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Second Shot

B-52

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AN: Because something never seemed quite right to me about season 3. I had a few different ways I could have gone with this setup so, I split it into different continuations with this as the start to both B-54 and B-55, if you will; since B-50 series are just so layered. ;) I do this rather than have two shorts with the exact same beginning and separate uploads since it got to be quite long otherwise.

AN2: Also, the order of events is a little different and some are either played up more or down-played slightly but the general idea is still there.

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Clapping rang out from a sole source after they finished singing Uptown Girl. The Warblers all turned to their audience member, they had been harassing their poor librarian with their rendition, hoping to get a certain kind of reaction out of her, but had gotten a very different one instead. They'd have to work on that, it wasn't not revulsion they were going for. No one else was supposed to bare witness to their earliest practices. Once they smoothed out most of the kinks, they'd perform for the school. If that went well, they'd put into their set.

Excitement spread through them when they caught sight of the person clapping at their private practice. It was the return of one Blaine Anderson.

They all gathered around him, talk overlapping each other as they asked questions and welcomed him home. They all preened for his praise in his absence. Sebastian sat back from the rest of them, his head cocked to the side and a matching smile on his lips.

Blaine caught his eyes and they shared a small nod, waiting to interact until the others dispersed. Only a few remained in the room by the time Sebastian strolled over to Blaine. "I heard rumors of the former Warbler Captain's departure. I was so looking forward to meeting sex on a stick and sings like a dream. Imagine my disappointment when I found out it was you."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Sebastian. A lot can happen while you study abroad for a year. How was France?"

"It was French." Sebastian shrugged. "Missed the halls of Dalton and all the possibilities running around within these walls. Never imagined you'd be the one to chase so hard after a boy that you'd leave all this behind."

Blaine sighed heavily and looked around too. He had appreciated the admiration when he'd made his presence known. "Yeah, there is something special about this place."

"I take it everything is as expected." Sebastian said smugly before he shook his head. "You're always welcomed back here, I never wanted to be lead Warbler. With your absence, I was pushed into it." Sebastian enjoyed being background, he got away with a lot more without the spotlight on him.

"It's fine... I miss being top dog though." Blaine smiled at the friends that still hung out in the choir room with them. "Everything I suggest gets shot down. Then this other kid comes in and suggests being sexy and the reaction he'd gotten from... well, I wasn't totally happy with it, it had been my idea first! But I was ignored but they bring him in and it's suddenly ok." Blaine scowled. "Just because he's super-sexy and bi."

"Well, no use stealing anything we're doing, it's been a bit of a disaster this year so far. We're all trying to find our sound, now that the headliner has gone and abandoned us for a public school." Sebastian made a face as if he tasted something sour. Blaine rolled his eyes again. "He has to be something special."

"Something I didn't want to lose out on, at the very least. I spent too long molding him." Blaine's disappointment was obvious.

"You've always gone after the wrong guys." Sebastian stretched his back and then started working on the rest of his muscles. "Always ones unavailable. Did this one also turn you down?"

"He pursued me, actually." Blaine smirked, puffing up. "Then I turned him down and knew he would be a sure thing when I pursued him in return."

"Always have to be the one pursuing another, but wanting them to make the first move sexually." Sebastian laughed. "You are a conundrum, Mr. Anderson. I'm surprised you haven't confused every guy you've been with out the door before it gets there."

"I might have this time." Blaine admitted and then he suddenly smirked. "It's where you went wrong, never stopped pursuing me."

Sebastian lifted a brow. "I tapped that, if you don't remember and I know I was memorable." Somehow they'd been friends, or something like that, afterward. "Is that why you're here? For a repeat to cement it into permanent memory?" He frowned lightly and glanced at the others but they weren't listening nor watching. "I don't do repeats."

Sebastian had also been pretty drunk when he and Blaine had slept together. He knew he'd performed well but neither had asked to continue on afterward. Blaine couldn't control Sebastian and was looking for someone where he could dictate the terms, where he could be the 'man' while on the street but not in the bedroom. Blaine had been pretty drunk that night too and Sebastian had definitely not been his first, he knew exactly how he wanted it and Sebastian hadn't minded supplying it as it had aligned with his typical style. It was something they'd both decided to ignore and never mention again, except in jest. Blaine liked to keep a good-boy act up and for pretty much everyone else, especially those who roamed their halls.

Blaine waved it off. "No, no, once between us was enough." Sebastian thought he should be offended, especially after he'd given Blaine such false praise as lead Warbler. They were trying to figure out the new dynamic, but it had more to do with Sebastian's return, Blaine's departure along with the senior class the year before. It was definitely not because of Blaine alone. Blaine managed to salvage what was left of the conversation by what he said next. "A relationship would never have worked between us outside of friendship, no need to have muddled it with more. It had at least answered one burning question between us and that in the sack we're dynamite."

Dynamite might have been pushing it, Sebastian had found his pleasure and release but he'd definitely had better. It was only that they were friends that kept it from being mediocre. "Why are you here, Blaine? I might have to call 'spy' soon if you don't come clean."

"I missed my friends." Blaine smirked. "And the adoration and adulation." When Sebastian kept staring at him he sighed. "I heard you were back, wanted to say hi before the competition season kicked into full gear." Sebastian only lifted a brow and Blaine's shoulders dropped. "You are so much like him in a way, fine. My boyfriend... we've hit a wall."

"What does that mean? Why should I care, actually?" Sebastian gestured for them to leave. "Coffee?"

"Sure." Blaine went with Sebastian to the coffee shop that Wes, David and himself had taken Kurt to that first time they met. "Kurt and I were doing well at first. He was bold and forward and so sure of himself when it came to what he wanted, he wasn't afraid to tell me even if it did take a moment to gather his courage. He even did it in face of me serenading another guy."

