A/N: Thank you guys so much for all the support! :D I know earlier on I said this story would only be about ten chapters, but it has taken on a mind of its own and is now looking to be nearer to 15. So, hopefully you find that to be a good thing.
Another chapter, another day. While some days are the cause of suffering, this story always brings a smile to my face. As does all the alerts/favorites it brings. I'm back in school now so updates will be more sporadic, unfortunately. i apologize for the horrific time between updates and the probable lameness of this chapter.
Question: Do you guys just not like reviewing or is it something else? I'm not technically saying this as an indirect way of begging for reviews; I'm sincerely curious. One of my other stories is a few chapters shorter than this at the moment but has three times the reviews. So, I was mostly just curious.
Anyway… thank you for dealing with my annoying author's notes at the beginning and ending of every chapter, if you even read them. Without further ado, here is the next chapter.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the song "Animal," whether it be the Neon Trees or the Warblers version.
By the time Kurt and Blaine made their appearance in the music hall's common room where Warbler meetings were held, the room was already filled with chattering students and a pacing Wes. David and Thad sat quietly at an old oak table, one Kurt was sure was the same one the council had always used. Kurt tried to inconspicuously smooth his disheveled hair and cool his still slightly overheated body. Blaine, however, made no such attempts. Unlike Kurt, Blaine's appearance was not a top priority. And besides, in Blaine's opinion, his hair didn't look much different than its normal untamable curls. As the door abruptly shut behind them, all eyes turned to the just arrived couple.
"Nice of you two to finally join us," Wes quipped. A cheeky firmly intact, Wes pointed to the only remaining seat.
Kurt noticed that it just so happened to be an armchair designed for only a single inhabitant. He shot Wes a pointed glare that would have had Finn shaking. Wes, on the other hand, merely raised a hand in the direction of the armchair, silently gesturing for Kurt to take a seat. Kurt huffed. Some things would never change. As Kurt tugged his fiancé to the available seat, he glared fiercely at Wes and noticed something being firmly held in the former Warbler council member's right hand. Oh my Gaga, Kurt thought amusedly, is that his old gavel? Before Kurt could comment or make certain he was seeing things correctly, he felt his body being tugged down into Blaine's lap.
"Now that everyone is here," Wes' speech was interrupted by Thad and David's quiet giggling, which was soon silenced. "I'll officially begin this meeting by introducing myself. My name is Wesley Montgomery, but my friends call me Wes. I used to be the head council member for the Warblers during my senior year here at Dalton. These two idiots over here," he said as he pointed in David and Thad's direction, "were also on the council with me. The one sitting to the left is David Thompson and the one on the right is Thaddeus Blake, more commonly known as Thad." (Hopefully their last names flow well enough…)
"Is it true that you guys almost made it to Nationals that year?" a boy with bright green eyes and messy black hair asked animatedly.
"Yes, Harry, it is. We probably would have made it if we had still had Kurt with us."
Kurt blushed at the obvious praise. He buried his face in the crook of Blaine's neck when some of the kids looked in his direction. A few of the students actually gasped in awe as they realized the magnitude of having Kurt in their presence. Three, not that he was counting.
"Don't forget me," Blaine said jokingly as he rubbed circles into Kurt's back.
"Oh, right." Wes chuckled as Blaine glared. "Today we have the honor of not only the one and only Kurt Hummel in our midst, but also the semi-talented Blaine Anderson."
The mention of Blaine's name elicited a few gasps of its own. Five to be exact, but it wasn't as if Blaine was counting. Blaine then smiled smugly at an annoyed Wes, who had yet to receive any gasps. As of yet, Blaine was winning their little bet.
"You mean the Blaine Anderson? The one who always had all those awesome solos?" a young boy, probably a freshman, with dark brown eyes and matching spiky hair gushed as he glanced sideways in Blaine's direction.
Wes sighed, torn between amusement and annoyance. "Yes, that would be the one."
A short boy turned to Blaine and said breathlessly, "My sister saw you at Six Flags one summer. She said your voice was totally awesome."
Kurt snorted daintily from his position in Blaine's lap. He still found his fiancé's summer job to be quite funny. Although it would definitely be interesting to see…
"Thank you," Blaine replied modestly. Wes, however, had a different idea in mind. To humiliate.
"Oh, really?" Wes inquired interestedly despite Blaine's fervent glares. "Did you sister say which song he performed?"
"I think it was Teenage Dream."
"Of course it was," was Wes' response. Kurt found himself snorting again as Blaine's cheeks flushed deeply. He was sure his fiancé muttered something akin to, "Fuck you, Wesley," under his breath so quietly that only the couple themselves could hear. "That just so happens to be one of Blaine's absolute favorite songs nowadays, right, Blaine?"
