Blaine found Kurt exactly where Finn said that he would be, hanging out on a couch in his floor lobby, sketch pad in hand, alternating between drawing and looking out the huge windows to the city. People either hurried or walked with umbrellas, the rain starting to fall. All in all, a suitable weather for the current overall mood it seemed. He went and got Thad's guitar and went into the lobby, setting the case by the couch before taking a seat beside the other.
"Wanna talk about it?" he asked.
"Mm." Kurt said, sighing softly as he glanced at the page and added a detail to a vest he was designing.
"Wanna sing about it?" he asked.
Kurt chuckled softly, finally looking over at Blaine.
"Hi." he murmured.
"Hi." Blaine echoed.
Kurt sighed, looking back at the window. "I know she's jealous, and insecure, and ambitious, and protective in an absurd way."
"Okay." Blaine nodded.
"But that doesn't stop what she said from being hurtful, manipulative, selfish, rude, and thoughtless." Kurt added.
"True." Blaine agreed.
"So I have every right to be angry at her for what she said." Kurt said.
"You do." Blaine nodded. "Friends should never hurt each other. But sometimes we do it because they're the only people we feel will come back if we accidentally hurt them."
"I don't want to come back." Kurt said. "Not yet, at least."
"No one is going to force you to heal and cope any faster than you're able. Pushing you two to make mends could make things messier. And that wouldn't be good for anyone." Blaine said.
"She said you were trying to steal me away by being nice and seducing me." Kurt said quietly, curling towards Blaine who reached out and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"And that's what hurts you the most?" Blaine asked.
"The fact that she would think that someone must be tricking me if they're being nice to me!" Kurt burst. "Like they can't just like me? They can't just be nice to me? They have to have an ulterior motive? Am I that unlovable?"
"No..." Blaine murmured. "No, no, not at all. You're so very special. You're someone so full of love and hope and determination. You're compassionate despite everything you've been through. You have so much heart and it's so amazing. Never ever think you're at all unlovable. Not even a little bit."
Kurt smiled softly, looking at Blaine.
"Between you and Finn, how am I supposed to be a dramatic wallowing diva?" he asked, half joking.
"Mm, fair point. The obvious answer would be that you don't get to be one. But if that isn't enough, I'm sure I could devise a strong argument as to why that's not a bad thing." Blaine offered.
"Nah, I've had enough arguing for one day. But I appreciate the offer and will even take your word for it." Kurt chuckled, leaning into Blaine.
"I'm sure she'll come around. Things are just really stressful, for all of you, but summer's right around the corner." Blaine said softly.
"Maybe." Kurt sighed.
…...
"Nicky."
"Jeff."
Jeff sighed, looking serious.
"Okay, what is it, Jeffie?" Nick asked, turning to face his boyfriend.
"I have a plan to amend the best friend pact." Jeff said.
"You want to include Kurt into the best friend pact." Nick guessed.
"How did you know?" Jeff asked.
"Because he's everything but official, and during times of extreme duress the normal procedure doesn't technically extend to him...unless you amend the best friend pact." Nick said.
"Yeah...basically." Jeff nodded.
"Alright. What do we need?" Nick asked.
…...
"How are things with your family?" Kurt asked.
"They're good. I talked to Cooper about the summer a little bit more. He says he'll have to get back to me on how often he'll be able to visit. He's waiting for a show deal to finalize. Some white collar criminal show. He hasn't stopped talking about it. Mom still wants me to come home. She's giving me until the week of finals to give my answer. Dad's officially full time in Columbus now." Blaine explained.
"How are you doing about all of it?" Kurt asked.
"Better. I've had time to think it over. I'm still mulling some of the finer details, but I'm more confident that I'll make the right choice." he said.
"I think you will." Kurt said.
"Thanks." Blaine smiled.
There was a knock on the lobby door and Jeff bolted over, jumping in front of them with a wide grin. Nick followed at a slightly slower pace, but also smiling. He looked at Blaine with a small shrug.
"Kurt Hummel!" Jeff said dramatically.
"Jeffery Sterling." Kurt said, looking slightly amused.
"I am here for two reasons. One, to tell you a backstory of three incredible best friends. Two, to ask you a single incredibly important question that will forever alter the future as we know it." Jeff said, Nick giving a small nod.
"Okay." Kurt said.
"The story. Three years ago, there were three boys, different but alike. They were all starting the same private school, and met in a hallway awaiting their turns to audition for a respected and very old singing club. Well, they had classes together, but this was the first time they'd been able to speak and introduce themselves and find a thread of similarity, that slowly wove with other threads until it formed a braid, if you will. A braid of friendship.
