CHAPTER 2: An Honest Man and A Liar
Summary: Blaine made his decision to join 1st Squadron. Now he and the Squad need to find a way to become the Warblers.
Notes: While this fic is Blaine-centric, this chapter focuses more on the story around him.
Warning: Implied child harm/abuse
Sebastian made sure no one was around before entering the code and letting himself in. It had actually been his idea to put AVIARY's Dalton headquarters in the basement of the new Science building being built. By the time construction was finished, he and the guys would be gone and moving it would be someone else's headache. Problem was with the ideal weather they were having the crews had caught up to schedule. Next time he spoke to Tweety Bird he'd have to see if they needed to do some sabotage.
"Any problems?" he asked while walking up to the wall-sized screen and manually moving the smaller screen shots to his liking.
"No, Karofsky had Anderson's shit waiting for us. After Trent was done with it, I put it on his bunk" Thad told him, not taking his eyes off the weapon he was dismantling. "You know what he wants for payment."
"Of course, he's just soooo bad at it. Too much teeth. What about the other two? I'm not letting them blow me for thinking they were helping."
Laughter was not the response Sebastian expected. "When the three of us walked in and they realized Karofsky was working for 1st Squadron, they about shit themselves."
"They also broke about 10 of Dalton's anti-bullying and hazing rules as well as numerous honor codes. Did they get reported?"
"We didn't think that would work without dragging in Karofsky so Hunt had another idea."
Well, that was unexpected. Sebastian turned to the man sitting silently in the corner. It wasn't as if Hunter didn't have ideas. In fact, Hunter was probably the most strategic of all of them…he just rarely spoke. "Ok, this should be good."
"Tomorrow is combat training orientation for newbies. Evidently those two idiots are in charge of their squad's. They asked for help."
Sebastian laughed so hard he had to catch his breath. Those two really were idiots. They probably thought they were going to impress their superiors by bringing in Captain Hunter Clarington, holder of 4 different black belts (and that's just what they knew about) when in reality they were going to spend the morning getting their asses kicked.
The sound of the door opening brought his attention back. "Trent got the initial findings" David said as he went to the computer. "And Seb, what was that shit about Trent and science…yada yada…DNA…science, microscopes…? It's hard enough keeping this from my best friend."
"Do I really need to say this again? We keep AVIARY shit away from Wes because someday he's going to be President of the United States. He has to stay within lines we never will. If you can't do that, rethink your decision to join. Just know, next time you hack a major television network's live production of Cinderella and replace it with the porn classic Cindi and her Fellas you won't be given this option again. It'll be federal prison."
David's recent recruitment to AVIARY had been bumpy to put it mildly. Sebastian was against it from the beginning but Tweety Bird insisted. "And I made the comment about Trent being in the lab because Trent is always in the lab. I never lie and neither should you. They're too hard to keep track of. I just left off the part where he was running Blaine's DNA."
"That makes sense." David took the reprimand, knowing he still had a lot to learn. He centered the new information on the large screen, highlighting a particular result. "Thanks to our genius science nerd's latest evidence testing breakthrough, we can with 99.999% certainty say…Blaine Devon Anderson, you hit the paternal jackpot because Winston Anderson You! Are! The! Father!...RIP."
The announcement was enough to take Thad's attention from his weapon. "Paternity test in under 20 minutes, impressive, but I thought we knew this. The guy had like 50 of them done before claiming the kid."
"Dude, the V in AVIARY stands for Verification."
"Fuck you. How much was the Father worth when he died?"
David let out a sigh and moved one of the smaller screens next to the paternity test. "If you would have bothered to read the information I already pulled, you would see it was approximately 123 billion. The will HQ sent states Blaine splits it 50/50 with his brother minus a substantial bequest to the couple who runs the Estate. So, at around 61.5 billion our new recruit is in the top 10 of the World's Richest list."
"Damn" was the simultaneous response then after a few moments of stunned silence Hunter asked "What are we looking at, Seb?"
Sebastian nodded at David who put up a timeline sent by AVIARY the day before. "During the last two years of his life, Winston Anderson never left his Estate."
"Common knowledge and so what, the richest man in the world was a nut job? Not like it hadn't happened before."
"Yes, but uncommon knowledge is he cut off all ties with his older son, Cooper. He also brought Blaine home from boarding school in Switzerland and enrolled him in an on-line high school. Except for that one party, no one outside of the Anderson Estate had seen him in two years...until he showed up at Dalton."
