Hello lovely people! How are you doing? Hope you're all staying safe and sane!

Major thanks to everyone who keeps coming back to read and to everyone who was kind enough to leave a comment! Reading them always makes my day!

Not going to lie guys, I am absolutely crapping myself about this particular chapter.

I mean...there's only been 26 chapters leading up to this...no pressure.

So yeh. This one has taken weeks staring at blank screens willing stuff to come out, blood, sweat, infuriating blanks, countless rereads and edits and tears to try and get it half decent.

I can't look at it any more. So here you go. XD

This one is a long one, so I do apologise. A lot does happen, I tried to keep it condensed as best as I could. I hope it doesn't kill ya!

Anyway, enough from me. I really hope you enjoy this monster of a chapter!

Show Time.

Scotty did his tie up nervously in the bathroom mirror, blowing out yet another puff of air for the fiftieth time this morning.

How was it contest day already? How!?

He could have sworn there was still a month to go a few days ago.

Time really did fly...

But either way, the day had come.

And he was shitting a brick...

He knew he wasn't alone in that. The whole choir was probably thinking the exact same thing as him right now.

And he knew for sure Kai was after talking to him yesterday...

That was weirdly reassuring in a way.

That even the oh-so cool and quiet, tough as nails class bad boy was quaking at the thought of doing this. Just like him.

A sigh left his lips instead of another puff of nerves.

The difference between himself and Kai...

...Well, there were plenty of them...

But in this case, the big difference was, he felt, that Kai was so good at everything he did; top of the

class in every subject he took, world championship athlete, incredible musician and now beautiful singer...

Not to mention handsome.

So very...very handsome.

Eyes both dangerous and stunning...

Biceps to spare...

But anyway!

If they royally fucked this up, would it really bother him?

Like, really?

Sure, wouldn't be fun at the time. But once he got off the bus back at the school and remembered he

kicked ass at absolutely everything else, it would just be a memory that gathered dust.

Who cared about an inter-high school choir contest when you were a world champion sportsman?

That wasn't the case for him.

He...well, he didn't suck at everything, but he sure wasn't gifted. His test scores were average.

He was average.

The one thing he was above average at was singing. And he loved it. He loved singing by himself, in a group, in the shower...wherever.

He was introduced in elementary school, joined a proper choir at his junior high and got hooked on the feeling of singing with a group. Making something so harmonious and powerful it gave people chills or, if they were really on point, made people shed a tear.

It was a wonderful feeling being part of something like that.

He had no big dreams of pursuing a career in it, or anything like that. It was just his thing.

It would matter a lot to him if this didn't go well.

He wanted to make it to the nationals. This one victory he wanted more than anything else.

Meanwhile, Dan did his tie up nervously in the bathroom mirror, blowing out yet another puff of air for the hundredth time this morning.

Today was the day!

All those months of work coming down to this.

He knew without a shadow of a doubt that his boys would do an impeccable job.

They did every year.

Well...apart from that one time...

His thoughts were disturbed by his phone going in his pocket.

Ah, his one and only.

"Good morning, Vixen..." his musical voice greeted as he turned and leaned back on the bathroom counter.

"Morning Daniel..." Charlotte's voice chuckled back, "How are you doing this morning?"

"Better now I'm talking to you..." he smirked, knowing what was coming.

"Oh, shut the fuck up...Stupid man..."

His smirk grew wider.

"I'm all right, I guess. Can't lie, I'm feeling the jitters this year."

Charlotte scoffed.

"Oh don't be silly! You've done this contest a bunch of times! And there's a reason every school you've taught at keeps asking you to do it, because you're good at it and your choir always does well!"

Dan smiled and basked in it.

She wasn't wrong, but the ego stroke was nice.

"I know...and I know they'll knock everyone's socks off...It isn't just contest jitters, I'm mainly worried about Kai."

"When are you not?"

"Hn, touché. But this is valid...he's stressing about this and getting overly worked up. I know they all are and it is natural, but he's terrified he's going to get a panic attack on stage and ruin it for everyone. Which means he's going to be getting himself in a tizzy the whole time and will make it worse and could realistically come to that...What if he does freak out? Have an attack? If he does, I'm scared its going to set him right back to square one. He'll sink in to himself again and get all reclusive. And shit, can bet he'll never trust me again after I promised it would all be fine..."

Charlotte listened.

He had told her about his earlier burn out the other day, and she was worried for him too. There was nothing worse than being stuck in your own bubble of anxiety and fear that really no one could help you with...

"Dan...I know it's hard..." she started sympathetically, "But you've done all you can for him. No one else can go on stage for him and do it, no one can stop his thoughts. I wish he didn't have these problems and feel the way he does, but this is his fight. He'll never learn to overcome anything if he does nothing, and honestly he doesn't seem the type to back out. Whatever happens today, he will be able to take something away from it. If the worst does happen, he'll eventually realise it isn't the end of the world and work on it. If he pulls it off, it'll be an enormous boost for him and maybe it'll help him realise he has the strength to face things after all. Either way, he'll have the love and support of you and his friends to get him through it."