And even though these would not be the only friends these three boys would have, they would indeed be marked as best friends. And so in the spring of their Freshman year, they made a pact. An official, very serious pact. A pact to keep each other strong, to be supportive, loving, protective, understanding. To be there when no one else dare enter the lions den. To cry, laugh, shout, and celebrate with you. This pact has remained throughout the years, with the ability to be amended when so ever a flaw or hole is found. And it stands to this very day." Jeff said.
"Fascinating." Kurt said, smiling softly. "Sounds special."
"It is! It is very special and it has never in the time that it's existed contained more or less than three best friends, but today we, as the best friends of the pact, do wish to extend an invitation. Will you, Kurt Hummel, be our official best friend, above all competitions, labels, and the gross complications of the day to day world?" Jeff asked, looking hopeful.
"Did you say that all in one breath?" Kurt asked.
"He's been practicing." Nick said.
"You're asking me to be your official best friend?" Kurt asked.
Jeff, Nick, and even Blaine nodded.
"I don't have to go through some weird ritual, do I?" Kurt asked.
"Just some chocolate milk and to say a vow to your best friends." Blaine murmured, shrugging.
Kurt looked at the three boys, seeing the earnestness in their face, and smiled.
"Yeah, I'll accept your invitation." he said.
"Yes!" Jeff fist pumped as Nick pulled a small bottle of chocolate milk from his jacket pocket and handed it over to Kurt.
He accepted the bottle and shook it a little before twisting the cap off.
"So...what's the vow?" he asked.
"Just however you want to say it. You don't have to be as dramatic as Jeffs. Nick's was very short and simple and sweet. Mine was a song." Blaine admitted.
"Of course it was." Kurt grinned, before taking a breath. "Okay...um...I, as a part of this pact of best friends, do vow to be supportive, and to let you be supportive. I vow to care for your well being, and to endure your interests even when they aren't very interesting to me. I vow to treat you like the brothers I wish I'd always had. I vow to stay myself around you, and to make sure you're always safe enough to be the same around me. I vow to honor the pact. To the pact."
"To the pact." the three boys echoed as Kurt toasted his bottle and took a drink.
"Yay! You're our best friend which means we can activate the emergency friend procedure!" Jeff bounced.
"The what?" Kurt asked.
"You two should come to the room. We've got everything set up, and Thad has agreed to guard the door." Nick said.
"Set up?" Kurt asked. "What?"
"If it's what I think it is, it's really okay. Trust me, I think you'll like it." Blaine said.
Kurt capped the chocolate milk and stood, only to be met with a tight hug from Jeff. He was surprised, but slowly relaxed into it, wrapping an arm around him.
"It means a lot to us. You're our best friend, no matter what. The pact is about us as people, not because we're Dalton boys, or Warblers. It extends beyond that." Jeff said. "Now you can never say we want you for any smarmy reasons. We just want you because you're you."
Kurt closed his eyes, determined not to cry as he leaned his head on Jeff's.
"Thank you." he murmured.
"You're very welcome." Jeff smiled, releasing Kurt and stepping back. "Now come on!"
Kurt smiled, sharing a look with Blaine, and allowed Jeff to lead the way back to the hotel room. Blaine brought back Thad's guitar. Thad nodded to them, winking to Kurt who shook his head, but couldn't wipe the smile off his face. Jeff went first, Nick following, then Kurt, and Blaine brought up the end. Kurt took a second to realize what the biggest change was.
The beds had been moved farther apart and in the middle the sheets were making a canvas top for a blanket fort. On the floor were blankets and pillows with sodas and bowls of snacks. Nick's laptop was hooked up to the TV, ready and waiting. Kurt turned to Jeff who was beaming proudly.
"Emergency fort procedure!" he said. "As this is your first time being in a friend fort, it is very simple. You put your phone on vibrate. We'd say turn it off, but we don't want your director to think we've kidnapped you, so just vibrate is fine for now. And we basically ignore the outside world, watch whatever whoevers turn it is picks until the person the fort is for feels better."
"We're also letting you have the honors in picking what to watch." Nick added.
"You guys..." Kurt said, swallowing as he took it all in.
"We want you to have a safe place. We've seen everything you've gone through this year, and while we can't swoop in and save the day, we can always offer you a safe place. Everyone deserves that." Jeff said.
While Kurt would forever cherish his time with his girls, there was something to be said for being in the middle of a cuddle pile, in a fort, ignoring the world, and watching episodes of FRIENDS. The storm outside worsened, making most groups stay in for the day. Unless you had a performance that day, it was encouraged to take it easy. They must have kept the drama low key from Mr. Shue because Kurt's phone didn't vibrate once.
