Title: Just Be Okay

Summary: Sebastian has an eating disorder and Hunter has to try to keep him from relapsing.


Hunter doesn't understand Sebastian's fascination with the Lima Bean. The décor, coffee, and location – especially the location – are all subpar. The only logical explanation is that Sebastian is meeting up (or at least attempting to) with Blaine Anderson.

He doesn't like that idea. He doesn't like Anderson. 'Once a Warbler, always a Warbler,' shouldn't apply to those that voluntarily chose to leave the Warblers. There's no reason that Hunter can find that Blaine should still retain such loyalty in a group that he abandoned.

This is compounded by the fact that Sebastian has been off ever since Sectionals – which coincides with the time he started frequently heading to the Lima Bean. He's been edgy and Hunter needs to know why.

The right decision, because he is captain of the Warblers and also Sebastian's roommate, is to follow Sebastian to the Lima Bean and find out exactly what (or more likely who) it is that draws Sebastian there. And if it is Blaine Anderson, then to stage an intervention because it reflects poorly on the Warblers to have Sebastian be so pathetic.

It isn't Blaine Anderson that Sebastian is meeting up with.

It isn't even a guy.

Why the hell would Sebastian Smythe be meeting up with a girl? Hunter recognizes her only because she was the one from New Directions that collapsed on stage and guaranteed a Warbler win. It still doesn't make any sense to him.

It isn't even coincidence. Sebastian proceeds to meet with Marley – Hunter looked her up online – again. And then again. And then again. Twice a week for two weeks. No Blaine Anderson in sight. There is nothing in the information he researches on both Marley and Sebastian to suggest that they knew each other previously or have anything in common. They're not even Facebook friends. He can't think of any reason Sebastian has of connecting to this girl from New Directions.

It does not make sense, and Hunter can't handle not knowing anymore. Apparently there's going to be an intervention after all.

Hunter walks into his room and sees Sebastian sitting at his desk, doing his homework. He probably shouldn't interrupt Sebastian being productive because he's been so distracted ever since Sectionals, but he's already mentally prepared for this all day. He takes a deep breath and starts, "Rumor has it you've been meeting that New Directions girl." Hunter would prefer to keep the fact that he followed Sebastian out of the conversation if possible.

He immediately gets Sebastian's attention, but his face is blank.

"I thought a military brat would know better than to listen to scuttlebutt," Sebastian returns before focusing back on his homework. Hunter bristles at the Navy reference (he's corrected half of Dalton that his family is connected to the Marines) but decides to ignore it. Sebastian is going to have to try harder than that to distract him.

"You aren't even going to ask which girl?" Hunter presses as he puts his school bag down and takes off his blazer.

"Don't care. Why would I meet up with a girl anyway? The rumors should have me blowing Anderson if they want anything believable."

Hunter rolls his eyes and decides to be more direct about what he does know. "That's what I was thinking – until I saw you at the Lima Bean with her multiple times."

"You were following me?" Sebastian bursts, his head snapping up to glare at Hunter.

"Yes," Hunter admits unapologetically. "You've been edgy and distracted ever since Sectionals and I want to know why." He crosses his arms and glares at Sebastian. Enough is enough, and clearly Sebastian isn't handling whatever has been bothering him.

"None of your damn business," Sebastian sneers, shoving his papers and textbook in his bag.

Hunter marches over to Sebastian and yanks his bag out of his hands. He tosses it away and boxes Sebastian against his desk. He had finally begun this conversation and he and Sebastian are damn well going to see it through.

"Fuck off," Sebastian hisses, trying to shove Hunter away.

"No. Not until you explain why you're secretly rendezvousing with that public school girl who collapsed," Hunter bites in reply, staying in Sebastian's space. He needs to know what's going on, especially if it involves New Directions. He doesn't like surprises.

"None of your business."

"Wrong," Hunter corrects. "You're my roommate and my Warbler. Now explain." He stares down Sebastian, hating that in this moment he has to be so stubborn. When Sebastian remains silent Hunter continues, "It had better not be because you bribed her to collapse so that New Directions would be disqualified." It had been the only thing he could come up with, and he hates that it's semi-believable.

"I didn't," Sebastian argues immediately and Hunter's stomach unknots. "I fucking didn't and if anyone says that I did – "

"No one is saying that yet," Hunter interrupts. "But you had better explain yourself right now because there's no other reason you would be talking to her." He stops the smirk from forming on his face when he sees Sebastian lean back against the desk, the sign of defeat.

"It has nothing to do with you," Sebastian weakly argues.

"Stop it with the bullshit and just tell me," Hunter orders and Sebastian finally obeys.

"She…Marley. She collapsed because she's anorexic," Sebastian finally lets out, running his hands through his hair and not looking at Hunter.

"I see," Hunter responds, though he really doesn't.

