Disclaimer: I most certainly don't own Glee, nor would I especially care to with the way they treat their characters.

The Kurt Hummel Show

Kurt took a second to ground himself before walking through the door to Miss Pillsbury's office. He knew what was waiting for him on the other side. Pilsbury, Beiste, Artie. Pity. Assumptions. Betrayal. Hurt. The memory of his last visit...

They all thought they knew why he'd asked for a meeting with them, he was sure – Miss Pillbury's face when he'd brought it up earlier had said it all.

He was looking forward to proving them wrong.

He pulled up all his shields – no one in that room had deserved the right to see him even the least bit vulnerable – and entered without knocking, acting like it was his domain. The immediate defensiveness on the trio's faces made him feel surprisingly good. He might want to be a good person, but at times nothing beat being a bitch (or the high from it).

"Kurt. Welcome. You asked to talk to us, and while you didn't say why I have to assume it's got something to do with West Side Story. Why else would you ask for the three of us?"

Ah. Miss Pillsbury, of course. Always trying to smooth things over, but never quite going the distance.

"Thank you for meeting with me, I appreciate it. I won't take too much of your time – I just wanted to clear some things up."

"Every one who heard the West Side Story auditions, which thanks to Jacob Ben Israel means at least 75 % of McKinley's population, knows Mercedes blew Rachel Berry out of the water. Even Rachel knows that."

And there they were, the triple looks of confusion he'd expected. After all, they had assumed he'd wanted to talk about himself. They really didn't know him that well, even though at least Artie should. He wouldn't have wasted his time on trying to change their minds when it came to him – it was too late for that. No. Kurt Hummel wasn't that kind of fighter. He was a protector, and it was time they remembered that.

"For you to decide that Maria should be split between Rachel and Mercedes came as a shock – and yes, again, even to Rachel – and now everyone has a theory as to why you'd do that."

"Since they all know it had nothing to do with whose audition was best, or talent, it's come down to two options: either the three of you didn't have the backbone necessary to deal with Rachel Berry on the warpath, or you decided giving Rachel what she needed for her NYADA application was more important than being fair."

"The only thing they all agree on is that it had to be because of Rachel. And that? That's the only reason Mr and Mrs Jones haven't shown up here to demand all of your heads."

"You know what would change that in a heartbeat? If they thought Mercedes being plus size and black had entered into your decision."

"Kurt! We would never–"

Pillsbury again. He couldn't help but wonder if it was because she was acting as spokesperson, or because neither of the other two cared about defending themselves. He didn't care, actually, because he wasn't there for a discussion, wasn't there to let them defend themselves. He was there to lecture – to tell them exactly how they'd screwed up, and how much he despised their behavior.

"Yes, you would. Don't try to pretend otherwise. Or am I to take that as you would never discriminate against someone based on race, or size? You save that for gay people then?"

Ah. Dropped jaws all over, and– Yes, there it was. Worry. If he'd really been as over dramatic as people liked to claim he'd say he could smell their fear. As it was all he noted was the satisfying glint of it in their eyes.

"It was really rude of me, I know, but I listened to you talk about the casting after the auditions. I wanted to know what you really thought about me. And I got my wish."

"Coach Beiste. Out of all the people at McKinley you were the last one I expected to make fun of someone for not conforming to gender stereotypes. You might have forgotten how hurt you were last year – but I haven't. Everything you were made to feel then? You just turned around and did it to me."

"I don't–"

"I heard you, remember? I heard you talk about how I was 'too much of a lady' to play Tony, and I heard you laugh at me. All three of you. Funny. You want to be treated with respect. Yet none of you seem to realize that Mercedes and I want that as well."

"Kurt. Look, I get that you're disappointed, I do, but the truth is you brought this on yourself. Your audition wasn't that good, honestly – neither of them was – and I think you know that. Blaine showed up that he could do Tony, and do it well. You didn't."

"And claiming we went with him instead of you because you're gay is kinda stupid, isn't it, seeing as he's gay too. We were chosen to do the casting, and the directing. Don't you think that was for a reason? Besides, the cast seemed happy with the job we did – you gave me flowers, remember?"

