#warblers are chaotic

[virtualgirladv]

Get hit by the tactic change, idiot!

You're not a nuisance and I'd like to be friends!

AND

I'm not just friendly but I also have a light crush on you!

Get appreciated, idiot!

[hevanderson]

oh also. can i ask what the glestern au cast is so far. which characters do u have

YES LET ME PROVIDE A LIST + SHORT SUMMARY OF THEIR JOB AND/OR ARC HEHEHE!!!! im putting it under the cut because . it's long. also these are just kind of their starting positions here

quinn, the daughter of the head preacher as well as her family having government ties, who is unhappy about the situation she's been put in and longs for rebellion and freedom

santana, the owner of the local saloon who is also in sue sylvester's girl gang

puck, co-owner of the saloon

tina, a saloon employee

brittany, a dancer who performs at the saloon and is also a farmer, as well as partially a seamstress who is Also in sue's gang

mercedes, a performer who also occasionally performs at the saloon and creates the costumes the staff uses and easily the most sensible person in this town

sam, the new town sheriff who has almost no clue what he's doing due to a lack of training and understanding of what this job fully entails– he'll find out soon, enough, though, and he may just find he doesn't like being a sheriff after all

finn, a man who ran off before the events of canon due to quinn's pregnancy from the year before (an event that is expected to be a secret and not discussed ever)

zizes, a famous criminal who is the definition of chaotic neutral

becky, another famous criminal who somewhat works with zizes

burt, a man who takes care of horses and essentially rents them for people if they need a source of transportation and the second most sensible person in town, also the town dad

carole, a woman who used to be a bit reckless but settled down with age who grows her own crops (and lends them to burt and the hummels, free of charge 👀)

kurt, an aspiring clothing designer who takes sewing lessons from carole while also helping burt care for the horses, although he's not as interested in horses as as his dad

sue, the leader of an infamous band of criminals who also sometimes double as hit(wo)men

sugar, the daughter of a rich businessman who wants to pursue a career in performing, even if she isn't the best at it

emma, town nurse who kind of sucks at her job but does truly care about everyone

rachel, the daughter of the two most successful farmers in town

blaine, the second in command leader of a rival town who feels unappreciated and neglected, hating all of his duties (as well as the guy he's forced to work with thanks to his brother's A+ governing) and yearning for a better, less stressful life (that will still make him feel important)

sebastian, the guy blaine has to work with who has more than a few screws loose

and then there are some minor characters who are mostly off screen and are just there to set other things up:

will, the former sheriff who died due to mysterious poisoning before being able to fully teach sam the ropes

terri, will's (former) wife who may or may not have gotten sue and her girls to poison will's food so she could escape her loveless marriage

cooper, the actual governor of the rival warbler town

[sistercara]

youre not getting out of your bondage that easy @chaotic-warbler

my collection grows

[thnxforknowingme]

All's Fair (1/?)

Pairing: Kurtbastian

Rating: T

Summary: Sebastian’s pride is on the line when Hunter bets that he can’t seduce Kurt Hummel - and to sweeten the deal, there’s a monetary wager, too. When Kurt finds out, he suggests subterfuge: he and Sebastian will pretend to date, prove Hunter wrong, and split the winnings. It’s the perfect plan, so long as they don’t mess it up.

Notes: Written as part of the @kurtbastianarchive Kurtbastian Prompt Fest 2023, based on prompt #12 by @aurumjank! Timelines and plotlines from canon have been changed, but that should be made clear through the story itself. I have most of the plot planned out already, so I should be posting updates pretty regularly!

Mild warning for teenage boys being crude in this chapter.

It was the first week back after Spring Break, and the Dalton locker room was boisterous and chaotic as both the lacrosse and water polo teams finished afternoon practice. Despite the cacophony of running showers, slamming locker doors, and raucous conversation, one voice rose above the noise as varsity water polo center Lucas Heathmore regaled everyone in earshot about the X-rated exploits of his weekend at his girlfriend’s parentless house.

Lucas sat on a bench, hair and skin still damp, holding court. Boys cheered, laughed, and offered fist bumps as he said, “We’d been going so hard she could barely get out of bed on Sunday!”

Finally, Sebastian couldn’t take it anymore. He finished pulling on his shirt, ran a hand through his hair, and fixed Lucas with his most condescending smile.

“Heathmore,” he interrupted, loud enough to catch the attention of everyone around them. “If I wanted a play-by-play of the most rote heterosexual exchange of bodily fluids in all of history, I would have picked up a pulpy romance novel at the airport on my way back from Aspen.”

Lucas glared up at him. “Shut up, Smythe. You’re just jealous.”

Some of the half-clothed boys around them oohed in response to the insult, but Sebastian gave a genuine laugh. “I hooked up with three ski instructors at one party on Saturday,” he retorted. “There’s nothing about your life that I envy.”

“Whatever, Smythe,” Lucas said, standing up and slinging his bag over his shoulder. “I’m personally not lining up to get fucked in the ass.”

Sebastian grinned as Lucas retreated from the locker room, accompanied by most of the water polo team. “Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it!” he called out.

The brief verbal spar over, most of the athletes went back to their private conversations, and the locker room emptied out as the boys went their separate ways. There were only a handful of lacrosse players left when another voice addressed Sebastian.

“Your bragging grows tiresome, Smythe.” 

Sebastian grit his teeth and turned to see Hunter Clarington leaning against his locker at the end of the row, a towel slung over his shoulders. Ever since Hunter had shown up at the start of the school year, he’d been a constant thorn in Sebastian’s side. He’d joined the Warblers and the lacrosse team, and seemed to have made it his personal mission to jockey for every position of power Sebastian had built up at Dalton. Moreover, his personality was even more obnoxious than the average prep school boy. Who was he calling tiresome?

