Love and Its Effects on the Art of War

by GlambertGleeSA

There's something about Sebastian Smythe that is so empty. Blaine can't place his finger on it. Perhaps it is something the other boy can't control. Those Sebastian meets despise him. Yet he grows to understand the meaning of love, even if it is useless to him. Seblaine, mentions of Klaine and Huntbastian. AU. Read author's note for warnings.

10. Chapter 10

A/N: Well it's that time of year where everything ends and you have no motivation to do anything. By the time this is published I will finally be out of school. I'm not sure how regular updates will be from now on but they will continue.

This chapter probably will be as long, if not longer, than the previous one.

Never fear, there is major Seblaine coming up. But remember the warnings… Sebastian and Hunter have not gone crazy. My main objective for this fic was to show how mental disorders plague people and how they go on living regular lives, as if nothing is wrong.

Anyway, canon past 4x8 is not canon in this fic. Some things will be referenced (the bug references the drugs, etc.) and events of Glee, Actually occur somewhat.

Love and Its Effects on the Art of War

Part 3: Hunter

Book 3: I Could Drink A Case of You

I

"That is the worst idea you've ever had," Sebastian said without interest. Several Warblers agreed with him and began to voice their opinions.

"No, actually, it's not," Hunter asserted. He stood between the couched in Warbler Commons while the rest sat. "By doing this we can improve our stage presence and acting. Nothing will be lost by doing this."

"Except maybe my pride," whispered Jason, earning laughs.

"I think what they mean to say," Nick began diplomatically, "is that there's no reason for us to participate. It's almost Christmas and it will distract us from Regionals."

"Of course there is. We need to be able to move a crowd, and what better way to practice than by performing?"

"We got everyone on their feet," Jeff said, "even the McKinley kids."

"That may be true, but it was the energy, not the feeling that moved them." Hunter sighed in frustration. He was losing his touch. "Each of you will audition and if you don't, then say goodbye to Regionals."

"You can't kick us off," Trent argued. "Only administration can do that."

"I wouldn't be so sure," the captain replied slyly. "I almost didn't let you perform at Sectionals, didn't I?" Trent nodded but kept eye contact. "Headmaster put me in charge and you will do as I say. Understood?" The Warblers nodded in fear, even Sebastian. "Meeting dismissed."

"The Warblers haven't called a Meeting since I was a freshman," Sebastian said as he walked next to Hunter. Meetings were called when the council- or captain- had something of dire importance to tell the club. Last time it was to introduce Thad Harwood. "I thought it would be something more important."

"It was important," Hunter said, voice softer than it was in the Commons. "I really think we should do it."

"Whatever," replied Sebastian. "When are auditions?" School was winding down for the first semester. Four days remained for exams, but neither Hunter nor Sebastian had to take any. They exempted them.

"Next Saturday at three." It was Sunday and Dalton was as full as it usually was during the week. Everyone stayed to prepare for exams.

"At CC?" Hunter nodded. "I'll probably be a bit late," Sebastian said," I've got to go to the damn shrink again."

"Yeah, how's that going?" Sebastian shrugged. "Alright, well be there when you can."

Winter time always brought a stir to Dalton. The seniors were rejoicing at being almost finished while the rest of school marveled at the decorations. Hunter marveled as well, earning harassment from his roommate. Christmas had never been a huge event with his family, causing Dalton's festivities to enthrall him. He was leaving for Colorado the following week and still hadn't fulfilled his promise to his father. He hoped the Crawford party would be beneficial to his reputation with the opposite sex, but it had the opposite effect. Rumors began as soon as he left Aria Turner's bedroom. His confidence was severely shattered.

"Hey, Sebastian, any idea where the nearest church is?" Hunter asked when they reached their dorm. The two were hardly in the dorm together, given Sebastian's busy schedule and Hunter's dislike of company.

"What kind?"

"Catholic."

"Um, try downtown. There's a huge one, St. Mary's or something." Sebastian was texting, as he had been lately. Ever since Sectionals he'd been constantly talking to Blaine. "Why do you want to go anyway?"

"'Cause I'm Catholic…" Hunter said, as if it should be obvious.

"Ah. Didn't pin you for the religious type."

"I've been going ever since I was a little kid, and I guess it's the one thing I haven't lost over the years." Hunter never spoke of his religion. It wasn't that he was embarrassed or ashamed of it; he respected it too much to casually mention it. He always believed faith to be a personal thing, not something to wave in people's faces.

"Then you should go to Paris," Sebastian said, looking up from his phone for the first time. "They have awesome churches there, dude." He was smiling; something Hunter had only seen him do when looking at his phone. A smiling Sebastian was a nice view, Hunter decided.

II

Sebastian hated going to his psychiatrist. On a list of things he never wanted to do it was behind only spontaneous combustion and erotic asphyxiation. She was marginally better than the shrink he had in France, but that margin was shrinking with each passing visit. The first few appointments were spent on 'how was your childhood' and 'how did your parents' divorce affect you', which Sebastian answered 'fine' and 'it didn't' truthfully. He was ready to leave.

His car was still at the lot until he paid his fine, so Hunter had to drive him everywhere. Under most circumstances it would be embarrassing, but Mr. Clarington shipped Hunter's car from Colorado and it was really cool. It beat the SUV his parents bought Nick. Hunter checked Sebastian in and signed all his papers, being the only person eighteen or older Sebastian trusted. Blaine had just turned eighteen, but Sebastian doubted 'hey, I'm going to a shrink, wanna drive me?' would be an appropriate pick-up line.

"Mr. Smythe," said the receptionist in a friendly voice. She was short, around 5'2, with chin length blonde hair. She handed Sebastian the clip board to sign in.

"Hey," he said, in a flirty manner. "Good to see again, as always Linda." He winked and took the clip board. Hunter rolled his eyes.

"It's actually Lisa," she corrected, but didn't seem to mind. Her eyes were on Sebastian the whole time.

"Dude, you're gay," Hunter said to his friend as they sat in the waiting area.

"And you just realized that?"

"No. But, why were you flirting with her? You do it all the time." The two sat in an empty corner, away from the rest of the patients.

"'Cause it's fun." Sebastian filled out his paperwork. "You should really lighten up buddy. Go take a try." He clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder in encouragement. Hunter shook his head.

"I don't' even know how to deal with you." Sebastian finished with the paperwork and returned it to the desk. He was gone for ten minutes, all of which he spent flirting with the receptionist twice his age.

"You should try it some time," he said as he threw himself in the chair, laughing.

"Sebastian," called another woman, "Dr. Sok is ready to see you."

"Sok. I wonder if his assistant is a shoe," Sebastian joked as he got up. "I'll see ya later." Hunter nodded and slumped further down in the chair.

As always, the appointment was mundane and made Sebastian want to shoot himself more than he had before. If that were possible. For the most part he continued on about his childhood, arrest records, and eating habits. Halfway through he began to make up lavish stories to entertain himself. His personal favorite was the, totally false, time he went to the zoo and let out all the animals. Dr. Sok made a note in his book and Sebastian couldn't help but laugh. Maybe senior year wasn't too bad.

With just fifteen minutes left in his appointment, the doctor handed him a paper. It had twenty –two rows and three columns. It looked oddly familiar.

"I took this two years ago," he said, pushing it back across the table. "Don't you have the scores from that?"

"You were just fifteen then. Anyway, it was the French version and I don't know how it was administered to you." Sebastian groaned and pulled the paper back.

The first read Glib and Superficial Charm: The tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming, slick, and verbally facile. Sebastian continued down the list and marked his answers. He wasn't naïve as to what they were testing him on. It didn't make sense though; why would a speeding ticket warrant him this? Other rows included Shallow Affect: Emotional poverty or a limited range or depth of feelings; interpersonal coldness in spite of signs of open gregariousness, and Promiscuous Sexual Behavior: A variety of brief, superficial relations, numerous affairs, and an indiscriminate selection of sexual partners; the maintenance of several relationships at the same time; a history of attempts to sexually coerce others into sexual activity or taking great pride at discussing sexual exploits or conquests. He marked them both as accurate and continued down the list.

He added up the score of his answers in his head, giving him a thirty. He wondered what that signified.

"I have another question to ask you that isn't on the paper you just filled out," Dr. Sok said, putting the paper in a folder marked Smythe, Sebastian A. 17 years old.

"Ask away, Doc."

"Have you ever thought of, fantasized of, or dreamed of the ideal love?"

"The what?" Sebastian was sure he'd heard the term in English class but didn't think it applied to him.

"The ideal love, as in if all hinders were taken away and you could be with someone you considered perfect. Have you ever thought of it?" Sebastian furrowed his brow in thought. He immediately wanted to answer no, that that was for lonely teenage girls. But he supposed that he had thought of what life would be like if he could deal with other people. If whatever kept him from enjoying the company of others was stripped away and he could pursue any love.

"Yeah, actually I have. Not often, but much more so in the previous months." Blaine popped in his head; the one person who made him question himself. "I guess you could say I have thought about love."

III

"You're in love with the idea of him," groaned Sam from across the room. Midterm exams would be the death of him.

"What's that even supposed to mean?" Blaine asked as he sorted through the papers he could throw away at the end of the semester.

"You like the idea of a perfect boyfriend who loves you and who you love and can get legally married to and all that jazz." Sam sat on the beanbag chair on the other side of Blaine's room. He was throwing one of Cooper's old basketballs in the air.

"I think everyone does, don't they?" He didn't turn around. "But I really do still care about Kurt."

"I'm not saying you don't, but he hasn't exactly been perfect to you lately, has he?"

"What do you mean?"

"The entire time he was in New York before you guys split, he called you like twice. I don't think that's someone you want to get back together with." Sam threw the basketball again, watching it spin above his head.

"I didn't say I wanted to get back together with him," Blaine defended, throwing a large stack of paper into the trash bin. "I just said I wanted to talk to him. I don't think being together will work right now."

"Well every time you're on your phone you have this stupid look on your face," Sam said, "I guess he still makes you happy."

"I haven't talked to Kurt since Grease," Blaine said harshly. Sam nodded.

"Sure ya haven't."