He accepted their invitation to crash there another night, texting Mercedes to help collect his things so he could get ready for ceremonies tomorrow, and have his moisturizing routine. Skipping regularly was not a good habit to form, New York City or not. They broke down the fort eventually, and Mercedes and Tina came over with his things and stayed for a little while. He was still a little tender around the edges from Rachel, but it helped to cuddle with Mercedes and watch the two worlds mingling.
…...
"Have you seen my tie?" Jeff asked.
"Isn't it this one?" Nick asked, holding up a tie.
"No, that's yours." Jeff shook his head.
"Jeff, they literally look the same. They are the same standard issued ties. Just use a tie." Kurt said, shaking his head as he fixed the cuff of his jacket.
Jeff hesitated a moment, before accepting the tie from Nick and putting it on. Kurt looked satisfied and focused on making sure his bag was packed.
"And I thought Blaine was a mother hen." Jeff mumbled.
"I heard that." Kurt said, shooting an amused look to Jeff.
Nick chuckled, helping Jeff fix his tie. Kurt looked down at his phone as it vibrated.
"I need to get my stuff to my original room so it's with my group's stuff. I'll see you guys at breakfast." Kurt said.
"Aww, okay." Jeff said. "Need any help?"
"Nope, I got it." Kurt assured him.
Blaine came out of the bathroom, buttoning his blazer back up.
"Ready?" he asked.
"As I'll ever be." Kurt shrugged.
"It'll be fine." Blaine assured him.
"Well, at least we know we're better than at least half the other groups in the state." Kurt said.
Blaine chuckled. The bottom fifty groups were announced last night. Groups 49 to 11 would be posted on boards outside the auditorium of the competition area. And the Top 10 would be announced in the ceremony.
"May the best group have won." Blaine said.
"I hope we did." Kurt said with a wink as he took his leave.
Mercedes was waiting for him in the hallway. He stuck his bags by her, bristling when he saw Rachel putting the last of her things away. He turned away and looked at Mercedes before either could acknowledge each other and headed down to breakfast.
…...
"I don't get why they don't announce like the bottom seventy five or eight or something. Why make forty groups travel in full costume just to see their rank, it's odd." Mercedes said.
"It's their first year doing a hundred groups, I think they just tacked on, pity tell the extra fifty we don't normally plan for that they don't need to show up." Kurt shrugged. "I'm sure they'll adjust it again next year."
They entered the building, several groups leaving looking disappointed. Kurt wasn't sure how to take that as a sign, so he steadfastly ignored it and went to the first board. 49-40. He looked, no New Directions. No Warblers. 39-30. Nope. 29-20. Not there. He felt a little surge of hope. 19-11. Neither name. Wait...
"Oh my god." Tina said. "We both made it to the Top 10."
"Two from the same state, what are the odds?" Mike murmured.
"What are the odds of both being Ohio? Like seriously." Santana said. "I'd claim bribery, but I'm the only one who would do that, and I know I didn't. Unless those Warbler boys can put out."
"San." Kurt groaned.
"I'm just saying." Santana shrugged.
"We should go take our seats in the auditorium." Mr. Shue said, walking over. "They have a new seating chart. Come on."
The new seating chart consisted of putting five teams on either side, near the front, the middle and back packed with people, families, media, and groups that decided to stick around to watch the top ceremony. The New Directions and the Warblers were put on opposite sides. Kurt snickered as Jeff waved enthusiastically from their spot.
They settled in their seats as the MC came to the stage and began the opening, welcoming everyone and saying a brief plug for the sponsors. Kurt shifted, sharing a look with Mercedes. Rachel sat on the opposite side of their group. It was easier on everyone that way.
"I'm going to announce the bottom five, and then the remaining five are asked to come to the stage. In a calm and orderly fashion. The techies backstage will show you how to come and stand." the MC said as a lady came out with two envelopes and handed them to him.
"In tenth place, from Houston, Texas, The Elms Academy Tones. In ninth place, from Tipton, Georgia, Holly Oak Boy's Choir. In eighth place, from Kansas City, Kansas, The Delights. In seventh place, from Wellington, West Virginia, The High Notes. And in sixth place, from Ann Arbor, Michigan, The Glory Tones."
Kurt clapped for The Glory Tones. They had been quite good. But then Mercedes elbowed him and he realized. Their name hadn't been one of them. Top 5. He turned, wide eyed and she nodded in silent communication. Slowly the remaining five groups stood and made their way down the side aisles to the stage. Techs were waiting backstage to show them which part of the stage to move to stand.
"This is it." Mercedes whispered.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for our fabulous top five!"