"Bold." Sebastian agreed, finding approval for this boy without even meeting him. That took some real balls.

"The guy had turned me down." Blaine shrugged. "We had gone on some 'coffee dates' but he thought it a bit too much to sing to him with the full force of the Warblers behind me at his work place. Kurt was there, heard everything and heard the guy tell me that he was too old for me." He had been and it had all been entirely inappropriate had the whole story not been reveled. For Kurt and many of the others, that was the case, but singing about sex toys had been very appropriate considering what they'd done on some of those dates.

Blaine supposed taking a high school glee club to the Gap had blown his age wide open. It hadn't been a loss, Blaine hadn't realized the guy wasn't out and he wanted someone out. Maybe not obvious and someone who could pass but wouldn't get wigged out by Blaine sitting on his lap around friends. They still had to be careful about the public at large in the smaller towns, but not among friends.

A small snort at the rest of that memory had Sebastian holding off on his sip, in case it truly was funny. "Kurt dressed him down and called him out and his coworkers if they hadn't put it together by then, he was so obvious with that hair."

Sebastian lifted his cup to his lips, that hadn't been funny at all. Perhaps it was one of those things that you had to be there for. "So?"

"Well, we hung out a lot as friends on 'friend' dates, I kissed him before we made it official and then... it kind of puttered off." Blaine frowned deeply as he glared at the cups on the table in front of them. "We kiss, sometimes. I've been sending him so many signals, have tried to talk to him about it, but we've scheduled make-out sessions!" Blaine looked up at Sebastian, his frustration clear. "We don't even touch south of the border."

Sebastian slammed his cup down onto the table and bent over laughing, hard. Now that was funny. "Why are you putting up with this?"

"What do you mean?" Blaine asked, genuinely surprised and Sebastian regarded him again with new eyes, when he stopped laughing.

"I mean, can he really be worth all this effort, transferring to a different school?" Sebastian asked dubiously. "We're in high school."

"And love matches have happened younger than us throughout history." Blaine countered.

Now Sebastian's tone was dry and scathing. "Not love matches." A beat while Blaine was unmoved by what Sebastian had to say on the matter and he concluded with a wry. "Well, maybe one out a million stories might be true."

Blaine waved him off. "You transferred to France."

"Not to chase after someone." Sebastian tossed right back.

"No, just many someones." Blaine said with a teasing glint in his eyes and tone.

"In between other pursuits." Sebastian shrugged. His 'no repeats rule' wasn't that he wouldn't sleep with someone a second time, just that he wouldn't go back to someone once it was over. Sometimes that meant one time, sometimes that meant for several months.

He'd had one booty-call that lasted six months and had actually included dates, he was still hard pressed to say that they were dating, nothing had ever gotten an official title. He wasn't opposed to a relationship, he'd thought about it and entertained the thought a couple of times. Nobody had really sparked that particular desire though. The one that lasted six months was just really, really good in bed and was entertaining enough out of it. They were still friends to this day, but didn't see each other often.

He had friends both gay and straight that he'd never had sex with. Anderson wasn't an exception to the rule though. He was just one of several that had been both in his bed as a sexual partner and as a friend.

"So what's the problem?" Sebastian asked. "You sound happy enough as it is to be with him. So he's going too slow for you? Speed him up, then."

"You sound like the director to the play that I'm going to be in." Blaine sighed. "He asked me and the lead female what our sexual experiences were like and I had to pretend that I hadn't had any. Kurt doesn't know that he's not my first dalliance."

Sebastian clapped dryly. "Congratulations ladies and gentlemen, you can take the boy out of the prep school halls, but you can take the prep school out of the boy, so gallant, Mr. Anderson."

Blaine breathed in deeply and then back out in annoyance. "You are totally the wrong one to ask, I'm not sure how I'm going to keep my temper around you, you're so tiresome."

"That's just the sexual frustration talking." Sebastian wagged his finger in front of Blaine's face. In truth, they usually got along just fine, both fairly easy-going in a lot of ways and driven in others. They didn't usually compete with each other having their own pursuits and some similarities. "You're not angry with me, I'm just pulling on the strings you've left exposed to me, dear friend."

Blaine breathed in slowly this time and slowly let it out, trying to calm down and remember that for himself. "Unfortunately you seem to be the only one that I can ask to do this for me. Hunter's extended his study abroad for another year."

Sebastian grinned, white teeth flashing like the shark he was. "Ah yes, Hunter." The other natural born Warbler leader. If he had been back this year, he would have taken the reigns and Sebastian could have continued on in peace and obscurity but always getting his way in the end, who he wanted without the responsibilities. Hunter was the only one who could truly compete with Sebastian and Blaine in the looks department and the only one with as powerful of a family as Sebastian. "Is it Germany this year then?"

"All the Axis powers seem to be getting a world tour before he returns to the Americas." Blaine's eyes shifted around in exasperation. Hunter had gone to Italy the year before. He'd spent the summer in Japan. Hunter would be begging Blaine to come back though when he returned. Hunter liked the spotlight but he only ever wanted the best on his team. He wasn't around to say anything though and Blaine would deal with him when he came back. Would find the resolve to say no.

Hunter wouldn't give Blaine the lead role again though if he was there. It's partly why Blaine left, in anticipation of Hunter's return but the other boy had pulled a fast one and stayed away. Blaine had been given the spotlight and he was loathe to give it up completely. He'd share it with another lead, but he would still be a lead. With Hunter, he'd be reduced to background singing.

Going back to Dalton right now though was a mistake. He had a boyfriend, a lead role in the play and if he and Rachel had anything to say about it, he'd oust Finn as the lead male role in the Glee club. Right now, all eyes were on him and he was going to capitalize on it in all ways.