Artie Abrams, ladies and gentlemen. Blind, hypocritical ass. He reigned in his temper, and the forming bitch glare. Neither would do him any good. Feel what you want, but don't let them see it. Don't give them any excuses to disregard what you're saying.

"First of all, yes, I'm fully aware of my boyfriend's sexual orientation. Second, those flowers were Rachel's idea. Also, if you'll look closer at the card that came with them you'll notice my name isn't on it. That would be hypocritical of me, I think."

"But no, I don't think your casting had to do with me being gay. I think it has to do with me being obviously gay, and that the same is true for how you talked about my audition. I just didn't think I'd have to prove myself to you. You've shared that choir room with me for two years – you know how diverse I can be."

"Oh, and Artie? I understand that you're considering directing as a possible career. Well, unless you want a reputation for being an asshole you should probably not act like one. Not laughing at people who audition would be a great start. Do you remember how coach Beiste reacted last year when you wanted to be on the football team? Do you remember how it felt to be treated like a joke, because you don't fit the image of a football player?"

"Does it make you feel good to know you did that to me?"

He drew a deep breath, not wanting to let his temper take over, and took a moment to revel in the stunned look on Artie's face. He'd scored a rather painful hit, it seemed. Good. Now, time to get back on track.

"Splitting the part when every thing about that so-called final audition said that it should have gone to Mercedes was cruel. It was you three spitting in her face."

"Mine too, in a way, because I didn't even get that much. I needed Tony, needed it even more than Rachel needed Maria, and you all knew that. Miss Pilsbury, you were the one to tell me to do everything I could to bolster my application. And you knew, just like Artie did, that it wouldn't happen through Glee, because my chances of getting a competition solo is practically non-existent."

"And yet I got nothing. I'm applying to a performing arts college, for singing, and I ended up with a part where I didn't get to sing a tone. Even Mike got more, and he just wants to dance."

"I guess I should be looking at other career paths now, shouldn't I? Maybe something to do with fund raising, hm? Because you sure as hell didn't laugh when I got you the money that made the play possible."

His inner bitch purred with satisfaction at their faces. Artie looked like just after Tina had dumped him. Miss Pillsbury had blanched, her mouth turning into a little o – it would have been cute, had he not been so angry with her. And coach Beiste... Coach Beiste looked like she was finally getting it.

"Hummel, if all of this was bothering you this much, then why didn't you come talk to us earlier?"

"What, so you could talk yourselves into believing it was just about me not getting Tony? All you would have heard would have been 'me, me' and 'I want, I need' and then you would have brushed it off as me trying to Rachel Berry my way to the part. No thanks."

"Plus, and I get that this might sound strange to the three of you, I wanted to support Blaine. Because that's what you do in a relationship." And he wasn't going to let the hurt of Blaine not doing that, not the way Kurt had wished for, get to him. He wasn't. He loved his boyfriend too much for that.

"The only reason I'm bringing this up at all because the three of you need to hear it, need to get it. But I'm not doing this for me. Miss Pillsbury, Coach Beiste. The two of you are going to be here for a long time, most likely, and there are going to be more kids walking these halls being different."

"This year it was me and Mercedes suffering because we don't fit the image you have of what Maria and Tony should look like, what they should be. I have no idea who it was last year, or the year before that, or the year before that. What I do know is that I don't want it to be anyone next year."

"When I say I want the bullying to end at McKinley I'm not just talking about slushies and locker checks, and not just about the students. Words and attitudes hurt just as much or more. And what the faculty does – or rather, neglects to do – is what makes it possible for the bullying to go on."

"You need to realize that before McKinley becomes even worse – before it's the next school on the news."

He stood up, smoothed down his jacket and looked each of them straight in the face. None of them could meet his eyes without difficulty.

"Thank you for giving me this time. Goodbye."

He didn't wait for a reply, just turned around and walked out. Once the door shut behind him he closed his eyes, took three deep breaths and let it all go.

He had a date with Blaine in the library to get to, and an application to worry about. Because no matter what he might have implied, no matter what people said or did, Kurt Hummel wasn't going to let the narrow minded people of Lima detract him from his path.

One day it would be his turn.

~The End ~