Dan nodded in to the phone.

She was right. This kind of thing was something that ultimately, he had to face on his own.

He just hated not being able to help...

"So the best thing you can do hun, is what you always do. For all of them. Make 'em smile. Make 'em laugh. Make them relax as much as they can and let that big mushy heart of yours blare out that you're on their side."

He nodded again.

"Thanks, gorgeous..."

A little while later, Rei slumped in to his seat behind his desk in the teacher's room and rubbed his temples.

Just a few more hours...by the time the sun went down today, this would all be over and both he and Kai could relax a little.

One big thing checked off the list.

He was sure Kai and the others would enjoy it overall, once the nerves had simmered. But he had to say, he didn't envy any of them.

He sure as hell wouldn't want to get on a stage and sing. Just the thought of it made his insides turn.

Which is why he was so stressed out!

Because Kai was insanely stressed out!

Which meant he could well go in to a panic today, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to help him.

On the one hand, he was happy he was doing this. Although he never really could see the exact logic in Dan's madness, he had to hand it to him, the change in Kai in the short time he'd been here was dramatic.

Which really could all be credited to his little schemes. Directly or indirectly.

But on the other...he felt a little like Kai was being sent out like a lamb to the slaughter.

He knew no one enjoyed nerves, but this was a little different.

It wasn't just a case of jitters for him.

He'd seen his face when he went in to that state of terror. Heard the struggling to breathe. Felt the shaking...

He signed again.

All he could do was hope for the best for him. For all of them.

The bell went.

While his uniform was pristine, Kai's stomach bunched up in more knots as the clock ticked down the minutes.

It was fine...Like Rei had told him last night when he couldn't get to sleep, it was just a few hours of his life. Then he could leave it there and forget about it forever.

The door slid open, and the entire class tilted their heads for a moment as they didn't quite make the connection as to who the man who walked in was.

Who was this fool?

Shirt and tie were immaculate, face cleanly shaved, hair neatly combed instead of a little messy and...

Was that a damn suit jacket?!

"Mornin' all!"

"Good morning, Mr. Harris." they all droned in unison.

"You're looking very dapper today, Mr. Harris!"

Dan snorted.

"Thank you, Reuben..."

He made a mental note to tamper with his report cards and give him higher grades...

But anyway...

"Right boys, as you know, today is a big day. So we'll get right to it since time is of the essence..."

He actually remembered to do roll call for once, getting the necessary crap out the way.

He tossed the file down and got his well groomed self in the center in front of the board.

"That's all, nothing else to announce this morning. Yes, home room is shorter than it usual is today, but I'm afraid it is time to bid farewell! Places to go, faces to melt!" he grinned, "All that's left to do is give your awesome classmates Scotty and Kai a proper 1-4 send off before they go forth to glory!"

He gestured for the boys to join him at the front, gaining him a huge eye roll from his Fireball, but he went along with it nonetheless.

Suddenly they were stood at the front of the class of ten, all of them rising from their seats.
He felt his chest tighten.

Oh Christ...if this was how he felt just standing in front of the ten faces he saw every day, how was he going to manage an entire auditorium?

"Gentlemen..." Dan boomed dramatically as he clapped a hand on each of their shoulders, "We'll be back..."

Reuben started off the encouraging applause by going like a possessed fangirl, grinning ear to ear.

His best friend and newfound best friend were going to kick ass!

As the others followed suit, Dan pushed their shoulders to make them bow. Why, Kai wasn't sure. But whatever...He had bigger problems.

One of which, was there was more parading that apparently had to be done...

Dan dragged them round, rounding up the rest of the choir, making him look like some sort of preppy Pied Piper as he lead the way and more blue jackets joined on and followed him.

Rei lifted his head as the teachers room door opened and streams of footsteps marched in, heart leaping in his chest as Dan...looking rather professional for once, actually...walked in followed by a line of nervous looking boys.

One of which was his boyfriend.

Rei looked around, wondering why no one else had bat an eyelid and why the choir boys were just stood silently waiting for...whatever they were waiting for.

The principle walked in. Hands behind his perfectly straight back with the same stick up his ass as Rei always saw him.

He turned to face the group of boys waiting patiently and silently all the way on the other side of the teacher's room.

As he cleared his throat, the other teachers finally moved stood from their seats, Rei looking around confused before standing as well.

"Gentlemen..." his gruff voice barked, "I know that each and every one of you has worked incredibly hard for this..."

His voice became white noise after that in Kai's head.

Enouuuuughhh of the build up! He just wanted to go and get it over with!

"...And don't forget! On your chest is the emblem of this school. Wear it with pride. Honor it by doing your absolute best!"