He just wished he'd known that before playing into Kurt's teasing about transferring. Kurt had given him the idea but it was Hunter that he'd left because of. Hunter couldn't have warned him, could he? Sometimes he really hated the guy.

"You really are frustrated, aren't you?" Sebastian eyed Blaine wearily. "Why don't you just tell him what you want?"

"Kurt's not exactly like that... you can't just drop it in his lap." Blaine gave a mild shrug. "It has to be his idea or he'll run a mile. He ran to Dalton because some guy decided to kiss him unannounced. I had to play my own hand very coolly."

Sebastian opened his mouth to ask, pursed his lips and decided not to go into it, knowing there was a bigger story there that Blaine was playing down. So instead, he went down another line of questioning. "Are you playing him?"

Blaine jerked. "What? No! I actually really like him. He's... spunky and funny and smart."

"Hence, spunky." Sebastian supplied helpfully with a wrinkle in his nose as he mocked Blaine.

"At least it's not smarmy." Blaine snapped back. He didn't care what Sebastian said, it wasn't just sexual frustration driving him to be so annoyed with the green eyed brat.

Sebastian coughed covering up his laugh. "Who's called me that?"

"I can already hear McKinley's Glee club calling you that every time they talk about you." Blaine smirked. "I might laid it down for them first if they don't get there themselves."

"You wouldn't!" Sebastian mock-gasped in pretend outrage. Then he rolled his eyes. "From what you say, there's only the three of you that are gay at that school. I will hold in my disappointment on the huge number of boys I'm going to miss out on."

"That there is where you can help me." Blaine's smile spread slowly. "I can't speak to Kurt outright about having sex. I can however encourage him into it in another way. If he thinks he has competition, he might be more amenable to the idea. Since the only other gay guy at McKinley has burnt the bridges with us, I need to recruit outside of my present school. The other guys wouldn't do that to Kurt and Kurt wouldn't believe it. He'd know they had a chance before he even came. He doesn't have to know that we've known each other for years, have slept together and this is just a ruse."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "Exactly what are you asking of me?"

"I want you to flirt with me, pretend you want to steal me from him, antagonize him, you're good at those things."

"I've never interfered with a relationship before." Sebastian pointed out. "At least not knowingly."

"Would it have mattered?" Blaine asked, not expecting Sebastian's hiss in response.

"Yes." Sebastian glared Blaine down. "It matters to me. Cheating is a line I draw and do not cross."

"Why?" Blaine asked in exasperation. "You're not the one cheating."

"There are a lot of messy emotions, too many unforeseen consequences to getting in the middle of a relationship." Sebastian's father had cheated on his mother and after seeing the devastation that caused, had vowed never to seek that out. He would never cheat on his partner and if he even suspected someone was in a relationship, he cut it off right away. He would also never stay with a cheater, not even if children were involved. They needed a good example to follow and his mother hadn't been.

"I won't be cheating on him with you." Blaine pointed out. "I just need you to appear interested, get his fight mode started, make him jealous, push him to do more in an attempt to keep me. Once we do it once, hopefully I won't need that external factor keeping him motivated. He'll wonder why he waited so long to get together with me fully. We'll of course have to end the flirtation in a logical way, but the goal will have been accomplished."

Sebastian sighed, his tone sounding like he was considering it now in earnest. "Will this really make you happy?"

"Yes."

"And once your play is done and your team loses at whatever level they reach, you'll come back to Dalton and take this Glee Club off my hands until Hunter returns?" Sebastian questioned, drawing his own payment for playing into this farce. It was too much work, he just wanted to show up, do a little bit of a dance and sing in the background. He didn't want to learn all the lyrics and have that much criticism sent his way if he wasn't just so. It had never been a problem for Blaine, he never noticed criticism and just did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted to.

Blaine smirked. "If you don't lose first."

Sebastian gave a one-shoulder shrug. "Even better." He was better more one on one, a lot more intimate than this whole Glee Club thing with timing and coordination. If he was going to be a solo-artist, he wanted to be a solo-artist. Maybe a duet if called to it.

"I'm going to make sure you don't unless it's to lose to us. McKinley and Dalton faced off before, wouldn't be surprised if it happens again."

Sebastian put his hands up near his shoulders, palms facing Blaine. "Good enough for me. What's the plan?"

Blaine leaned in, satisfied grin smugly on his face as he divulged what he'd thought up so far.

–

Sebastian wasn't sure about the plan, and Blaine had to keep assuring him that it was just a farce, over and over again until the very moment that the two met. Then Sebastian took up the mantle for his own reason and did it even more brilliantly than Blaine could even plan.

The barbs tossed toward Kurt were caustic and the returning grenades were painful and wide-reaching. Blaine couldn't help but grin and school it before Kurt saw his reaction when Kurt wrapped himself possessively around Blaine's arm and introduced himself to Sebastian. He was so glad that he wasn't in the line of fire but on the periphery to reap the benefits.

When Blaine left for Kurt's coffee, he was still a gentleman role he had to play, a bit oblivious at times even, he returned to a very tense atmosphere. He tried to soothe things as if he were just meeting Sebastian for the first or second time and that Kurt walked into a very innocent situation. Kurt was nonplussed and practically dragged Blaine out of the coffee shop with cup in hand.

Blaine text Sebastian a thank-you soon later, but Sebastian didn't respond. Blaine didn't think much of it. Sebastian rarely took part in casual conversation. That reminded him that they should add texting to the list of things they did to drive Kurt up the wall and hopefully onto Blaine or in him.

"Worked that easily, did it?" Sebastian asked as he and Blaine stationed out at the Lima Bean once more.