The topic of boyfriends was subsequently dropped. Christmas was nearing and Blaine knew he would have to face Kurt again. Rachel told him they were planning on coming to Lima for the holidays, and Blaine couldn't just avoid her. But seeing Rachel meant seeing Kurt and he wasn't ready for that yet.

After he drove Sebastian back from the police station the night he was arrested, Blaine hadn't gone a day without talking to the other boy. It wasn't a conscious effort; it just happened. Sam thought he was texting Kurt all the time, and Blaine definitely wasn't going to correct him on that. The New Directions made no secret of their dislike of Sebastian, even months after the Regionals scandal. The last thing Blaine needed was his own team mad at him.

With the impending end of the first semester hanging over his head, Blaine had become overly stressed. The end of the semester meant he was halfway through his senior year and he still had no idea what he was going to do. He was plagued with the I'm-graduating-in-five-months-but-have-no-clue-whe re-I'm-going-to-college-or-what-I-want-to-do-with- my-life-kill-me virus that spread about McKinley and all other American high schools every year. Losing Sectionals didn't help to relieve him either. He was left with no extracurricular activities- besides being class president- and his father was all over him about it.

When he was at Dalton, Blaine belonged to just about every group or club he could- minus the sports teams. He had varying amounts of hand-eye coordination but never enough interest to join a team. His father persuaded him to join a new group at McKinley, prompting him to become the Cheerio's only male member. That wasn't exactly what his father had in mind, but it worked. He enjoyed it and he enjoyed the stares he got while wearing the tight pants. Never mind if they were from girls. The attention was still nice.

He and Sam continued to sort through old papers until dinner. At first Mr. Anderson was wary about allowing Sam to stay over for so long, but upon hearing that he was 100 percent, totally, fundamentally straight, he was glad to have him over. Blaine knew his father hoped being around a straight male would "turn" him straight. However, it had the opposite effect. Blaine knew it was stupid but he felt himself growing a more-than-friends affection for Sam. He was damned and that was it.

"We're having a family gathering at Christmas if you would like to come, Sam," Mrs. Anderson invited. "Cooper can't make it so the only non-adults are Blaine and my niece who's two. If you came I'm sure Blaine would be happy to have some company." Blaine turned a light red and looked down at his feet. His mother so wasn't helping.

"Thank you I would but I promised I'd be with Brittany's family Christmas night and mine in the morning. I'll call though," Sam said, mouth full of mashed potatoes. Watching Sam Evans eat always marveled Blaine. He was able to eat heaping piles of everything without looking like a pig. Jeff should take lessons from him, Blaine thought.

"Who's Brittany?"

"My girlfriend." Blaine still didn't understand that relationship.

"Oh," Mr. Anderson said. "Maybe you should go out and see someone Blaine." The patronization in his voice made Blaine shrink in his chair. Ever since he broke up with Kurt his father had been harassing him to date someone. Preferably a female.

"Maybe," Blaine said into his plate. He felt Sam's eyes on him and didn't want to look up.

"Hey man, I'm sorry if I made that awkward back there," Sam said as they returned upstairs.

"No, it's cool. He would have been a lot worse if you weren't there."

"Well that's me. Always there," he said as he headed into the bathroom connected to Blaine's room.

Blaine's phone was vibrating so loudly it was bouncing. He rushed over to it before it broke itself. He looked down at it.

(7:30) Sebastian Smythe: Hey, what are you doing? I'm listening to Hunter go on about Regionals strategies. You'd think this was war.

(7:44) Sebastian Smythe: Well apparently you're busy. Anyway, you should come up to Dalton. The Christmas trees are up and I'm sure you want to see them one last time before leaving.

(8:10) Sebastian Smythe: I'm beginning to think you're ignoring me. Which you probably are. HELP ME HUNTER WON'T SHUT UP. Will that earn your sympathy?

(8:32) Sebastian Smythe: YOU ARE SO IGNORING ME THAT IS NOT DALTON TRADITION. Well in the event that you don't totally hate me for blowing up your phone, we should do something over break. I still don't have a car *glares at law enforcement* but I can steal someone's. Write me back before I murder Hunter.

Blaine laughed at his influx of texts. Sebastian seemed warmer as of late. His humor was less dry and held Blaine's interest. He replied back.

(8:56) Blaine Anderson: I was eating dinner. I suppose the ridiculously rich don't understand the art of washing dishes. You have my permission to strangle Hunter, if it's any consolation.

(8:57) Sebastian Smythe: IT LIVES. I was afraid your public school people buried you alive. (Here at Dalton we would never bury anyone alive. There are not enough shovels in the world to bury everyone I hate.) And thanks for the permission. It means a lot.

(8:58) Blaine Anderson: Poisoning is much classier.

(8:59) Sebastian Smythe: Are we now discussing the classiness of murder methods? Because if so I'm pretty sure I love you. Well, what do you say about coming up to Dalton or something over break? I'm stuck here this year. No France.

(9:01) Blaine Anderson: That sounds good to me. I'm so tired of Lima, gahhh.

Their conversation went on in this manner throughout the night. Blaine was sure he was pissing off Sam who was trying to sleep in the sleeping bag at the foot of Blaine's bed. At least he had the courtesy to turn the vibration off. Blaine couldn't remember the last time he stayed up that late talking to someone. He thought about what his father said, about seeing someone, and for the first time Sam wasn't the one who came to mind. Blaine decided to take a leap of faith and hoped it wouldn't backfire.

(3:42) Blaine Anderson: Considering you haven't answered in over thirty minutes I suppose you're asleep, in the bounds of intercourse, or dead. If it's the middle one I DON'T NEED DETAILS. If you want to, meet me at Breadsticks (in Lima. It's like the only restaurant here) on Thursday night. 6:30, I don't care what you wear- but not the Dalton uniform. Night.

Blaine held his breath as he sent the text. He hoped Sebastian would interpret it the right way. He looked out his window at the birds flowing south for winter. Light snow flurries flew and clung to the trees. Sam's steady snoring kept Blaine calm. He shoved his phone under his pillow and faced the ceiling. Everything was going to be okay. He was going to graduate and go to college and be happy and everything with Kurt would be okay and he just asked Sebastian on a date. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

IV

Hunter woke up to the incessant vibrations of a cell phone. Shit, he cursed. Classes started in ten minutes and both he and Sebastian overslept. Well there goes breakfast. Hunter quickly changed into his uniform and shook Sebastian awake.

"Dude not cool," his roommate hissed, pulling the covers back over his head. "It's like Saturday or something."

"No, it's Monday. Get up." Hunter kicked the edge of the bed and threw Sebastian's uniform at him. He still had to wear Blaine's old blazer, but he didn't complain about it anymore. He and Blaine shared something.

"Fuck you, Hunter. Fuck you." Sebastian pulled on his clothes, grabbed his bag, and hurried from the dorm.

Hunter rolled his eyes and picked up the other's phone that was left on the nightstand. He read through the recent texts (he was not snooping) to see why his roommate was up so late the previous night. He scanned the messages and was filled with an amalgam of feelings, the most powerful being one of jealousy. Sebastian was never that open with him, never that playful. It wasn't the flirting that hurt Hunter; it was the friendliness in Sebastian's words that he wrote to Blaine. He put the phone down and tied his shoes. He was reminded of his original plan to get Sebastian to date Blaine.

Ever since Sebastian got back in touch with the ex-Warbler he was more restrained-less angry and more light-hearted. He hardly argued in Warbler meetings and apparently lacrosse try-outs had gone without him having a fit. This can help me. Hunter finished tying his shoe and followed Sebastian into the main school.

He was sure he would have to call Carly at Crawford and tell her they couldn't help them with Les Mis. He felt terrible at having to cancel. Hunter was what most would call a people-pleaser. He hated letting people down; it made him feel like a failure. They would perform.

Most of the Warblers ignored him throughout the day, but that was nothing new. He knew they weren't overly fond of him, even if Nick said he would give him a chance. They saw him as Sebastian 2.0 and there was nothing he could do about it.

The week progressed slowly, each day becoming more of a drag for Hunter. The rumors had stopped as quickly as they started, as rumors had a habit of doing. Baseball tryouts were at the end of the week and he had to find the motivation to return to the field. Each year brought about an increasing lack of interest in the sport, but Hunter couldn't quit it. It was something so fundamentally part of him that to give it up would be to give up part of himself. He dusted off his glove and re-oiled it.

After school on Wednesday he headed over to the church Sebastian told him about. It was twice the size of his usual parish back in Colorado and was adorned with the Stations of the Cross and stained glass windows. It was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Many people always spoke of marvelous beauty, but Hunter was never a fanatic for castles or decorations. He preferred legacies and monuments. He loved going to Washington D.C. and seeing all the landmarks. He liked knowing he was standing in a place where history occurred. Perhaps that's why he was so adamant to create his own history.

V

Thursday at school was hell for Blaine. He was nervous for his date with Sebastian (the other boy enthusiastically responded 'yes') and even more so because he couldn't tell anyone about it. It was nice having his own little secret, but it would be even nicer to share it with someone.

He sat outside during lunch even though the weather was freezing. It gave him time to think. Sam, Tina, Artie, Brittany, Marley, and Jake joined him. Great, he thought, I wanted to be alone. Usually when the New Directions convened in a large group he was left out of the conversations. They typically revolved around something that happened in one of their classes or other shallow teenage topics. He was taking college and AP classes as a senior and Tina was the only one of his friends he shared any classes with. He missed Dalton where everyone was a high caliber student.

"So have you heard from Kurt lately?" Tina asked from beside him. Sam kicked her under the table, but Blaine didn't look angry. He simply turned to her and gave her a blank stare.

"Was that really necessary?" As the months passed since their breakup, Blaine became more irritable when his ex-boyfriend was mentioned. It wasn't enough for his teammates to let him suffer in silence, he supposed.

"I just wanted to know," she snapped, turning away from him. He wanted to feel bad for making her upset, but he simply couldn't.

"No you didn't," he whispered under his breath. He didn't speak again for the remainder of lunch. Before the bell sounded for fifth period his phone rang. Hoping it was Sebastian, he answered it excitedly.

"Hey!"

"Hey, Blaine." The voice was female. Rachel.

"Oh, hey, Rach." He hadn't heard from her since Sectionals. He wondered if she and Kurt had a pact that she wasn't allowed to speak to him.

