“Behave” Lindsay told the group of teenagers in front of her after they had been briefed by the photographer. Feeling like she was talking to a bunch of Kindergarten students, the young woman prayed both groups would stay on their best behaviour. She wasn’t against reprimanding any of them like they were six years old. They had a responsibility to the record company too. “If you need anything, just ask Mitchell. He’s me today”
“But he’s not as nice to look at as you Linds, especially in those jeans...” Sebastian smirked as Lindsay made her way past him toward the door.
“Funny, I didn’t think you swung my way anymore. Mitch might be more your type, at least after what your Mom told me...”
“She didn’t!”
“You’d be amazed at what I know about all of you Smythe” she chuckled patting the teenager on the shoulder before turning back to the group “I will see you guys this afternoon. Please be good, I don’t want to hear a bad report from Mitch or the photographer when I get back”
“Yes, Mom!”
“We’ll be good, Mom!”
“I’m ten times scarier than your Moms” Lindsay insisted as finally left the studio. The click of her heels slowly faded as she made her way down the hall.
“Is she serious?” Kurt asked Blaine anxiously as the boys were ushered toward the hair and makeup stations. The pair had become fast friends after their bonding session over books and movies on the bus and were enjoying getting to know each other. Kurt didn’t fit well with the other guys in the New Directions but with Blaine, it was just easy. They got along so well after only knowing each other a couple days.
“Deadly serious” Blaine chuckled “My Mom is one of those ‘old money, take no shit from no-one, ruin your reputation in a heartbeat’ kind of women and when Lindsay is mad, she’s a hundred times scarier”
“Really? You’ve seen it?”
“Three weeks into working with her, we were all tired, grumpy and none of us went to rehearsal one day. Little did we know that the record execs were joining us that day and her job was on the line when we didn’t turn up”
“Did she flip out?”
“The complete opposite actually” the curly haired boy laughed “She was quiet, reserved and completely unreadable. We felt so guilty and that’s what scared us, the fact that she could frighten the shit out of us and make us feel so insanely guilty with just one look”
“My Dad does the same thing, I know the look” Kurt chuckled as he sat down in the makeup chair beside Blaine and let the young hair stylist play with their hair.
“Is it just you and your Dad? How does he feel about you becoming famous?”
“I hardly think I’ll be famous, I’m just going for the ride” Kurt shrugged “And it’s not just us, I have a step-mom and y’know Finn? He’s my step-brother”
“The insanely tall one is your brother?”
“Tall, annoying, dating the even more annoying Rachel Berry”
“She scares me” Blaine whispered looking around to make sure Rachel wasn’t within earshot “She cornered me in the hall this morning and demanded I sang with her before the first show. Apparently I can keep up with her vocally”
“You should be privileged; she doesn’t consider many people to be able to keep up with her vocally...”
“Not even you?”
“Well I can hit the high F in ‘Defying Gravity’. She doesn’t argue with me anymore”
“Impressive” Blaine smiled. He had heard Kurt sing before and knew he had an incredible high register but not many could hit that note. Intrigued, he couldn’t wait to hear this high F.
Peering over to Kurt quickly as the makeup artist started prepping them for the photoshoot. Neither needed much makeup but they were teenagers and blemishes were magnified when your face is plastered on a billboard.
As the hair stylist perfected Kurt’s already perfect coif, Blaine noticed how physically attractive that man was. Unashamed to admit he thought Kurt was a beautiful young man, Blaine had always kept his sexuality under wraps because he had never really been around someone like Kurt. His closest friends and family knew he was gay but their Warblers fans all over the country didn’t. He was the teen heartthrob that all the girls loved but maybe he didn’t reciprocate the feeling. Unsure of his feelings for Kurt, Blaine simply smiled when Kurt caught his eye before turning his attention back to the mirror. He’d just see how it went...