Rei felt a bead of sweat drop.

If they were going to do the whole 'school pride' thing, could they not bring cheerleaders and stuff like the American movies?

This version was dry and not quite selling it.

The older, stony looking man shifted his stance, making everyone else in the room straighten up.

"I wish you the best of luck..."

Dan's brain finally woke up, having also tuned out the principle's speech.

Was basically the same every year. It was only the end he had to listen out for.

"Boys?"

They all stood straight, a simultaneous thud as their shoes tapped together and their hands slapped to their sides in uniform precision.

"Thank you, sir!"

Every member of the choir bowed to the same depth, almost the exact same angle,which made Rei smirk.

They must have had to practice that...

It was nice, really. But sort of funny to see Kai doing things like that still.

As their heads went down, the teacher's room burst in to yet more applause, making Rei jump out his skin the moment the loud sounds hit his sensitive ears, but join in quickly.

Mr. Harris lead the way, leading down the middle of the two rows of desks with the boys following single file through the still clapping teachers.

Scotty gave Rei a wave and a nervous smile as he passed, which he returned. But his eyes trailed over to meet anxious violet.

He gave an encouraging smile as their eyes met, and Kai tried to give him one back, but ended up looking more longing than anything.

Dan grinned at the principle as he passed, only to have the older man put a hand out across his chest to stop him.

"A word please, Mr. Harris..."

Dan about choked.

"Now?!"

The fiery brown eyes looked back and narrowed.

"Yes. Now. Won't be long..." he said flatly as he began to make his way out.

The younger teacher nodded.

Of all the times to want a chat...

"Okay boys uh...I won't be a minute." he said apologetically, "Make your way to the bus outside the entrance. Go to the bathroom now if you need to. Oh, actually it might still be unlocked, you just gotta push the little...ah, you don't know what I'm talking about, never mind. Just wait at the bus!"

He hot-footed it out the door, leaving the boys to walk on out unattended.

The other teachers sat down and carried on with their day.

Rei on the other hand, stayed stood.

He said it all last night. Anything he could think of to reassure and make him feel better.

But he knew it hadn't helped.

He wanted to help...

His feet carried him quickly around his desk, chasing the line of boys.

"Kai?!"

Blue hair jumped and turned.

"Yeh?!"

He pushed his way around the desks and chairs with his crutches and got to him, giving a nod to the traffic jam he was causing as he went.

"I um..."

This was dumb.

How would he even...

He bit the bullet, grabbing up Kai's right hand and shaking it with both hands.

"Good luck! Break a leg!"

Kai's body jerked back and forth with the rough arm shaking, wondering what the hell had come over him.

Until he felt an almost cold, smooth sensation roll on to his wrist.

And with that, Rei let him go, giving him a subtle wink.

"Wish I were coming with you..."

Kai only stared for a moment as his other hand discreetly came to his wrist to examine and confirm, running his finger over round beads that went all the way around and smiled.

"Thank you...See you later."

Rei smiled and waved, feeling better.

During his and Kai's match in Australia, the White Tigers had all torn a piece of their clothes and tied it to his arm.

He'd been nervous going against Kai. Wanting to win more than anything and yet the niggle of his feelings for him combined with fear of getting his ass handed to him was there. But the gesture had made him feel like he wasn't going against him alone.

Maybe by giving him the bracelet Kai gave him to wear, it would do the same thing and sooth his mind. Even just a little.

He went back to his desk, glancing up at the clock and hurrying himself along to make sure all the things he was supposed to get done did in fact get done in time.

He was rarely late...

Thirty minutes later, 10:00 on the dot, a knock came at the staffroom door.

The school receptionist popped her head in.

"Rei ? Mr. Dickenson is here!"

Rei grinned. Not a minute late.

He cleared his desk quickly, getting himself up and hobbling out to the entrance where the plump old man waited with his cane.

"Ah! Good morning, Rei ! Are you ready to go?"

Rei 's grin got larger as he approached him.

Kai had told Mr. Dickenson not to bother going when he'd asked about attending. He said if that's what he wanted, then he wouldn't.

Rei had told him he had to stay at school anyways, but Kai was fine with that.

It was a shame they were both big old liars...

The tense and quiet bus ride seemed to go on forever and yet at the same time flew by, feeling almost like they had teleported there.

Mr. Harris had even kept the volume of the CD player down to a minimum, reading the vibe that bus karaoke wasn't on the cards.

Kai occasionally played with the bracelet, rolling it around his wrist and glancing down to get a glimpse of the amethyst and tiger eye.

Unfortunately for Kai, Scotty happened to glance over as he had, making himself turn to face the back of the seat with a smirk.

That was Rei 's...

And finally, the bus pulled in and came to a stop, lining up with a bunch of other buses. Different colored jackets and uniforms getting off.

If they weren't nervous before...