"No..." Blaine was hoping for one performance and to be done. "He's a slippery one. You know, I took Tony from him, hoping for anger, I could have morphed that into angry sex. But he dodged me and was so understanding. I lied too well when I told him they asked me to read for him even though I hadn't wanted to." Blaine explained. "I tried to get him to do something stupid so I could be angry with him but he's too good at stepping around pitfalls, probably from all the practice he's had with the bullies."

"Bullies?" Sebastian asked deceptively uninterested, playing with the sugars in front of him.

"Yeah, the worst of them transferred out at the end of the year." Blaine answered. "It's why I felt comfortable joining him here."

"Worse than that middle school dance fiasco?" Sebastian started to tilt the sugar bags so they were leaning against each other carefully, he was planning to build upward.

"Shit, he's coming." Blaine didn't answer and Sebastian wondered at whether or not it was in honesty. Sebastian put the sugar back into order in the case and leaned on his elbow, pretending to be captivated by whatever Blaine started talking about.

"Smythe." Kurt greeted coolly, taking his place beside Blaine.

"Kurt." Sebastian stretched lazily back into his seat, preparing for battle by pretending not to care at all. Exposing his neck as it were since he knew he would be able to defend himself before Kurt could even get close. Blaine would be forgiven if he thought he saw a flash of a genuine smile in the pleased look Sebastian carefully placed on his face. Sebastian enjoyed sparring with Kurt, he realized with a start. That was... an interesting development.

Kurt's eyes narrowed but didn't say anything. Considering that he wanted to continue being friends with Sebastian when all was said and done, that at least meant that Sebastian would be agreeable.

Kurt's eyes narrowed but didn't say anything.

Kurt was a pushover for apologies, so he'd come around too with some effort. He was more worried about losing the friends he had rather than stand up for himself, they'd been hard enough to come by as it were. Blaine supposed that logic would work for him too. He was incredibly hard to come by for Kurt. He'd hold on even tighter to Blaine than any friend, which is why he'd employed Sebastian's help in the first place. He wanted to feel those nails dig into him.

"Soy Latte?" Blaine checked.

Kurt's face flickered in disgust for a brief second before it smoothed into complicity. "Coconut milk, if they have it." Blaine nodded and didn't touch or kiss Kurt in anyway before he started walking away.

"That bashful school boy look is just so super hot." Sebastian tossed the first throw into the fray just as Blaine was leaving. Kurt probably didn't hear it, but there was just a tiniest bit of mockery in the tone. Blaine only caught it because he'd known Sebastian for so long. Besides, he knew Sebastian didn't have that kind of kink.

If he didn't know Sebastian and hadn't just been reassured by Sebastian himself about cheating and his feelings with that, he'd have been worried Sebastian would have turned that charm on Kurt. Kurt was exactly Sebastian's preferred type, even if he was doing his best to insult exactly what he found attractive with Kurt. Blaine had a perverse pleasure in that too, he wanted to make it hard on Sebastian. Had he been around last year, they'd have won Sectionals.

He hadn't forgiven Sebastian and Hunter for leaving them prior to graduation. It also ensured that Kurt would never believe Sebastian if Sebastian ever turned those charms on him instead. He wouldn't trust that Sebastian could do such a 180 in opinion on the same items. At some point, Sebastian would have lied to him and so he could never trust anything he said.

Blaine grinned at the barista behind the counter, just giddy about his plan. He did know Sebastian too well. Had Sebastian been there last year, he would have charmed Kurt right out of his pants in the first week of attending Dalton if not sooner. Probably sometime before the Karofsky fiasco once he laid eyes on the blue eyed boy at Dalton spying on them.

If Sebastian had a chance to meet Kurt without the negative setup, then Sebastian would have probably flirted with Kurt instead. He wouldn't have meant anything by it, he'd have done it lightly and frequently and let it just appear like who he was. It was, but it would have been a bit more directed specifically at Kurt. He wouldn't have done anything improper or moved in on Kurt while he was dating Blaine but he wouldn't have cared if they broke up. Kurt would have been fair game.

The Barista wrote his name and number on the receipt he pushed toward Blaine. Blaine glanced down on it, deciding to keep it for a later date if it ever came to it. "Thanks, Eli." He winked and put the number in his wallet before bringing back all three drinks to the table.

He'd intentionally made sure Kurt knew he bought Sebastian a drink. "All they had was soy and almond milk and I know how you feel about the almond trees." He announced when he started distributing the drinks. They had coconut milk but Eli wouldn't tell Kurt that Blaine lied, he'd claim they were out and would get a new shipment in tomorrow, hopefully. He was hoping to fan the flame of Kurt's irritation, even if some of that would be at him.

Maybe Kurt would finally work on tearing his clothes off. Blaine purposefully didn't wear labels so Kurt wouldn't feel badly about his clothes. Hell, he had white Ts in his closet in California that were so expensive someone could put a down-payment on a house with that money. He'd crafted himself to be at a similar level financially as Kurt to ease any additional pressures or concerns when he transferred to McKinley.

He didn't need any uncomfortable conversations popping up about how different they were when it came to money or status. Kurt didn't need to know. He claimed he was living in his great-aunt's house in town, but really he'd bought it. He wanted to bring Kurt there their first night, ensure their privacy. Kurt asked about where she was anyway and Blaine quickly covered by saying they'd put her in a home but hadn't sold her house yet. There was hope some day that she'd return to it.

It had melted Kurt's heart and Blaine thought for sure that it would have cinched the deal in that moment but Carole came home. Kurt had popped off the bed and rushed up the stairs to help her start dinner. Blaine had half a mind to just employ a maid and cook for them. It would certainly cut down on Kurt's feelings of obligations to family and transfer some it onto Blaine.

There was a reason Blaine never introduced Kurt to his family. Cooper had nearly blown it by coming to McKinley to teach them about acting when he'd heard about the play they were putting together. It was a service he was providing in part and in part to just rile Blaine. It riled Blaine alright. He hadn't known Cooper was coming and had to react quickly.