XXXXX

“Now Blaine Anderson” Jay Hammond, Lindsay’s boss began as he shut the door to his office. Bidding farewell to the other executives looking after the Warblers and New Directions tour, Jay wanted to talk to Lindsay alone.
“I think taking him on as a solo client is a smart move on your part. He’s proven himself as a talented singer and artist and if The Warblers take a break, I know he could branch out on his own” Lindsay insisted “And I know you’ll say there are members of the New Directions that possess the same talent but right now, I think Blaine is who we need to focus on”
“You think he’s the most vulnerable of both groups?”
“He’s clearly the fan favourite. He’s attractive, charismatic and all the teenage girls adore him. He’s the Justin Bieber of the show choir world”
“He’s the most likely to get hounded by fans, stalked, the whole crazy fan girl bit” Jay chuckled. He had dealt with a few heartthrob type artists in his career and had seen some of the craziest fans and what they would do to get to their favourite singer.
“If this tour is going to get as crazy as I think it will, these fans will reach a whole new level”
“It’s sad to think it’s possible”
“I would like to take Blaine on as a client as well as remain as tour director for both the Warblers and New Directions”
“Lindsay...”
“Hear me out” she sighed “Blaine will need me, yes but until he decides to have a solo career, I’m just fending off a few crazy fans. I can do that and look after the two groups at the same time”
“It’s a lot of responsibility Lindsay...”
“Responsibility you know I can handle, Jay please”
“You’re the best I’ve got, you know that” Jay sighed with a slight smile. Lindsay really was one of the best agents on his books. She didn’t have years of experience like a lot of her colleagues but she had the charisma to deal with any kind of person. It explained why she had been so good with the Warblers for so long “I know you can handle both but I would feel more comfortable if I sent Mitchell with you full time as your assistant. He needs the chance to learn and you’ve got 35 teenagers under your care. I have three teenage children myself and they are a handful. I can’t image what 35 of them are doing to your sanity”
“They can test my patience when they want to, but I grew up with six brothers and sisters, these kids are nothing I can’t handle”
“You need the experience with an assistant too. You’ll need to know how to handle one when you take on a group of the Warblers size and popularity as an agent. You’re on your way Linds”
“Thanks” she smiled and closed her notebook as she checked the time on her phone. It was almost time for her to head back to the photography studio. “I know I’m not ready to handle a group like them on my own yet, but I can handle Blaine”
“Write up a contract, I’ll look it over then talk to Blaine. You want this, you work for it”
“I’ll have it on your desk before we leave for Newark”
“I look forward to reading it”

XXXXX

“Small family, it’s just my parents and my older brother Cooper” Blaine smiled as he took a sip of his soda “We don’t really get to see much of each other though, Coop works out in LA and my parents travel a lot for work”
“So they don’t mind you jetting off across the country?” Kurt chuckled. He and Blaine were sitting by the window admiring the amazing view of New York while the girls finished up with their photo shoot. Both boys had breezed through their own individual shots, listening to everything the photographer had to say. Perfectionists, they were confident they applied all the critiques and produced good photos. Some of the other guys weren’t so driven...
“They don’t mind, I mean they’re proud I guess but it’s no big deal” the curly haired boy shrugged “It’s the same as me moving away to college... which I guess isn’t going to happen now”
“Do you want to go to college?”
“Eventually, what about you?”
Kurt shrugged “I’ve applied at a few schools for when this tour finishes. Gotta have a backup plan, y’know?” he chuckled looking to Blaine who asked what schools he was thinking of attending “I’ve applied for musical theatre at NYADA, Parsons for Fashion Design and a few others in case the others fall through”
“You have it all planned out” Blaine laughed “I wish I had that sort of ambition. I’ve got no idea about what I’m going to do after this is over”
“I’ve heard you sing, you’ve got a career”
“He does if I have anything to do with it” Lindsay smiled as she overheard the last of their conversation when she made her way over. Feeling the pain of her heels, she flopped down beside the boys with a smile “You both do, I’ve heard you sing ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ Kurt, amazing”
“I’m not that good, really...”
“You’ll never get anywhere in the music industry with that attitude” she chuckled “Learn to take a compliment boy because you’ll be getting a lot of them once this tour starts. I just snuck a peek of today’s photos”
“They’re good?” Blaine asked
“I’m not allowed to say stuff like this but you two look hot in the photos” Lindsay laughed and stood up. Peering down at her watch, she knew she had to get moving “Be ready in the foyer in 20 minutes ok?”
“We’re heading back to the hotel?”
“Just long enough for you guys to get all dressed up. I’m taking you all out for dinner”
“What’s the occasion?” Blaine asked curiously
“You might want to talk to Mitchell before you take us out” Kurt chuckled
“Whoever messed with the makeup artists will pay for their crime on a billboard” she smiled hoping the drama was miniscule. She didn’t feel like playing angry mom that night “And it’s sort of a last night of freedom dinner. You guys start intense rehearsals tomorrow you’re not going to have the energy to do something like this until the tour is over. I’ll take you all out again when you’ve finished the tour”
Gathering everyone as the photographer took the last couple shots, Lindsay told them all of her plan to take them out. It wasn’t common that a tour director would do this for their artists but Lindsay knew that the next few weeks in particular were going to be hard. The rehearsals would be long, intense and painful. They would all want to quit at one point but Lindsay had to be there to push them forward. She knew their talent and they needed all the support they could get.