Dan got them off the bus, watching them all staring across at the other foreign herds, who were doing exactly the same and staring back and across at each other, seeming to huddle closer together to their own kind like anxious penguins.

He amused himself while they waited to go in to sign up by narrating his own nature documentary in his mind using the voice of David Attenborough.

"Here we see the awkward teenager..."

Scotty tensed up and nudged Kai's side, getting him an arched brow back.

"You see those guys over there? The ones in the ugly green uniform?" he whispered.

Kai glanced over discreetly, taking in the indeed vile uniform.

Seeing an absence of skirts, he assumed it was another boys school.

"Yes?"

"Those are the guys that beat us last year. If it weren't for them, we would have gotten a place in the regionals." he explained. Even though he was only in the first grade and hadn't been present at the last contest, it was well known across the newbies. "I guess the positive is they didn't make it to the nationals."

Kai nodded as he soaked the information, glancing back and scanning the pompous looking assholes.

If blading taught him anything, it was that any information on your competition was valuable.

And while he may have kept in the loop about new and upcoming teams or bladers, he couldn't say the same for high school choirs...

The schools slowly filtered in to the doors, getting themselves signed in and briefed about where they had to sit and so on.

At this rate this would never be over...

An eternity and a half later, they were lead off by a suited member of staff with a clipboard to show them where they'd be sitting. The very back of the middle aisle of the first half of the auditorium. It seemed all the other school students were rounded up in the first half. The back half and seats going round the sides of the big, dark hall slowly filling with parents and various other supporters.

Kai's insides did somersaults.

Wonderful. They had to sit and watch all of them go on until it was their turn.

Would it be worse to go first or last?

Well...maybe the very first wasn't ideal. But second or third would be good. Get it over and done with.

What was the order anyway?

Dan stood in the slowly filling hall just off to the side from his group of kids flipping through the

clipped together wedge of papers and scanning through them.

Boring.

Didn't care.

Not important.

Ah hah! Oh...

"Gather round, boys!" he summoned, waving them over.

"Okay listen. We are lucky number twelve today!" he informed in forced positivity.

"...Out of how many exactly?" one of them asked.

"Fifteen!" Dan smiled back, "So plenty of time to take a snooze!"

Kai's stomach dropped more.

Twelfth!?

They really had to sit and watch everyone go on before them!?

Scotty shuddered.

"Mr Harris?" he asked in a low voice.

"Yes?" Dan answered in in the same volume to match him.

"What number are they?" he asked cryptically.

The other boys turned their heads and straightened like a group of meerkats, wanting to know as well.

Dan checked his list.

"They who must not be named aaarreee...seventh."

They all groaned.

Noooo! Lucky fuckin' seven!

"Well..." Scotty laughed awkwardly to his friends, "At least we're not number thirteen?"

"Pardon me! Terribly sorry! Excuse us!" Mr. Dickenson apologised as he doffed his hat with a bead of sweat as his round stature and Rei 's troublesome crutches made it somewhat difficult to get to their seats.

Rei nodded in apology as well as his crutch hit some toes, struggling his way in.

But finally, higher up and left of the stage, two seats were waiting for them.

The settled themselves in, taking in the hall.

It wasn't as grand as Rei had been expecting. No lavish red curtains or carvings of cherubs and stuff in the walls.

Had red seats...

It was as big as he was expecting at least.

The stage was plain and simple as well. Light wood on both the floor and walls, piano in the corner as well as some kind of benches he assumed were for the choirs to arrange themselves on.

His golden feline eyes adjusted to the dimmer lighting and scanned the seats below, looking over a colorful display of uniforms in search of blue jackets.

And then he found them.

Aw, none of them looked very happy...

He looked back at the clock that hung over the doors and squirmed his butt in his seat.

The little paper program they got given said it started at eleven. It was currently 10:51. And if there was one thing he'd learned since he'd lived in Japan, it was that the Japanese started stuff on the dot.

His eyes automatically took him back to the two-toned hair next to Scotty and felt his lip curl into a smile as he watched him fiddling with his wrist.

He hoped it was helping. Even just a little...

Hundreds of nervous teenage eyes looked up as the lights in the concert hall dimmed even darker, the lighting above the stage getting brighter.

Kai could suddenly hear the violent pounding of his heart in his ears.

As a suited man walked on to the stage, holding the microphone to his mouth to welcome them all, it was as if his head had been submerged in water, sounds of voices trickling through the density as they welcomed and jabbered on about rules and doing your best and all that shit.

Polite clapping attacked his ears, the sharp noise making him irritated in his seat.

"And now, let me introduce our judges..."

Three older men in suits and an incredibly glamorous older woman with perfect white hair in higher heels than she probably should have been wearing strolled on to the stage, giving more speeches about doing their best.

Kai rolled his eyes.

Why?! Why did there have to be fifty speeches saying the same fucking thing?!