“It’s the same story every weekend,” Hunter went on, “and I have to say I’m bored with it. So, the desperate young gay men of Western Ohio and a couple of bicurious snow bums are obsessed with you. Or at least, with what you can offer them in a dark corner for twenty minutes.”

Sebastian heard a laugh from one of his teammates, and bristled. “Are you questioning my seduction abilities?”

Hunter shrugged. “I’m saying that you have game in a very particular context. There’s no way you could woo a man who actually had standards.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Careful with that kind of slander, Clarington. If I was interested in romance, I could have it.”

“Oh yeah?” Hunter asked, his smile making it clear that he had Sebastian exactly where he wanted him. “Then prove it. I bet you couldn’t get…Hummel, the new kid. No way would he ever go out with you, let alone hook up with you.”

Sebastian shut his locker. He thought about pointing out that Hunter was also a new kid - Kurt Hummel had transferred to Dalton only a couple months after Hunter had. He had to admit that there was something perennially new-kid-ish about Hummel, though. Even wearing the uniform, he seemed to stick out as someone who didn��t belong. “He has eyes - I’m sure he’d go out with me if I asked.” Sebastian said. “I just have less than zero interest in that.”

Hunter was being annoyingly persistent. “Okay, then ask him out. No, better - get him to go to Spring Gala with you.”

The Spring Gala was Dalton’s version of prom - the social event of the year, and the kind of buttoned-up, faculty-chaperoned party Sebastian absolutely despised.

“And why would I subject myself to that?” Sebastian asked.

Hunter smiled. “To substantiate your bragging rights. And, I don’t know, let’s make this interesting. For…a thousand dollars?” He glanced around at the few lacrosse players that made up their audience. “Does that seem fair, gentlemen?”

Sebastian nearly retorted about not needing the money, but he recognized the bait. This wasn’t about the actual wager - it was about Hunter trying to put him in his place, just like he had been all year. It was a power play, in front of their peers.

Well, Sebastian wasn’t about to take that lying down.

“Fine,” he agreed. “I’m very much looking forward to taking your allowance away.”

Hunter held out his hand, and Sebastian shook it firmly. “Right,” Hunter said easily. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

.

Kurt was switching out textbooks between classes when Sebastian Smythe appeared at his side, leaning languorously against the neighboring locker.

“Hey there, Kurt,” he said.

Kurt stowed his chemistry binder neatly away. “Sebastian,” he acknowledged. “Can I help you?”

“Sure,” Sebastian said. “You can give me your number, and let me take you out this Saturday.”

Kurt turned to meet Sebastian’s eyes, and found him closer than expected. The guy had no concept of personal space. “Excuse me?”

Sebastian grinned, and Kurt found himself mildly impressed with how nice his teeth were. He had a very close view of them, after all. “You heard me. I’ve been intrigued by you ever since you mysteriously transferred mid-year and started pitching subversive ideas to the Warblers. Let me take you out and find out what makes you tick.” Sebastian winked. “I guarantee you won’t regret it.”

Kurt raised an eyebrow. He’d never been asked out by a boy before, and the simple concept of it did make his heart leap a little. But he had also never exchanged more than a polite word with Sebastian Smythe. He thought Sebastian was cocky and narcissistic, and he was pretty sure Sebastian had hated every one of the so-called subversive changes Kurt had suggested to the Warbler council.

He examined Sebastian’s face, then glanced down the hall, where he could see a group of lacrosse players watching them, and then quickly looking away. Something clicked in his mind.

“This is a prank,” Kurt said matter-of-factly. “Nice try.”

He shut his locker and turned away, heading towards his next class.

“Hey, wait, no -” Sebastian followed him, brushing up against Kurt’s shoulder as he walked alongside him. “This isn’t a prank, Kurt, I’m serious. Come on, don’t leave me hanging.”

“You’re not gonna convince me,” Kurt insisted, refusing to slow down or make eye contact.

“Seriously, I’m not joking, I really -” Sebastian grabbed Kurt’s elbow, and when Kurt jerked away from him they both froze, standing in the middle of the hallway while other students flowed around them.

“Don’t touch me,” Kurt warned, glaring at him.

Sebastian looked at him for a moment, his expression calculating. “Okay, fine,” he relented. He looked around the busy hall. “It’s not a joke, but it is - just let me walk you to class. I’ll explain.”

They held their standoff for another moment. Kurt took a deep breath. “Fine,” he agreed.

When they continued walking, Sebastian spoke in a low voice. He stayed close enough for Kurt to hear, but kept some space between them. “It’s not a prank,” he said. “But it is a bet.”

“Oh my god,” Kurt said. “I think that’s actually more despicable.”

“It’s stupid, but Hunter put me up to it, and I really want to prove him wrong.” They arrived outside Kurt’s English classroom, but Sebastian kept talking when Kurt stilled. “I don’t care about fucking you over,” he said, and then shrugged, “although that might have been kind of fun. I just really don’t want him to hold this over me. He’s going to be a nightmare all year if you don’t go out with me.”

“Is that the upshot of the bet?” Kurt asked. “Just that either one of you gets to be smug?”

“Well,” Sebastian replied, “that and a thousand bucks.”

Kurt nearly dropped the books he was holding. He glanced around at the students that were still passing them. The bell was going to ring soon, but he was suddenly interested in continuing this conversation.

“Come on,” he told Sebastian, walking further down the corridor until he found the student lounge, currently empty. Once they were alone, Kurt turned back to Sebastian. “A thousand dollars?”

Sebastian crossed his arms. “Yeah. That was the bet part of the bet.”

Kurt briefly closed his eyes before speaking. “So you’re telling me that if I agree to go out with you, you’re gonna get paid a thousand dollars?”