"Shut up, Wes."
"Aw, cmon. Relax. Maybe you and Kurt would like to perform something for us, hmm? I'm sure our fellow Warblers would enjoy that." Wes turned to the crowd of excited students. "Right, guys?"
The question was met with an overpowering chorus of cheers and applause. Kurt, who had never been one to turn down the opportunity to perform for an audience in the first place, stood and said with a confident air, "Sure, why not?" he held out a hand to Blaine in invitation and asked, "Baby It's Cold Outside or Animal?"
Blaine took Kurt's hand and pulled himself into a standing position beside his fiancé. "Definitely Animal," he replied. "Wes, David and Thad can sing some backup as a bonus." He turned around to face the sea of thrilled students behind him. "You guys feel free to harmonize too if you're comfortable enough with the song."
His request was met with multiple bobbing heads. Blaine recognized the two boys from earlier sitting together on the same couch that Kurt had been most fond of in their Warbler days and smiled to himself. He poked Kurt's side to gain his attention and then subtly gestured in the direction of the two boys. Kurt's face broke into a wide smile and he began walking over toward the two, Blaine following.
The two Dalton boys sat closely together, hands grasped tightly in between their bodies. Kurt had officially dubbed them one of the cutest couples he had ever seen, second to only Sam and Mercedes' short romance. They eerily reminded Kurt of Nick and Jeff from the days when he and Blaine had been Warblers themselves.
They boy sitting on the left had golden blond hair and dark blue eyes, while the boy to the right sported dark brown locks and glinting hazel eyes. The couple was so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice Kurt approaching them with Blaine close behind. Blaine silently wrapped his arms back around Kurt's waist and the two shared an amused smile as they watched the so obviously in love couple before them. They were an inspiration, one Kurt wished the whole world could see and understand. After a few seconds, Kurt pointedly cleared his throat.
The two boys on the couch sprang apart, looking guiltily toward Kurt. "We're so sorry," the couple chorused in unison; the brunette's cheeks flushed a deep crimson but the blond looking anything but sorry with the sly grin that covered his features.
"It's no problem," Kurt assured the young couple. "My fiancé and I are no strangers to getting lost in each other. Right, Blaine?"
"Too true, babe," Blaine replied amusedly. He smiled as the students' cheeks darkened further. "What are your names?"
"I'm Dylan, Dylan Alexander," the blond answered. The brunette merely hid his face in the crook of the blonde's neck. "And this shy guy here is my boyfriend, Lysander. Lysander Williams."
"Well, hello to you both."
"If I may say so, you two make an absolutely adorable couple," Kurt gushed.
"Thank you," the boy named Lysander replied quietly from his hiding space.
"We were wondering if you'd perhaps like to sing with us."
"Yeah, would you be interested?" Kurt asked kindly.
"That would be amazing," the boy named Dylan replied excitedly. Lysander nodded enthusiastically.
"Great," Blaine smiled. "Come on up there with us then."
The quartet made their way back to the center of the room, facing the students bouncing in their seats. Kurt grasped Lysander's arm and pulled him in one direction while Blaine and Dylan walked the other way. Both teams had a bit of a pow-wow that the rest of the room tried desperately to overhear to no avail. After about five minutes of quiet strategizing, the two couples resumed their places in the center of the room. Kurt looked over his shoulder and motioned for Wes, David and Thad to begin the melody.
[[Blaine and Dylan (bold). Kurt and Lysander (italics). Both sets (bold italics).]]
Here we go again
I kinda wanna be more than friends
So take it easy on me
I'm afraid you're never satisfied
Blaine looked pointedly at Kurt, who winked saucily before taking his verse.
Here we go again
We're sick like animals
We play pretend
You're just a cannibal and I'm afraid I won't get out alive
No I won't sleep tonight
Blaine and Kurt pushed Dylan and Lysander forward, encouraging them to get into the song.
Oh, oh, I want some more
Oh, oh, what are you waiting for?
Take a bite of my heart tonight
Oh, oh, I want some more
Oh, oh, what are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
Take a bite of my heart tonight
Kurt pointed to his heart and used his hands to make a snapping gesture. Blaine chuckled before taking his verse.
Here we are again
I feel the chemicals kicking in
It's getting heavy
And I wanna run and hide
I wanna run and hide
I do it every time
You're killing me now
It seemed Lysander and Dylan were getting quite comfortable seeing as they were now spinning each other and singing loudly.
And I won't be denied by you
The animal inside of you
Oh, oh, I want some more
Oh, oh, what are you waiting for?
Take a bite of my heart tonight.