He stepped over, clearing space to open documents. "These emails between Winston and the head of his Electronics Division insinuate he was developing a cellphone battery that would never need to be charged. The day he died, Anderson International cleared out his home offices and workshops. There was nothing. In fact, it looked like he hadn't done a day of work in all that time."
David, being the tech guru of the group, let out a noise the others commonly referred to as his techgasm. "A cellphone battery that never needed charging?! It would be worth...I...I…"
"It's not the money Tweety is worried about. It's the technology falling into the wrong hands. AVIARY believes that's why Winston was so secretive but Blaine was there. He might know things he doesn't know he knows. It's our job to get that information or better yet, the battery. Hunt, go drag Trent out of his lab. We all need to get ready before Wes or even Blaine gets suspicious."
David, Thad and Hunter eyed each other cautiously, then did a quick round of Rock, Paper, Scissors. "What do you mean get ready?" Thad asked.
"I didn't tell you? Tonight, is karaoke." Sebastian ignored their groans and went back to studying his screens. "What do you know, Blaine Anderson?" he whispered to the live video feed from 1st Squadron's great room. "And if you do know something, why are you hiding that battery?"
Two hours later, the great room was full of 30 of Sebastian's invited guests, all seeking attention from members of the squad for one reason or another. Blaine had initially been thankful when the one squadron member he hadn't met took him aside. However, they were 45 minutes into a conversation and the guy hadn't stopped talking.
"I love the code name Pelican" Trent blabbered while pinching his face. "With my cheeks I think it fits perfectly. That's the key, Blaine. Your code name has to fit you. I understand you want yours to be some sort of Warbler but maybe that's not who you really are. You did wind up at Dalton and not Julliard."
Blaine didn't know why he was so fixated on finding a code name. Maybe it was because Wes had done such a good job of convincing him he belonged in 1st Squadron. They needed him. These strong, accomplished, fearless men needed him even if it was because he could call Burt Hummel and ask a favor. Needing…using, right now he was fine with the grey area.
"Still with me, Blaine?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought it was going to be the 7 of us so we could hear each other sing. I didn't expect all this." Evidently, Wes hadn't either because he looked far from happy when Sebastian announced guests.
At least he didn't have to wear his uniform. He always found a sense of comfort when wearing his bowties.
Trent excused himself and Blaine immediately wanted to run and hide (so much for the bowtie-safety blanket). He had survived the first few nights in the dorm but that was a huge, open bay. This was much more confined. Looking around, he noticed another squad member sitting alone. Maybe proximity would be enough to keep others from initiating small talk. Cadets were finally beginning to figure out who he was.
Before he could ask about the empty seat he heard "Know any Kelly Clarkson?"
Across the room Thad and David were attempting to keep Sebastian and Wes from killing each other…again.
"Damn it, Seb. Commandant Martin wanted Blaine here for the specific reason he wouldn't be overwhelmed."
"If he can't handle a room full of cadets how is he going to handle going to DC?"
"We build confidence through teamwork and…" Wes' argument was interrupted by a hard shove. "What the fuck, David?!"
"Sorry, NOT, to interrupt round 20 of this same bullshit but the two of you need to look onstage."
(Blaine)Uh-ooh
Uh-oh oh, oh
There's a place that I know
It's not pretty there and few have ever gone
If I show it to you now
Will it make you run away
(Hunter)Will you stay
Even if it hurts
Even if I try to push you out
Will you return?
And remind me who I really am
Please remind me who I really am
(B & H) Everybody's got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody's a picture perfect
But we're worth it
You know that we're worth it
(B)Will you love me?
(H)Even with my dark side?
"What the fuck, Seb?"
It didn't matter who asked because he didn't have an answer. Hunter didn't speak unless absolutely necessary. Years of shitty orphanages and foster care broke him. When the idea of the Warblers was proposed Sebastian stated the only way he would agree was if they found something else for Hunter because HUNTER DIDN'T SPEAK!
Blaine and Hunter's duet got the ball rolling and the singing became non-stop. It was a huge confidence builder for Blaine and it had been any other night, he would have taken amusement in some of the performances. It wasn't any other night. All New Cadets had formation at 5AM and there was one Warbler he had yet to hear sing. A Warbler who currently had two guys (including one of his former dorm leaders- Gross!) draped all over him.