“Yeah,” Sebastian said. “Well, actually, if you agree to date me and we go to Spring Gala together.”

Kurt nodded, his mind still spinning. In the span of a few minutes he’d been asked on his first date, found out it was simply part of a cruel wager, and then discovered that there was a ridiculous amount of money on the line. Any derision or hurt he might feel about the situation had been overridden by shock - and then by the spark of an idea that might allow him to make the most of the unenviable position he’d been put in.

He considered the possibilities. Was he really going to do this?

Yes, yes he was.

He straightened his posture and said, “Well, that changes things.”

Sebastian tilted his head, one edge of his lips quirking up. “It does?”

“Yeah,” Kurt confirmed. “Look - a thousand dollars might not be an absurd amount of money to you, or to Hunter, but I want that money. So here’s the deal - I’ll pretend to date you, pretend to fall for you, go as your date to the Spring Gala - if you cut me in on the deal. I get five-hundred.”

Sebastian blinked. “Oh my god, Hummel, I thought you were totally lame, but you’re diabolical.”

The first bell rang through the halls, signaling that they had sixty seconds to get to class on time. “Do we have a deal, or what?” Kurt asked.

Sebastian grinned. “You’re gonna have to talk more nicely to me if people are going to believe you’re in love with me.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “If we pull this off, I’m putting it on college applications as an acting credit.”

“So we’re on for Saturday night?” Sebastian asked.

Kurt shook his head. “I’m going home this weekend.”

Sebastian scoffed. “Not if it means missing out on a date with me.”

The self-assuredness in Sebastian’s voice was grating, although Kurt knew that if someone he actually liked had really asked him out on a date, he would have stayed at Dalton for the weekend without question. “Let’s just tell people we went on a date,” he suggested. “We don’t actually have to do it.”

“Hunter is going to see through that in a second,” Sebastian argued. “What happened to your commitment? This is method acting, and you have half a grand on the line.”

Kurt scowled, already questioning his decision. “Fine. I’ll leave Saturday morning, we can have a date on Friday, okay? Meet me outside of Geary Hall.”

“It’s a date,” Sebastian said with that self-satisfied smile, and the final bell rang.

[sillyname30]

I made my peace with the and that's what you really missed on Glee podcast.

I wish the recaps would be less chaotic, they would cover all storylines and have a little more bts stories, but I have accepted that this won't happen.

I made my peace with the fact that Kevin and Jenna are more interested in their own stuff, but I'm okay with it when it comes with little bts stories.

I made my peace with the fact that Kevin is a big fan of Santana/Brittana and talks a lot (too much) about them. I have the feeling he likes Santana, Brittany and now Sugar, because he's friends with Naya, Heather and Vanessa.

I made my peace with the fact that they don't talk about the characters I'm interested in (Blaine, Klaine). At least Kevin is a little bit more open to it. Jenna admitted she hated the Warblers and so far I don't think she likes Blaine. Maybe that will change when they share a storyline.

What I didn't make peace with is Jenna's negativity. She seems to hate almost everything about Glee. I get it. They had long hours, they were exhausted. Tina didn't get the storylines/songs/attention Jenna wanted. I guess Tina/Jenna didn't have a big enough fan base to push the character. (I didn't have internet back then, so I'm blissfully unaware about most of the drama around Glee.)

There was a lot of stuff Jenna felt uncomfortable with. I didn't notice there were so many asian jokes and I didn't realize they were offensive. (Jenna made me aware that the way german people are portrayed in american TV shows is really offensive. I get how she feels. And it's much worse for her, because it happened on a show she was in.)

But Glee ended more than eight years ago. It's time to let it go and focus on the positive stuff. It would be healthier for her.

They were in a successful TV show. This is like winning the lottery for unknown actors. They had a steady income and made a lot of money. They are still making money out of it.

They got life-long friendships out of Glee.

They had unique experiences. A sold-out arena tour? Who is successful enough to pull that of?

They went to events they wouldn't have went without Glee. They met people (actors, musicians) they wouldn't have met without Glee. They sang for Obama!

Glee put them on the map and made it easier to get work as an actor. And they didn't need a lot of screentime for that.

Harry was mainly used as a dancer and he is working pretty steady as an actor.

Grant had just a guest role and became the Flash.

Chris was a main character, but he isn't working that much as an actor. He is successful with his books. Who knows if that would have happened without Glee.

I could go on, but there were to many of them.

Fazit: I will keep listening to the podcast, because I made my peace with it. I just wish Jenna would make her peace with Glee and let go of all her negative feelings.

[zocomi]

Proud to officially found the @chaotic-warbler 's Transfems Union, to guarantee safer and better working condition for every transfem serving The Warbler!

now gotta work on demands

[leeahqueen]

Love Light Symphony (Changyu)

Changyu: Hey! Commandant! Here here!

Skk: (Waving)

Changyu: As soon as I receive your message, I come over immediately!

Changyu: Are you going to that maze?

Skk: (Tell briefly about the maze)

Changyu: Sounds like a good idea…going now?

Changyu: Oh! The door is open!

[Shortly after finishing the maze]

Changyu: Hey, what, it’s just an empty table.

Changyu: I thought there would be mechanical bodies selling some souvenirs here, isn’t that what “travel” is written in the book?

Changyu: But…this is very similar to the stage where I performed operas before, although the decoration is not the same…

Changyu neatly flipped a few somersaults on the stage, posing in a chic posture.

Skk: (Applaud)

Changyu: It’s a pity that there are no gongs and drums here.

Changyu: Commandant, have you ever since a theater in Kowloon? The gongs and drums are blaring, and the actors on the stage sing really well!

Changyu: Huh~ It’s a pity I haven’t seen such a scene for a long time.