For one thing, Kurt had never looked at him with such heart eyes, not like he had with Cooper. Secondly, Blaine had pretend there was some kind of discord between them to explain away why he never mentioned him to Kurt. The rest of the Dalton boys had been far too aware of Cooper in his life and his success. He would have only brought home some of that financial and positional difference to Kurt. So he'd also asked Cooper to pretend that he was trying out for a small part in a procedural. Kurt would know the name of it, but would never watch it himself. He didn't need to know that Cooper was actually one of the regulars. Thankfully no one else had watched the show either. It was a little out of their age-bracket right now.

Kurt might figure it out one day, but hopefully by then, they'd either have broken up or were married. Kurt would have to get over his anger at Blaine's lies if they were married. He'd definitely marry Kurt without his family present, before either group knew what he was doing; not until it was too late to undo it. If they were broken up, then it wouldn't matter anyway.

That's what these blue-balls were doing to him. Blaine decided, more annoyed than ever by Kurt's refusal to initiate or put out. He wasn't getting enough sex and was now thinking about marriage. He was 17, honestly! That was far too young to think of marriage. He'd never even entertained the thought except as a distant certainty for the far future because of duty to the family name. Even as the 'spare' he would provide a possible 'heir', just in case.

Cooper had teased him in private after Blaine asked him to put on a show and gave him the character and the story. Cooper said it was an implausible situation but he'd do his best to bring justice and confidence to the role. He'd done a remarkable job and they were just gullible enough to believe it. It barely, barely held up to scrutiny and if they weren't so enamored with Cooper, they'd have looked deeper. Nobody was going to ruin the chance of a reprisal visit by causing an argument with either sibling or adding to the tensions between them.

Cooper hadn't been overly concerned by labels, just wore what was comfortable, which tended to be slightly loose black jeans and white Ts. Kurt noted the quality and possible labels and fit but chalked it up to Cooper being an incredibly hot actor who knew how to shop discounts. The clothes were worn and a few seasons behind. He hadn't quite worn holes into them, and it was only then that he'd let anyone throw them out with a fight. He always claimed they were most comfortable right before they frayed into a pile of rags.

If any girl saw him and his clothes, unless they were really into fashion, they wouldn't have known that. They may have been swayed just by his pretty face though to overlook his rattiness. There had been a slight argument between Blaine and Kurt over his goo-goo eyes at his brother. It hadn't gone the way Blaine had hoped, though. Kurt had tried to diffuse the situation with a stuffed dog and an accent. That had been Blaine acting jealous, he wanted Kurt to be jealous. That's what turned Blaine on the most, Kurt jealous.

To cement his earlier reluctance to touch his boyfriend in public, Blaine purposefully bumped his hand against Sebastian's when reaching for his own cup. Sebastian snickered silently into the rim of his cup, clearly reading Blaine for what it was. Blaine knew he would have to live down Sebastian's mirth at a later date and all the comments he'd have.

He was glad that Sebastian had decided to go the opposite way. He wore his Dalton uniform pretty much exclusively during these visits. It showed class and money and unachievable superiority, especially because Sebastian wore his uniform easily, casually and had a sexiness in it that Kurt never felt when he wore his. Blaine had worn his with just as much ease and comfort and had looked damn sexy it in too. It would definitely put Kurt on his back foot whenever he dealt with Sebastian.

Sebastian would be everything Kurt was not, everything he aspired to be but doubted he'd achieve. Blaine watched Sebastian carefully, making sure the smiles and smug grins and barbs didn't stray into flirtation with Kurt. Sebastian looked to Kurt watching how they landed but he was with it enough to look at Blaine and offer a wink that seemed flirtatious but was actually conspiratorial. Kurt looked between them, growing frustrated by Blaine's attention on the other boy and not on him. Then he would lock eyes on Sebastian and fling razor sharp returns and Blaine noted that he never went on the offense, always just returning, defending.

Blaine frowned a little, they needed to get Kurt on the offense. He made a small shake of his head to let Sebastian know that he was going to cut this off now. He was growing tired of listening to the two of them, leaving him out of the conversation. "You know, I have homework I should be getting back to." Blaine informed them sounding reluctant but McKinley homework was a joke.

"Have incredibly naughty dreams tonight." Sebastian said with just enough to his tone that even Blaine couldn't help but be stirred by it. Kurt thankfully missed the slide of those Emerald eyes toward him when Sebastian said it, not intending it for Blaine at all.

He shook Sebastian's hand, putting a fair amount of warning pressure into the grip, Sebastian's response was only a lift of a corner of his mouth in mocking. Blaine turned to Kurt, exasperated with his friend all over again. Kurt expected a kiss or a hug or even just a touch on the arm but Blaine only offered a smile. "See you at school tomorrow." He made sure to keep the smile warm enough, he felt that way when he looked at Kurt, but he also wanted to appear a little distracted and distant.

"Yeah..." Kurt glanced at Sebastian but grabbed his bag. "I should be heading out now too." He didn't even offer parting words to Sebastian or glance his way once. He was in too big of a hurry to keep up with Blaine.

Blaine for his part, turned his head to look back at Sebastian as they left, moving his head literally behind Kurt's back to do so. For Kurt it meant that Blaine was reluctant to leave him behind without one last look. In truth, it was just Blaine offering Sebastian a smug superior look as Kurt left with him and also to thank Sebastian for his help.

'Don't know why you pulled him away, I was getting him going'.

Sebastian heard them though as they left. "Why are you being so nice to him?"

"He's new to Dalton this year, you remember what it was like, I just want to help him adjust to life there." Blaine tried to smooth things over.