"What's up with you?" She asked excitedly. He could hear voices in the background.

"Oh ya know. Same old, same old. Where are you? I can't hear."

"In the Westerville airport of course!" He could almost see her spin in joy.

"Why are you in Westerville?" He pressed a finger inside his empty ear.

"We flew down here and it was closer than Columbus." She paused. "I can almost see Dalton from here!"

Blaine was glad she was coming. It would be nice to see an old friend. He hoped that meant not seeing Kurt, though. As much as he wanted to run back for forgiveness, he knew he had to move on.

"What's wrong, Blaine? You seem kinda down." Rachel was always good at reading people.

"Just…nervous." Six o'clock was rapidly approaching. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"If you could do something, something you know could really hurt you but is also feels right, would you do it?" He was scared to meet Sebastian that night. Every time he gave the boy a chance he ended up hurt.

"If you're talking about a new guy, I would go for it." Any playfulness left her voice. She was full Advice Rachel mode; a mode that could get quite annoying but was also helpful.

"You make it sound dirty that way, oh my God," he laughed into the phone. Everyone was heading towards the school; lunch was about to end.

"It's almost 12:16, lunch is about to end," she said punctually, proud of herself for remembering what time first lunch let out. "But Blaine, do whatever feels right. Don't worry about anyone else says, okay?"

"Okay." He hung up and continued to his next class.

The remaining school hours passed in a blur and Blaine often forgot where he was. He thought about what Rachel said about 'going for it'. It made sense to him. His entire life he'd been so reserved, so scared of being rejected. Well, maybe not his whole life. This reservation started not long after the Sadie Hawkins fiasco. Almost four years later and it still haunted him.

Cheerios practice was as mundane as always. Sue hardly paid attention to them anymore, allowing Blaine to leave early unnoticed. He showered and dressed and sat on his bed in thought. It doesn't mean anything, he tried to convince himself, trying to think like Sebastian would. It doesn't mean anything to Sebastian, right? Don't get your hopes up… Picking clothes was an obstacle he hadn't anticipated. The last time he went on a date was with Kurt, and they were so far into their relationship that neither cared what the other looked like. But he had to be perfect for Sebastian. He had to.

Blaine decided to go with stylish casual, as he liked to call it. Dark (ironed) jeans, a light blue polo shirt, and a light sweater would do. No bowties tonight. When he finished dressing he sat upright on his bed. He continuously checked his watch to make sure he left on time. Being a first date, he couldn't be too late or too early. It was like unspoken date etiquette or something.

"Blaine, honey, are you going to leave?" His mother called from downstairs. Breadsticks was a thirty-five minute drive and it was approaching six o'clock rapidly. "You don't want to be late!"

"Yeah Mom, I-I'm coming." Blaine grabbed his wallet and keys and headed for the door. Deep breath Anderson.

VI

Breadsticks was moderately crowded, per usual. Blaine grabbed a table for two and sat. He was five minutes early and wasn't worried about Sebastian not being there. After all, Westerville was a bit of a drive and the other boy didn't even have his car back. Soon 6:25 turned to 6:40 and Blaine was still alone. He ordered water for himself and Sprite for Sebastian, telling the waitress his date would be there soon.

Blaine scrunched in the booth and put his feet on the seat across from him. He was stood up and definitely didn't want anyone he knew to see him sitting there alone. Pathetic. The waitress came by twice more, and on her second trip Blaine ordered mozzarella sticks to occupy himself. The back of his neck was sweating and he felt like an idiot. He sat up, pulling money out of his wallet as he planned to leave, but felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Did you really think I wasn't gonna come? I'm insulted." Sebastian stood behind him wearing a sly grin.

"Actually I did," responded Blaine, feeling stupid. "It's almost seven."

"I'm sorry about that, but apparently stealing your stepbrother's car isn't moral." He took a seat across from Blaine.

"You could have just gotten someone to drive you."

"That's totally seventh grade." He started flipping through the menu. "I stole Hunter's instead."

"Didn't you just get arrested for car crimes? That's probably the worst thing you could have done." Blaine pulled at his fingers in his lap.

"The big guy won't care," Sebastian said with a shrug, "he'd probably be glad for me to take it. Gives him some attention anyway."

Blaine spent half the time he should have spent looking at the menu staring at Sebastian. The other boy was more at ease. He was wearing a green polo shirt, the same one he wore to Scandals when Kurt and Blaine accompanied him the year before. The collar wasn't popped, to Blaine's relief. Sebastian looked less like Sebastian Smythe: lacrosse captain, lead Warbler, and richer than God and more like himself, whoever that was.

"He's a different one," the waitress whispered to Blaine when she took their orders. She was used to seeing him there with Kurt. Blaine smiled nervously and handed her the menu. He didn't want to make a big deal out of things.

"So, you wanna hear what Hunter's making us do?" Sebastian's voice was excited, interested even, rather than the usual bored monotone.

"Kill puppies?" Blaine didn't know Hunter well, or at all, but from what he gathered from Sebastian, he could tell the captain wasn't the greatest person.

"Not yet, that's probably next competition." Sebastian leaned back in the booth and crossed his legs, one of them kicking Blaine. "Sorry," he said quickly, sitting up straight. "Anyway, he's making us do musical theater."

"I would have killed for that at Dalton," Blaine replied under his breath. The biggest problem with an all-boy school was just that- all boys. Things like musical theater couldn't be done unless everyone was comfortable with things getting a bit awkward- especially in the love scenes.

"We're not even doing it at Dalton," the other complained, his voice returning to its natural tone. "Hunter got laid by some girl at Crawford so now he's making us help them out with their production."

"What musical?"

"Les Mis," he answered, "at least it's nothing something totally stupid."

"So who are you trying out for?" Blaine hated himself for not participating in Grease. Being Teen Angel was great, but he was born to play Tony, not a minor part.

"I don't know. What's someone who doesn't sing a lot?" Sebastian spun his fork between his fingers.

"One of the barricade guys."

"Then I'll try out for him. I'm doing the least amount of work for Hunter as I can."

"You're always the most inspiring when it comes to work ethic," Blaine said sarcastically. "Don't you think you should try out for a bigger part? For the sake of it being your senior year."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Sebastian said, looking over Blaine's head at the waitress carrying their food. "But I swear to God, I'm not being Marius. The whiniest guy in the play."

"He's not that bad," Blaine said, going unheard as the waitress appeared with their food. Sebastian thanked her and asked for more appetizers. At least he's nicer to wait staff than Kurt ever was, Blaine thought. It was the only time his ex-boyfriend entered his mind throughout the whole night.

Once the food came Blaine had a distraction from the way Sebastian's green eyes stayed on him the entire night. He was different than he had been any other time the two of them were in any sort of romantic or close proximity. The sexual hunger that used to lay behind his glare was greatly subdued, making Blaine more comfortable. They stayed until the restaurant closed, and probably would have stayed longer if the manager didn't threaten to call the police. Blaine had a habit of not allowing himself to let go as of late. There was often a small voice in the back of his head telling him to calm down, to remember nothing will last. But that voice was shoved into his subconscious after just one date with Sebastian. He couldn't remember the last time he laughed so much, or felt so happy.

They saw Silver Linings Playbook after eating. Blaine didn't know what to expect upon entering the theater. All he knew was that Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper were in it. And something about the Philadelphia Eagles. He and Sebastian chose seats in the back of the stadium-seat theater; only one older couple sat behind them. Blaine wondered if it would be like one of those stereotypical middle school dates where they were both too nervous to touch each other. (Not that Blaine had any of those stereotypical middle school dates, but he was sure the rest of the population could vouch for him.)

To his relief it was not. Sebastian threw an arm over his shoulders as soon as they sat down, and neither made an event of it. It was relaxing, Blaine thought. Once the movie started any hey I'm on a date nervousness passed as he was drawn into the world of cinema.

"That was great. It better win an Oscar," Blaine said as they exited the theater. He was truly moved by the film. It had great acting and great storytelling.

"Eh, at least the popcorn was good," Sebastian said, throwing the bag away. Blaine couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but didn't care once he felt Sebastian's hand grab his. Where's this all coming from? He thought.

They exited the theater, earning a few stares for their hand-holding, but didn't care. Blaine didn't realize how late it was until he reached his car. It was after midnight. Being eighteen, the curfew didn't apply to him, but if they were stopped there was nothing he could do. Sebastian was still seventeen, after all.

"Well I should be heading home," Blaine said, pulling his hand from Sebastian's and starting the car. It sputtered to life slowly. He cursed Cooper for leaving him the crappy car.

"Yeah, me too. You should just skip school tomorrow. It's your last day, isn't it?"

"No, I still have another week," he sighed. Dalton got out a full week before McKinley did.

"Oh, well I'll see ya…later I guess." Sebastian was lost for words. Blaine had to admit confusion looked good on him.

"Come here you idiot," Blaine said quickly and without thought. He closed the gap between them, stood on his toes, and kissed him on the mouth. He didn't realize how tall Sebastian was until he was on his toes, hands on either side of Sebastian's face. "I'll see ya 'round," he said with a smirk as he got in the car and drove away. Sebastian stood in the parking lot, confused. It was a good confusion, he decided. He finally felt something.

VII

"And as things began to fall apart nobody paid much attention," was written on the first page of the book in Hunter's hand. He found the Talking Heads lyric to be of utmost relevance. He didn't technically have to attend classes on the last day of term, but he did anyway. The emptiness of room H4CQ was getting to him. Sebastian left with his care the night before for his date with Blaine and never returned. Hunter didn't mind; he could always press charges if he wanted to.

The last day of the semester always brought about a stressed yet elated feeling to the students. Hunter wanted to be sentimental about it being his last Christmas break but couldn't find the motivation to do so. He was leaving for Colorado the next Sunday, the twenty-third, to spend Christmas with his family. This required him to spend an extra week in Ohio that he wanted no part of. His sister didn't get out of school for another week, like McKinley. He was stuck. At least he had baseball to look forward to the following day.

When Sebastian finally returned with his car around noon, Hunter was about to kill him. He wasn't sure what was wrong with him, but each passing day seemed to bring about a heightened sense of irritation and frustration. Sebastian using his car to go on a date just about topped his problems.

