One part Desperation.

"You have to help me." Blaine's face is flushed with fear and trepidation. His voice is hushed and panicky, quieting even further as his desperation grew. "You all have to help me."

“We’ve already decided on the Pink Medley, we have a choreography schedule. Relax Blaine; you’ve done this a hundred times before.” Wes smiles benignly before turning towards the common room doors.

“It’s not the rehearsal schedule, the songs, or the choreography. This isn’t about regionals. This isn’t about the Warblers, except that it is about a Warbler.” Blaine takes a deep, fortifying breath, trying to calm the racing of his heart.

“So you finally got a clue?” Wes asks, with a small smile tilting the corner of his lips.

“A clue?” Blaine asks in confusion.

“That you’re head over heels in love with Kurt?” Wes laughs at the stunned look on Blaine’s face. “We all know Blaine. It’s been obvious for a while. We’ve been taking bets on how long it would take you to figure it out. Jeff won by the way. He said six months.” Wes snickers at Blaine, whose mouth is hanging open slightly. “I don’t have to ask the other Warblers. We’ll help.” Smiling once more, Wes shakes his head in wonder at how obtuse Blaine could be.

“Wait. I only figured it out yesterday. How long have you guys known?” Blaine is trying to wrap his head around the knowing look on Wes’s face.

“Since you befriended him and all of your sentences began with ‘So Kurt says,’ that was a pretty big clue for the rest of us. You may be oblivious, but the rest of us are quite observant.” Wes tells him with a straight face.

“Oh.” Blaine stands there for a moment pondering the situation before he grins. “Okay so if you’ve known for longer than I have, do you have a plan?” Blaine looks pleadingly at Wes. “I have no plan. I have nothing. I’ve sung to someone else in front of him, so I can’t use that. I’ve led him on multiple times so I can’t just come out with it. I…” Panicked breaths escape from his slightly open mouth. “I’m lost. I have nothing. He’s never going to believe that I finally figured it out. God, Wes, I actually told him I didn’t see him that way! I told him I cared a lot about him, but I’d just… never thought of him THAT way.” Blaine puts his face in his hands and takes a deep fortifying breath.

“So you have to convince him. Show him that you’ve realised you’re an idiot, and you want to make it all better.” Wes pats Blaine on the shoulder consolingly.

“Right…” Blaine steeples his hands in front of his mouth, fingers pointed up, gazing down at the floor before throwing his hands down. “Wait! I’m not an idiot! I was just oblivious!” Blaine huffs out as Wes begins to laugh.

“Right. For six months you were oblivious to the fact that you are head over heels for your best friend. You were so oblivious that a room full of straight guys actually noticed before you.” Wes rolls his eyes.

“Okay. Change of subject.” Blaine blows out a quick breath. “What about a duet?” Blaine mumbled a little desperately.

“Like the number Kurt told us about at Christmas?” Wes laughs.

“No… like a duet for Regionals? We could… sing together. Kurt’s always looking for a solo. Maybe a duet is just the way…”

Wes stares for a moment. “You’d be willing to possibly lose Regionals just to declare yourself?” Wes asks quietly.

“We wouldn’t lose. Kurt… he’s special,” Blaine says with a soft gooey expression.

“You, my friend, are biased.” Snickering, Wes gestures to the empty common room. “C’mon, we’ll figure something out… to be honest if you hadn’t figured it out in another week, we had a plan. Operation Sherlock.” Wes grins at Blaine’s confused look. “Sherlock? Give you a clue?” Laughing outright, Wes clapps Blaine on the shoulder. “C’mon Sherlock, let’s see what we can come up with.”

Blaine gives a long suffering sigh before following him into the empty room.

Two parts Anxiety.

“Okay, Sherlock, here’s what we’re going to do,” Wes states as Blaine sits on the common room couch, head in his hands.

Blaine raises his head a little, glaring at his friend. “No. This is not going to work. I can’t DO this.” Blaine flops his head back into his hands.

“You can do this.” Wes’s voice is full of sympathy and steal.