–

Blaine and Kurt were on a date at the Lima Bean when Sebastian came strolling up to their table, two coffees in hand. One he placed in front of Blaine but was all smiles for Kurt. They'd had a conversation about boundaries but Sebastian was obviously ignoring it in order to get a rile out of Kurt. It wasn't quite the rile that Blaine had wanted. Sebastian had offered Blaine warm smiles and gentle flirtation that both meant nothing but outsiders would get the wrong idea. He'd cranked up the obviousness for Kurt's benefit but the way he flirted with Kurt was shark-infested waters. It was a deadly flirtation that so far Kurt was unaware of but was devastating in the right company. Sebastian kept it up, amused by Kurt's lack of understanding.

"Here I was, getting my coffee and I glanced over and saw the hottest guy I had ever seen. I just wanted to eat him out. I just had to come over and introduce myself. Imagine my surprise when I found I knew him!" Sebastian sounded far too pleased with himself and both boys at the table looked at him with derision, thankfully Kurt didn't see Blaine's face. Sebastian winked at Blaine, knowing exactly why Blaine felt that way and not at all apologetic.

Kurt groaned and dropped his head backwards for a moment, trying to collect himself and give himself space to calm down. It didn't work and Blaine sat up straighter in excitement, hoping that this would be the time that Kurt would finally, finally snap. He hoped to be on the receiving end of a lot of passion then. "Sebastian, do you have a tracking beckon on us or something?" His voice was dry and low and just not putting up with it anymore. Nope, just Blaine texting Sebastian whenever they made plans to head to the Lima Bean, actually. "Blaine and I are on a date."

Sebastian looked over the two of them with a lifted brow. "Really? I would have thought you were more like classmates attempting to hang out. I feel like I see and know Blaine more than you do." It was a feat, since Kurt went to school with Blaine, but there was such assurance in Sebastian's words that Kurt couldn't quite deny. It set Kurt on edge.

Just like he was known to do with Blaine though, his response was not expected, much to Blaine's frustration and Sebastian's infinite amusement and admiration once he got over the shock. "I'll have you know we have a phone date every night while we do a rigorous skin slothing regimen."

They did no such thing, but the absurdity of it did what not many people were able to do, make Sebastian Smythe unable to form a response for longer than a heartbeat. Everyone saw it and knew it and were able to recognize it in the moment. It was not something Sebastian was accustomed to and the shock of that made it last even longer. Then he recovered himself somewhat and pulled on old tactics, trying to hide his folly. Kurt had bested him and that was never done.

A face of intentional disgust paved over to snark and smugness. "As... romantic as that sounds, I had something different in mind when it came to dates. Clearly the Lima Bean and phone hygiene is as creative as you can get. Do you also go to movies together? Or stay home and watch them with popcorn and hold hands?"

"Oh, is that really so much worse than what you'd do on a cliché date? Dinners out? Take out? Cooking for a guy so you don't have to go far since you already have them in your house? What do you do, lock the door with a padlock and pocket the key so they can't escape?" Kurt was definitely going into too far to come back from territory. He was still on the defense though, Sebastian hadn't gotten him to go on the offense, even with that tactful cutting out at the knees.

Blaine tried to call them back from that ledge. He wanted them to all be friends down the road and would have to explain some of this to Kurt too when it was time. He wouldn't be able to orchestrate that if they hurt each other's feelings and egos too much. "Now Kurt, that's kind of rude-"

"Not now Blaine." Kurt held out a hand, palm facing his boyfriend, he was up and revving now.

The 'smarmy' boy Blaine had jokingly called out appeared across Sebastian's face out of force of habit. It was the persona Sebastian pulled on when he wanted to leave someone with no uncertainty about what he was getting at. Blaine nearly panicked, not sure where Sebastian would be directing that or how. It was too direct, more than direct, it was too vulgar for nearly every guy to hear and Sebastian had already crossed into territory that Kurt wasn't usually comfortable with hearing in even the broadest strokes with his entry comment today. Kurt wouldn't even hear that kind of language from their classmates, much less about each other, especially from a third party.

Blaine was going to have to do a lot to walk back from this. They would all have to jump through a lot of hoops.

Sebastian looked Kurt over tantalizingly slow and Blaine didn't miss the heat that flared in those Emerald eyes but Kurt was not looking there close enough. He had his arms on the table, leaning forward, ready for a fight of words. "One would have to lock the door if they thought I would ever in a hundred years touch the Puerto Rican Gay Pride Parade Float. Not only don't I do cloying bottoms but you look too much like a girl that I would have to be very, very drunk to no longer confuse you with those pampered debutant of the south. I guarantee you though, all the men that I want to fuck have all come to me willingly. I don't need to deploy deception or force."

"Sebastian-." Blaine started, more to defend himself since it was definitely more of an attack on Blaine's character than it was toward Kurt. Kurt however didn't know that, couldn't know that.

"At least I don't need to try and move in on someone else's boyfriend because none of the single guys want to date me. Why would they with your horse-teeth while smelling of Craig's List?" He was surprisingly able to get over the hurt that should have caused him. Maybe the bullying had toughened him up more than Blaine had realized. If it had, this wasn't going to work as well as he'd thought.

"Taking someone else's boyfriend is the best part though." Sebastian's green eyes sparkled. "It's because they're already taken that makes it the challenge so sweet. A single guy is looking to get laid, someone content in their sex life is fun to entice. Though even then it's kind of sad how easy it is." Sebastian mused as if he were educating Kurt instead of insulting him. "A lot of times they're bored with the status quo and start looking elsewhere. They find it easier to snag someone single because their taken status draws in looky-loos." A slow smile spread across Sebastian's face. "And guys who are stuck with frigid bitches who won't put out, are the easiest to take of them all. They're so desperate for action and they know I will never tell, unless said frigid bitch pisses me off."