Changyu: Hey, I shouldn’t say something like that here, hahaha, after all, it’s “Qixi Festival”, should I say something else?

Changyu: I heard them sing some jokes…

Changyu made a tactful staring gesture, squeezed his throat, babbled, and sang.

Changyu: ~Dream back to the warbler, chaotic years all over the world~

Changyu: ~Small courtyard and deep courtyard~

Changyu: ~Dawn comes to look at the Plum Pass, and the make-up remains~

Changyu: Hehe, at that time, this show had a lot of seats!

Skk: > [It sounds very charming] \ [I don’t quite understand]

Changyu: Right! I knew the Commandant could appreciate it too!

Skk: [It sounds very charming] \ > [I don’t quite understand]

Changyu: It’s because I can’t sing well, haha.

Changyu: After all, I’m not good at *dan role.

Changyu: I really want to invite Commandant to go to the theater to see it…

Changyu bent his legs to the side, as if he saw a distant place through the virtual sky.

Skk: There will be a chance.

Changyu: …Well! There must be a chance!

[THE END]

Note:

*Dan is the general name for female roles in Chinese Opera often referring to leading roles. They may be played by male or female actors. In the early years of Peking Opera, all Dan roles were played by men, but this practice is no longer common in any Chinese opera genre.

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

The St James Family Tree (x)​

( aside from Jeremy and Joy, the entire St James family exists universally throughout all of my glee fics, though they so far only have set appearances in Get It Right, SOWK, By Its Very Definition, and Corner Of The Sky!  More details about everyone below the cut )

shoutout to @the-witching-ash for helping me develop this entire clusterfuck of a family

Tag List: want to be added?

Judith & Joseph St James ( Meryl Streep & Pierce Brosnan ):

The parents of the most unadjusted and emotionally unavailable family in all of Ohio

Jenny St James ( Nicole Kidman ):

Married to Lloyd Kline ( Colin Firth )

Judith & Joseph’s eldest child 

Neglectful mother and trophy wife to a DC politician

Johanna St James ( Kate Reinders ):

Married to Chad Channing ( Chris Pine )

The middle St James child 

Professional absentee parent dreaming of her non-existent Broadway glory days

Former roommates with Shelby Corcoran and Cassie July

Joshua St James ( Zac Efron ):

Sometimes dating Nell Baker ( Anne Hathaway )

The youngest of the St James siblings

Real estate agent in Lima

Jeremy’s guardian, legally as of s2

Part of the long-suffering parent club with Burt, Carol, and Brad

His apartment is well known as being a safe place for glee club members to crash if they’re avoiding being at home and he does have a ranked list of all of the club members

Roman Kline ( Aaron Tveit ):

Jenny & Lloyd’s son / Amelie’s twin

Dalton alum, Cooper Anderson’s high school roommate

Dating Cooper Anderson & Ash Astor ( Anna Kendrick )

Went to law school and is a licensed lawyer but he’s working actor in LA and sometimes New York

( also features in a their-canon-compliant conceptual Cooper & Roman Dalton era fic )

Amelie Kline ( Lily James):

Jenny & Lloyd’s daughter / Roman’s twin

Went to Crawford Country

In an eventual relationship with her high school best friend, Lindsay Wright ( Brittany Snow )

Bartender & manager at Scandals

Living with her Uncle Josh in Lima while she attends university

Jesse St James ( Jonathan Groff ):

Johanna’s son, presumably with Chad sometimes not though and Jeremy and Joy’s older brother

An honorary member of the warbler inner circle since he was 10

Carmel High alum, UCLA dropout, now coaching Vocal Adrenaline

Learning to be a better brother

In an eventual relationship with former rival Lucille Newton ( Anna Camp ) 

Joy Schuester ( Lili Reinhart ):

featured in By Its Very Definition ( and various chaotic crossover concepts )

Jesse’s half sister through their father, April Rhodes’ surprise daughter

Easily adopted into the St James clan by Josh, Amelie, Roman, and Jesse

Full time disaster

The best thing Johanna ever did for Jesse was not have Chad as his father, only so that he could have Joy as a sister

Jeremy St James ( Joshua Bassett ):

featured in Corner Of The Sky ( and various chaotic crossover concepts )

Johanna & Chad’s youngest son and Jesse’s younger brother

An honorary member of the warbler inner circle since he was 5

lives with his Uncle Josh and cousin Amelie

Absolute sunshine despite an overabundance of family trauma

Currently growing a backbone

[sambambucky]

lol bucky starts birding for the wip game 👀

😭😭 all i ever write is bucky being a stumbling bumbling fool over hot popular sam, apparently!!!

this one is a college au where bucky meets sam at some club tabling day sort of thing and joins the club for birders because sam's at the table looking like a snack. he doesnt tell anyone, but steve's bf finds out and evilly suggests steve tagalong, ruining it.

this one was especially chaotic, just one long run on sentence. i cleaned it up a little for this snippet:

just seeing sam sets off sparklers in his brain, releases an army of butterflies in his stomach. his camo hat and binoculars, the tight shirt, the cargo pants that show off his ass. bucky barely gets out of the car without stumbling.  hey bucky, the sound of his name in sam’s mouth makes everything go hazy, just for a second. hey, he says back, knowing his smile is too big for this casual acquaintance. his mouth is so dry, and his heart is already clamoring. they haven’t even started up the trail yet.  sam says glad you could make it and it sounds genuine, excited. if bucky could ever get him alone, maybe he’d be able to find out if its actually true. ah well i’m gonna keep showing up until we see the something something warbler sam smiles at him. claps him on the shoulder. I like our chances today. his thumb lingers, rubs a line against his collar bone, but bucky’s completely fine, of course. sam is just a friendly, tactile guy. You brought a friend? the reminder is like ice water over his skin, and it takes everything in bucky not to grimace. yeah he answers, since steve is just standing there, in their space, eyes wide and gaze bouncing between the two of them. he insisted

[casyawn]

omg share your glee opinions i am begging

omg dre i don't know that i HAVE any strong glee opinions that show is so chaotic and slippery and it's been so long.... but i will try??

