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spread your wings my little butterfly

Chapter 17: Nationals Part 1

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Blaine comes to Nationals sophomore year as Kurt's boyfriend. No one needs to know that Santana's his sister, and he can admire the frankly unique setlist planning process of the New Directions, who are like a second family to both 'Tana and Kurt.

I don't like cities

But I like New York

Other places make me feel like a dork

Los Angeles is for people who sleep

Paris and London

Baby you can keep

Other cities always make me mad

Other places always make me sad

No other city ever made me glad except New York

"So, stuff like this just tends to happen to you guys, then?" He asks Tina, offering her a Popsicle when they break off their run through New York singing about New York. Admittedly, it's a good song, but halfway through when they split off, girls running singing one way and guys the other, he plops himself down on the bench next to Santana and her policeman and entertains himself while waiting for everyone to return (still singing) to the fountain, at which point Santana jumps up to dance with them. He sits there, admiring their diverse yet cohesive function as a group on a song (he's pretty sure) that they've never even sang before. 

"If you mean the impromptu singing, then yeah, pretty much," she says, taking a lick of the Popsicle and nodding her thanks, "You know, if this happens again after the competition you're perfectly welcome to join in."

Blaine's response is to politely decline, but he's caught on the image of the rest of the New Directions hanging out, cheeks flushed from exertion and laughing together even while certain members bicker.

(Three guesses as to who.)

"You guys are so interesting," he says, "I mean, you're at each other's throats normally but then you can pull something this inspired out of nowhere. Seriously, how does anyone have a chance against you?"

"Well, it has a lot to do with the fact that we tend to be very...eccentric. Like, last year at Sectionals we had to pull a setlist out of nowhere when the other teams stole ours. We barely won that one. And also, some members let their personal problems get in the way of singing. Rachel- that girl over there with the prominent nose- she's prone to dramatic stormouts. Quinn, the blond cheerleader who isn't hanging off of Santana, her, Puck and Sam (well, not so much anymore) and Finn, who I'm sure you've met as he's your boyfriend's stepbrother, always seem to be having some kind of drama going on between them. You're lucky- Kurt can be dramatic, but he never lets personal issues get in the way of performing. He just uses his personal issues to enhance his performances."

"And Santana?" Blaine asks, interested to hear Tina(who seems like an honest and nice person)'s opinion on his sister.

"Well, she's prone to her own brand of dramatics and bitchiness too, but she normally leaves it out of the choir room, which is nice." Blaine has to refrain from laughing. "And she does have a pretty nice voice. I mean, you saw Valerie at Sectionals- she was better than Rachel. Then again, Sam and Quinn were better than Rachel and Finn but no one seems to realize it." 

"What about you, Tina?" Blaine wonders if Tina will be as honest about herself as she has been about Kurt and 'Tana.

She lets out a hollow laugh, and Blaine somehow feels like he's struck a chord. "I don't get solos, so I don't have much of an impact on the performance. You know, I actually once got a chance to get a solo freshman year but Miss Rachel Berry threatened to quit if she didn't get it so I had to give it up."

Blaine's jaw drops. "She did what?"

Tina nods. "There's a reason why I consider Rachel the most dramatic of the team and also a major reason why I think we don't work as well as we do. You see, she's a fantastic singer and the reason we won Sectionals freshman year but she's also the reason we nearly lost. She can't keep a secret to save her life, and I'm sure Kurt's told you the story of what happened at Sectionals."

No, he actually hadn't, but that was only because 'Tana had told him first. However, Blaine doesn't exactly feel the need to tell Tina that so he doesn't bother correcting her. Instead he just nods. "Well, since today's a pretty great day I don't want to ruin it by going on a longer rant, but needless to say everyone's personal brands of dramatics make everything interesting but also really hard to practice."

Blaine nods, not realizing that Tina's words are kind of prophetic.

*

When Finn and Rachel lean in for a kiss, Blaine winces. 'Tana and Kurt aren't going to get that Nationals win this year.

*

"Those hijas de puta ruined everything just like they always do!" 'Tana rages, pacing the floor of Blaine's hotel room, which he volunteered to share with 'Tana, Lauren, and Tina just to help out with things.

"I know," Kurt says, nodding in agreement as he leans up against the headboard of Blaine's bed. Blaine and him are sitting together, hands held, while Tina and Brittany sit on the other bed, "We could have won and they screwed up everything. I mean, I'm all for them having their weird, inappropriately timed declarations of love, but not when it interferes with everyone else's chances at winning Nationals."

"Right, Hummel," 'Tana agrees vehemently, and Blaine's not the only person in the room who's eyes widen at 'Tana agreeing with Kurt, "Those hijas de puta can't just pull mierda like that!"

Blaine winces. 'Tana's pissed, and rightfully so, but when she starts cussing in Spanish in every other sentence then she's really riled up.

"What did she say?" Kurt leans in and asks.

"You really don't want to know."