walked across an empty land. I knew the pathway like the back of my hand. I felt the earth beneath my feet- sat by the river and it made me complete. But it's time to try-"

Kurt joined him in singing, "Defying gravity. And why don't you and I go somewhere only we know? I think I'll try defying gravity with you!" Blaine faded off at you, letting Kurt carry the note. They were shocked into silence at the sound of their voices mixing together, so shocked that they missed the next few bars.

"I- I'm sorry. I missed the notes," Kurt said.

"Hey, it sounded great," Blaine smiled softly.

"It did, didn't it?" Kurt said.

"Hey, Kurt?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah?" Kurt's breath caught in his throat when he met Blaine's hazel eyes.

"I'm really glad I'm doing this duet with you," Blaine smiled. "So should we run through it again?"

"Y-yes. Of course," Kurt said.

During a break in the music, Kurt took his chance to skim the sheet music. His heart skipped a beat when he read over the last few bars. He heard the door to the auditorium slam and he looked up. Rachel and Finn were looking in and Kurt couldn't breathe.

"I- I have to go," Kurt said, bolting from the auditorium.

"Kurt! Kurt, wait!" Blaine said. "Kurt!"

Blaine caught up with Kurt in an empty hallway. He was holding onto a water fountain, trying to keep himself up. He approached Kurt slowly.

"Kurt?"

"Blaine- I-"

"What happened back there?" Blaine asked.

"The song, Blaine- I can't do this song!" Kurt said. "I'm sorry, it's fantastic. It really is but… I can't do it…"

"Why not?" Blaine asked. "Is it the high F? Because I put it in there so we could work on it, Kurt! I can help you-"

"I just can't Blaine!" Kurt shouted.

"Why not?!" Blaine shouted back.

"Because of my dad," Kurt said.

"I don't understand…" Blaine asked.

"Of course not!" Kurt snapped. "He… he got a phone call… the anonymous kind. Someone called and said his son was a fag. So I… I couldn't hit that note, Blaine; do you know what that would do to my dad if more people like that called? I'm used to it but he's not. He already had a heart attack. I can't do this to him."

"Oh, god… Kurt, I am so sorry," Blaine said. "When... when was this?"

"The heart attack was last year," Kurt said, sliding down against the lockers to the floor. "I love the song Blaine, but if I sing it…" Blaine nodded and sat down next to him.

"So what do we do?" Blaine asked.

"I don't know…" Kurt said quietly.

"Kurt," Blaine said and Kurt looked up at him. "Have courage."


Chapter 4: What Is This Feeling?

"What is this feeling so sudden and new? I felt the moment I laid eyes on you. My pulse is rushing.
My head is reeling. Oh, what is this feeling? Does it have a name?"


"Don't say that!" Blaine snapped. "Kurt- you're beautiful, handsome, amazing- you're perfectly imperfect. You shouldn't want to be like anyone else. It doesn't matter what some stupid director thinks. It's his loss."

"I believe you're obligated to say all that," Kurt sighed but his lips were tugging upwards in a smile.

"I believe I did give you that promise ring," Blaine teased. "But I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it. And even if he did hire you, would you want to work for a homophobic jerk anyways?" Kurt sighed.

"No, I guess I wouldn't," Kurt said.

"Good," Blaine smiled and pressed his lips to Kurt's in a gentle kiss. "And how about for dinner we go somewhere special? That fancy French restaurant you like?" Before Kurt could answer, there was furious knocking on the door, a knock that could only announce the arrival of one Rachel Berry. Blaine sighed and went to open the door.

"Rachel-" Blaine said but Rachel burrowed past him but she was wearing a triumphant devil's smirk that had a hint of Santana in it. It made Kurt sit up, concerned.

"I am so mad!" Rachel hissed. "He didn't even give you a chance. So of course, I had to do something, I mean, he insulted you, Blaine, my dads, and the whole gay community. So I waited around and I didn't have to wait long and I waited until I heard a few singers and then this one awful girl came on, I mean, really Kurt, she could barely hold a note and he stopped her and told her she was perfect. He just wanted to hear this one song chorus-"

"Rachel, is there a point?" Kurt sighed.

"And so I stood behind him and started singing it myself when I saw the lyrics," Rachel said. "I mean, with my skills, there was no competition. When he heard me, he begged me to be in his production and he offered me quite the salary. Do you know what I said?"

"What?" Kurt sighed.

"I said that you were just a good a singer as I was and you could hit in my range," Rachel grinned.

"Rachel, you devil!" Kurt said gleefully, clapping his hands together.


Rachel knew something was off about Kurt. And it involved her. She had met his eyes before he had bolted out of the auditorium. It had to be the embarrassment of attempting to sing the song that he had failed again in front of her. But Kurt hadn't sounded bad at all. He had been so good- great, even- until he had gotten to the high F. But he was a boy, he was lucky to even get close to that range.

And yet, something was bothering her- had been bothering her about that moment.

Kurt didn't run away from anything- bullies, slushies… so why would he suddenly bolt when he saw her because he was practicing a song? That was admirable… so why…?

Fury overtook Rachel in that moment and she stormed through the hallways to find Kurt. The next time she found him, she saw Karofsky pushing him into a locker. Her eyes widened but no one did anything. For once, she was too shocked to say anything.