“This is stupid. I should… I should…” Blaine trails off helplessly as he ponders the situation. “Don’t you think it would be better if it was just the two of us? If I just told him?” Blaine implores, face still buried in his hands. He’s refusing to look at the room. He’s refusing to see Wes’s sympathetic face and the small smirk quirking at the corner of his lips.

“Like that’s gone so well for you before? Remember… speaking is not your strong suit. You are a babbling geek with the Buffy quotes and Whedonist plot twists. I’m pretty certain if you tried Xander’s gay me up speech on him, he’d look at you like you’d grown a second head and probably stop speaking to you forever.” Wes pats Blaine on the head as he lets out a mortified groan.

“You promised you’d never mention that again. You promised!” Blaine practically quivers with nerves.

“I did. But. And this is a very big but, Blaine. You are going to date this boy. Your friend, our friend, and you are not going to mess this up. You are going to do it right. You are going to woo him, because this is Kurt… and Romance is his bread and butter. He wants to be wooed. He wants the romance… and I hate to tell you this, but your Buffy obsession is not romantic. It’s geeky and slightly off putting… and I wouldn’t mention it until you know he’s not going anywhere. I would hate to see you drive him away over a little something like an obsession.” Wes grins as Blaine flips him off without lifting his head.

“I happen to know Kurt thought Xander was hot, with his careless curls and bumbling inadequacy,” Blaine quips.

“So Xander’s a little bit like you then? Bumbling and oblivious?” Wes snipes as Blaine tries to swat at him.

“Thank you so much for helping my confidence. Thank you so. Very. Much.” Blaine flops back on the sofa, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling.

“You are going to be fine. I have a plan.” Wes grins as Blaine closes his eyes and actually groans.

“Spare me your plans; you are the least evil masterminded person at this school. I should have asked Jeff,” Blaine mumbles with his eyes still closed.

“Yes, you probably should have, if you wanted it quick and dirty, and not the least bit romantic.” Wes actually sniffs as he stares at Blaine. “Okay, your moping is not helping matters. Buck up. Suck it up, and let’s get to this.” Wes’s voice is stern as he claps his hands.

“Fine. But if this plan backfires I’m telling him it was all your idea, so it’s all your fault.” Blaine mumbles a little as he bounces off the couch and to his feet.

“Just think. End game. This is going to work. Visualise your success.” Wes laughs at the incredulous look on Blaine’s face.

“Seriously? After commenting on my Buffy obsession you are quoting Dr. Phil?” Blaine shakes his head. “No. If I can’t you can’t.” Blaine nods emphatically as Wes begins to laugh.

“Okay so here’s the plan…” Wes explains everything, in detail, and in the end Blaine has no choice but to agree, as Wes has already informed the other Warblers of the plan and their parts to play.

A Teaspoon of Blind Panic

“I can’t do this,” Blaine says a little desperately. Voice cracking, face pale, hands shaking. He’s a nervous wreck. He’s going to throw up. He’s going to leave. “I’m going home.” Blaine actually makes an about face in the middle of the hallway before Wes manages to grab one arm and Jeff grabs the other.

“What’s this?” Jeff teases. “Mr. Anderson who is all courage, smiles, and an attention whore when there’s an audience, is about to turn tail and run?” Blaine’s feet actually drag a little on the ground as he’s pulled backward by his two friends. “Buck up old chap. He’s into you too.” Jeff snickers as Blaine finally finds his feet and they all stagger down the hallway, Blaine walking backward down the hallway, held firmly between his two friends by his bent arms.

“I’m going home. I can’t do this. Just forget it. He’s going to laugh at me. He’s going to say no. He’s going to insist on auditions!” Blaine babbles out mindlessly as he struggles against his two friends, not managing to budge them an inch.

“You are going in that room. You are going to follow the plan. You are going to stay calm. You are going to smile benignly when he offers to audition, and you are going to insist that only he will do for the duet. You know this. You are brave. You are fierce.” Wes recites all this, the same way he has for the past hour, repeating all the same words in a monotone, no inflection at all, no expression in his face. “And if you don’t stop struggling, I’m going to cheerfully strangle you to death with your tie,” Wes say’s in an aside out of the corner of his mouth as Blaine slumps between them.

