Summary: Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson, Rachel Berry, Nick Duvall, Jeff Sterling, and Elliott Gilbert make up Pamela Lansbury, a rock/pop band that hit it big after their first single was featured on popular tv-show Sing. A little over two years later the band is still dealing with the pressures of fame, their differing dreams, their fans, "shippers", and finding love.
Author's note: Unexpected postage of chapter! But I bet you're all happy that this happened.
So I actually wrote a lot over the past couple of days and managed to finish this and start on the next chapter. I should add that I see this one as a bit filler.
And I wasn't planning on posting today mostly because I had no time, but I somehow managed to procure an extra hour before having to head to work so posting! enjoy.
Chapter Nine
Mystery man revealed and all you Klainers can be relived.
Last week it was reported that Kurt Hummel (from Pamela Lansbury)'s friend from a few months back had been spotted at Pamela Lansbury's after show celebration. While speculation arose that Kurt might have finally found a boyfriend, it turns out that this mystery male is just a part of the crew.
His name is Sebastian Smythe, and a little research has shown us that Sebastian went to high school with three of the boys of Pamela Lansbury. That's right, he was a Warbler! The Warblers being of course the show choir from the alma mater of Blaine Anderson, Jeff Sterling, Nick Duval, Dalton Academy. Of course we can't forget that the boy's manager Wes Montgomery also attended Dalton Academy.
No one knows for sure what Sebastian's job is, but the connection to the band is obvious. What we do know is that he and Kurt seemed awfully cozy a few months back while dancing at the HK Lounge in Manhattan but that they haven't been seen together since, not even when the boys took to partying after their gig at the Gillette Stadium where most of the rest of their crew was seen including their stylist, personal assistant, a few of their security people, as well as other friends. He also has not been seen at the concerts? Perhaps his work lies behind the scenes? Any attempt at an answer from the boys or their reps has left us with a blank.
So, we're calling the little rumor that Kurt might possibly have a boyfriend false speculation. Indeed they all claimed to be single when speaking to MTV after their NYC show and we're wont to believe them even if that means also accepting that Kurt and Blaine may not be together? But hope for the ship to sail is not extinguished yet.
Thoughts? Reactions?
Klaine5eva: Did I not call this? Of course this Sebastian guy works for them. We'd know if Kurt really had a boyfriend #well we do #it's blaine
PLislife: Oh, so he was a Warbler? Explains how Kurt knew him? Maybe.
HummelAnderson: So is he security, then? I mean…Puck's been around too right? Maybe they got more security?
NiffKlainer: He's really small for security isn't he? Like I could probably punch him and he'd go down and I'm only 5'4.
AndersonHummel: Nothing to worry about. Klaine is just as strong as ever.
Klaine5eva: Ha. As if Kurt would get with that. Not when Blaine exists. #klaine is life
"Hey, kiddo," his dad said and Kurt couldn't help but smile, "show last night go good?"
Kurt settled against the cushions on the couch. They were on the move again and for some reason that couldn't be explained to Kurt, he had woken up way too early. So early that they hadn't even arrived at their destination yet, but a glance at his phone had told him it was still a good time to call his dad who had always been a bit of a morning person. It was a result of years of having to wake up way much too early to get his shop open.
"It was, yeah," Kurt said, "and I can't wait to see you guys in a few days. We've all been looking forward to the Columbus show."
"We're excited too," Burt said, "Carole was actually talking to Pam the other day and we were thinking of having a little party over at her house with some of your friends from here and the Duvalls and Sterlings."
"Oh," Kurt said, "that sounds fun. Wes made sure we had a few days to be in Ohio so that's good. He and David said they were going to try and fly out to meet us."
Kurt heard someone else moving from over by the cots, but he made no move to get up and see who it was.
"He's good, Wes," Burt said.
"Yeah," Kurt said, "they're um, they're trying to get us a small tour in Europe for after the album is released. I think the label is hoping for a full world tour actually, but who knows."
Kurt waited for his dad to answer, but he could hear him walking around the kitchen back at their house in Lima so he knew it was possible he had just gotten distracted.
"Is that what you want, Kurt?"
"I want to continue being in this band," Kurt said, "I love it. I'm having such an amazing time. So, I think so. I mean, it would be huge. I mean we're pretty big, I guess, we have following and we're selling out a lot of venues. Wes has us booked for a couple of stadiums actually which is insane to think we're selling enough tickets for that. I guess it's one thing to know we also have fans in other countries because we do, but we don't know if we'd have the same interest in concerts there or whatever. So we'll see what happens, I guess."
"I'm so proud of you, Kurt," his dad said, "and I really can't wait to see you. But, I do have to go. So we'll see you in a few days, alright?"
"Yeah, of course. Love you."
"Love you too."
He hung up and dropped his phone on the cushion next to him. He really couldn't remember if there had been anything else he needed to talk to his dad about. Mostly it had been nice to hear his voice and to keep him up to date.
