Santana didn't like feeling guilty. It was the same as owing someone money. Each time you see the person. The back of your mind pesters you. Telling you about how much you owe the person.
She has a few classes with the Other Meerkat as she calls him in her head. Aunty Snixx did a little digging of course. As it appears. Barry Allen was the exact opposite of Sebastian. He was kind, very easy going and laid back.
When she asks anyone about him. He was often described as crazy brilliant and very likable. Which made her feel worse.
She tried to avoid the other boy. But sadly the educational system thought otherwise.
"Okay, class." The professor said. "I am going to assign you a partner. And each of you will have an old case. Which you will analyze and present to the class next week."
"Chriswell and Hill." "Andrews and Mason" "Allen and Lopez"....
Santana's head shot up and looked at the teacher then back at the Warbler lookalike. When the class was dismissed. Santana approached Barry.
"So how do you want to do this?" Santana asked
"It's fine." He said. "I can handle it."
"I'm not letting you do all the work." Santana said. "This is my grade as much as it is yours. And you might be all smart and stuff. But I am not going to let you jeopardize my grade for not participating. I will be over on Saturday."
"Fine." Barry said looking at her in the eye his usually vibrant green eyes emotionless. "Be there by ten. Just know that Bas is going to be there."
"I don't need a babysitter."
"I am not the only one who lives in the apartment you know." Barry said. "Besides, Bas has a big work load this week. He'd probably stay at his room the whole time. So Saturday morning.."
With that Barry just left Santana with her thoughts.
She was nervous. She can handle Sebastian alone. But she can't handle Barry Allen alone. Each time she looks at him. He reminds her of a kicked puppy. And what's worse. She has met Sebastian's protective side. Which got even Aunty Snixx shaken.
She told this to her friends at the loft. Rachel had met the 'real' Sebastian. And said he was a lot like this other boy except he's more guarded. So she believes that they'd be fine. She also gave the same reason that Barry had of Sebastian being too busy to bother them on their project.
Blaine, like most of the Warblers, had always seen the rather playful and cheerful side of Sebastian even under the blanket of snark and bravado. And said that Sebastian is as harmless as she is. As long as she doesn't provoke, nothing will happen. Which didn't really reassure her in any way.
Only Kurt understood where she was coming from.
"I admit, I know what you feel." He said. "Sebastian had been a huge pain in the ass. And we don't really know Barry."
"And if their brothers, he might be as bad of a bitch as Sebastian." Santana insisted. "How was I supposed to know he was some sort of saint amongst the students."
"Well that's the thing." Kurt said. "We don't know him. Heck we don't know Sebastian as much as we did. We didn't know that he had a twin brother until recently. This really isn't our business."
"But I don't know if I cant handle being alone with the Other Meerkat. Even if it is for a grade."
"Well for one you can stop calling him 'The Other Meerkat'." Kurt said. "Blaine, Rachel and I know you and are used to your ways. Sebastian and you are way too alike and he just talks back or ignores it. You don't know how Barry would respond to your playful name calling. The last time. It didn't turn out well."
"I can't turn Aunty Snixx off. You know that."
"You don't have to." Kurt said. "Just tone it down. Who knows. After this project, you and Barry might become friends."
"Highly unlikely." Santana said then looked at the clock. It was nine in the morning and she had about an hour to get to the Allen brother's apartment.
She knocked at the door of the brother's apartment. And opened was one of them wearing a pair of large framed glasses.
"Uh..." Santana wasn't sure who was she facing. Barry seemed more like the type to wear glasses. But this one held himself more like Sebastian.
He leaned on the doorframe. "Well this is a first, I have rendered the one and only Sha-Queer-A Lopez speechless."
"Shut it Fievel. Is your double here?"
Sebastian just smiled and jerked his head towards the apartment.
Santana had a little more time to take note of the little things around the Allen Twins' apartment that she didn't notice the first time.
The place was well kept considering the amount of stuff. The apartment was a little smaller than the loft she currently lived in with the other three. The walls were greyish blue and they had a black living room set and wooden floors. There were some books on top of the living room table that were pilled up.
One side of the apartment was some shelves and in front of it was a table which Santana assumed was supposed to be the dining room table. And there were two doors that lead to their individual rooms.
"What time did you and Barry agree on?" Sebastian asked.
"Ten."
"He should probably be awake by now." Sebastian murmered then knocked loudly at one of the doors. "Bear, Santana's here."
"Already?" Barry said poking his head out of the door.
"It's ten." Sebastian said.
"Oh." Barry said. "I didn't notice."
"Uh huh." Sebastian muttered. "So are you two going to be playing nice? I have some studying to do."
"Yes, dad." Santana said sarcastically. "You don't need to worry about us."
"Okay." Sebastian said waving that comment off. "You kids have fun."
Barry shook his head at his brother's antics as he disappeared into his room. He then looked at Santana.
"Let's get started then." Barry said. He went back into the room and brought out a laptop and a stash of paper from inside his room and he set it up at the dining room table.
They had started on most of the resrarch and the draft when Sebastain came out of his room.
"How's studying?" Barry asked
"Painful." Sebastian said tiredly. "I was going to pop the lasagna that Mama brought to the oven for lunch. Sounds good to you guys?"