Just get on with it already!

With yet more damn clapping, the judges took their seats at the long table draped in black cloth near the stage.

Surely it was time...

Ohhhhh no...suit guy was back...

"Choirs. We will be beginning shortly. In order for everything to move as smoothly as possible, we ask that as soon as the first choir comes on stage, the second and third make their way backstage to prepare. As soon as the choir performing has finished and walked off stage, the next choir please make your way backstage. You will be lead back to your seats after your performance. We will have a short intermission around the half way point..."

Kai's stomach churned.

Noooo...more waiting...

Suit guy explained a few more rules about cell phones and flash photography before taking his leave, leaving the hall in a tense silence, minus a few awkward coughs.

Finally, the lights above the stage changed again, a loud voice coming through the speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our first performance is St. Francis' Girl's High School singing You Raise Me Up..."

A stout and stern looking woman in glasses waddled out, followed by a large group of meek looking girls in black sweaters and red patterned skirts, taking their places. A large, uncomfortable pause hanging in the air as the stout teacher took her place at the conductor's podium.

The piano came in a few moments later, and the entire room waited for the silence to break properly.

The girls opened their mouths.

"When I am down, and, oh, my soul, so weary..."

Their soft and sweet voices echoed through the large hall, fluttering around through the ears of everyone sat in it, gradually gaining power as they went.

"You raise me up so I can stand on mountains..."

Kai's nausea doubled.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk...

Scotty gulped too.

But in this case, he had a houndish, chauvinistic plan.

Just...just check out their boobs...

For the sake of his own tranquillity...

He wouldn't notice how good their voices were if he were distracted by nice racks...

Their song came to an end, resulting in a large applause and the girls taking their bow and leaving the stage.

Rei puffed out his cheeks before blowing out the air as he clapped.

They were really good...

It took a few minutes before the loud voice over the speaker announced the second choir, some boy's school singing Ave Maria.

The group of boys dressed in black and grey made their way on stage with their lanky, balding teacher.

Scotty wondered if he could use the same relaxation technique on these guys as he had with the girls, giving them a look over to see if anyone stood out.

But his head slowly turned to the guy sat next to him.

...Nah.

They didn't have shit on him...

It seemed there was no piano for this one. Their voices coming in without one.

"Ave Maria, gratia plena..Maria gratia plena..."

Kai and Scotty winced a little together.

Oooooo...pretty off key there...

Unfortunately, it seemed the choir knew it too.

And it didn't get much better...

They should have felt a little relieved...better than them being outstanding, right?

But neither of them did.

Because they knew that could happen to any of them.

That, what they just saw, was exactly what they were afraid would happen.

Even the clapping felt awkward.

Poor guys...that was their chance blown.

And now they had to sit there the whole day and watch people do better than them.

The judges wrote their notes, waving to signal they were ready for the next.

Milton High School, True Colors.

Trinity High School, Amazing Grace.

St. John's High School, Over the Rainbow.

Oakfield High School, some other Latin sounding name they'd never heard of...

So far, it was impossible to tell...each one of them doing well, minus the odd slip here and there.

Which wasn't exactly helping any with the live eels in their stomachs...

But now their focus was switched to high.

Next was lucky number seven...

"And now, our seventh performance...Xavier High School performing Bridge Over Troubled Water...

Rei jolted in his seat and choked on his spit.

Wasn't that the same song they were singing!?

Every member of St. Tristan's tensed up and felt their blood drain.

They knew someone was singing the same song as them...

Didn't bank on fate being that much of a dick...

Especially the older ones, remembering the crushing disappointment as they took the spot for the regionals last year.

Shit...

Dan folded his arms tighter over his chest and frowned.

Whhhhyyyyy did it have to be them?

Welp. Nothing to do but see what they had, he figured. Let the performance speak for itself. This was a fair competition after all.

...Their conductor looked like a douche...

The green jackets walked on stage with their perfect postures and haughty air, assembling themselves on the platforms. Douchebag conductor raised his hand and prize winning smiles spreading over their faces.

"I'll be your briddddge on troubled water!" they sang in almost a gospel sounding style original intro.

Kai twitched.

That didn't sound like theirs?!

Were they supposed to do that?!

The piano finally kicked in after their upbeat and catching intro, giving a much jauntier and happier sounding feeling.

"When you're weary, feeling small. When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all!"

Like a show tune almost...

Nothing like theirs...

Dan pursed his lips.

Bold choice for this song...

Not that he was saying it was wrong...

It was just...

No, it was wrong. In his opinion anyway...

But it did indeed stand out...catchy and charming.

It wasn't the usual way to sing this song. And there for not easy to forget.

Nice strategy...Frickin' douche...

Their melodic and upbeat voices continued to soar through the hall, the audience enjoying while the St. Tristan's boys waited for them to sing the part that punched...