"Next time you want to use something that's mine, you ask," he hissed as Sebastian walked in the room. The other boy was on his phone and paid no attention to his roommate.

"Hey to you, too," he said, putting the phone against his neck as he shut the door behind him.

"I'm seriously tired of your shit." Hunter stood from his spot at the computer and approached his roommate. "I'm tired of driving you everywhere and getting the Warblers off your back and everything else I do for you to take advantage of me."

"Sorry, Dick. I gotta go," Sebastian said into the phone as he hung up. "Maybe you shouldn't make yourself so open to me if you don't want me to do that.'

"That's the point, Sebastian," Hunter hissed, stepping forward so their faces were almost touching. "You don't understand displays of friendship because you're so full of yourself." Hunter would later realize how hypocritical his words were, especially coming from him.

"You sound like my shrink. You know, I'm just gonna go. I forgot how much more tolerable Blaine is than you." He slammed the door behind him as he left.

Hunter wasn't sure what made him feel worse- losing the argument or being compared to Blaine Anderson.

VIII

Dates with Sebastian became a regular thing over the last week of the term. Blaine didn't go a day without seeing the other boy. Most days he headed over to Dalton right after school, studies forgotten until later in the day. His relationship with Sebastian flourished, as did those with the other Warblers. Jeff's new roommate became annoyed at how often Blaine was hanging out in room H2BZ. Just like old times.

However, unlike old times, Blaine wasn't sure what he was doing. He let go of any monopolizing control he had over his feelings. He was tired of being so strict, so perfect. Blaine decided to take control of his destiny. He would love who he wanted to love, and he'd be damned if anyone tried to tell him otherwise.

Wednesday, his last full day of school, brought about a point of decision. He and Tina were walking out of school when his phone rang. The caller ID gave a familiar number…too familiar.

"Hello?" He said, unsure how to feel at seeing the number on his screen.

"Hey, Blaine," Burt Hummel responded, friendly as ever.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." There was hesitation in Burt's voice. "You know Kurt's in town, right?" Blaine's heart fell. He knew this coming. He was stupid to think ignoring it would make it go away. At least Rachel beat around the bush.

"Yeah, I-I know." Tina headed to her car, completely oblivious to any trouble with Blaine. "I just didn't think he would want to see me." Lie.

"Blaine, son, I know things didn't end well, but don't for a second think he doesn't still love you." Blaine always admired Mr. Hummel; he was the father figure Blaine never had in his own life. If his father was distant and cold, then Kurt's father was surely the opposite. Blaine had grown to miss Burt, but was smart enough not to contact him. Everyone knew what a father would do to the person who cheated on their child.

"I miss him a lot," Blaine said honestly. The superhero club, Sam and Tina, and Sebastian took his mind off Kurt. Blaine could feel something changing inside him. Usually when he told someone he missed his ex-boyfriend his voice would crack a bit. His eyes would sting and he'd turn away. But now it felt like a statement rather than a feeling. Perhaps his interests were changing. "But I think it would be best for us to stay apart. You know, let time heal things."

He talked to Burt for a few more minutes before hanging up. A sick feeling welled inside him. A month ago he would have jumped at the opportunity to see Kurt, but now it felt like a burden. He wanted to hide.

Kurt called him, as he knew he would. Kurt had a habit of getting others to help him get what he wanted. Rachel and Burt were just the beginning. Blaine was sure he would have called Cooper if he knew his number.

"Hey Blaine," he said, voice so unlike his father's. It wasn't soft like it was before, but also wasn't harsh like after they broke up. Blaine heard a hope in his voice, a hope he couldn't reciprocate.

"Hi Kurt." He sat in his room flipping through AP Calculus notes he didn't need to study. It was the first day he didn't go to Dalton in over a week.

"Well, I'm in town," Kurt said tentatively.

"I know," Blaine replied shortly.

"Do you think we could get coffee or something?" Blaine wanted to say yes. It would be too easy to say yes, to fall into an old routine. To fall back in love with the routine. But that was then, and this is now.

"Kurt I think it's best if we don't see each other for a while." The words felt heavy on his tongue, as if saying them released a burden from his soul. They were difficult but necessary. His phone beeped with another incoming call.

"Blaine we can work this out." Kurt sounded upset. "We always have."

"No we haven't," Blaine hissed, sadness turned to anger. "We never talked about anything. We just did stuff. And that was okay when we were fifteen, but not now. I'm sorry Kurt." He slammed his finger to the touch screen of his phone, ending the call, ending the ways of old.

Sebastian had called him while he was talking to Kurt but he had no desire to call him back. His hands shook with anger, leading him to the only place he could relieve himself.

IX

The passages underneath Dalton Academy of Westerville somehow managed to stay secret despite the school's well known history. Blaine discovered them early in his freshman year and found solace in their secrecy. They were heated and air conditioned along with the main school, but a certain muggy humidity always filled the air. Blaine expected to find stalagmites and stalactites upon entering them, but was sorely disappointed when all he found was miles of endless expanse.

He had doubts about how much the students of Dalton really knew about what lay underneath their school. The entrance to the passages was sealed and located in the kitchen where most students wouldn't be able to get to. Blaine found it the second week of school. He and Jeff were stealing extra food from the kitchen when they heard a teacher coming. Jeff hid in the boiler room and Blaine opened the sealed door, descended the stairs, and was met with the most marvelous of Dalton's eccentricities. It took him an hour to get back to the main door- he was quite the explorer in those days. When Jeff asked what took him so long Blaine lied, saying he went by Tyung's room. He wanted his discovery to stay his and his alone.

When he took up boxing- thanks to Cooper's old friends that stayed in Westerville- the empty rooms gave him perfect practicing places. While his 'fight club' comment to Finn the previous year had been pure sarcasm, he had snuck a few non-Dalton kids down to the passages to box. He forgot their names over the years, but if it weren't for them he would still be the self-conscious boy who got beat up after a school dance.

Returning to his old fortress of solitude years later calmed him. The narrow halls and huge empty rooms were exactly the same. He checked each one meticulously; making sure no one was down there. Getting into the Dalton kitchen was quite the obstacle. But he was short and the kitchen staff never really paid attention anyway. Blaine pushed open the door and smiled at his old home.

He was relieved to find the punching bag still hanging from the ceiling when he reached the old room. He wrapped his hands and took his anger out on the inanimate object. Failure. Blaine was no self-deprecating person but the previous months took their toll on him. Heartbreaker. The bag swung back in response to his hit. Pathetic. The first few rounds he focused on what was wrong with him. He soon moved on to other problems.

Kurt. Sebastian. College. Each name was another hit to the bag. His hair was curling under the sweat but he didn't care. Kurt. He slammed his fist into the heart of his target, hearing his knuckles crack. He was infuriated. For too long he acted like he was the sole fault for their breakup. Blaine's cheating was the final straw but their problems began long before. Maybe it was when Kurt insulted him for thinking he was bisexual (it was a phase, okay?), or maybe when he begged him to go to prom though he knew Blaine was terrified because of Sadie Hawkins. Maybe it was when Sebastian came back into his life; that was when Blaine noticed the change. It was easy to blame it on Sebastian, with his intoxicating presence and distracting ways. But their relationship wasn't broken or even tarnished by Sebastian. He just revealed it. Blaine drove his full power into the next hit, body wailing under the exertion.

Sebastian. God he was frustrating. Blaine's next hit was softer but just as passionate. He didn't know what to make of Sebastian, even after all the years. He was easy yet so hard to hate. Easy, simply because he was an asshole, but hard because Blaine knew he didn't do it on purpose. It was just who he was, if that wasn't a too teenage girl response. Every time he gave Sebastian a chance it came back to bite him, but this time it felt better. Different. Like there was something to Sebastian now, some sort of essence that wasn't there before.

College. Blaine did well at school, better at McKinley than he did at Dalton, putting him in the top few of his class. Yet no amount of academic training prepared him for the decisions he would have to make. For too long he lived in the world of a child, pretending life would hand him everything. Slam. His hand gave when he took his last punch. Dammit.

"Fancy seeing you here." The voice echoed through the empty halls. Blaine looked up, chest heaving.

"Sebastian," Blaine said, pulling his white tank top down. "You know about these?"

"Of course. Where do you think I spent half my time freshman year?" He was wearing athletic shorts and a swim team t-shirt. Blaine didn't know he was on the swim team.

"Scandals."

"No, that's just what I wanted you all to think." Sebastian entered the room slowly. "I didn't know you boxed."

"For the last three years."

"Well as sexy as that is," he said with a wink, "that's not why I came here." He took a seat in the only chair and took a deep breath. Blaine heard something from the hall and went to look.

"There you are! I've been looking for-"Jeff panted. "BLAINE!" He waved profusely at him. Blaine laughed and waved back. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll ask the same thing," Sebastian said harshly. Jeff shrugged.

"Does everyone know about this?" Blaine asked, unwrapping his hands.

"Yeah, it's not really a secret," called Nick from the next room. Blaine sighed. He thought it had been.

"Well you guys can catch up later," Sebastian said through a tight jaw. He stood and put hands on Jeff's shoulders. "I would appreciate it if you two left now," he whispered authoritatively. He felt like Hunter. Jeff looked from Blaine to Sebastian in understanding. He nodded and ran off. "Now that they're gone," sighed Sebastian.

"What'd you want to say?" Blaine sensed Sebastian had some higher plan other than a friendly hello. He wondered if it was what he both anticipated and feared.

"I'm terrible at this," he warned. "But," he paused. "Oh God I'm an idiot."

"I already know that," Blaine joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Thanks." Sebastian half-smiled and closed his eyes. Blaine didn't expect him to be so nervous. "This is what I want to say: You make me happy, I like being around you, you make me a better person and from what I can tell you seem to like me, too." He was talking a mile a minute, each word a rapid bullet. "We've only got a few months left here and I don't see why we should deny ourselves simple pleasures." He exhaled from the exertion of talking so fast. Blaine stood speechless. I wasn't expecting that. "You're gonna laugh at me, but do you think it would be unrealistic for us to make this," he gestured between them, "more serious?"

"No," Blaine said, running a hand through his wet hair. "But I can't commit to anything right now."