Oh, oh, I want some more
Oh, oh, what are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
Say goodbye to my heart tonight
Blaine took the lead as Kurt, Lysander and Dylan harmonized quietly.
Hush, hush the world is quiet
Hush, hush we both can't fight it
It's us that made this mess
Why can't you understand?
Oh, I won't sleep tonight
The four looked at each other before dashing into the audience and pulling a willing student into an exuberant dance. The other students sang along as they danced in their seats.
Oh, oh, I want some more
Oh, oh, what are you waiting for?
Take a bite of my heart tonight.
Oh, oh, I want some more
Oh, oh, what are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for? What are you waiting…
Here we go again(oh oh)
Here we go again(oh oh)
Here we go again(oh oh)
Take a bite of my heart tonight
Oh, oh, I want some more
Oh, oh, what are you waiting for?
Take a bite of my heart tonight.
Oh, oh, I want some more
Oh, oh, what are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
Take a bite of my heart tonight.
By the time the song was finished, every person in the room was gasping for breath while simultaneously enjoyed the aftereffects of singing and dancing so wildly. After a few seconds the room burst in applause and cheers. Kurt, Blaine, Dylan, and Lysander took a bow before returning to their previous seats.
Wes banged his gavel on the podium he now stood behind, bringing the room to order and refocusing everyone's attention. I knew that was his gavel, Kurt thought triumphantly. What was it that he named the thing? Molly? No, that wasn't it. Amy? No, not that either… I know it was something that ended in y…
"Warbler Kurt? If you're done with your musings, may we continue?" Kurt jumped at the sound of Wes' voice pulling him from his thoughts. Feeling like a chastised child, Kurt embarrassedly nodded his head. David and Thad snickered from their seats. "Thank you. Now, while I understand that our impromptu performance was amazing and worthy of hours of praise, we have some things to discuss." Wes motioned for David to rise and join him at the podium, which David did quickly, a huge smile noticeable on his features.
"Thanks Wes." He faced the crowd of expectant students and his eyes visibly softened with either pride or affection, maybe both. "As Wes pointed out earlier, my name is David Thompson. My days as a Warbler were some of the best of my life and I hope by the time you leave Dalton you'll be able to say the same. The Dean of Students asked us to come here and inspire you to be as great as we were, but seeing you all now I don't think that's necessary. You all exude a confidence and flair that would make any school proud. So my words of advice are simple: sing proudly, remember sportsmanship, and try to refrain from jumping on furniture."
"Hey!" Blaine exclaimed indignantly, earning chuckles around the room. "I would like to point out that you used to say you enjoyed that. You're just jealous of my furniture dancing skills."
"Blaine, if anyone was jealous of your dancing it was Wes, not me."
"I resent that."
"Anyway," Wes interjected, "the point of David's speech is to be totally awesome. Thad, have any words you want to share?"
Thad joined Wes and David behind the podium. It was a tight fit for the three of them, standing shoulder to shoulder, so Thad elbowed Wes to get him to move. This action spurred a short scuffle, Thad being victorious. David hauled an irritated Wes back to the table and sat him down. Kurt couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculous pout of Wes' face as David talked him down from his fury.
"Fellow Warblers," Thad began, "my name is Thad. I don't have some sappy speech written up for this, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. The Warblers are more than just a show choir, we're a family. If one of you has a problem, you all do. Remember that. The friends you make in this room could very well become people you stay in touch with for the rest of your lives. Enjoy this time while you can. Don't let drama bring you down. If something's bothering you, sing about it. If you have your eye on a special someone, sing about it." At this point Thad sent a meaningful glance at Kurt and Blaine who were currently snuggling in their seat and unconsciously holding the other's hand. "I guess my point is, don't be afraid to be who you are. No one will judge you here. And don't forget to win us some trophies!" Thad bowed as the others in the room clapped and he then motioned for Kurt and Blaine to take the floor.
Kurt stood and extended his hand to Blaine. Blaine took it with a smile and, together, the couple made their way to the podium. They shared a quick kiss to catcalls and wolf-whistles from Wes and David. Kurt signaled for Blaine to go first.
"Hey guys, so like David and Thad said earlier, the Warblers days were some of the best in my life. Second only to meeting the man standing beside me, which I must point out was due to my being a Warbler." Blaine smiled dazzlingly at his fiancé before continuing. "As far as inspiring you goes, I don't really have much to say other than I'm sure you guys are all more than talented. Kurt?"