Kurt gasped and his eyes and head swung nearly comically toward Blaine who had just enough time to gather himself into an image appropriate to the situation and story. "You didn't-"

"I didn't!" Blaine defended himself and sent a glare toward Sebastian, that had started to go the way Blaine had hoped then swung wildly off course. "How dare you imply such a thing?"

"What? The virgin ice queen not as pure as she likes to appear? She secretly doing you? That would be a surprise as there's already a pole stuck up her ass. Your cock wouldn't have any room to join it." Kurt was staring at Blaine, monitoring his every reaction and facial tick and Blaine was doing his best to not give anything away that he shouldn't in this kind of situation. It was made all the harder as Sebastian caught up to what vitriol was spilling out of his mouth and he looked absolutely crushed on all their behalves.

Blaine had tried to stop him. Sebastian was defensive when triggered, Kurt had unintentionally played right into one of those triggers without knowing it. And he always wanted to be the best and when challenged. When both were deployed, could get quite nasty. Sometimes that challenge was amusing, sometimes it led to some pretty epic pornography just short of legal and sometimes not even that as the males got carried away. This was unfortunately for all of them, this time it wasn't going to lead to clothes being ripped off.

The one who ended up breaking up this sudden standoff was actually Santana who overheard Sebastian's final commentary. "Ok Meerkat, you're going. Only I can insult Lady Hummel and even I don't go that far." She grabbed the front of his shirt and Sebastian let her tug him out the door.

"Kurt?" Blaine reached for his shoulder but again, he did the unexpected, he twisted away.

"Don't!" Kurt held up both hands to ward him off, his hands were shaking. Another trigger had been pulled and Blaine scowled, cursing his friend for putting him back so many steps. The last time there'd been such a volatile fight of words and volume, Kurt had been kissed against his will by someone he thought was going to kill him or at least seriously injure him. The kiss had been unexpected and completely unwanted and a second one had been incoming before Kurt was able to push the bully away.

Kurt wouldn't even let Blaine touch him now, wouldn't let him comfort him. He hadn't wanted to be touched after the confrontation with Karofsky on the staircase either, tempers flaring and energies high. So Blaine had just sat next to him for a long moment before the nudge of his knee against Kurt's thigh could be seen as charming rather than annoyingly out of step with the situation. He'd enticed Kurt to lunch afterward.

Santana came back, disposing of Sebastian had been easier than she'd thought it would be, easier than Blaine had thought it would be. There had been an exchange of barbs between them, but Sebastian had left easily enough.

"Sebastian wouldn't have hurt you." Blaine knew that to be true, Sebastian was not one to raise fists toward someone else. His size and physique made people question whether or not it was worth it to get into a fight, he wasn't overly bulky but there was obvious muscle under that skin that even the uniform couldn't hide. Sebastian's preferred method of harm was also his preferred method of seduction, he used his words. Sebastian had fine-tuned everything to make sure nobody wanted to get into a physical altercation with him, especially his words. He could whip someone up and he could also talk them down and around and do whatever he wanted them to do so easily.

He used to play with his prey, see how much he could stretch and contract them until they wore out and left or snapped.

"You don't even know him. You can't be sure of anything when it comes to him." Kurt sniffed and wrapped his arms around himself. Santana flung her arms around him too and ignored Kurt's struggles to be free and after a long moment, he sagged back against her. He was not defeated or giving in but realizing the comfort she offered was exactly what he wanted, so stopped his fight.

Santana frowned at Blaine. "Go home, Hobbit, I've got him."

"I'm his boyfriend, the one he should be getting the comfort from." Blaine protested.

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you encouraged a 6' cement pillar to flirt with you."

So she had caught on to that too, huh? Blaine sighed. "Call me, Kurt, please?"

"Yeah." He didn't sound very convincing. Once Blaine was out the door, he was calling Sebastian.

"Is he ok?" Sebastian asked the second he answered the phone. He did sound genuinely concerned. Blaine swallowed passed the lump in his throat. Things had decidedly gotten a lot worse than from where they'd started. That was his fault. He should never have introduced Sebastian as a rival. No good was going to come from this, not anymore, it all went tits up.

"Let's call it off."

"Oh, I've got a couple of other things I can try." Sebastian commented. "Let me make it up to you." Why did Blaine feel like Sebastian was playing the long game so eventually he could make it up to Kurt? Sebastian didn't realize how badly this could get out of hand. He didn't know the history and now he was trying doubly hard to make up for what he'd done in there, prove to himself he could keep his cool and temper.

Still, Blaine sighed and gave in. "What did you have planned?"

–

Blaine wasn't there for the bait drop. He was just caught in the net when they rallied a small group to go to Dalton. He was exactly who Sebastian and Blaine had planned to be in attendance, along with Kurt. Santana and Rachel were upset with Blaine while Kurt just kind of remained quiet and reflective the whole ride up.

Kurt was acting kind of strange. Blaine kept looking over to him during the song that Sebastian had planned without Blaine's input. There were other songs he could have chosen, ones more appropriate, less telling.

Sebastian and the small group of Warblers he'd conned into helping, sang I Want You Back and kept moving around Blaine. Blaine moved awkwardly, gave his best looks of being angry without overreacting. Did a fantastic job of playing the boyfriend who was getting unwanted attention and looking over at Kurt in concern, to gauge his feelings. Kurt looked entirely too mellow and while watching, was also thinking and Santana stood next to Kurt standing guard, not Blaine. Finn took a few threatening steps forward on occasion when Sebastian got too close, but it did not seem as if they were overly concerned.