"Hummel's in town, isn't he?" Sebastian sounded almost hurt. Almost.

"Yes but that's not why." Blaine closed the distance between them. "For the first time I have no clue what I'm doing."

"That's good isn't it? Just…winging it." The dim lights of the room cast a shadow over Sebastian's face, highlighting his features.

"For you maybe, but not me. I've always had a set path. But now I'm lost." He swallowed and rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck. The rooms didn't used to be that muggy. "I can't commit to anyone or anything until I can commit to myself."

"Fair enough." Sebastian nodded slowly, as if he were trying to understand his words. "Any idea how long that will take?"

"No. But you'll be the first to know." He collected his things and threw a shirt over his sweaty tank top, leaving Sebastian in silence. "I should go before my mom thinks I've been abducted." Sebastian nodded without looking at him. Blaine threw his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door. Before he left he stood in front of the other boy and looked up at him like a scientist would inspect an experiment. "I'll call you," Blaine said, pressing his lips to Sebastian's cheek and exiting.

X

Blaine Anderson wasn't too bad, Hunter decided. Upon meeting the Dalton legend he created a strong opinion of him. He found him to be talented but over praised, humble but in an arrogant way. But no matter what he personally thought of him, Hunter couldn't deny the effect he had on the Warblers.

From the first day he started coming to Dalton regularly, the morale of his team rose. They weren't meeting anymore, given that school was over, but those who weren't leaving were elated at the old soloist's return, chiefly Sebastian. Part of Hunter wanted to punch Sebastian for being distracted by a boy, but the other part had to admit his friend was much nicer now that Anderson was in his life. Hunter would never admit the jealousy that came with every mention of Blaine Anderson.

Thankfully Sebastian was getting his car back the day Hunter left for Colorado. Auditions for Les Mis were the day before he left, giving four days in Colorado. Skiing would be fun but nothing else about the trip interested him. Dalton was mostly empty after exams, leaving just himself, Sebastian, Nick, Peyton, and some students he didn't know. The rest of the Warblers would return for Crawford auditions. Baseball tryouts went well and Hunter was sure he would be starting center fielder. The juniors had nothing on him. It was strange for him to be on team where he was not the captain, but he was okay with it. Tradition stated that the shortstop always took the captaincy, and Hunter had no plans to change tradition.

Sebastian returned to their dorm Wednesday night with a dazed expression. He looked upset, if something could upset him.

"What's wrong man?" Hunter asked as he shredded unneeded school papers.

"Nothing."

"Dude I know you. You're not okay." Sebastian was easy to read. He had one emotion: none. Only in recent weeks had his resolve begun to break. It was no mystery to Hunter as to what was causing it.

"Fine, ya got me." Sebastian pulled his shirt over his head and collapsed on the bed.

"Is that really necessary?"

"Undressing?"

"Yeah."

"You distracted?" Sebastian rolled off his stomach and smirked at Hunter. Hunter turned away, something like a blush creeping onto his face. "Anyway…Yeah I'm not doing too hot."

"Your family again?" Hunter knew how problematic Sebastian's family was. He knew Nick meant well but he was often not the best of stepsiblings.

"No, thank God." His head was in the pillow, making his speech muffled. Sebastian slowly moved his arms above his head, stretching the muscles in his back. Hunter suddenly became jealous of lacrosse players. "It's something else."

"Elaborate." He put a small stack of papers into the shredder, watching them split in twelfths.

"My whole life I thought relationships were stupid," Sebastian said through the pillow, "I always went to Scandals and thought I was so great. But I was wrong." He paused to wipe the spit that was collecting on the pillow. "But just, dammit. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. But he's great and I'm shit."

"No you're not," Hunter said, leaving his papers to shred on their own. "You're my best friend and the only person who's ever given a damn about me." Sebastian sat up to look his friend in the eye. "No matter what you've done before, you're worth it." You're worth everything.

"You think so? You think I could be with Blaine?" Something about Sebastian's voice was so young, so naïve. He sounded like a child talking about the girl down the street. Hunter found it endearing.

"Yes. And he'd be lucky to have you." Sebastian smiled, a delicate, genuine thing, and fell asleep.

XI

"I'm Hunter Clarington and I'll be trying out for the role of Enjolras," he said as he stood on the stage. Surprisingly all the Warblers showed up for auditions, even those most against it. Hunter volunteered to go first- rather he was forced to go first to give his team an example. All anxiety left him when he took the stage. Performing was the only time he didn't feel like a fraud.

"And what will you be singing today?" The woman asked. The Crawford drama department was huge. The judges were the directors and stage crew, all trained in musical theater; making it feel like a true audition rather than a high school play.

"'Someone Else's Skin' from the musical Catch Me If You Can."

"You may begin."

Hunter took a deep breath and looked out at the audience in front of him. It consisted of the Warblers, those already given roles in the play, and various Crawford girls who came to see them sing. Sebastian sat next to Jared and angrily stared at his phone. Apparently Blaine hadn't come like he promised to.

"There's no phone booth, there's no cape," he began. The beginning of the song was slow and drawn out before it led into the fast-paced chorus and verses. "There's no Steve McQueen to help me make my great escape. How can I fly like a hero in the sky? Be a shooting star out in the stratosphere?" He held out the last word, focusing on his pitch. It was a rather high song, but nothing he couldn't manage. "Where's the shadow? He might know. Where's that searchlight in the sky to point the way to go?" When searching for songs to audition with, Hunter wanted to find something he could identify with. He found this song to be perfect. "Through some new cloud to disappear into the crowd. Though the future's dark, there's one thing crystal clear." He looked out to his teammates, his friends almost, all of whom were engaged in conversation or cell phones. "That there's no home here."

At this point in the stage version of the show the main character is interrupted by a judge and his parents as they settle divorce issues. Hunter paused during the speaking parts, allowing the pianist to show off.

"So many voices telling me to choose. It's like a game where either team I lose. It's like a game where either team I lose." Performing had a tendency to bring out all his fears and emotions. Seeing the Warblers sitting there without any interest in him infuriated him. He had to lead them strong to win, but they hated him. If he were softer they wouldn't win. "This kind of noise just makes me want to shout. I'd like to buy a one-way ticket out." At least the judges looked interested.

"Rules of the road say don't look back, eyes straight ahead, don't jump the track. Try a new game, and pray that I can win," he sang as the song sped up, reaching his favorite part. His time to shine.

"'Cause I just don't feel at home in mine, so I'll slip down into someone else's skin." Hunter finished the first chorus with a smile on his face, back straightened and fears gone. He knew why people spent their lives struggling to perform. It truly brought about a high.

He continued through the song, each line bringing more energy and passion. There was no way Enjolras could go to anyone else.

"Thank you Mr. Clarington," the main judge said expressionless. The other two looked to each other, impressed. "We'll let you know." Hunter left the stage to sit by Sebastian who gave him a high-five. "Next please," she called. "Mr. Smythe." Sebastian stood, shoving his phone his pocket.

"Now or never," he whispered to Hunter as he headed for the stage.

"Information please."

"I'm Sebastian Smythe, senior at Dalton Academy and I will also be trying out for the role of Enjolras." Hunter rolled his eyes. Figures. "And I'll be singing "Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan in the style of Garth Brooks." Hunter was familiar with the song. In a split second decision he raised his phone and began to record.

"Proceed."

"When the rain is blowing in your face and the whole world is on your case," Sebastian began in his lower register, earning looks of approval. The Warblers were now paying attention. "I could offer you a warm embrace to make you feel my love." Hunter remembered their discussion from the night before. This song definitely had a reason.

"When the evening shadows and the stars appear and there is no one there to dry your tears. I could hold you for a million years to make you feel my love." Sebastian brought his hands to the microphone stand, one on the microphone while the other gripped the stand. His voice was smooth, something Hunter would call angelic. He never showed this much emotion at Warbler practices.

"I know you haven't made your mind up yet but I would never do you wrong." Sebastian's eyes fell closed as he breathed. "I've known it from the moment that we met. No doubt in my mind where you belong." Hunter wondered what was going through his friend's mind. Was he seeing Blaine? Was he thinking of the first time they met, probably at Warbler auditions? Did he see their first kiss? (Assuming they had done as much.) Hunter wondered what it was like to feel for someone, not realizing he already was. The song was much shorter than Hunter's but got the job done.

"I could make you happy; make your dreams come true." Sebastian looked out into the crowd, an expression of adoration on his face that was previously foreign to him. "Go to the ends of the earth for you. Nothing that I wouldn't do to make you feel my love," he finished, stepping back from the microphone and doing a half-bow. The audience erupted in applause as Hunter stopped the recording. Before Sebastian returned he sent the video to the first name in his contacts. Blaine Anderson.

"That was awesome," Hunter said when he sat down, clapping him on the back. "How'd it feel?"

"Exhilarating." Sebastian beamed, causing the lights to become jealous.

XII

Blaine's phone buzzed with a text message while he sat in the Lima Bean. Everything about going seemed wrong to him, but he went anyway. For closure, or something. Kurt sat across him with a pained expression. It was as if he could see Blaine's disinterest, feel it emanate across the circular table. Coincidentally (or perhaps not…) it was the same table they sat at when Blaine told Kurt he loved him for the first time.

"Who's that?" Kurt asked as Blaine rushed to open the message. The number was a 303 area code, not one he recognized. He slid it open anyway to see it was a video message. It was probably one of those spam things.

"I have no idea," he shrugged, placing it back on the table.

"So were you serious about spending time apart?" Blaine wanted to groan. He already felt guilty enough, no need for Kurt to constantly ask him the same question.

"Yes, I was. I agree to meet you today because I wanted to see my best friend, not my boyfriend." The words felt cold leaving his lips but they had to be said. He couldn't placate people anymore.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kurt took a sip of his, now cold, coffee.

"Kurt you mean a lot to me, you know that, right?" Kurt nodded. "You opened my eyes to a lot of things back in sophomore year. I realized that I was kind of a cocky little shit," he joked.

"Not really," Kurt defended, though Blaine was sure he hadn't forgotten the Blaine and the Pips fiasco.

