Disclaimer-Yeah, I still don't own Glee, it sucks, but I'm managing to cope
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Chapter 9
Upon seeing Sebastian's beaten form, the first thing Jesse did was double over laughing, Blaine shooting him a reproachful glare for doing so.
"That's a great look for you, Bas," Jesse joked, "seriously; I've never seen you look so stunningly gorgeous. That bruising really brings out the colour of your eyes."
"Jesse, it isn't funny," Blaine reprimanded taking a step closer to Sebastian and surveying his injuries more closely.
"No, it's hilarious," Jesse guffawed, "please tell me that Kurt did that."
"Well he certainly had something to do with it," Sebastian replied and Jesse's eyes glimmered happily at the news.
"I knew it," Jesse claimed, "Kurt kicked your ass. I knew I really liked that boy. Wow, he can sure throw one impressive punch. Now come on, Casanova, tell us why he did it."
"I didn't," Kurt answered from behind Jesse.
"So what happened?" Blaine asked as he and Jesse looked to Kurt for an explanation while Sebastian stared at the floor.
"A group of jocks seemed intent on beating me up for their own entertainment," Kurt said bitterly. "Luckily for me Sebastian stepped in and spared me what would surely have been an agonising trip to the emergency room."
"You mean you were queer-bashed?" Jesse asked Sebastian bluntly, looking furious now.
"That isn't how I would phrase it," Sebastian shrugged, squinting out of his blackened eye. "I like to think I taught those homophobes a lesson."
"And what exactly did you teach them by letting them use you as a punching bag?" Jesse asked taking his friends face lightly in his hands and truly taking in the sight of his injuries. "Had I been there by your side I would have unleashed some truly soul-destroying insults before throwing an almighty punch that would have those mutants on the floor C.L.B… crying like babies."
"I'd have had your back too, Seb," Blaine offered rubbing Sebastian's arm.
"No need, I got in my share of hits," Sebastian lied.
"How many of them were there?" Blaine asked.
"Eight," Sebastian lied, causing Jesse and Blaine to offer him more sympathy while Kurt rolled his eyes and shook his head a little but didn't reveal the truth that it had only been three.
"So China Doll," Jesse exclaimed turning to face Kurt, "it looks like bruised and beaten Bas here is your hero. Just how are you going to repay him for his selfless good deed?"
"We had coffee together," Kurt said.
"Coffee," Jesse scoffed, "that hardly makes up for our Sebastian taking on eight gorillas to save your pert little ass."
"I have to say I agree," Blaine added, "I'd suggest the two of you at least go out to dinner."
Sebastian lifted his eyes to look to Kurt for his response, waiting with baited breath.
"Um…" Kurt looked hesitant and Sebastian felt himself begin to deflate at what was sure to be another rejection from one Kurt Hummel. "Sure, I'd like that."
"Really?" Jesse and Blaine asked together, both clearly shocked that Kurt had actually agreed.
"Yes," Kurt confirmed, and Sebastian would have smirked smugly had his jaw not been aching. "Why not?" He asked with a one-shoulder shrug.
"Well I could actually give you a long list of reasons why not," Jesse said, "but my opinion need not be heard in this instance. You two gorgeous boys should have a lovely meal together, look absolutely fabulous and just remember one thing…" he trailed off and draped one arm over Kurt's shoulder and the other lightly over Sebastian's. "Misbehave!" he exclaimed before pressing a kiss to Kurt's cheek and then a light peck to Sebastian's forehead. "Now come along, Blaine," Jesse continued taking the shorter boys arm, "let's find a mirror so we can admire ourselves and practice show faces."
As Jesse and Blaine left, leaving Sebastian with only Kurt for company, an aura of awkwardness settled around them. Sebastian turned his gaze to the floor while Kurt fiddled with the sleeves of his cuffs.
"Um, I'll meet you outside your dorm room at six," Sebastian mumbled quietly before walking away, his usual arrogance and swagger currently absent.
XXX
At four-thirty, Sebastian slowly sank down into a luxurious bubble bath, releasing a prolonged sigh as the fragrant water washed over his aching body. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before clamping his finger and thumb down on his nose then dipping below the water. Holding his breath, he remained under the bath water for a few seconds before rising back up, releasing the hold on his nose and eagerly drawing oxygen back into his body.
"Now, now, Sebastian," Jesse chided teasingly as he invited himself into his friend's bathroom, "a bubble bath is simply not complete without a scented candle."