Sebastian got into Rachel's face who only looked away, over him. Santana would have pushed back, Blaine had pulled away and went to a different part of the room while Finn and Rachel went to the other side. Kurt followed his boyfriend, dutifully as expected and Santana went with the other couple. Sebastian had gotten up close to Rachel, Santana and Blaine but his eyes and cocky smile kept straying to Kurt. He didn't come up to Kurt, didn't call him out or touch him, in fact he avoided him but just. He went to the people next to Kurt and then did a few body rolls in front of Blaine. Even pushed Santana into sitting down and touched her chin on different occasions.

The Dalton boys were able to form a circle, facing both directions of the room with how the ND group split up. It only made their performance better. Sebastian had made a strong first impression by being in the center of the group and still had eyes on him rather than front and center or ahead of them. He finished in the exact same spot with a solid finish. Everyone's jaws dropped and Blaine did not miss the gasp from Kurt. It was the only reaction he'd really given the whole time.

Kurt who had just watched mutely, with nary an eyeroll, just wide disbelieving eyes, almost annoyed they were there at all. He'd sat straight with his arms either by his side or folded across his chest. He didn't even glare at the lead Warbler, distracted by whatever thoughts he had, but he couldn't miss that solid ending.

The ND was mad that Blaine had let slip about MJ. Kurt hadn't even called Blaine out on that. He hadn't said anything to Blaine since he found out. He hadn't even given Sebastian attitude.

Blaine shared a look with Sebastian when Blaine's back was to the rest. This was going the entirely wrong way. Sebastian finished the song and moved uncomfortably close to Blaine.

Kurt just scoffed when Santana elbowed him hard in the ribs, getting him to speak for once today. The others having made their way over to the couple Sebastian had truly set his sights on. Finn didn't say anything either, he was mostly there to lend muscle to the group, if needed. Most knew that was just for show as Finn didn't get into a lot of fights and tried to avoid them. "I've heard better from the kindergarten class in Lima this year."

The smile that crossed Sebastian's face was not caught in time and he only managed to make it a little more sinister than just purely amused. Blaine sent daggers his way with just his eyes.

"Yeah, Dalton used to be classy when I was their lead." Blaine tacked on dumbly, trying to think of something to say against them. They'd done really well with the song even though Blaine was quite annoyed by the song choice. I Want You Back was incredibly close to telling Kurt their secret. How could Sebastian want him back if he never had him? Sebastian had had him and didn't want him back and Blaine's goal wasn't to get Sebastian in bed either, not even as a three-some with Kurt. The only way he could play it off was by saying that the Warblers wanted Blaine back, but even then Kurt didn't know Sebastian had been part of the Warblers before he attended. Maybe Sebastian could just be the mouthpiece for the rest of them, as lead Warbler, even if he had no personal feelings.

Sebastian tried to cover it up by antagonizing the others but they played it off as if they were unconcerned. It was only as they drove back, that the others let slip that they were concerned about competing with the Warblers using MJ as the Warblers had done better with very little prep. That was normally ND's specialty and they'd been outdone by the Warblers. Santana, Rachel and Kurt put their heads together to discuss a possible recourse. Kurt still didn't say a word to Blaine.

Blaine needed to get back into Kurt's good graces. He was cut out on the planning here.

The recent developments had put Blaine and Sebastian at odds too, both in show and in actuality in some ways. They needed to get back to Blaine being flattered by Sebastian's attention but not being concerned by it. How could he go back to adorably naïve?

They needed to think fast. Kurt and him and barely gotten back to a somewhat solid footing after the previous encounter. This couldn't be what shattered the thin ice they now stood upon.

–

Blaine ended up meeting Sebastian at the Lima Bean to 'discuss things and set them right'. Or at least that was their cover story if anyone asked. Blaine was getting desperate, his relationship was going backwards.

"Good grief, do you live here or something?" Kurt asked with sheer annoyance in his tone. Sebastian's spine straightened, but he'd had time to process everything and could find the humor in it and where he'd jumped to reaction based on assumptions rather than absolute truths. Sorting those out, it wouldn't be as easy to pull the same trigger by Kurt again and if he touched them, they were better fortified and more difficult to launch.

"If I get to see such a fine specimen every day, I might as well." Sebastian agreed, forcing his eyes to slide over Blaine for Kurt's sake.

"What are you doing here, don't you have coffee shops in Westerville?" He knew for a fact that they did and it was actually better than here.

"Nope." Sebastian shrugged deceptively innocently. "Only coffee shop in a three hour radius from school" He batted his eyelashes, feigning innocence, feigning compliance. He dropped the act pretty quickly though, a flicker of seriousness crossing his face. "I was actually just inviting Blaine out for a bit of fun. Nothing you'd enjoy though, it's not really your type of scene."

"What's that?" Kurt asked dryly.

"Going to a club." Blaine answered, taking the fun out of Sebastian's hands. "But I was just telling him that we don't really do things like that. It's not really our style-."

"Let's go." Kurt cut over him and Blaine and Sebastian shared a surprised look, expecting more wheedling to get him to agree.

"Really?" Blaine asked, that was too easy.

"Yeah, let's go." The way Kurt sounded, he was ready to go right then and there or even that night. Instead they pushed it to Thursday, 'Ladies Night' Sebastian had snuck the title in there for Kurt's benefit and reasoning. Except, it was a late start Friday at Dalton. Which is exactly why Blaine and Sebastian had agreed to that date to begin with. Kurt just went along with it without realizing it was prearranged.

–

EAN: I never understood why in the deleted clip they had Artie with them at Dalton. He hadn't added anything to the scene, like, at all. He didn't even have a line in it and other than the part carrying him in, you barely saw him in it. Kurt looked so over everything in that clip, not even worried Sebastian was flirting with his boyfriend or antagonizing his friends. I changed that a little bit while also emphasizing it, the reason will be revealed ;). The next scene in this short is one alternative to the story and there will be another one after that.