"I'm okay with anything" Barry said putting down his pen.
"Santana?"
"Sure." Santana said "Anything's fine."
"Okay." Sebastian said then diaapeared into the kitchen.
"I honestly didn't see Sebastian as the domestic type."
"There is more to my brother that meets the eye." Barry said offhandly "Most just choose to focus more on his bitch mask than the real Sebastian."
Santana took a deep breath. "Look Barry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things. I crossed a line. I..."
Santana's voice faltered but Barry silently worked but said "I talked with Sebastian the other day. He told me... he told me about your rivalry. What he has done. How you and your friends think of him."
Barry looked at her in the eye. "I know Bas can be a jerk, but you dont know him like I do. You don't know me. And you dont know what we've been through."
Santana looked away she couldn't keep looking at him. His eyes showed a lot more than sadness.
"What happened that day, I will never forget what you said about our mom. With everything that has happened, I am always going to be protective of my family. But I am willing to let us go past this."
She looked at him in shock. He had a sheepish smile on his face. He held out his hand to Santana. Who happily accepted it.
~()~
It's been weeks since Nick and Jeff had confronted Hunter. And Hunter had yet to tell Sebastian. He had yet to do anything visible. Or at least that's what Nick and Jeff think considering how awkward the two were still acting.
Friday night, the Warblers were again having their routinely karaoke night. Since Trent and Wes were visiting New York, they were going to one of the bigger and well known bars in New York. A Pub a few blocks away from NYADA. So the bar goers are not only good performers but a very active crowd.
Hunter was leaving his apartment building to meet with the other Warblers. While he was walking, he could sense someone following him. He saw a metal trashcan a few feet to his left. He inconspicuously started to walk towards it.
As soon as he was at reaching distance, Hunter grabs the cover and swiftly turns towards his attacker. Using the cap of the trashcan as a shield and was ready to swing it towards the bastard's legs.
"Woah, Hunter. Chill its just us." Nick exclaimed taking a step back his arms raised in defense.
Hunter put down the lid and glared at the two who were smiling sheepishly at him.
"How did you know where i luved and why are you following me?"
"Well, we wanted to talk." Jeff said "I mean seriously man, you are a hard man to track. We tried looking for you around campus."
"Okay, so you found me." Hunter said "Now what was so important that it couldn't wait till we reached the bar?"
"Well we wanted to ask you about you and Sebastian." Nick asked, "Have you told him yet?"
"Well, one doesnt simply go to their best friend and tell him that youre actually bi after years of insisting you are straight and that youre actually in love with them." Hunter said seriously and a bit of snark. "Besides I can't really approach him as well as you think i can."
"Well you could do what Blaine did." Nick said "You can sing to him."
"Since when did we become the Nude Erections." Hunter asked. "I am not going tk sing and dance for Bas in public. That is not only humiliating for him, but mortifying for me."
"We never said that its in public." Jeff said "Maybe in private. Or someplace or aituation where you are comfortable."
"I'll think about it." Hunter said "Now don't we have a performance to get to."
The three went to the bar together. Which caused some of the Warblers, who were waiting, to raise their eyebrows.
"Since when did you three become buddy buddy?" Thad asked.
"We just met a few blocks down." Hunter said "They actually found me. Anyways, are you guys ready to have some fun tonight?"
~()~
"I'm going to be honest." Trent said after a few drinks in, most of them had sung one song and a little buzz. "I never thought I'd be having some drinks in a bar with the Warblers in New York. Totallt never thought of that ever happening."
"Well its happening." Thad said "Hey Hunt. You haven't sung a song yet! Karaoke bars are never fun unless everyone has at least one song."
"No, Im fine." Hunter insisted.
"Come on, Hunt." Nick said "It'll be jn. We all did it."
The rest of the Warblers insisted and Hunter relented. Hunter was feeling a bit buzzed and his emotions were all over the place. He picked what seemed like the most perfect song.
He felt the emotions within the song. And he gave it as much passions as he can. He looked through the crowd. But he could only see a pair of green eyes.
When the days are cold
And the cards all fold
And the saints we see
Are all made of gold
When your dreams all fail
And the ones we hail
Are the worst of all
And the blood's run stale
I wanna hide the truth
I wanna shelter you
But with the beast inside
There's nowhere we can hide
No matter what we breed
We still are made of greed
This is my kingdom come
This is my kingdom come
He looks straight into Sebastian's eyes as he sang. As much as he loved him, Hunter has some demons that he never wanted him to see again. He would never want him to undergo that torment again.
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide
Hunter finished the song and was greeted with a hearty round of applause from the people around the bar.
He went off the make shift stage but didn't return to the table with his friends. Nick tapped Sebastian at the shoulder and motioned for him to follow.
"Where are we going?" Sebastian asked as soon as they were away from the other Warblers.
Nick didn't answer but rather walked faster towards one of the exits of the bar. Jeff was waiting at the exit looking out the glass door.
"What the hell is..." Sebastian saw Hunter seated on the sidewalk looking out on empty street. He looked at Nick and Jeff for an explanation.
"Go talk to him." Nick insisted. "You're the only one that can get through to him now."
Sebastian looked out again at Hunter's still form. He took a deep breath and went out to talk to him.