"And I loved you for a long time." Kurt looked down at the past tense. "And I don't regret it. But I do regret hurting you. But I can't sit around and pray for forgiveness anymore."

"Blaine I do forgive you." Blaine believed him but that didn't change anything.

"I'm glad that you do, but I'm not the same person you left. I'm not going to pretend anymore. I'm sorry." He stood and looked down at the person who used to be his whole universe, and all he saw was just that, a person. What a treacherous thing, to believe that aperson ismore than a person. Kurt stood facing Blaine. Blaine felt a sense of ending but it didn't feel like a bad end.

"Goodbye Blaine," the other said sadly, holding out his arms to hug him. Blaine hugged him as well, an equal sadness welling inside him.

"Goodbye Kurt." He pulled away and gave him a sad smile. Kurt nodded and left. Blaine wiped the single tear he didn't remember crying from his eye as he finished the rest of his coffee.

His phone buzzed again with a text from the same number reading you're welcome. He was intrigued now. The video was about three minutes long and very fuzzy, but he could easily make it out. Sebastian stood alone on a stage singing what Blaine remembered as a Garth Brooks song. The raw emotion in the boy's voice moved Blaine as he watched the tiny screen. The loud volume was probably disturbing the other patrons, but he didn't care.

"I know you haven't made your mind up yet but I would never do you wrong." Blaine swore Sebastian looked him in the eye as he sang the line. He smiled as he listened, knowing his mind was all but made up. He got closure with Kurt, now he just needed closure with himself.

XIII

"The cast lists are up, the cast lists are up!" Jeff yelled as he ran through the Heissenberger wing. He was staying with Nick until school returned. Being a winter play with experienced cast members, they only had three days for rehearsals. Three long days. The show would run on December 30, 31, and January 1 with two shows a day. Most of the Warblers had never been in musical theater.

"Shut up!" Hunter yelled back. He arrived the night before and was suffering major jet lag.

"I'll go check," Sebastian said, leaving the dorm in his pajamas. He was glad Christmas was over, even if the decorations and music were still abundant. He spent Christmas day with dad, Nick, and stepmom, and he, Blaine, Jeff, Nick, and Sam Evans went to a hockey game that night. It was oddly pleasant.

"You shall not pass," Jeff said in his best Gandalf impersonation as he stood in front of the list, blocking it from view.

"Get outta my way." Trent pushed him aside and read the list.

Eric Harrison- Jean Valjean

Adam Austin- Inspector Javert

Ariel Burgess- Fantine

Kassie Jones- Cosette

Sebastian Smythe- Marius

Hunter Clarington- Enjolras

Ivory Rosetti- Éponine

Charity Lynn- Madame Thénardier

Jeff Sterling- Monsieur Thénardier

Jared Zilinski- Grantaire

David Ward- Gavroche

Sabrina Lillian- Young Cosette

Nick Duval- Combeferre

Trent Nixon- Courfeyrac

Jason Butler- Monsieur Gillenormand

…

Sebastian continued down the list, frustrated. He'd gotten Marius. Most of the boys were given the same barricade part as Hunter gave them in the "Red and Black" performance.

"Dude, I'm the crazt guy!" Jeff said excitedly. Apparently he wasn't too bummed about not being Courfeyrac. "And you've gotta kiss a girl!" He pointed to Kassie Jones's name, and Sebastian shrugged. It was just a few days. He would survive.

"Dude you're Enjolras," he yelled upon entering the room. Hunter made a garbled noise of content before stuffing his face back into the pillow.

The first rehearsal was that afternoon and would last between six and seven hours. Sebastian was used to long practices from years of playing multiple sports, but he still did not look forward to the rest of the day. He supposed he should tell Blaine where he would be the next few days. On Christmas, two days before, Blaine seemed happier than he had the weeks before. (Little did Sebastian know it was due to a video of him singing…) They didn't have a chance to talk about their relationship due to the presence of their friends, but Sebastian didn't mind. They would sort it out eventually.

"Everyone given a role stand to the right, and ensemble cast to the left!" The director said. The Warblers and the others took their spots. "We're starting with basic singing," she continued, handing a packet to each person, "you all got the parts for a reason, but I still want you to run over your main parts."

Sebastian searched through the script and sheet music, highlighting whenever Marius showed up. The director- who he was sure had a name, but he didn't bother to learn it- asked him to sing the first sixteen bars of "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables". Hunter did the same with "Red and Black", Jeff with "Master of the House", and the Cosette with "In My Life". When the girl playing Éponine began "On My Own", Hunter immediately turned to look at her, as if enthralled with her voice. Sebastian had to admit she was talented, but didn't earn the stares she was getting.

"We have a small budget, and our production won't be anything like the movie I'm sure you've all seen," the director said as she paced in front of them. The set crew, mainly Crawford girls and their boyfriends, created Le Café Musain and other important pieces.

"I've already seen it twice," said Ariel Burgess, Fantine, senior.

"It came out two days ago," Sebastian said, annoyed with the tone of her voice. Thank God she dies in the beginning.

Much of rehearsal went in this fashion: Sebastian became quickly annoyed by the simplest things, Hunter was enamored by Ivory (Éponine), and Nick and Jeff did their best to act like idiots. Overall, nothing knew from a typical Warbler practice. Soon the first practice came to an end with all actors memorizing their lines. The director seemed relieved when her associates told her everyone seemed in top shape.

"I'm pretty sure I'm the only ginger Éponine," Ivory joked as she walked out with Hunter. She was a junior and about a full foot shorter than him. Her red hair hung in curls down her back, and her voice wasn't too high pitched as to annoy Sebastian.

"And I'm pretty sure Sebastian is the first gay Marius," Hunter said lightheartedly.

"Thanks for outing me man." Sebastian was tired and his head hurt. It would be good to get back.

"Did he seriously just out you?" Ivory asked, concerned. She slapped Hunter in the arm.

"No, no I don't think I've ever been in the closet," Sebastian replied, heading to his car. Hunter's puppy eyes were making him sick.

"So you're like, the captain?" Ivory asked. She and Hunter were the only ones left in the auditorium. He nodded, hands in his pockets. She made him nervous. "You even beat out an ego like that?" she gestured to Sebastian getting in his car.

"Somehow. He was captain last year but some…stuff went down so I am now." Ivory calmed him down, even if they only knew each other for six hours. She was flirty without overdoing it and seemed to be into him. They stayed an extra hour before security told them to leave. She was so unlike the other Crawford girls, Hunter decided. For the most part Crawford girls were just like Dalton boys- too rich and beautiful to know what to do with themselves. But Ivory was different; there was a substance to her that was, while self-aware, compassionate.

"We probably should go," she said, picking her script up from the stage, "but you're gonna call me."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"That's not what I meant." She sighed and took his phone from his pocket and entered her phone number. "Men," she said under her breath and left the building. Hunter fell asleep that night listening to Sebastian's gentle breathing in the next bed, but had another person on his mind.

XIV

"Welcome to Crawford Country Day School's fifth annual winter production!" announced the principal. "This winter we are putting on the seminal Les Miserables with help of Dalton Academy of Westerville." The audience clapped as Blaine took his seat. Surprisingly- or maybe not- Sebastian hadn't told him of his participation in the musical. He found out through a text from the same mysterious number that sent him the video of Sebastian singing. He purchased tickets for Rachel, who was still in town, and himself for the January 1 show. None of the Warblers knew he was there and he hoped to surprise him.

The Jean Valjean was considerably older than the rest of the cast, as was the Javert. The program said they were older siblings of students. The director thought it would be odd to have Valjean be the same age as Marius. Blaine had to agree and gave props to the theater department. The actors were great, especially for a high school production, and Blaine wished he could have been on stage with them.

The second "Look Down" and "Red and Black" were fun for him to watch. It was great to see all his friends on stage dressed in 1832 attire.

"Is that?" Rachel whispered to him when "In My Life/Heart Full of Love" began. Blaine nodded. Sebastian was dressed differently and his hair was slicked back, but it was obviously him.

"In my life she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun. And my life seems to stop as if something is over, as if something has scarcely begun." Acting always calmed Sebastian. He could become someone else for two hours at a time. He could forget everything he was supposed to be. It was the final show, bringing about some sentimentality with each song. He only wished Blaine could have been there. The next few songs passed as rapidly to him as they usually did. Soon they were at the final battle and he was watching his friends die.

The director decided to take artistic liberty and make Enjolras's death mirror the movie's version rather than the musical's way. The lights dropped after his death for the crew to move the set. Sebastian walked past Hunter hanging upside down from the café window, red flag in hand and fake blood on his shirt.

"Come on." He helped him out the window and backstage. Hunter brushed himself off and ran to talk to Ivory, who had died earlier.

Soon they were in their final song, "Epilogue" and Jean Valjean was dying. Kassie, the Cosette, gripped Sebastian's arms as she cried. The first time they rehearsed the song Sebastian wanted to pull away from her and her display of emotion. But he was used to it now. He would only be cried on for a few more minutes.

The final song carried on and Sebastian's knees hurt from kneeling on the hard floor. He peaked his head over Kassie's shoulder and looked into the crowd. He didn't recognize anyone until he looked to his far left. Seated in the last seat and wearing a suit and tie was Blaine. (Apparently he got really into high school theater.) Sebastian smiled behind Kassie. He looked beautiful, as always, though Sebastian had never used that term before.

"And remember the truth that once was spoken: to love another person to see the face of God," Valjean, Fantine, and the Bishop sang for the final line. Sebastian was supposed to be comforting Kassie's Cosette, but Blaine was all he could see.

The curtain call was short, to Sebastian's relief. He wanted to change and leave. He stood in line between Kassie and Hunter, his hands in theirs as they bowed for the curtain call. Blaine and the girl with him who Sebastian thought was Rachel Berry stood and clapped furiously. Nick and Jeff called for everyone to go out to eat to celebrate their success, but everyone had other plans. Hunter was going out with Ivory that night and Sebastian had someone he had to talk to.

"Hey, Blaine, wait," he called as everyone began filing out. Blaine turned from Rachel who was in deep conversation with herself.

"You were great!" Blaine beamed. He noticed the hesitation in Sebastian's response. "I think we should talk. I'll be back, Rach." Rachel nodded.