XXXXX

Lindsay predicted the fans would go crazy and crazy they went. After three weeks of intense rehearsals, the two groups were ready for their first show in Newark, New Jersey. They were all tired and sore but so pumped to perform to their first sell out crowd. Lindsay worked with the publicity team for the tour and managed to organise a couple TV appearances to boost the fan base. She never predicted this kind of love and support for these two groups.
Neither band could go anywhere without an onslaught of screaming teenagers following them. Boys made signs asking Quinn or Rachel or Santana to marry them while girls threw themselves at Blaine or Puck or Sam begging to have their babies.
All the guys seemed to lap up their new found popularity with the female fans... all except Blaine and Kurt. The pair had become closer as the weeks progressed and they now spent most of their time with one another. No-one in either group seemed to notice the growing friendship but Lindsay kept a close eye on them.

XXXXX

“Blaine, can I talk to you for a minute?” Lindsay asked as she walked past Blaine’s table once everyone was finishing dinner. One of their last nights in New York before the tour kicked off, both groups were taking full advantage of the hotels kitchen before no doubt all heading to bed for a good night’s sleep.
“Someone’s in trouble...” Sebastian sang from the other end of the table. He quickly scored a slap across the back of his head as the young woman made her way past his seat with a smirk “Abuse much?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Seb” she chuckled with a sly smile “You should head up to bed, sleep off the sudden headache you’ve got”
“Burn” Puck laughed and high fived Lindsay as she stopped by his chair. Playing off his cocky remarks much like she did with Sebastian, the tour manager became fast friends with Puck along with a lot of the New Directions members. As long as they stayed on her good side, everyone seemed to warm up to Lindsay.
“No but seriously, what did the hobbit do?” Santana chuckled as she eyed Blaine curiously “If you’re about to go all Lima Heights on his ass, can we stay?”
“I grew up in Houston actually, far away from Lima and its Heights”
“Houston Heights?” Brittany asked almost seriously. Lindsay still couldn’t understand that blonde no matter how she tried. She still wondered who Lord Tubbington was.
“Blaine? Just for a minute?”
“Uh, yeah” Blaine chuckled and got up from the table. He had an idea of what Lindsay wanted by the white envelope in her hand but he wasn’t ready to let that onto the group. It was on a need to know basis and right now they didn’t need to know.
Leading him through to a secluded part of the hotel foyer, Lindsay took him far from the rest of the group. She didn’t need them eavesdropping on this conversation. Handing him the envelope, she waited for Blaine to open it and read its contents.
“It’s my contract with you”
“I want you to have a read of it and if everything is ok then sign it” she began “If there’s any problems, let me know and I’ll fix it”
“Does this mean Mitch will come in to look after the Warblers and New Directions because if that’s the case then I’m not signing anything” Blaine insisted and tried to hand the contract back to his soon-to-be agent “Our groups can’t lose you and if I have to sacrifice then I will”
“Noble and stupid”
“Huh?” he asked curiously. He wasn’t sure why Lindsay had just said what she did.
“I’m staying on as tour manager for both groups as well as taking you on as a client. My boss has faith that I can handle it”
“Oh thank god”
“Mitchell isn’t that bad” Lindsay laughed “And he’s staying too, he’s my permanent assistant now”
“How lucky for you...”
“Will you just read the contract please? I’ll give you a couple days” Lindsay sighed lightly. Blaine nodded with a smile and started to walk back toward the elevator before he was stopped “I wanted to talk to you about something else...Kurt Hummel”