"See how they shine, oh, if you need a friend...I'm sailing right behind! Like a bridge..."

Kai, Scotty and James squirmed horribly in their seats.

Now they had to nail that part absolutely perfectly if they were going to stand a chance...

Their voices soared for the finale, the conductor's hand raising and fist closing,bringing it to a close.

The applause was loud.

Among them, Rei clapped politely.

They had been good...but he knew Kai and the others were better...

Glancing down at them though, he knew they didn't have the same feeling.

Clapping weakly as they watched their biggest rivals leave the stage, the lights came up to reveal much paler faces.

"We will now take a twenty minute intermission. Please be back in your seats before twelve o'clock..."

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttt...

Kai felt like his blood had evaporated from his body.

Not only were a lot of the other schools amazing...

Those assholes had sung the same song and gone on first!

Aaaarrghhhhh...LIST! All of 'em!

Their chances felt smaller and smaller by the minute. And there was still sooo long to go..

He loosened his tie a little as he felt his throat closing up.

Fuck, he needed air...

He stood himself on his weak legs and head his way out, for some reason starting a chain reaction and making the other St. Tristan's boys get up and follow as well.

Some of them suddenly needed the bathroom pretty bad...

Rei shifted in his seat as he watched him leave from he top.

Should he go see if he was all right?

Or would that just make him worse? Get him all embarrassed and just add to the pressure?

He sighed, making himself stay put for now, foot jiggling on the floor impatiently as he glanced at the clock.

Hurry uupppp...

Outside the hall, the St. Tristan's boys huddled together, once again glancing around at the other strangers who were wandering around to stretch their legs or find a bathroom.

Scotty frowned, making eye contact with a green jacket who was smirking at them.

...Aw, hell no!

He would show them!

Via...the only intimidating looking one in the group.

"Kai?"

"Hn?"

"They're giving us 'fuck you' eyes..."

Kai opened his eyes from his space leaned against the wall with his arms folded and glanced over.

"So they are."

"Crap. And they're coming this way..." Scotty whispered in panic, mind racing before his hand swatted out and hit Kai in the chest...

Or should he say rock?

...Wow...

"Break out Lucille..." he ordered in a low voice.

Kai made a face. Was that supposed to mean something?

"What?"

Scotty tutted.

He clearly never wasted away Sundays with Fresh Prince of Bel Air...

"The eyes! Give 'em the eyes!"

"Tsh, shut up..." he scolded as he turned his head.

Pretty preened blonde hair, combed and perfectly parted sauntered their way with an arrogant, victorious smirk while his entourage was decorated with shit-eating grins.

Kai's chest burned.

That was his thing! The cocky, smug, I'm-better-than-you smirk was his!

...Fuck it, so were the death eyes...

As the Preppy Prince passed, Kai pushed himself off the wall a little to stand up straight, large arms folded across his chest and hit him with the big guns.

A buring, piercing glare with the power of a thousand suns.

The smirk fell off blonde's face, veering away noticeably and shoulders sinking.

The smirk passed to Kai, going back to who he considered was the rightful owner.

Once the leader flinched, so did the others. Always the way.

He kept his filthy stare on them as they walked by, holding in the snort at the very clear intimidation until the last one scampered.

The St. Tristan's boys snickered a little to themselves, enjoying the small and admittedly petty win, but feeling a little tougher for it nonetheless.

Scotty grinned and laughed silently as he watched them, seeing a few of them turn back.

"Get 'em again!" he half laughed, half whispered.

Kai turned his head, loading up his eyes for another round.

But at catching the stupid looks on their faces, he let out the snort that he'd been holding in and quickly turned around.

"I can't!"

"Pfff, come on man! The window is closing!" Scotty egged on.

"I can't do it if I'm laughing!"

"Ahhhhh...they're gone..."

"Well...that wiped the look off their faces...but to be fair it wasn't exactly unearned. They were very good..." one of the boys piped up, killing the small moment of comic relief.

"Yeh..." another sighed, "What are we gonna do?"

"The exact same thing we've been practising." A more mature voice came from the side.

They turned their heads to meet bright steely grey eyes and a grin.

"N'yehhh...They were good. But so are we! It aint over til it's over boys. Almost every school that's gone up has done a great job. It's still anybody's game. Don't let the fact they did the same song shake you. In fact, we should be happy they did it in a totally different style to ours. Make them both stand out instead of being similar!"

They both shifted their feet and nodded.

That was true...

"You boys should get back to your seats, okay? Remember, as soon as the tenth school comes off, get up and make your way backstage. I'll meet you there."

They started to move on cue, walking their way back to the hall with butterflies in their bellies.

Kai felt a pat on his shoulder as he walked by his teacher, both warming and sinking at the small show of comfort.

It wasn't only the choir boys he was terrified of letting down...

The seats in the hall filled back up again as the big hand almost stuck twelve.