"What do you want to talk about?" Sebastian was still wearing the wedding tuxedo from the final scene. It was itchy and too tight.

"About what I said at Dalton, you know, about commitment." Blaine spoke slowly, articulating each word. "And I've made my decision." The temperature dropped in the room and the tight tuxedo felt cold on Sebastian's arms.

"And?" He was careful to keep any annoyance out of his voice.

"Sebastian Smythe," Blaine smiled and took a deep breath, "will you be my boyfriend?" The two erupted into laughs at the formality. No doubt they both thought Sebastian would be the one to ask that.

"Of course," Sebastian answered with a smile. He took Blaine's face in his hands and kissed him with more loving passion than he had ever known to exist.

XV

The second semester of the 2012-2013 school year began in a period of elation. Blaine and Sebastian's relationship may have started off as rocky and progressed quickly, but it stayed strong. Blaine didn't remember the last time he felt so happy, so free. He was cautious to tell his friends about his new relationship, but after much thought he didn't see why it would be a problem. It wasn't like they were rivals anymore.

"I think the Warblers cheated at Sectionals." Sam came up behind him in the hallway, talking a mile a minute.

"What? What are you even talking about?"

"I went to the McKinley-Dalton basketball playoff the other day and I heard Hunter Clarington say something."

"And that validates your reason?" Blaine spent most his time at Dalton now but did his best to avoid Hunter. He rubbed him the wrong way.

"No, listen to me Blaine." Sam put a hand on his shoulder and turned him around. Two months ago Blaine would have flushed at the contact, but now he felt nothing. "He said something to me, something I've only said in the choir room. I think he's spying on us!" Blaine rolled his eyes.

"You're paranoid."

"No, I'm serious and I will prove it to you!"

January turned to February and Regionals would be soon approaching. Sam was doing his best to prove the Warblers cheated and Blaine did his best to ignore him. He hadn't heard from Kurt since Christmas, but his ex-boyfriend did leave the comment really? on Blaine's current relationship status. Blaine Anderson is in a relationship with Sebastian Smythe gained more likes than he thought it would, including Wes, Rachel, Tina, and Cooper. Blaine didn't want to tell anyone about the two of them originally, but soon saw no harm in it. He spent his whole life wanting to be open, and that's what he would do.

"So Sam has convinced the glee club that you guys cheated," Blaine told Sebastian one Thursday as they sat sprawled across Sebastian's dorm couch. Though he lived nearby he hardly went home. Hunter was at baseball practice, leaving them ample time alone.

"You guys are still meeting?"

"Yeah, though the seniors don't have to go. I still come, you know, for old times' sake." Blaine lay on the couch, his head on Sebastian's lap as he threw a rubber baseball in the air.

"See you should have come back. To the winning team." Sebastian looked down at him and smiled. The physical contact was so foreign to him, but it wasn't a bad feeling. He enjoyed it. "And no, we didn't cheat."

"Yeah, I didn't think so." He continued to throw the ball until it hit the ceiling and rolled under the TV stand. Blaine sighed and sat up. "So are you still seeing that psychiatrist?" For most people the subject would be sore, but not with Sebastian. He held no reservations about things most people did.

"Yeah, once a week. She said I probably won't have to after the end of the month." Sebastian stretched his back. "She said they'll have all the paperwork about me in soon."

"Are you getting a diagnosis or something?" Blaine remembered his days with Dr. Minerva.

"I don't know. I'm pretty sure I'm fine."

Sebastian hated his visits to the psychiatrist. He knew what she was testing him for. It was obvious. Years of his callow, callous behavior was not a rebellious teenage phase. He enjoyed Blaine's company, loved it even, but could not love him. Sebastian liked to pretend his therapist's words were false, but he felt it each day. Only with Blaine did he feel like a real person. Hunter was easy to be around as well. He had the same careless manipulative quality that Sebastian had. But Hunter was fundamentally different. He cared too much; that's what ruined him. He cared about pleasing his father and the Warblers, he cared about what Ivory and Sebastian and the baseball team thought about him. Years of caring and not being cared for resulted in who he was as an eighteen year-old. But no amount of affection shown toward Sebastian would change his emptiness. No matter how many times Blaine told him he loved him or Hunter called him his best friend, there would never be any substance to him. Sebastian knew it, just as he had in France two years before, but chose to ignore it. A few months of ignorant bliss never hurt anyone.

XVI

Sam Evans wouldn't sleep until he proved that the Warblers had cheated. Something about their performance was too perfect for it to be honest. They were always good but never that good. Their singing and choreography was too skilled. Sam wouldn't stop until his team was back in the competition.

The end of his senior year was dragging him down. News of his terrible SAT scores and the idea that he would not go to college stressed him. He was desperate, just as he had been back when he had to strip to help his family. He owed it to the New Directions and to himself to find a way. Albeit, his way was probably illegal but no one would ask.

Artie helped him tamper into the security cameras around the school. He looked at the tapes from the weeks leading up to Sectionals. Something had to be off; somehow Clarington got something or someone in the school to watch them. Sam found gold on a tape from two weeks before Sectionals. There was a boy standing outside the choir room who looked eerily familiar to Sam. He didn't go to McKinley, but he knew he'd seen the boy somewhere.

The Dalton website proved most helpful. Sam clicked on the Warblers link and ran his eyes over the names. Hunter Clarington, Nick Duval, Trent Nixon, Sebastian Smythe, Jeff Sterling… The boy wasn't any of the seniors or juniors. He had to be an unknown underclassman. Sam scrolled down to the last line of pictures and called out in excitement. He found him. Peyton Johnson.

"Blaine I found it, they cheated, and I know they did!" Sam yelled into the phone as he emailed Blaine screenshots of what he found on the security camera. Blaine opened it and saw what Sam was referring to. In several shots was no other than Peyton Johnson, a freshman Warbler and Hunter Clarington's personal servant.

"I'll go over there and talk to them," Blaine said, emotions mixed. If this was proof the Warblers really did cheat, then he didn't know what to do. It seemed wrong to rat out his friends, especially since his own group wouldn't advance. They were disqualified. But he had to do something. The Warblers and Dalton itself was no the safe haven Blaine once thought it was, the underhanded works of the 2009-2010 Warblers proved that to him. He had to teach them a lesson, show them that they couldn't get away with anything. But that also meant ruining his friends' chances at scholarships. Nick. Jeff. Jared. Trent. Sebastian. He couldn't believe Sebastian had lied to him.

"I was wondering when you'd come," Hunter said. He stood alone in the Commons, polishing old trophies. Blaine walked through the doors, such alien things, as he approached the captain.

"Did you cheat at Sectionals?" No point in beating around the bush. Blaine wanted answers and he wanted them now. He would talk to Sebastian later.

"How preposterous. I thought you'd be here for something else." Hunter eyed an envelope sitting on the council table. Blaine had no idea what it was.

"Just tell me. Did you cheat?" He was growing impatient.

"And let you and blondie go tell on me? I don't think so."

"So you did cheat."

"No. We did everything fairly. I just happened to know what was going on in your choir room at the time." Hunter shifted his feet to let a fluffy white cat walk between them.

"You sent a freshman to spy on us?" The Warblers were getting more ridiculous every year. Blaine almost pitied them.

"Yes. You should have checked the blazer I gave you. It held a surprise." The captain smirked as he continued to polish the Nationals trophy from ten years ago.

"You bugged us," Blaine said in realization. He was astonished. He thought this nonsense had stopped the previous year. "What happened to turning over a new leaf?"

"That was Sebastian," Hunter said, looking Blaine in the eye for the first time, "not me."

"Sebastian knew nothing of your plan," Blaine said, hoping his words were true.

"No one did, except Peyton, but he won't squeal. So are you gonna go tell on us now?" The Warbler grinned as if he knew what Blaine would do.

"No, I'm not. I'm not going to punish my friends because you're an asshole." He gritted his teeth. "You use people Hunter. You lie and you cheat and you're going nowhere in life." A certain vindication washed over Blaine. Any anger he held toward anything was leaving him. "Sebastian may think you're cool, but you're using him, too." Hunter stared at him blankly. "I know it was you that sent me the video and the Les Mis invite. You want me and him together."

"It would be advantageous to us all," Hunter sufficed with a shrug. Blaine was gonna be sick.

"I thought you liked him." Blaine smirked as he saw Hunter's resolve weaken a little. He hit a sore spot.

"I'm straight."

"You didn't answer the question."

"No, I don't 'like' Sebastian." Hunter put the trophy down. "I'm just doing what would help me the best."

"I used to think Sebastian was a dick," Blaine said slowly, walking into the room. It didn't feel like his old home. "But you're worse. I don't think he realizes half the time that he says things that hurt people. But you, you know exactly what you're doing." Blaine felt two feet taller. The power in his voice was new to him. He knew how words could affect people but hardly used them for the negative.

"I do what I have to."

"Sounds like an excuse to me." The fire in Blaine's thoughts that usually accompanied boxing gloves came out in his words. "You know I think I've figured you out."

"Try me."

"Something happened to you, you had a bad childhood, I don't know. But whatever happened to you made you think you're entitled to be a douchebag for the rest of your life." Blaine recalled one of his visits to Dr. Minerva. She told him there were two ways he could handle his trauma. He could let it weaken him, let it consume him so that it defined him, or he could move on and let it strengthen him. Hunter took the path he avoided.

"You know nothing about me, Anderson. You've had everything handed to you. Your whole life on a silver platter." He sounded insulted, hurt even.

"Then you obviously don't know me, Clarington." Blaine spat his last name. "Something happened to me, too. But I moved past it and so can you."

"Don't lecture me." Blaine shrugged.

"I won't tell, but you have to do something for me." He came with the full expectation that the Warblers had not cheated. Blaine was angry but felt triumphant. Maybe this was the "higher road" Kurt always talked about. "You stop with the using and the lying. And if you can't, then you can leave me and Sebastian alone." Blaine walked out, leaving Hunter alone.

Upon arriving to Dalton, Hunter always thought Sebastian would be his challenge, but perhaps it was Blaine. So full of fire yet so soft. He saw why his friend was attracted to him. Hunter looked across the room at the envelope, suddenly glad that Blaine didn't take it.