“I’m going in that room. I’m going to follow the plan. I’m going to stay calm. I’m going to smile when he offers to audition. I’m going to insist that only he will do for the duet. I am Brave. I am fierce…” Blaine trails off as he stops suddenly, jerking them to a halt. “Fierce? Seriously guys, I’m not that type of gay.” Laughing at himself, Blaine takes a deep breath. “What if he doesn’t get it?” Blaine asks in a small voice.

“Then you will keep at it until he does. That’s what you do. You’re like a pit bull with a bone. Gnaw at it long enough and eventually you’ll get to the marrow in the center.” Jeff offers sagely.

“So… Kurt is the marrow?” Blaine rolls his eyes, as he thinks of Kurt as a marrow bone he has to gnaw on, snickering as his stomach gives a funny little flip.

“No. The relationship you’re angling for is the marrow. Kurt is the bone.” Wes laughs at Blaine’s bemused look. “Look Blaine. We’ve worked this all out. Think of it as choreography. All the steps are there. They’ve been laid down for you. All you have to do is move your feet in the right direction. Don’t think about it. Just do it. It’s the same thing we taught you when you first got here. If you think about it, if you overthink it, you’re going to stumble, and that just makes the rest of us look bad.” Wes finishes with a smile.

“So my screwing up with Kurt will make you guys look bad?” Blaine wonders as he’s trying to shuffle away from his two friends, put some distance between them in case he actually decides to run.

“Yes. Definitely. We have a zero tolerance policy here at Dalton. The fact that you took six months to get your head out of your ass has severely tested our tolerance. So now, you must do this, so that we may have tolerance once again.” Jeff nods vigorously as a few of the other Warblers trailing them down the hall laugh uproariously at Blaine’s uncomfortable look.


And a Sprinkling of Hope.

“Can’t I just…”

“No.”

“But you told me to be myself…”

“No. Not that self. Be the self that is slightly less dorky. The smooth self that has girls, and guys, both, turning to mush at the thought of you even looking at them.” Wes’s voice is firm, condescending, and a little bit annoyed.

“Fine.” Blaine pouts quietly for a moment. “But if I could just…”

“Blaine, this is the last time I’m going to say this. No. You did fine in the council meeting. You stated with a small smile that you wanted to sing with him. All the guys agreed. It was a council decision. Now you have to follow through. Lots of practice. Loads of practice time with you and Kurt, alone together. That is how this is going to happen. You agreed.”

“But…”

“No Blaine. No but’s, this is the plan. You are going to follow through on the plan. Your improvisation of the plan is not an option.” Wes refuses to look at Blaine as they sit in the library working on their Latin homework.

“But I swear he likes…” Blaine trailed off at the look Wes directs at him.

“It doesn’t matter. Romance. Wooing. That was the plan. That is what you are going to stick to. That is what you are going to do. You are not going to invite him to your place for a Buffy marathon. I should not have mentioned Buffy the other day when we talked of wooing. Get the idea out of your head. You are not going to romance Kurt Hummel with Buffy.” Wes slashes his hand down in an emphatic gesture.

“But he had a huge crush on Xander when he was younger!” Blaine bursts out.

“Regardless, do you want him mooning over Xander, a fictional character, instead of you?” Wes snickeres as Blaine’s face falls. “I thought not. What you really want is for him to be mooning over you. Which he already does. He just doesn’t realise you’re mooning over him just as much.” Wes pats Blaine’s shoulder for what seems like the millionth time.

Blaine bangs his head down on the table, ignoring the various shushing noises that come from the tables surrounding them. “If I hadn’t been such an idiot on Valentine’s day, if I hadn’t…” Blaine trails off miserably.

“But you were. You are. And that is completely okay. You are an idiot, and oblivious, Sherlock, so quit beating yourself up about this. This is going to work. He’s already excited about singing the duet with you. He’s over the moon that we all agreed without auditions. All you have to do is follow through. Woo him like he wants to be wooed and pretty soon you’ll see the end game.” Wes flicks his pencil at his homework, rereading what he’s just written. “Stop being such a drama queen, and relax.”