-i don't feel like this is a hot take but i think season 1 is mostly good for real

-actually a lot of glee was good for real but those moments were overshadowed by the really really crazy stuff. that being said i wouldn't trade the really really crazy stuff for the world

-rachel berry is an incredible character and they should have won an emmy for run joey run

-every song by the warblers was a bop sorry not sorry

-kurt and blaine were a boring couple but i don't blame klainers the cultural landscape for canon queer ships was rough back then and they certainly got creative with them in fic

-on that note i remember it being considered hashtag problematic but when i was 15 and watched karofsky kiss kurt in the locker room it did something to me

-say what you will about glee but it did so much for marginalised communities such as gay people musical theatre people and annoying people

-i can also give genuine props to glee for being a rare example of a show that recognised chemistry and potential between characters and just fucking went for it (see: brittany and santana aka the only legitimately good ship in the series)

[what-if-rpg]

Welcome to the family, SUMMER! Your application to BLAINE ANDERSON was accepted. We’re really happy to have you around! Make sure to read the beginners checklist, and remember, have fun! We can’t wait to roleplay with you! Have fun!

IN CHARACTER

CHARACTER NAME: Blaine Devon Anderson CHARACTER AGE & DATE OF BIRTH: 27, April 18th. OCCUPATION: Broadway Actor, Songwriter FACE CLAIM: Darren Criss HOMETOWN & CITY WHERE LIVES NOW: Westerville, Ohio. Currently lives in New York City. SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER: Gay, Male. RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Married to Kurt Hummel POSITIVE TRAITS: Charismatic, Modest, Supportive NEGATIVE TRAITS: Insecure, Impulsive, Dramatic CHARACTER QUOTE/LYRIC: “Prejudice is just ignorance.”

HEADCANONS

When your older brother is perfect at everything he does, it’s not always easy to keep up. Cooper was ten years older than Blaine, and although their age gap and individual differences did play a role in impacting their relationship, however it was Cooper’s overly critical and nitpicking attitude that bothered Blaine the most. As a kid, Blaine had always felt so small in front of his older brother. Cooper was talented, charming, and everyone adored him. It wasn’t easy growing up with someone like that, but Blaine still looked up to Cooper. The more Cooper criticized and picked on him, the harder he worked to live up to his expectations.

Blaine can be very charming and confident when he wants to be, but he also likes to use those traits as some sort of mask to cover up his insecurities. His feelings of inadequacy started with Cooper, but it got worse after he came out to his parents and was rejected by his own father. Then, things sort of escalated from there, what with the bullying that he faced and later on Sadie Hawkins. Needless to say, feelings of shame and guilt still followed him around like a shadow since that day.

Transferring to Mckinley to be with Kurt was a turning point for Blaine. Dalton was a safe space and he truly enjoyed being a Warbler, but he didn't feel like he was being his true self at Dalton. Students were expected to conform at Dalton; it felt more like he was playing the role of Blaine Warbler rather than allowing himself to be - well, himself. Mckinley was chaotic, unpredictable, and absolutely nothing like Dalton, but he made friends who treat each other like family by joining Glee, and they taught him how to be his authentic self and learn to have fun again.

Kurt calling off their engagement and breaking up with him nearly broke him as a person, causing him to run away from his dreams, from New York, and back to the safety of his home and Dalton, much like he did after Sadie Hawkins. And even though he’s happily married to Kurt now and they have a daughter together, but a part of him is still affected by it and will always feel insecure about that.

CONNECTIONS

PAMELA & TODD ANDERSON (Parents): Blaine grew up being closer to his mother than his father. His father’s rejection of his sexuality further strained their relationship, to the point where they barely spoke to one another unless it was absolutely necessary. The fake shooting incident at Mckinley brought them to their senses, however, and even though his parents are now separated, Blaine still keeps in touch with them, with him calling his mother more often than he does with his father. COOPER ANDERSON (Brother): Blaine still doesn’t know how to interact with Cooper most of the time, and their relationship is still awkward, but deep down Blaine knows that Cooper cares about him, and is trying his best to support Blaine in his own way. KURT HUMMEL (Husband): Kurt is the love of Blaine’s life. Despite their ups and downs and also differences, Blaine never stopped loving Kurt, and as if being drawn and pulled by some invisible, universal force, they always seemed to go back to one another. And although they’re happily married now, but Blaine still sees their relationship as a work in progress, and is constantly learning how to communicate better with his husband. SERENA ANDERSON-HUMMEL (Daughter): If Kurt is the love of Blaine’s life, then Serena is the culmination and proof of that undying love. While Kurt is the strict parent, Blaine couldn’t help but to spoil her instead. He would buy her sweet treats and new toys, always giving in to her requests and pleas (much to Kurt's dismay) SAM EVANS & TINA COHEN-CHANG (Best Friends): They were the trio who were there for each other at Mckinley. Sam was there for Blaine when he cheated on Kurt by stopping him from running away to Dalton. Blaine is forever grateful towards Sam for being in his corner, even when he was at his lowest. They bonded over superheroes and games and Star Wars since, and Blaine truly admires Sam for the genuine and supportive person that he is. As for Tina, she developed a crush on Blaine while Blaine was crushing on Sam during their senior years, but things were never awkward between them. If anything, they became closer over the years and their friendship is still as strong as ever. SEBASTIAN SMYTHE (Close Friend): While it’s true that Sebastian almost blinded Blaine back in high school, but Sebastian has since turned over a new leaf and Blaine is all for giving someone the redemption they deserve and second chances. Besides, once a Warbler, always a Warbler. RACHEL BERRY (Friend): Blaine and Rachel became good friends when he went back to Ohio that year, where they both supported each other even though they were also rivals at the same time. Blaine has always admired and worshipped Rachel’s grit and talent, and their relationship only became stronger when Rachel became the surrogate for Serena. DAVID KAROFSKY (Ex-Boyfriend): Blaine and David had an amicable breakup, hence they’re still on good terms. While their relationship only lasted for a short period of time, but Blaine will always look back at it with great fondness.