"Hey, Kurt," Nick said.
He was shirtless but had pajama bottoms on and stretching his arms over his head.
"Morning," Kurt said, "did I wake you?"
Nick shook his head. "You know how I am about sleeping on the bus," he said, "I can't wait until we're in Ohio and I can get a proper bed."
The plan wasn't for them to sleep on the bus every night. In fact, they had driven to Boston after their concert at Foxborough and stayed at a hotel that night and then spent the next day relaxing at the hotel and doing a bit of sightseeing before a quick dinner and loading back onto the bus so they could head to Buffalo for a show the next night. Now they were headed to Pittsburgh but they weren't going to be staying at a hotel afterwards because they wanted as much time as possible in Ohio and that was their next destination.
Wes had booked them hotel rooms in Columbus, but Kurt doubted that he would use his room aside from the night of the Columbus show if he was too tired to head back to Lima.
"I'm looking forward to that too," he told Nick, "but mostly to see my dad."
Nick grinned. "Yeah, I can't wait to see my mom and my sisters."
Nick dropped into the seat next to Kurt after he'd finished stretching out his legs.
"How long do you think the others are going to sleep for?"
"Jeff until we wake him," Kurt said, "and I'm not convinced that Elliott is asleep. Blaine will probably be up soon though. He fell asleep before any of us."
Nick nodded. "You're right. I've sort of missed the closeness of being on tour. It was a bit different being in New York even when we saw each other constantly."
"Yup," Kurt said, "if we do end up doing the extended tour in Europe and stuff we're going to get so sick of each other."
Nick laughed but he shook his head. "I don't think so," he said, "we kind of fit, right, I don't think we'd get that sick of each other."
"Yeah, maybe not. So, did Elliott fill you in on my plan for Sebastian at the show tonight?"
Nick shook his head. "No, but there is a plan?"
He shifted into a better position to face Kurt and rubbed his hands together. "I'm so excited for this. I mean, seeing him run around at the Gillette when he thought he'd actually lost our instruments was genius. A little mean considering, but he was actually on the phone trying to find replacements."
Kurt grinned. It had been a plan that Kurt didn't think would actually work. As tour manager, Sebastian was expected to make sure everything was running smoothly. That meant mostly keeping track that set up for the show was done the way they wanted it, that all the equipment was working, and to some extent he was also in charge of making sure that all five of them made it on stage on time. Kurt had managed to convince a few of the crew to hide Blaine's guitar, the keyboard, and even Jeff's drums. Had the crew not been as reluctant to like Sebastian as they were, Kurt was sure that none of it would have gone to plan. As it was, they had all been sending Sebastian on wild goose chases after instruments that were perfectly safe but just hidden from sight.
Eventually Elliott had taken pity on him and show him where they were, but seeing Sebastian run around frustrated and concerned that the show wouldn't go on as expected, well, that had been pretty amusing for Kurt and the rest of the band.
"He should have known better," Kurt said, "I mean he knows we don't like him. He knows our crew doesn't like him. If he were nicer to the people that are doing everything to make our lives less difficult they might have given in to him."
"Hey, I'm not the one that was mad about that," Nick said, "I'm all for making Sebastian's job as hard as possible."
"And that's why I like you," Kurt said, "and I still want to know why you dislike Sebastian so much."
Kurt had been trying to get Jeff and Nick alike to tell him about why they hated Sebastian aside from the obvious, that he was a jerk.
"Mostly just Dalton stuff," Nick said, "Warbler stuff."
Kurt settled him with a look but Nick wouldn't budge and Kurt could tell that there was a story there. He'd just need to more time to pry it out of Nick or to get Jeff to tell him. He knew that Blaine also didn't seem to have any idea as to where the grudge had grown from, but then Blaine had also been a bit oblivious back in those days.
"So what are we doing tonight?"
"I actually had a few ideas," Kurt said with a grin and began explaining.
By the time he was done, Nick was grinning back at him and Blaine had appeared. His hair was in true disarray but it wasn't something neither Nick or Kurt had seen before, but his nose was also a little red and immediately after stepping into the front area of the bus, he coughed.
"Are you sick?" Nick asked at once.
Blaine shook his head. "No," he said and shook his head, "definitely not sick."
He coughed again and Kurt winced.
"You are," he said, "and first things first, you can't get your germs on any of us. We're going to need those surgical masks and lots of hand sanitizer. And, Blaine, you need to get back in your cot."
Blaine pouted at them. "It's not comfortable," he said, "I can't even sleep."
Kurt stood up and gingerly touched his shoulders and turned him around and then pushed him back the way he came.
"It's for your own good and the band's own good. We can't have you getting the rest of us sick or getting worse. We should be stopping in about an hour. Do me a favor, and when Sebastian inevitably comes in here to confirm, sneeze or cough on him and get him really sick."