“What about him?” Blaine shrugged trying to play as innocent as possible. He didn’t really want to explain his relationship with Kurt to Lindsay especially when he wasn’t too sure about it himself. He and Kurt had become very close very fast and Blaine felt himself falling for the bronze haired countertenor. Blaine just felt so comfortable around Kurt and everything was just... easy with him. Confused about his feelings, he didn’t want to jinx it by telling Lindsay about anything.
“You two are really close, bordering on ‘more than friends’ close” she continued
“And...”
“And I’m concerned. I’m not worried about the friendship, I’m so glad you guys are good friends. It’s the ‘more than friends’ concept I’m concerned about”
Blaine crossed his arms defensively as he let out an annoyed huff “What are you saying Linds?”
“I’m saying...” she sighed “You told that annoying woman on 2KT Radio that you were straight, you’ve let the media label you as an eligible bachelor without denying that no female fan has a feasible chance with you...”
“No fan whatsoever has a chance with me” Blaine corrected
“You know what I mean” Lindsay snapped “The whole world knows you as a straight man. Me and probably 5 other people now including Kurt know otherwise. You need to make a decision right now whether you want to let the media and all the fans continue believing what they believe or tell them the truth”
“Why do I have to make the decision now?”
“Because if you want the world to know the truth you need to deal with it now rather than later”
“Deal with what? I don’t even know if I’m really gay, I mean I have shamelessly admired yours and Quinn’s ass...assets in the recent weeks as well as Kurt’s” Blaine sighed as he started to pace. Running his hands through his hair, he knew what Lindsay was trying to warn him about.
Homosexuality and even Bisexuality was and probably will always be a touchy subject especially on such a large scale. Kurt and Santana had already had to deal with their share of haters about their sexuality and the tour hadn’t even started. It was just like high school, only worse. There was a portion that ignored the fact that they were gay and loved them anyway but no matter what happened, there would always be an opposing group.
Blaine didn’t want to deal with that especially when his family weren’t the biggest supporters of his sexuality. Absolutely certain that he was at least bisexual, his parents couldn’t understand that their son could have feelings for another man. They clung to that thought without letting Blaine explain the whole concept to them. Ashamed of their son, hearing Blaine come out to the whole world would just kill them. Blaine just couldn’t do that to them.
“I’m not certain of anything whether it be my sexuality or my relationship with Kurt so I’m going to keep quiet. There’s no point coming out if I’m not 100% sure it’s what I want” Blaine nodded defeated. All he wanted was to know exactly who he was and what he wanted in life but he didn’t know either of those things yet. He’d figure it out eventually.
“Blaine...”
“If anything changes then I’ll wait til the end of the tour. I’ll deal with it then”
Lindsay pulled the slumped teenager into a warm hug. She hated seeing anyone like this but especially Blaine; she’d grown quite fond of him in the year she’d known him. Not really knowing how he felt, Lindsay did know that this was a confusing time for the teenager and having a large fan base and an even larger media circus following his every move didn’t help.
“You can talk to me about anything you know that right?” Lindsay broke the silence after a few minutes of just holding the defeated teenager “As a friend...”
“Thanks Linds” he smiled weakly and pulled out of the hug “I think I might head up to bed and read through your contract. I’ll have it back to you in the morning”
“Take a few days...”
“I’ll see you in the morning”