[starbuck]

top five months and why!

ooh, love this one!!

1. March

My birthday month, so it’s always been special to me! And it’s waterfowl migration, which is always a joy. I also like that spring is coming, but the bad parts (mosquitos and pollen) haven’t started up yet. 😂😂

2. October

SPARROW MIGRATION, BABEY!!!!!! Also some late warbler migration at the beginning there… Truly Months Of All Time birding-wise… And it’s finally starting to get to a tolerable temperature for me (anything above 65 degrees Fahrenheit is too hot in my book 😂😂).

3. September

WARBLER MIGRATION!!!!!!! I fucking LOVE Fall Migration, it’s so chaotic… There’s so Much happening and you never know what you might see!! 10/10.

4. May

SPRING MIGRATION!!!! Also a very fun time, but everything is also singing which is both lovely and stressful because you have to know your shit!!!! Luckily, I get better with warbler songs every year! Next May I’m leading a bird walk at my patch, so wish me luck!!

5. November

The last dregs of fall migration… Gone, but not forgotten… Personally, I’m still holding out for a Golden Eagle at my patch this year, and it’s FINALLY getting Properly Cold, which is great!!

[revisitingglee]

S4 E7 - Dynamic Duets

THE GOOD

- very chaotic right off the bat but not in a bad way

the superhero thing is weird but i’m interested to see where it goes

- I appreciate Tina being mad about Santana coming back

she’s right. it was a dick move

- “no more bullying, blackmail or assault”

lol

- Sebastian 2: electric boogaloo

- the Sam and Blaine Dalton Academy heist sequence was adorable

blam forever!

- a fanny pack with a doll head in it is an incredibly accurate high school theater gift

i wasn’t a show choir kid, but i was a theater kid, so i can say we had the weirdest shit in our green room and this feels like it captures the spirit of that

- i love Ryder’s dyslexia storyline

my sister is dyslexic and i see how hard it is for her, so this story really hits home for me. she also has moments where she feels dumb and we try to remind her that her brain just works differently. i think they handled it really well and it is really nice to see some good learning disability representation. it is needed in a show about high school. not all kids are neurotypical.  

THE BAD

- Asian Persuasion feels racist 

especially since the show is written by white men 

- the eating disorder and fatphobia shit still bothers me so much

it’s hurts seeing Kitty do this to Marley and it just feels so dangerous. 

THE MUSICAL

My Dark Side (7/10)

this number was fine. it was kind of boring. at first, i was excited to have a classic warblers number. however, the song choice was bad imo. maybe it just hasn’t aged well. that song was never really good enough to be popular outside of 2011. the singing and dancing are classic Blaine and the warblers stuff, but the song choice was very weak. 

Superman (5/10)

this number honestly sucks. the R.E.M arrangement doesn’t work well with their voices. it’s boring and sounds weird. they had the opportunity to do some cool choreography here with them fighting. we’ve had cool diva off choreo before, but it was also boring and they were just being annoying. overall, this number was just bad all around.

I Need A Hero (10/10)

NOW THIS IS WHAT WE NEED!!! A HERO!!!! this number rules!! this song is a classic. it has been done so many times and yet i still like it everytime. it goes so hard. they also do an incredible job with it. their voices work together surprisingly well. Melissa Benoist has such incredible range. it’s very different from what she normally does but she absolutely knocks it out of the park. the choreography is excellent. the whip choreo is exactly what we needed. it’s fun and unique. their stunts are great and they did the superhero poses without seeming cliché. this number was perfect!! 

Heroes (6/10)

this number was disappointing. it had so much potential. the singing was really good. i even liked the acoustic beginning with Sam and the transition to the original arrangement when Blaine starts singing. it showcases their talents really well. Blaine’s weird dancing was weird. no surprises there. however, the scenes that they cut to sucked. these scenes reduced an incredible song into a cliché boring number about doing charity work. David Bowie deserves better. 

Some Nights (7/10)

this number was incredibly mid. the sound mixing was weird as fuck. the background vocals were way too loud and sounded too electronic. a lot of the music this season is over produced. i want more raw vocals. i think that’s just a product of the time this show was made. the choreography was fine but it was nothing special. this number felt like they were trying to go back to the season 1 style, but it failed. one bright spot in this number was Joe. his solos showed how underutilized he is on this show. he is so cool and has such a great unique voice. they should include him in more stuff. 

OTHER

- the way Finn who has no teaching degree or experience identifies Ryder’s learning disability and helps him get resources before any of Ryder’s actually qualified teachers

who is running this fucking school?? this is ridiculous. his dyslexia should have been addressed in ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

[twyllodrus]

ONCE A WARBLER, ALWAYS A WARBLER,  R̨͚̹̙̯͈̘̝ I̢̨̙̫̪͢͜͜ G̠̙̰̠̜̰̻͆ H̰̰̜̲̖͚̞̞ T̡̗͕̮̯̰̻͛ ?͇͙̹͓̬̞̣͝

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss: ‘Nobody wants to know about the good things on Glee – but I was f***ing there’

You’re getting a full-on TED talk where I get further and further up my own ass and pop out of my own mouth, so buckle up.” Darren Criss is an explosion of chaotic energy. The Glee star also has a lot say, often veering off in slightly paranoid tangents to readjust his points for fear of being misquoted. Maybe it’s because he knows I’ll have to mention some contentious topics, such as his Glee castmate Lea Michele’s behaviour on set or his history of playing LGBT+ characters. Or maybe it’s because I am a member of the British press, which he says is “evil”, adding, “I do not trust you.” Even the topic of his new Christmas album, A Very Darren Crissmas, takes us to unexpected places.

