"One more time! Please!"
Kurt couldn't help but let off a small huff of laughter at his weepy friend. Kurt wiped a small tear from the corner of his own eye.
"Jeff, the auditions are in 15 minutes. We have to leave for the music room. You'll be able to listen again in a little bit." Another bit of laughter as Jeff simply sighed, pouting slightly.
"Fine. But at least I got to hear it first."
"Yes you did. About five times. Now, let's go, Jeffie." Jeff grinned, hopping up from his bed and linking arms with Kurt.
"You're gonna have them in tears, Kurtsie. And it's going to be fabulous." The two of them laughed as they walked down the hall together, not in a rush at all.
"I'm so glad you told me why you chose that song. I know we were told why you came here.... But I didn't know how bad it was. But I'm here for you, Kurt. I'll be the Best friend you've always wanted." Kurt couldn't help but be slightly choked up by that. Instead of letting the waterworks show, he simply slapped Jeff's arm lightly.
"You're already my best friend, no need to suck up, Jeff. " Jeff laughed.
"Oh, but Kurtsie, wouldn't you like someone to suck- ow, son of a bi-"
Okay, that slap wasn't so light.
...
Once they entered the room, they were sat for a good 30 minutes, watching as other boys went through their auditions. And Kurt was freaking out.
"I can't do this. Jeff, did you hear those guys? They're so good. I know I'm good.... But my voice is so high." Kurt worried to his friend. Kurt watched as Jeff rolled his eyes.
"Exactly. You're unique, Kurtsie. The Warblers don't have anyone with a range like yours. You're gonna blow them out of the water." And just as Jeff finished, Kurt was called forward. Kurt looked at Jeff with comically wide eyes and Jeff grinned. Jeff pushed Kurt out of his seat, forcing him to go up front. Kurt sighed, slowly making his way to the front and passing off his music to another boy wearing a blazer. 'David, I think that's his name.' Kurt thought. Kurt cleared his throat and turned back to the chairs, looking towards the back where the council sat.
"Esteemed Warblers. My name is Kurt Hummel, I am a Sophomore, and I will be auditioning today with Stephen Sondheim's 'Being Alive'." With a nod to David, music filled the room.
"Someone to hold you too close,
Someone to hurt you too deep.
Someone to sit in your chair,
To ruin your sleep."
As he sang, he couldn't help as images ran through his mind. His dad holding him in the bathroom. In the hospital. The pain he felt constantly as he thought he was being nothing but a disappoinment. His dad sitting in the chair by his hospital bed, waking him up at odd hours of the night with his own fits of sadness.
"Someone to need you too much,
Someone to know you too well.
Someone to pull you up short,
To put you through hell."
He hadn't known how badly his father needed him. How well he knew him.
"Someone you have to let in,
Someone whose feelings you spare.
Someone who, like it or not,
Will want you to share,
A little, a lot."
Now Kurt's eyes turned to Jeff. His new best friend. Someone that, in the such short time they've known each other, Kurt trusts. That Kurt can confide in.
"Someone to crowd you with love.
Someone to force you to care.
Someone to make you come through,
Who'll always be there,
As frightened as you
Of being alive."
Kurt didn't know when the tears started, but he knew they were going to. He could never get through rehearsing this song without his emotions coming out. As his eyes moved from Jeff, they caught a pair of emerald green eyes sitting near the council.
"Somebody, hold me too close,
Somebody, hurt me too deep.
Somebody, sit in my chair,
And ruin my sleep,
And make me aware
Of being alive."
Kurt mentally congratulated himself. His voice typically broke with emotion on that verse. He just wanted someone that would love him. He had his father's love. His friend's love. But, as selfish as it was, he still wanted another kind of love.
"Somebody, need me too much.
Somebody, know me too well.
Somebody, pull me up short,
And put me through hell,
And give me support
For being alive.
Make me alive
Make me alive
Make me confused,
Mock me with praise.
Let me be used,
Vary my days.
But alone is alone, not alive."
The reason he chose this song is because of the emotional connection he had to it. He knew what it was like to struggle with being alive. He knew what it was like to want something like within this song. And he knew he couldn't be the only one to connect with it.
"Somebody, crowd me with love,
Somebody, force me to care.
Somebody, let me come through,
I'll always be there,
As frightened as you
To help us survive."
His eyes roamed the room, locking with Jeff's for a moment, before he gravitated back to those shocking green ones.
"Being alive.
Being alive.
Being alive."
As the ending of the music played out and Kurt tried to catch his breath through the tears, he suddenly had an armful of Jeff, hugging him tightly. Kurt buried his face into the boy's shoulder, willing the tears to stop. He felt Jeff's hand on the back of his head, trying to comfort him. He heard him speak softly.
"You did so good, Kurt. That was the best performance of it you've done yet. They love you. They love that you were able to put this vulnerability into your audition. I just know it." Kurt nodded and pulled away slowly, wiping the final tears from his face. It's now that he notices the applause he's getting from those in the room and he blushes slightly. Suddenly, a voice rings over the sound, a gavel being banged.
"Settle, settle please!" The voice waited for it to quiet before continuing. Kurt looked and saw one of the council members-the older brother of Wes, a boy he shares chemistry with he believes-bang the gavel once more.
"That was very nice, Kurt. We have only a few more auditions to go through, but I assure you will stick very well in our minds as we go about choosing the new Warblers. You may be seate- Seb, what are you doing??" Kurt watched as the boy with the green eyes stood and made his way to the front, towards Kurt, eyes locked on his. Kurt froze up, sure that this boy was about to ridicule him or, even worse, hurt him just as the boys at McKinley had. Kurt flinched as the other's hand went forward. When contact was not made, Kurt looked down to see the hand being held out for a handshake. Kurt looked back up to once again lock eyes with him. He slowly clasped his hand with the other's.
"My name is Sebastian Smythe, and you take my breath away." The boy brought Kurt's hand to his lips, placing a chaste kiss on his knuckles. The boy, Sebastian, turned back towards the council members.
"Kurt Hummel will be my Captain's Choice." A few murmurs went around at that, but were quickly quieted as the gavel sounded.
"Very well. Kurt Hummel, welcome to the Warblers. We are very honored to have a talent such as yours. Now, Sebastian, please come sit so we can continue." Sebastian eyed the seat he had once been in, and then Kurt. He then pulled Kurt back to his original seat, and took the empty one next to him, so Kurt was sat between himself and Jeff. Kurt's blush grew and he gave Sebastian a timid smile as he felt Jeff poke at him teasingly.
This would be interesting.