"Uh, Sebastian…"
Blaine could feel the annoyance before he heard it. "What do you want, Killer?"
Killer? As in We're lucky no one will be shooting at us during this. You'd get us all killed! Well, there went whatever confidence he mistakenly thought he had gained. "I…um…Wes asked me to have a list of songs ready for our first practice tomorrow, so I…I need to hear all the Warblers. It looks like you and your friends might be leaving soon and you're the only one I haven't heard."
Sebastian smirk faded and he went straight for the microphone. One of his hanger-ons tried to pull out the song catalog but was brushed aside. "Everyone shut the fuck up" Sebastian called out from the microphone. "Killer says he needs to hear me sing so, I'd like to dedicate this to him."
There are worse things I could do
Than go with a boy or two
Even though the neighborhood
Thinks I'm trashy and no good
I suppose it could be true
But there are worse things I could do
I could flirt with all the guys
Smile at them and bat my eyes
Press against them when we dance
Make them think they stand a chance
Then refuse to see it through
That's a thing I'd never do
I could stay home every night
Wait around for
Take cold showers every day
And throw my life away
On a dream that won't come true
To this point Sebastian had worked (or flirted with, per the song's lyrics) the entire room. When he hit the final verse, he held eye contact with Blaine and it was as if they were the only two people there.
I could hurt someone like me
Out of spite or jealousy
I don't steal and I don't lie
But I can feel and I can cry
A fact I'll bet you never knew
But to cry in front of you
That's the worst thing I could do
There was an awkward silence which Sebastian filled by asking "What'd you think, Killer?"
Holy Shit! but he wasn't about to say that out loud. Embarrassingly, what came out wasn't much better. "I think the Warblers should be an acapella group."
An hour later, Blaine was grateful for his new private room as he could feel a sleepless night coming on. There was too much in his head. He went through his memorized file of coping techniques and decided on an oldie but a goodie...everything had to go except one positive. He settled on how proud Cooper would be knowing he stuck out the day when he became overwhelmed.
And by overwhelmed he meant dealt with Captain Sebastian Fucking Smythe.
*buzz*buzz*
Another perk of the private room was being able to have his phone available. He had sent a text to Miss Rose, the woman who ran the Estate and practically raised him, stating he wouldn't be coming home for the weekend like she anticipated…Warbler practice. Good of an excuse as any and he didn't have to make something up like he thought he would.
He hated to disappoint her but he wasn't ready to go home. He couldn't do that to Marley and Kitty.
The text wasn't from Miss Rose.
From Captain America: I just wanted to say sorry. I know it's not enough but…yeah, sorry
Three Weeks Later
Dalton was the best decision Blaine could have made. The whole 1st Squadron needing/using him dynamic was still in play but he felt better about it when he discovered the absolute best perk...besides the private room, of course.
The Upper Classmen (rest of the squad minus Trent) were responsible for his New Cadet training just like in every other squad at Dalton. Evidently, this was something they'd forgotten (despite the fact they were doing the same for Trent) so a scramble was on. He didn't care. It was awesome!
Wes covered Dalton history, moral codes and Life Skills he might want to research. When he suggested knowledge of musical theater, Blaine literally laughed in his face and then proceeded to crush him in an impromptu game of Broadway Jeopardy, much to the delight of the others. They were currently developing new questions to take down any so-called experts Dalton would bring in.
David was supposed to help him with the college's academic network as his French class was instructed by someone actually in Paris. When Blaine told him he graduated from an online high school and didn't need help, they spent time pulling old YouTube videos Blaine posted from boarding school off the internet and David showed him some of his more infamous (yet unsolved) hacks.
Thad was a lot of fun. He covered outdoor map skills through geocaching and indoor map skills through lock picking. When Blaine asked about blueprints, Thad asked him where he'd get blueprints in a war zone. He had a point but it turned out lock picking had nothing to do with war zones and everything to do with the time he spent with Hunter in Juvie for breaking and entering.
It was still cool.