“Aside from it being a painfully convenient pun… It’s a very, very me thing, from the people that I worked on it with and the songs that I chose that are deeply personal,” he says. “There is just a whole lot of me in this and arguably, it’s one of the most personal albums or bodies of work I’ve ever made. But it perhaps might get lost in the sheen of what Christmas is.” His nails, aptly, are painted with candy stripes.

As I sit across a large conference table from Criss, it’s clear he’s put a lot of thought into making the perfect festive record, from his collaborators (Adam Lambert, Lainey Wilson, Evan Rachel Wood) to every meticulously placed high hat or pizzicato string. “To me - and this isn’t to over romanticise it because I’m promoting a Christmas album - when you think of the Great American Songbook, and you think of jazz standards, Christmas songs are a huge part of those,” he says. “On Top 40 radio, they will play songs from the Thirties to the Fifties right alongside the best of the most contemporary hits. That’s such a f***ing crazy anomaly to how music consumption ordinarily works.

Criss says he’s “cursed with constant curiosity in processes”, whether that be with music or acting. It was on YouTube that he first found recognition, starring in the parody stage show A Very Potter Musical, before making it big time on musical comedy Glee, as Blaine Anderson, a member of rival show choir the Dalton Academy Warblers. But it was his chilling performance as the sadomasochistic killer Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story that felt like a watershed moment, earning him an Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice and SAG Award.

Before Glee, Criss had had small roles in Eastwick and Cold Case, but Ryan Murphy’s showchoir comedy allowed him to do both his passions simultaneously. He’d previously gone up for bit parts on the show but being cast as Blaine was his “Slumdog Millionaire moment”, where his first song on the show (a cover of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”) reached No 8 in the Billboard Hot 100. As with his Christmas album, it was a place to perform old and new songs together - something he was doing before the show, when he would spend hours every week playing covers in bars and restaurants.

Blaine joined the show in season two (when Glee was already watched by tens of millions) as a love interest for fan-favourite Kurt Hummel, played by Chris Colfer. For many viewers, it was the first time they’d seen a young gay couple presented positively on the small screen. “I have a lot of queer folks that come up to me, particularly older folks, that will say how much that relationship meant to them,” Criss tells me. “They’ll say, ‘When I was growing up, I didn’t really ever get to see that on TV’… and then I always remind them, neither did I… As a cis straight man, I also didn’t see that. And while I have not grown up as a queer person, I’m a lifetime subscriber, man. I’m a season ticket holder to the queer experience. I grew up in San Francisco in the Nineties; these are people that raised my cultural awareness… [so] also it means a lot to me.”

But the topic of straight actors playing LGBT+ roles is a much-debated issue. Neil Patrick Harris, who starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway before Criss did it on the US tour, has previously defended the practice, saying that there is “something sexy” about it. How does he feel about it? Here, that mistrust comes out in Criss - a fear of misspeaking on “complex” issues. “This is a really tough one because, let’s just say, I’ve been s*** on,” he says. “No matter what I say, I’m going to get into the same mess that I’ve always gotten in, which is me being what I believe is very fair and diplomatic, but nobody’s interested in that, because compassion is not currently in vogue. So I don’t know what to say.” We can come back to the question if he wants time to gather his thoughts? “I’m making it sound like I have some controversial thing to say, which I don’t,” he hastens to clarify. “What I say is very normal.” We agree to come back to it.

Unfortunately for us both, the hard questions can’t end here. Last year, Glee was rocked by a series of accusations of bad practice and a toxic work environment on set. The most prominent were aimed at Lea Michele, who played the annoying and ambitious Rachel Berry and was accused by former co-star Samantha Ware of making her life a “living hell” on set. I can feel Criss suck the air through his teeth as I mention the allegations. “Bro, you’re getting right into it,” he says.

There’s a pause. “This is no bulls*** PR nonsense between you and me in this room, and whoever the f*** you want to tell. I have nothing but positive things to say about every single person on that show. I had such lovely interactions with everybody… for somebody who may get pinned as Mr Happy-Go-Lucky, it’s a bummer to me that I can’t celebrate the good things about people who have been extraordinary because I think the great things about people are not as fun to advertise as s***ty moments.” While he says he’s not speaking about any cast members in particular, he knows that fans want the “juicy tea” and will “love to try and think of their own version” when they read this. He’s probably right.

Criss continues: “Working on set is an extraordinarily high-pressure zone where the rules are famously written in sand… There’s a great deal of context and compassion that is missing that nobody wants to know about or write about. But I was f***ing there, and I saw a lot of good things. I saw ‘not great’ things, but not because these people are bad people, truly.” Maybe it’s his “bleeding heart idealism”, he adds, but “I don’t believe anybody was ever twisting their moustache, like” - he puts on a Dick Dastardly voice - “‘I know, I shall compromise these people by doing the following things.’”

It’s also easy to forget that this was a young cast, many of whom were in their first TV roles and had been “shot out of a cannon into the public sphere”. “I f***ing dare anybody out there to have the constitution to be able to deal with that in a way that is spotless,” he says. “Think about it this way. Think about members of your family, fights that you’ve had, things that were said that weren’t meant… If it was written down, or somebody outside the family saw it and broadcast it to other people, it would make you look like a s***ty family… The next night, you’re at dinner, the holidays roll around. You give each other a hug, you respect each other, you love each other. That’s how families work… No one’s gonna write about the good stuff. So I’m here to tell you there was a lot more good stuff than there was bad stuff.”