"Look, after last year and all the crap I pulled," Sebastian explains, scrubbing his face, "I couldn't sit back and let her continue. Fucking guilt and regret and all that shit."

"So you decided it was your responsibility to meet up and make sure she has someone to talk about her feelings and her hatred of food with," Hunter deadpans, his eyebrow raised. He knows the story of last year – the Warblers' factual version filled in with tidbits that Sebastian's has dropped. He does know that Sebastian still occasionally wallows in guilt about it, but he doesn't see the connection to the anorexic girl.

"Shut up! You don't get it," Sebastian bites out. He pushes himself off the desk and tries to storm past Hunter, but Hunter grabs his arm and shoves him back on the desk.

"Finish," Hunter orders. He steels himself for what's going to come next.

Sebastian stares Hunter directly in the eyes as he sneers, "We bond over our mutual 'hatred of food,' as you say."

Hunter feels like he's been punched in the gut but fortunately his face remains impassive. "You're anorexic," he manages to state without any inflection. His eyes rake over Sebastian's body. He looks healthy…though definitely on the skinny side. Has he missed something? He rooms with the guy.

"I'm fine," Sebastian assures heatedly.

The pieces are starting to fall into place, though. How ever since Sectionals, Sebastian is always especially antsy at meal times, how he stares at his food, the anxiety after workouts. Hunter had even caught him on Hunter's scale in the bathroom (looking very guilty when caught) when Sebastian had previously thrown a fit about there even being one in there. "Which is why you stared at the Snickers bar Nick passed out at lunch yesterday for five minutes before eating it," Hunter rejoins.

"I ate it, didn't I?" Sebastian argues, crossing his arms and looking away.

"Answer me straight, Sebastian – are you anorexic?" Hunter presses.

"Not straight," Sebastian replies, but at Hunter's continued glare rolls his eyes. "No. I mean, I was before but then I 'recovered,'" he continues.

Hunter lets out a quiet sigh of relief. He hasn't missed his roommate and Warbler becoming anorexic on his watch. "And now?"

"God, you're worse than my mother," Sebastian whines but Hunter is unimpressed. "I'm fine."

He evaluates Sebastian for a moment, wondering if Sebastian is telling him the truth. Time will tell, he decides. "Good," he says and walks back to his side of the room. "Do the Warblers know?" he asks as he lounges on his bed and grabs his laptop.

"No. And they won't find out either," Sebastian warns.

Hunter nods in agreement. He doesn't need the Warbler's help since he and Sebastian have the same lunch hour and also eat dinner together after rehearsal. He knows he'll have to do some research on anorexia, the recovery, and probably some nutrition information later but for now pulls up his online French homework. He doesn't want to chance Sebastian getting a look at his screen and see what he's doing.

"Good. The last thing I need anyone watching me every time I eat," Sebastian mutters as he goes and gathers up his bag from where Hunter threw it.

"If you think I'm not going to make sure you're eating then you're an idiot."

"I don't need you watching me. I'm fine," Sebastian snaps.

Hunter looks at him, his gaze cool. "I took over Captain of the Warblers because you can't control other people. Apparently, you also can't control your eating habits very well either so I'll take over that too."

Obviously Sebastian was able to handle his recovery to a certain degree, but no doubt this New Directions girl starting him second guessing himself. Hunter knows Sebastian has been eating, but clearly Sebastian is worried about potentially relapsing or potentially even gaining weight by overeating. Hunter isn't about to let either happen.

"Fuck off, Hunter! The whole thing started about control. You think taking it away is going to help?"

Hunter stops, thrown by the information. If making sure Sebastian eats is only going to make everything worse – what the hell can he do?

"Look," Sebastian sighs. "Can you just – just forget about all of this? I'm fine. Seriously."

No, he can't. Even if he could forget everything that Sebastian has told him he wouldn't – not knowing that if he does 'forget' he might miss a sign that Sebastian is relapsing.

"Fine," Hunter finally says. "Handle it however you want. But if I notice that something is weird, I'm calling your parents." Before Sebastian can come up with a defensive retort, Hunter continues, "Now come help me with my French homework."

There's a beat of awkward silence as they both adjust to the change in topic.

"God you're hopeless," Sebastian huffs but comes over to Hunters bed and plops down next to him. He's a little more patient than normal in translating Hunter's basic French dialogue and helping him through the exercises which Hunter desperately needs as he is only half concentrating on the homework.

His mind is whirling with Sebastian's revelation, trying to actually understand. Nothing has really changed, but it feels like everything has shifted.

"Hunter! Focus," Sebastian orders.

"I am," Hunter replies in French, just to cover himself. He looks away from Sebastian back to his computer. Hopefully looking at the screen instead will help him focus more on the French words than on what Sebastian just told him.

He just wants Sebastian to be okay. He needs Sebastian to be okay.