"I don't want a scented candle," Sebastian retorted.
"Tough," Jesse replied setting the chocolate scented candle safely on the edge of the bathtub, an orange flame already dancing happily on the wick.
"To what do I owe the interruption?" Sebastian asked looking at his fully clothed friend through one good eye and one bruised black eye.
"I have taken it upon myself to help you prepare for your date with the China Doll this evening," Jesse informed him offering a winning show smile.
"In that case, remove your sweet little behind from my dorm room," Sebastian ordered only to be ignored. "I don't need your help with wooing Kurt Hummel; I can charm the gay little gay face all by myself. I've seduced royalty I'll have you know."
"So you claim," Jesse said with a roll of his eyes, clearly not believing the statement. "And winning the affections of the ever lovely Kurt Hummel is going to be more challenging than you think. As your friend it is my duty to help you. If we fail to get Kurt playing with your mini warbler you will be crushed and lose all self-worth. Then we'll be one man down when the Warblers compete and if we don't win I will be devastated and I will do whatever it takes to avoid such a thing."
"Why would you help me try to win Kurt over?" Sebastian asked suspiciously. "We're betting against one another. When I seduce him and break his heart you'll owe me my winnings. You're supposed to do what you can to stop me from proving victorious. That's the point of a bet, Jesse."
"Yeah, I got bored of the bet; it's so last week." Jesse commented dipping his hand into the bath water and splashing Sebastian's face. "Now I want to help you and our newest warbler member get a sickeningly romantic happy ending."
"Oh Jesse, Blaine and his girly movies have been a bad influence on you," Sebastian replied scooping up a handful of bath bubbles and smearing them over Jesse's hair, causing the boy to release a shriek of despair.
"My hair, my hair, my hair!" Jesse repeated as he rushed to the sink to try and repair the damage. "I need to wash and groom immediately," he announced before stripping off in front of the boy in the bathtub and then hopping in to the walk-in shower.
By five o'clock, Jesse and Sebastian were lounging on Sebastian's bed with towels around their waists and droplets of water still trickling down their bodies.
"I must confess, I've grown rather fond of Kurt Hummel," Jesse admitted. "I don't wish to have any part in this bet. It's cruel."
"What?" Sebastian remarked disbelievingly. "The Jesse St James I know loves the opportunity to be cruel."
"Indeed I do," Jesse nodded, "particularly when it comes to destroying the competition or making substitute teachers cry… but Kurt isn't the competition. He's one of our own and I have to be completely honest, I think he's adorable."
"Well I think he's annoying and arrogant and the little talent he has is largely overrated," Sebastian said. "Besides, he came from a public school. That in itself is something to be frowned upon."
"Blaine also came from a public school," Jesse pointed out, "but you never wanted to deliberately hurt and humiliate him. You didn't even want to have sex with him, not seriously. You may have flirted with him constantly but you've never had a genuine interest in Blaine just like you never have with me. Of all the age appropriate gay teens the world has to offer, Blaine and I remain the only two you don't actually want to fuck."
"You and Blaine are different," Sebastian shrugged, "I… if you repeat what I'm about to say to another living soul I will shave your head… but I really do care about you two. And you're the only people in my life who have ever truly cared for me. I never want to lose you two. And I'm not going to risk my friendship with either of you by having sex."
"That's good to know," Jesse replied lightly running his fingers up Sebastian's chest, "because your dick is way too small to satisfy me. I'd hate to hurt your feelings by having to fake an orgasm with you."
"Love you too, St James," Sebastian smiled and they shared a quick little kiss.
"Seriously though, I don't want to carry on with this bet," Jesse said moving off the bed, dropping his towel and getting dressed.
"Be that as it may, I have every intention of continuing with my plans," Sebastian told him as he too began to dress. "You may not want to join in the game, but I'm still going to play. And when I win, I still expect you to pay up."
"Don't Bas," Jesse pleaded quietly, "just don't."
"I'm winning this bet and that's final," Sebastian answered fastening the final button on his green shirt. "Now, be a good boy and tell me I look hot."
"You look hot," Jesse confirmed with a nod.
"Now if you'll excuse me," Sebastian said grabbing his things and preparing to leave, "I have to pick up my date and make him fall hopelessly in love with me."
"You're gonna fall for him first," Jesse muttered to the empty room after Sebastian had left.
To Be Continued
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