XVII

This could very well be my last performance, Sebastian thought as he dressed the morning of Regionals. It was being held early this year, the day before Valentine's Day. Sebastian supposed he should come up with some holiday surprise for Blaine, but that would have to wait until after the competition. Hunter had been riding them hard lately and he had no room to think.

The competition had no theme, the first of its kind. It was also the only competition in which the Warblers would sing a song with almost no backup. Sebastian's solo song would be sung with very little accompaniment. He was nervous but ready. He straightened his blazer and got on the bus.

The bus was silent on the way, as it usually was. No one liked to talk before the competition. Hunter had been eerily silent in the days leading up to Regionals. Normally harsh and controlling, he was subdued and even gentle toward the younger members. Sebastian figured his seeing Ivory calmed him down a bit. He liked this new Hunter.

"Welcome to the 2013 Midwest Regional Championship!" called the announcer. They were lucky and pulled to sing last, much better than first. The other teams were the Hoosier Daddies and a group of nerdy Warbler-wannabes (that's what Jeff called them.) Hunter had warned them about their competition. The Hoosier Daddies were good but not disciplined, and the other group stood no chance. They would win.

Blaine came to watch but didn't ride on the bus. He took the SAT that morning, causing him to rush to see them perform. Sebastian waved at him as they took their seats. The younger members fidgeted in their seats but somehow Sebastian's nerves left him. Whenever they did come, they hardly stayed long. It was his superpower, he used to say. Being without anxiety was his strong point.

They headed backstage after the Hoosier Daddies performed. They were good and would be tough to beat. The Warblers hoped they would be as good as they were in practice.

"What's the objective?" Hunter asked forcefully, sounding like a sixth-grade teacher.

"Win!"

"And?"

"Nationals!" Sebastian stood next to Hunter as they watched their team prepare. He really was going to miss these guys. Maybe.

"From Westerville, Ohio, the Dalton Academy Warblers!" The announcer stepped off the stage as the curtain rose. Their song choices were a bit unconventional, but Hunter and Sebastian knew the crowd would take to them. They had two fast songs and a slow one.

Sebastian stepped forward to begin his solo song. It was the first time the Warblers would use a microphone as well. They were breaking all sorts of boundaries.

"Just before our love got lost you said 'I am as constant as a northern star' and I said 'constantly in the darkness. Where's that at? If you want me, I'll be in the bar.'" Sebastian began slowly, reminding him of his "Make You Feel My Love" performance. It was his idea to sing the song, so he had to do it well. Nothing to blame on Hunter this time. "On the back of a cartoon coaster in the blue TV screen light I drew a map of Canada, oh Canada." Jared and Cory added a few do do do's. "With your face drawn on it twice."

Sebastian took a breath that went unnoticed by the audience. The song was high and emotional. He saw Blaine sitting alone in the audience. "Oh you're in my blood like holy wine; you taste so bitter and so sweet. And I could drink a case of you, darling. And I would still be on my feet. Oh, I would still be on my feet." Blaine intoxicated him, enthralled him, but he felt no inevitable change. He was scared.

"I'm a lonely painter; I live in a box of paints. I am frightened by the devil and I'm drawn to those that ain't afraid." Jared and Cory, with the deepest voices, started a quiet rhythm. It wasn't necessary but still sounded good. "I remember that time you told me, you said 'love is touching souls'", he continued, bringing both hands to the microphone stand. He relaxed his shoulders. "Well surely you touched mine. 'Cause part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time." Sebastian could just make out Blaine's smile in the dim lights of the auditorium.

"Oh, you're in my blood like holy wine; you taste so bitter and so sweet. And I could drink a case of you, darling. And I would still be on my feet. Oh, I would still be on my feet." Jared and Cory got a bit louder as the song progressed, but still quiet enough for Sebastian to be the only voice in the theater. Hunter stood beside Trent and Jeff, holding in a smile at their idea's success. The crowd loved it.

"I met a woman, she had a mouth like yours," Sebastian began, all backup gone. "She knew your life, she knew your devils and your demons and she said 'go to him, stay with him if you can. But be prepared to bleed'." No one seemed to notice he didn't change the gender. Sebastian kept his eyes on Blaine. "Oh you're in my blood like holy wine; you taste so bitter and so sweet. And I could drink a case of you, darling. And I would still be on my feet, still be on my feet."

The crowd erupted in applause and Sebastian took a small bow.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "We're the Dalton Academy Warblers. Hope you enjoy." His speech was unplanned, but seemed fitting. He hoped it didn't sound too self-absorbed. Sebastian returned to formation for the second, and much more upbeat, song. "Dammit" by Blink-182 would sure be a crowd pleaser.

"It's alright to tell me what you think about me I won't try to argue or hold it against you," Sebastian began. He was sharing the song with Hunter who would come in later. "I know that you're leaving, you must have your reasons. The season is calling and your pictures are falling down." The group moved fluidly, better than they had in "Whistle". The microphone was pulled off stage. "The steps that I retrace, the sad look on your face, the timing and structure did you hear he…" They were required to "clean up" the songs, given the pause. "her. A day late, a buck short, I'm writing the report on losing and failing when I move I'm flailing now." The euphoria that came with performing struck Sebastian and he suddenly didn't want to stop.

"And it's happened once again, I'll turn to a friend. Someone who understands and sees through the master plan. But everybody's gone and I've been here far too long to face this on my own," Hunter sang, coming to the front of the stage. "Well I guess this is growing up."

"Well I guess this is growing up," the group sang in unison.

"And maybe I'll see you at a movie, sneak preview." Hunter took the second verse as the choreography shifted. "You'll show up and walk by on the arm of that guy. And I'll smile and you'll wave, we'll pretend it's okay. This charade, it won't last. When he's gone I won't' come back."

"And it'll happen once again, you'll turn to a friend," Sebastian continued, joining Hunter front of the circle just as they had when Blaine first came to Dalton. "Someone that understands and sees through the master plan. But everybody's gone and you've been here far too long to face this on your own. Well I guess this is growing up."

Normally the song took a break for a guitar solo, but none of the Warblers were that talented with their mouths. (Sebastian would later point this out as innuendo.) Instead they repeated the bass line from the beginning of the song and showed off their dancing.

"Well I guess this is growing up." They finished in original formation in preparation for the next song. "Holiday" by Green Day was Hunter's song, with brief intervention from the group.

"Do do do do do do dum dum dum dum dum dum dum," began the Warblers- minus Hunter. Anyone over the age of eight knew the song, bringing them to their feet. They had a better reaction than the Hoosier Daddies did.

"Say hey!" Hunter began, the rough notes of the baseline leading the song. The choreography for this number could only be described as wild. It took Jeff two weeks to get it perfected.

"Hear the sound of the falling ran coming down like an Armageddon flame. The shame, the ones who died without a name," Hunter sang, allowing his voice to reach its deeper register. "Hear the dogs howling out a key to a hymn called 'faith and misery'." The Warblers added various "hey!"s in their due spots. "And bleed, the company lost the war today."

The crowd was singing along, and never before had the boys felt so alive.

"I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies. This is the dawning of the rest of our lives on holiday!" Hunter sang the chorus in the front of the stage, the rest backing him up.

"Hear the drum pounding out of time; another protestor has crossed the line." Behind Hunter, half the Warblers made a line, pushing those who tried to cross them back. Those pushed all leapt into backflips. "To find the money's on the other side. Can I get another Amen?"

"Amen!" The group yelled back

"There's a flag wrapped around a score of men. A gag, a plastic bag on a monument!" Hunter recircled to emerge again. "I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies. This is the dawning of the rest of our lives on holiday!"

"The representative from California has the floor," Sebastian said, rejoining the group to stand behind Hunter.

"Sieg Heil to the president gasman, bombs away is your punishment!" Hunter sang-spoke with passion. "Pulverize the Eiffel Tower who criticized your government! Bang bang goes the broken glass. Kill all the –" They once again cleaned the song. "that don't agree! Trials by fire setting fire. It's not a way that's meant for me!"

"Just 'cause, just 'cause, just 'cause because we're outlaws, yeah!" The group sang together, reaching the end of the song.

"I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies, this is the dawning of the rest of our lives. I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies; this is the dawning of the rest of our lives," Hunter sang. "This is our lives on holiday!"

The Warblers finished in their formation and the crowd went wild. They were all covered with sweat and panting, but it was worth it. There was no doubt who won.

"And in first place from Westerville- The Dalton Academy Warblers!" The announcer called, confetti falling. Hunter accepted the trophy and held it high above his head. Sebastian sighed in relief. It was over. They were one step closer.

XIX

The after party was surprisingly calm by Warbler standards. Only limited amounts of alcohol were smuggled in and no one had to hear Sebastian whine about how lame American parties were. He was too busy with Blaine out on the balcony.

Hunter was glad it was over. Regionals had tired him out and all he needed was a nice rest. He kept thinking about what Blaine said to him, and the more he did the angrier he became. Blaine had no right to speak to him like that when he was dating Sebastian. Sebastian, a monster. Hunter knew he shouldn't have opened the envelope. It was addressed to Sebastian and he could go to jail for opening it. But he did anyway.

The first papers were a bunch of medical nonsense he didn't understand, but then he got to the last part. The part he understood too well.

Patient shows major aspects of Antisocial Personality Disorder (colloquially known as psychopathy), but lacks a violent streak. Patient shows little to no interest in the happenings around him, or in romantic relationships. Subject exhibits aspects of Machiavellian Personality Disorder. Due to the non-violent nature, therapy or containment is not necessary. Social environments are difficult for the patient.

Hunter swallowed as he read the rest. If this followed Sebastian it could ruin him. It could keep him from jobs or other opportunities. He couldn't know. Hunter looked around, making sure he was alone. The rest of the Warblers were still down at the party getting wasted and enjoying each other's company. But that couldn't be him. Hunter had always known, some part of him resigned to the fact that he would never be like those around him. He wasn't without a soul like Sebastian, but lacked the ability to connect to other souls. But he could do something… he could do one thing. He could keep the damning diagnosis from Sebastian. He could save what was left of his friend's dignity.

"Now I come to ask myself," he said under his breath, placing the paperwork back inside the envelope and shoving it under his desk, "am I my brother's keeper?"