“How the hell can I relax when I let you talk me into this ridiculous plan?” Blaine complains into the tabletop.

“Take a nap. Don’t drool on your homework.” Wes advises serenely.

“Do you think this is going to work?” Blaine asks plaintively, as he moans desperately into the mahogany wood.

“It will. He’s already yours; he just doesn’t know it yet.” Wes assures.

“Wes?” Blaine’s voice is slightly wobbly, “Thank you.”

“No problem.” Wes doesn’t even bother looking up, as this is the twentieth time in half an hour that Blaine has said these words.

Bring to a Boil over Heated Emotions

“He’s in one of the common rooms on the second floor bedazzling something,” Jeff says into Blaine’s ear as he’s sitting down to join him for lunch.

“Probably his blazer, as we all know the uniform curbs his individuality,” Blaine responds without thinking. The sudden guffaw of laughter from the table makes him lift his head. “What?” Blaine asks in confusion.

“C’mon, Sherlock, now’s your chance to go talk to him.” Jeff tries to ruffle the helmet of Blaine’s hair, but merely managers to make Blaine’s head wobble on his shoulders.

“Now?” Blaine’s voice actually squeaks in terror.

“Yes now. He’s all alone up there. Bedazzling something, just waiting for some company. Your company actually.” Jeff grins at the terrified look on Blaine’s face.

“But, you guys said to practice. Loads of practice, and the wooing, and the romance, and I haven’t done any of that!” Blaine’s voice has gone patchy with fear, trembling on his lips as his whole body quivers.

“Sometimes plans are meant to be thrown out the window, bro.” Jeff squeezes Blaine’s shoulder. “This plan should be thrown out the window. It’s not like he’s not already into you. He practically has little hearts dancing around his head every time he looks at you!” Jeff laughs quietly at the panicked look on Blaine’s face. “Just go talk to him. If it doesn’t feel right, just talk, ask him to practice, follow through on the plan.” Jeff looks around the table for affirmation, and even Wes is nodding in response.

“Why now?” Blaine breathes, closing his eyes to try and calm his racing heart.

“Because, our plan is too slow and you aren’t going to make it to the end of it if you keep this up. You’re a nervous wreck. You jump at the smallest sound; you’re looking for him down every corridor. You run and hide when you see him coming. It needs to be over. You need it to be over,” Jeff says quietly as the whole table, once again, nods in unison.

“I’m that transparent?” Blaine closes his eyes in mortification.

“I don’t think he’s noticed, but we know the plan, Blaine. We can see what this is doing to you. So… just go talk to him. You’ll know if it’s the right time. You’ll know what to do. You’ll know what to say…” Jeff trails off for a moment taking his cue from Wes, “Unless it has something to do with Buffy, definitely do not follow your instincts on that one.” Jeff grins as Blaine tries to swat at him.

“Just do it, man.” David shakes his head. “There’s a time to follow plans, and another to throw them out the window. This plan is making you miserable, which in turn is making us miserable. So just go get him… or talk to him, or something,” David trails off as Blaine stares straight at him.

“What if… what if the time isn’t right?” Blaine questions quietly.

“Then it isn’t. And we, meaning you, continue with the plan.” Wes encourages.

Blaine stands up, puts his hands on the table and takes a deep breath. “Just talk. You’re sure I’ll know if…”

“We’re sure. You’re ready for this.” The whole table nods emphatically, as they all smile and physically push him away from the table.

“I’ll… I’ll let you know how it goes.” Blaine manages as he’s practically thrown from the room by the joint force of the Warblers hands.

Top with a shot of Dutch courage just before serving.

He’s been standing outside the room for fifteen minutes. Every once in a while he’ll peek inside and see Kurt, bedazzling something on the table. He can’t bring himself to go in, not when he’s this terrified. To talk, to do anything, to just sit beside him when Kurt is more blinding than the sun.

He knows he’s going to screw this up. He’s not going to be able to make Kurt understand exactly what’s happened. How he… changed everything… how the earth moved when he sang Blackbird for the dearly departed Pavarotti.