Sebastian was…um, still an issue. They primarily only spoke when it came to the Warblers. The Captain had even somehow gotten approval for him to work with Trent during the time they were supposed to be in instruction. The science wiz was a genius at gathering evidence but not seeing how everything fit together. Blaine's song writing ability allowed him to see bits and pieces of something (music) and turn them into a fully-fleshed out product. It made sense for the two of them to learn from the other's strengths, but sometimes it felt more like Captain Sebastian Fucking Smythe just couldn't be bothered with him.
Surprisingly…hell, mind-blowingly, his favorite time of day (by far) was combat training with Hunter.
Blaine was beyond nervous at first but not for anything on Hunter's part. He had scars, a lot in fact, and he didn't want to answer questions of where they came from. But a remarkable thing happened. Without saying a word (duh…strong, silent type) Hunter removed his shirt, displaying his own scars.
They all had scars, those scars had stories and not all stories had to be told. Unless…
*thump*
"Ouch! That fucking hurt! I thought we weren't throwing today?"
"Neither did I but you weren't paying attention." Hunter grumbled, but offered a hand up. "And you're favoring your right side again. If this is a problem Blaine, we can adjust your training."
"No, it's…" he was going to hate himself for this "I was in a really bad car accident a couple of years ago. Almost died. My father brought me back to the states and I spent the next two years recovering at home. Guess I'm not as recovered as I thought."
The expression of surprise was a little more pronounced than Blaine expected. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea."
"There's no reason you should have known."
"There's no reason Hunter should have known what, Killer?"
Great…fucking Sebastian. Now he was in an awkward position. It wasn't Hunter's place to keep his secret. "I was in a really bad car accident a couple of years ago. Almost died. My father brought me back to the states and I spent the next two years recovering at home."
Before he could go any further, he heard his phone from across the gym. "That's Miss Rose. Since we have a long weekend I'm going home and I need someone to come get me. Excuse me."
Sebastian moved closer to Hunter but waited until Blaine was far enough away to whisper "How did we not know about this accident?"
"Because he's fucking lying and if you were doing your damn job you would know that."
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
Sebastian's outburst was loud enough to get Blaine's attention, so Hunter pulled him into the locker room. "Tweety put you in charge, yet you spend less time with Blaine than any of the rest of us."
"Whatever, just tell me how you know he's lying."
"Because what he told you was verbatim what he told me. Not similar, word for word. Like he was reading from a script." Sebastian sat on one of the benches and dropped his head into his hands. Hunter sighed and slid in beside him with a supportive arm across his shoulders. "Have you talked to Tweety?"
"As long as Blaine is still with us, AVIARY is good. If the battery was on the market, they'd know about it by now." Sebastian lifted his head and laid it on Hunter's shoulder. "I don't know if I can do this Hunt...Stop laughing!"
"Then stop being stupid. Seb, not only can you do this, you're the only one who can. We both know the other guys will never be fully indoctrinated into the organization like we will. David will work his computer shit and 10 to 1 they build Trent his own evidence lab to bi-pass local governments."
"Thad's not going to make it."
"No, he won't. He doesn't have the instinct…not like I do."
Sebastian sat up and twisted enough to remove Hunter's arm, joining both sets of hands. "You don't have to cross the line."
"Yes, I do. I'm the one they'll call when they want something handled but don't want to know how. And you? You're literally going to be James Bond, Super Spy. Someday you will save the world on a daily basis but…" Hunter pulled back and dropped his hands "Damn it! Don't tell me you're avoiding Blaine because of that part of a song you made him come up with."
"No…I don't know. It…it just hit me."
"Are you in love with him?"
"Killer? Oh, god no."
"Good, that's the last thing we need." Hunter got up and put his hands on Sebastian's shoulders. "I'm going to go. Try to get Blaine to talk about the supposed accident and for the love of god, remember you are Captain Sebastian Fucking Smythe. You can do anything."
He began to pull away but Sebastian grabbed his arm. "What's the deal with you and Killer? You usually don't like anybody."
"Easy, he's a good guy. And I might not like people but I love you."
"I love you too"
"Then do your fucking job. Talk to Blaine."
Notes:
My Dark Side: Busbee, Michael; Geringas, Alexander 2011
There Are Worse Things I Could Do (Grease): Casey, Warren; Jacobs, Jim 1978
In my head, I see Blaine being flustered after Sebastian sings There Are Worse Things I Could Do in the same way as he was flustered after their first canon meeting. I also think of the "I think the Warblers should be an acapella group" comment being like the infamous "Are you a freshman?"