"First off, I must agree with my fiancé that being a Warbler was an amazing stage in my life. I transferred to Dalton for a bit because I was being bullied at my public school to the point that I was afraid for my life. I came here without really knowing what to expect. Of course Blaine told me that it was a great school and everyone was nice, etc. And yes Wes and David were really good to me when I first met them and basically asked if they were gay too," the aforementioned men chuckled good-naturedly while Kurt continued, "but I still was a bit apprehensive at first. I was nervous about trying to fit in here, I wasn't sure how things worked in the Warblers, and I really missed the closeness I had had with my other friends. But through it all, I had Blaine by my side. There were some times when I wanted to throttle him for his obliviousness… to be honest there are still some times I wish to do just that, but I digress." The last sentence had the room of Warblers guffawing, other than Blaine who was bashfully looking down at his shoes. "I guess my point is that no matter who you are or what people say about you, don't let it affect you. Stand tall, sing loudly, and always be proud of your accomplishments. Someone somewhere loves you for exactly who you are. Don't feel like you have to change who you are. And if any of you ever need someone to talk to, someone who won't just pretend to care but someone who will actually listen, know that I'm open for anyone who needs a confidant."
By the time Kurt was finished with his speech, nearly the entire room was in tears. He had spoken with such raw emotion and sincerity and Kurt felt tears pushing at the corners of his eyes. He looked out to see silently sobbing Lysander being held protectively by a loving Dylan. A smile flashed on Kurt's face when he saw some of the students lock eyes with him and nod. Kurt was happy to know that he had such an impact on the boys. He never wanted anyone to go through what he went through. He didn't want any boy, gay or straight, to feel trapped or as if they had no one to talk to, no one who cared. Kurt was adamant in his belief that everyone in the world, no matter how tough they appeared, had their fragile moments. Santana and Karofsky were prime examples. And Kurt had been there for both teens in some of their darkest moments, although somewhat unwillingly at first is Dave Karofsky's case.
Kurt felt an arm wrap comfortingly around his waist and he leaned into Blaine's hold contently. If only there was a Blaine out there for everyone…
"Alright, Warblers," Wes spoke, hitting the table at which he sat with his trusty gavel to dispel any lingering noise. "The whole point of this visit was to get you hyped up on a positive note, not crying your eyes out," he joked. He received a few gurgled chuckles and took it as a good sign. "Who wants to tell us about the last song you guys have been working on?"
Soon the room was filled with excited chatter as the group of students discussed their current set list with the Warblers veterans. David discussed choreography with the boy named Harry that had addressed Wes earlier concerning their almost win. Thad was joking around with a group of students who looked to be sophomores. Wes was talking with who Kurt assumed to be the leader of the group nowadays. With a shared look only close friends could pull off, Kurt and Blaine mutually agreed to talk with Lysander and Dylan some more.
They looked around the room to find the couple they were searching for standing quietly in a corner of the room. The affianced couple walked toward the two boys they had quickly become attached to and announced their appearance as to not completely invade the younger couple's private moment.
"Oh, hi," Lysander said affably. "You guys were great."
"So were you two," Kurt returned sincerely.
"Kurt, your voice was so incredible. I mean, you have such a range," Dylan said in admiration. "Blaine, your voice was really great, too."
"Thank you," Blaine replied for the both of them. "You two harmonize really well together. Match made in Heaven, huh?"
Dylan wrapped his arm around Lysander's shoulder and pulled his boyfriend close. "I sure hope so," he replied confidently.
"Why don't we sit down and you can tell us all about yourselves?" Kurt suggested.
"Sounds fun," Dylan agreed enthusiastically. "What do you think, Sander?"
Lysander nodded his assent. "There's a few empty couches over there," he observed, pointing out said couches as he spoke.
The quartet made their way toward the available seats and arranged themselves comfortably. They sat in silence for a few seconds before launching into a conversation about each of their pasts. Blaine learned all about Kurt's multiple adventures at McKinley. Kurt learned all about Blaine's family relationships. And the both of them learned all about Lysander's accepting family and Dylan's not-so-accepting one. They learned about Lysander's love of cooking and painting along with Dylan's interest in skateboarding and playing guitar.
By the time the Warbler vets had to be on their way three hours later, Kurt had set up a date with Lysander to shop and swap recipes while Blaine had set up a day to hang out with Dylan and help him out with learning a new song on guitar. The small group of four exchanged numbers and promised to keep in touch and hang out all together again sometime soon.
A/N: I was originally going to put in Lysander and Dylan's life stories, but honestly just really didn't feel up to it. This chapter is a bit longer than the last one, so hopefully that'll make up for anything disappointing in this or the last chapter.
Are there any of you that would prefer to know Dylan's and/or Lysander's backgrounds more in depth? If so, just let me know and I'll incorporate it into a future chapter.
Questions? Comments? Criticism? Suggestions? Just let me know.
See you all next chapter. *lessthanthree*