It was on the show that Criss first worked with Ryan Murphy - a man he describes as a provocateur and a “first-rate showman”. The Nip/Tuck creator was Glee’s showrunner, but it took The Assassination of Gianni Versace, episodes of which were directed by Murphy, for the pair to really collaborate. The second American Crime Story season told the story of Andrew Cunanan, a young Californian who murdered five men in 1997, one of whom was the Italian fashion designer. While the other ACS miniseries have told incredibly well-known stories, Criss found creative freedom in the fact that Cunanan - who died by suicide eight days after shooting Versace - was more of a mystery.

“Unlike if you’re playing OJ, or if you’re playing Monica Lewinsky or Bill Clinton, or these public figures that have an extraordinary amount of documentation of how they look, how they sound, how they walk, how they talk, there was next to nothing on Andrew, which gave me kind of carte blanche to do whatever,” he says. “I think if Andrew was somebody that everybody knew, I think people would have had a very different expectation, because the assignment would have been different.”

It’s here that Criss brings us back to the LGBT+ question, saying that he doesn’t want to “shy away” from the topic. “I think for any role that you’re up for, you want to know if you add value to it, right?” he says. “The Cunanan role came up simply because I’m half Filipino and I share a pretty similar likeness to the guy… He was also very white passing, which I am as well, so there’s a lot of things there that really fit… There are so many performances that are either straight roles given by queer actors or queer roles that are done by straight actors that are so beloved, that we just don’t talk about those. But if they’re done poorly, we get up in arms and we blame it on the fact that this person isn’t queer, this person isn’t straight, as opposed to maybe they just weren’t the right person for the job?”

The problem, he says, is the “double standard” placed on performers once they become public figures - say, on a show like Glee. “If there’s a role that requires somebody or something about them, whether it’s a queer character, or a character that does this or has this background, if we know nothing about them, do we have the objectivity to appreciate their performance?” he asks. “Did they do a good job? Did they service the story? Did they give it life? Did we believe it? Did it give the thing that that character represents visibility? And because the veil has been lifted, we can see everything about somebody. I’m now in a position in my life where folks can look up anything about me, at least [that] I’ve let out there. That is a standard that is held up to the roles that I play.”

Criss says that while there’s no “hard and fast rule”, he is acutely aware of the “social barometer” and has turned down “plenty of queer roles” over the years, saying: “I’ll read a script and go, ‘I, as a consumer, would rather see a queer man do this role.’” A few years ago he made headlines for seeming to say that he wouldn’t play an LGBT+ character ever again. Today, he says that was a misquote. “I was like, ‘I never said this,’” he says. “What I did say was that I don’t want to be another…” He seems to lose his train of thought. “This is less about what I said and more about the issue of clickbait and how it can dilute what was actually said and it becomes corrosive to the overall message. That’s what’s unfortunate to me.” He pauses. “You should f***ing quote me on that. You won’t, but it’s OK.”

‘A Very Darren Crissmas’ is out now

[whereintheworldisebastiansmythe]

So in the Barry Is Sebastian fic i will no doubt be writing soon, i’m totally thinking he cut contact with the warblers and his friends from those two (?) years at Dalton. I haven’t figured out why. 

But!!! I do know why he was going as “Sebastian Smythe.” I’m going to have the Smythe’s be Barry’s grandparents from Nora’s side (I know her maiden name is Thompson in the show but I’m playing fast and loose with canon so) and Sebastian is his second middle name, because dude has a lot of names.

Joe sending Barry to live with the Smythe’s for these two years because 1)his grandparents want him there and 2)Barry’s been running around and away chasing the impossible, so there is the hope that private school and its tight security and curfew will reign him in. Barry returning to Central, and to Joe and Iris, regularly and has scheduled calls with Joe and Iris. While Barry is loved by his grandparents, they can’t really deal with his insistence that Henry was innocent- because remember, Nora was their daughter, and her murder still weighs on them. 

He is Bi and yes, Kurt’s line about bisexuality to Blaine will be addressed. I honestly think that his initial reaction to Blaine came from his own feelings for him, and from not knowing much about bisexuality. So by addressed I don’t mean he’ll be terrible about it, I just mean that he might be explain why he reacted that way or there will be a throwaway line somewhere explaining it.

Which brings me to Kurt- I like him, a lot, but in my rewatch I realized that I don’t ship Klaine all that much. So as for Klaine, that will be in the past. Sebastian/Barry fell out of contact with the Warblers and Blaine sometime around the Klaine engagment- or after the engagement was broken. Still figuring that out. As for Kurt? I always thought that separate from Blaine, he had so much potential. Still, I’m tagging it Not Kurt Hummel Friendly just to be safe so the klainers don’t find me

Seb & Nick & Jeff & Thad & Trent & Blaine & Wes I fucking need it.

Marley won’t be Supergirl because of the whole different Earths thing. So Kara and Marley are different people, but Marley isn’t even in the fic so it doesn’t matter.

Yes, there’s definitely going to be Seblaine. No, that is not the main purpose, the main purpose is Warblers’ friendship. 

Joe and Iris do know about Barry’s Sebastian Smythe era. 

The Warblers don’t know about ‘Barry Allen.’ They do know that he’s a secret softie and a total nerd, and that he is obsessed with the impossible.

I don’t know what do do about Hunter, but I do know he was Felicity’s ex from college. And that Felicity and Barry met in college so those three were definitely a chaotic trio. Felicity and Hunter both know about this double life then.

Edit: I don’t think I’ll end up finishing this after all