Rei let out a silent whine in his seat as he moved side to side, craning his neck to try and see his face better.

Move your big melon head, Scotty!

But the lights dimmed as the big hand touched twelve, starting the second half of the contest.

He sighed and slumped back in his seat restlessly.

Man...now even he was feeling queasy...

"And now, resuming the second half of the contest, our eighth performance..."

"Our ninth performance..."

Kai felt every cell in his body both tingle and go numb.

Shit...shit...it was almost time to move.

"And now, our tenth performance, Bayshore High School singing I Sing Because I'm Happy..."

His stomach curdled and his knees ached.

It felt like a blink and they were taking their bows, moving off the stage.

The older members of his blue jacket tribe stood behind him.

Oh god...

Here they went...

Rei watched like a hawk while clapping, sitting further on the edge of his seat as he saw them rise from theirs, heart aching and feeling sick for him, them, as they head out the side doors.

Almost there...Just one more.

Wobbly knees somehow managed to lead the group of boys backstage to an empty room lined with chairs just in time to hear the muffled announcement.

"And now, our eleventh performance..."

Kai let out a shaky breath, leaning himself against the wall to hold him up.

It was fine...it was fine...he could do this...just fifteen or so more minutes and it was all done.

Dan finished talking to the suited staff and gave him a polite nod, straightening his jacket as he turned back to take in his group of pale and trembling boys.

"Guys. I promise you it will be fine! Our practices have just been mwah for over a month straight!" he chef kissed, "So just think of it as one more god damn rehearsal!"

He got a few gloomy, silent nods back.

He had to do better...

"Trust me boys! With the lights, you won't even be able to see the audience unless you really focus on them. And you won't be doing that because your eyes will be on me!" he said as he pointed at his grinning face with both hands, "And only partly because I am so sickeningly handsome, but mainly because you need to focus on me and my directions. The amount of times I've done this and students get spooked and just do their own thing, throws everything off. So just follow me and everything will be fine, okay?"

While the rest of them cracked the faintest of smiles, Kai just sank more.

Even though the foremost issue was getting out there and doing a good job for the sake of the team, there was so much more to this that rolled around his heavy head.

Personally, he wasn't overly invested in advancing to the next stages. That was the others' dream, their prize in sight.

He just wanted to get through this one and be done...

But his 'prize' wasn't a trophy. Wasn't a shiny plaque or certificate.

His came from a thorn that had been in his side from day one of St. Tristan's.

Relentless badgering and attempts at connecting that he'd rejected and scowled at.

Vicious and rude yelling, insults and snarling in an attempt to make him leave him alone.

Ridiculous plans to force him to do this in the first place under the romanticised notion that singing some cheesy song from 1970 with some other boys would somehow make him 'harness the power of his voice' or whatever cringy cliché bullshit he spewed.

And that was before Rei even appeared at the school gates.

But at the heart of it all, through all the clashes and battles, he had been the one to see through his bullshit. Notice him. Saw the struggling that everyone else brushed off as rudeness or bad attitude and tried everything in his power to make it better.

He didn't have to put in the effort he did or go to the lengths he did. But he did it anyway.

He never gave up on him. Never threw in the towel no matter what he hurled at him.

Literally! He'd thrown a lamp at him before for god's sake. And still he wouldn't let up.

He stood by him through every hardship he'd faced and most significantly...

Made him feel like he mattered...

Just like the Bladebreakers had. Which was why they were all family now, or in one case, something even more.

And now some dopey, eccentric and somewhat kooky music teacher of all people had chipped his own permanent hole through his heart as well.

Tyson and the others he could show his gratitude by training hard for the team. Stick with them until they retired. Like he always should have done. And beyond that, actually make the effort to stay in touch, wherever life would take them once their days as a team were over.

...Maybe the off pizza thrown in as well for good measure.

And Rei ...

He was another level. What Rei was to him would take an age of careful and deep thought to even attempt to put in to words. But all he could do to make up for his mistakes and the times he was and would be difficult was to try and be the best boyfriend, best partner, that he could be. Do whatever it took to make him happy. Including fixing himself.

But Dan...

He was yet another level.

Different from Tyson and the others.

Different from Rei .

As much as he got on his nerves, embarrassed and infuriated him, he looked up to and respected him.

Dare he even say...admired?

What? Who said that?

When Dan went off telling him his own anecdotes that went along with whatever advice or point he was giving, he found himself hanging on every word.

He respected Rei and the others, of course, but in this case it was just different in a way that he wasn't used to.

The obvious way to show Dan he appreciated everything he'd done would be to continue to work on his issues, try and get better and be better, work on his slowly budding friendships at school like he'd wanted him to.

And he'd do that...

But that took time. And time was something he may not have.

What if Dan never saw it?

That made it sound like he was dying...which was stupid. He was possibly just moving on to another school.