Blaine tried to laugh, but he coughed instead. "Kurt," he said in a whining noise that Kurt couldn't help but find endearing.
Kurt let him settle back down into the cot before he pressed his hand against Blaine's forehead to feel if he was warm and Blaine made a noise at the contact, raising his hand to press against Kurt's to keep it there.
"Might be a fever," Kurt said, "you're feeling a little bit warm."
He turned his hand so it was the back of it instead of his palm feeling his forehead and nodded to himself.
"Might be the beginning of one anyway. I'll be right back. I'll check what we have for colds."
Blaine nodded and coughed again.
"You have to call Sebastian," Nick said when Kurt got back, "he's the one we have to tell all things considered."
"I know," Kurt said, "which is why we're waking up Elliott and having him do it because he's the least involved in that whole mess."
"Good idea. I'll go get him and Jeff up, then," Nick said, "and I couldn't find surgical masks."
Kurt shrugged his shoulders. "That was half a joke. Could be useful though."
Most of the drawers and cupboards were locked so that they didn't open and send things flying out while they were driving, so Kurt had to deal with the locking mechanism before he could get into any of the cupboards that might have something to help Blaine. It took him a while but eventually he found a box with DayQuil and figured it would do for the moment at least to hold the symptoms at bay.
He took the box and a bottle of water to Blaine and then found Elliott and Nick who were clearly in the middle of the call to Sebastian.
"Woke him up," Nick said, "don't think he was too happy."
Kurt grinned.
"We're calling you because you need to get the doctor to check him out. We have a show tonight, Sebastian, and it won't be the same if Blaine doesn't have a voice. You're the tour manager. You're supposed to deal with these things," Elliott said and then hung up.
"What did he say?" Kurt asked.
Elliott who was seated on their very comfortable couch grinned. "Well, he didn't answer for the longest time and then when he did you could tell he was pissed to be woken up. So, he kept asking why we weren't calling Wes or getting the doctor ourselves or having someone else deal with it."
Nick snorted. "It's like he didn't read his job description."
Kurt who had been about to ask more suddenly paused because that was it, wasn't it? Wes and David had mostly decided on Sebastian because they knew who he was and out of desperation that no one was qualified to handle the job. They had never tried to be underfoot for their crew, respectful enough that they had a lot to do and all of it for them, but other bands weren't always so helpful.
"Guys," he said, "that's it, isn't it? We've been trying to get Sebastian to mess up, but what if we just make him do his job."
"What are you talking about, Kurt?"
Kurt smirked. "We're too accommodating," he said, "we show up on time, we never have ridiculous demands, the other day we literally helped move things around on stage. I think it's time we let Sebastian truly manage this tour."
"Wes is going to kill us," Nick said.
Kurt shrugged. "Wes is too busy with all the band stuff to really pay attention to this Sebastian thing."
"I don't know, guys," Elliott said, "I mean, Sebastian is just going to be horrible to the crew of people we like, isn't he? They're going to get the grunt of it."
Kurt pursed his lips slowly. He hadn't really considered those ramifications and yet he knew that he would think of a way around that.
A World Tour for PL
A little birdie has let it slip that during all these talks for even more added dates on an already crowded tour across America that the band has set sights on going abroad. We have no word from their representatives yet but the possibility of having Pamela Lansbury at a stage outside of the U.S. and Canada is exciting enough.
Pamela Lansbury is currently at the beginning of their second American tour following the departure of one of their lead singers, Rachel Berry (who will be starring on Broadway in just a few weeks). Right before going on tour the band announced a new album though the release date is yet to be announced.
Their almost sold out tour is going well so far despite the missing member. In fact, some say, the band is better than ever which makes us think that the world tour is only inevitable.
Tonight they will be playing at the AJ Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh.
PLBerry: World tour? OMG. OMG. No, but…ainbdshnkl guys, you don't know what that…if that happens I might see the boys #even from Narnia
Klainefan: This better be true. So excited for them
Singfan: Who's going to be at the Palumbo tonight? #aside from me?
Klaine5eva: So if this happens how much bigger do you think they're going to be? Oh, I'm so happy for them. They deserve this so much.
NiffKlainer: How is this tour not sold out already anyway?
HummelAnderson: Because they keep adding dates so they're technically not sold out.
NiffKlainer: Makes sense, makes sense.
Starchildismine: I love how everyone agrees that they are much better without Rachel. #it's true #she was too much of a spotlight hog
AveryPamLanfan: WORLD TOUR. Have to start saving up ASAP. But only once I get my feels in check.
Author's Note: As a slight preview of next chapter: we will see a lot of Rachel...
I'm on tumblr at inawickedlittletown if you'd like to follow me there. I usually post writing progress updates there. Next week I will also be featured on Author Spotlight starting on Monday so if you want to know more about me and my writing process be sure to check that out. I'm sure I'll be linking it to my tumblr.
Hope you all enjoyed this and thank you for reading.