He’s been going over the various scenarios in his head. What he’ll say, what he’ll do, and the only response his fevered brain can come up with, is Kurt laughing hysterically before running from the room.

“He’s going to realise you’re standing outside the door like some stalker.” Thad says behind him, voice a near whisper.

“Not if you keep your voice down.” Blaine whispers back, back tensed at the intrusion.

“I figured you’d be trying to talk yourself out of it. Figured I’d give you a shot of courage before sending you in there.” Thad grins at Blaine’s blank look. “Normally, in a straight boy situation when the girl is really intimidating, I’d suggest a shot of whisky.” Thad smirks as understanding dawns on Blaine’s face. “But I don’t think your boy in there would like the taste of whisky, so here.” The flask was tiny; barely a thimbleful of booze could fit in it.

“I’m not… we’re not…” Blaine mumbles in confusion as he glances, once more, into the room Kurt is currently occupying by himself.

“You are. Because you are you, and words are not your strong suit, so when they fail you, kiss him. Show him exactly what it is you’re trying to say, and everything will work itself in the wash.” Thad smiles benignly.

“What’s in that…?” Blaine trails off as another thought crosses his mind, “and why are you carrying that around with you at school?” Blaine whispers fiercely as he glances around searching for teachers, mildly panicking at the thought of getting caught.

“Relax. It’s not actually booze. It’s gravol.” Snickering quietly, Thad tapped Blaine on the shoulder. “I’m not that stupid. You know I have a queasy stomach, the bottle just makes it look… a lot less like medicine.” Thad shakes the bottle in Blaine’s direction, offering him the opportunity to settle the butterflies in his stomach.

“I’m pretty certain the butterflies are supposed to be there. That I’m supposed to be tied up in knots doing this.” Blaine states quietly, glancing once more at Kurt sitting quietly at the table. “I’m supposed to be a mess of nerves, and terrified, and my knees shaking.” Blaine looks up at Thad.

“But they aren’t anymore, are they?” Thad asks knowingly.

“No.” Shaking his head even as he answers, Blaine takes stock of his body. He is… calm. For the first time in days he is filled with a sense of certainty.

“That’s 'cause it’s time, the right time that you’ve been waiting for.” Thad, once more, nods knowingly before grinning. “Remember. Romance.” Clapping Blaine on the shoulder, and giving his shoulder a firm squeeze, Thad takes off in the direction of the Warbler common room, leaving Blaine to his musings.

Taking a deep breath, he tries to act casual as he saunters into the room.

“What’s that?” He smiles, indicating the box Kurt is working on. He’s calm. He’s serene even. It’s the right time.

“I’m decorating Pavarotti’s casket.” Kurt barely glances up as he bedazzles the small box.

“Well, finish up. I have the perfect song for our number and we should practice it.” The words flow from his lips as easily as if they were his own. Which they aren’t, they belong to Wes and the rest of the Warblers.

“Do tell?” Kurt’s eyes light up at the mention of the duet. Blaine can almost see it. Almost see the hearts that the other Warblers have been talking about.

“Candles, by Hey Monday.” His knees shake a little bit, and he can feel the self-depreciating grin curving the corners of his lips.

“I’m impressed. You’re usually so top forty.”

“Well, I just wanted something more emotional.” And there’s this moment where he thinks Kurt has figured it all out, but then the next question lays it out.

“Why did you pick me to sing that song with?” Kurt asks, and Blaine knows he’s caught. That he either has to come clean or he has to… there’s no choice. The words are leaving his mouth before he even has a chance to pull them back.

“Kurt, there is a moment when you say to yourself, Oh… there you are, I’ve been looking for you forever. Watching you do blackbird this week… that was the moment for me… about you. You move me Kurt. And this duet would just be an excuse to spend more time with you.” The words have left his mouth before he can call them back, before he can think about them, formulate a plan. They are dragged from the depths of longing he’s been supressing ever since he realized exactly what this person means to him… since he’d finally gotten a clue to his own feelings. Thad’s advice comes back to him, as he begins to panic.

Kiss Kurt when words fail him.

So he does.