He'd said no matter what he'd be around.

But realistically...

Why would Dan go out his way to...what, even? Come see him some weekends? Hang out?

Unlikely.

People moved on...He understood how it was. There was always well meaning 'Yeh, let's stay in touch! Do something sometime!' only for them to disappear and just become a fond chapter of the past that gathered dust.

Maybe his new school would have some other screwed up asshole for him to take care of...

It was selfish and childish but the thought made him feel sick.

There were plenty of people who needed a Dan in their life in some form or another. But this one was his.

He needed him.

He didn't want him to go.

He didn't want to lose him. Lose this...whatever the hell you'd even call this!

He shook it off, feeling his chest rile up with the intense gnawing sad feeling again.

Now wasn't the time for this.

Like he'd said, there possibly wasn't much time.

If Dan was going to leave, then this was going to be the moment to gain the pride he'd come to crave so desperately from him after disappointing him so many times.

Dan had rambled time and time again that he wanted him to use his voice, work with the group as one, project.

...Then that was exactly what he'd do.

Part of him hated his corny, cheesy rose-tinted outlook.

Mostly because now it had rubbed off a little.

It had hit him a while back, after he'd had that spat with Rei about the elevator kiss, when Dan had given him a dose of his own medicine and cold shouldered him.

The sappy asshole had played this song in the car on the way back from the doctor, ultimately making him crumble like a cheap lamp and apologise for being a shitty person.

It was then it hit him that the stupid song from 1970 he was being forced to sing actually did resonate between himself and Dan.

Dan did comfort him.

Always was on his side when things got rough.

Always was sailing right behind him.

Really was a bridge over some very troubled waters...

Muffled applause from the audience brought him out his sappy little bubble, bringing him right back to the agonisingly tense room and causing his heart to kick up again.

The backstage door was pushed open, suit guy poking his head through.

"Line up please, boys!" he instructed with a quick beacon of his hand.

Dan blew out some air.

"You heard the man! Show time, fellas! You know the order...that's it..."

James, Scotty and Kai were at the very back, since they would be stood right at the front.

The pristine teacher walked down he line, slapping backs and patting shoulders as we went.

He finally reached the end, meeting terrified violet eyes.

As he often did, his hand slapped down and squeezed his shoulder, leaning down a little.

"Just pretend you're only singing to me..." he said in a low voice, letting go and walking back down as suit guy called for him.

Kai bit the inside of his cheek.

He already was...and he wasn't pretending.

Rei gripped his face without realising it, wanting to hurl.

"And now, our twelfth performance. St. Tristan's High School singing Bridge Over Troubled Water..."

His heard flipped, back flipped and bounced around his ribcage as he saw Mr. Harris walk on, nodding with his usual smile at the judges as he took his place on the podium, a snake of blue jackets emerging and fanning out and taking their places.

THERE HE WAS!

In the middle between Scotty and a guy he'd only met once. James? Whatever.

Dan looked them over, sending them a cheeky wink before giving the nod for them to put their hands behind their backs and widen their stance a little, as they did.

Kai was just glad the slight movement didn't have him falling over. Where had his kneecaps gone?!

He was right, about the audience at least. He couldn't really see them.

It didn't stop his heart racing or his palms sweating.

...Did he have to pee?!

Was he okay!?

He was glad his hands were behind his back. Made it easier to run his fingers over the bracelet...

Okay...breathe...

The piano came in.

Oh god...it was happening...

But his heart was up in his throat where his voice was meant to be.

Few more seconds...

Could he do it?!

Was he going to choke!?

Eyes fixed on Dan, his hands waved along to count the beat and the rhythm, getting ready to cue them in.

The three boys at the front took a breathe.

3...2...1-

"When you're weary, feeling small, when tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all..."

Rei gripped his face harder.

It was happening!

He hadn't frozen up!

Get it, Kai!

Dan's hands got a little more animated, mouthing more as he cued the selection of others joined in.

"I'm on your side, oh, when times get rough..."

Mhmm...very nice...and now, the whole gang!

"And friends just can't be found, like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down..."

Rei shuddered. Their voices were so rich and yet so light...

He couldn't help but smirk at Dan.

Looked like he was very in to it. Almost dancing and belting it out himself along with them like it was his jam.

As the whole group got ready for the next verse, Dan wave his hands with a little more zest, head and to a small extent, hips going.

He'd learned a lot from his time doing this.

Kai's worries were in no way exclusive to him.

In fact, was the same for almost all of them.

Scared of forgetting the words?

No problem, kiddo! Mr. H is singing them along with you.

He realised it seemed to help in the past against kids going blank. If they could see the cues.

Scared of looking a moron on stage? Having people laugh at ya for stuff no one actually paying attention to?

Dan's got you covered!

He was still conducting properly, but still managing to look enough of a weirdo to have people snicker at him if anyone, without being too distracting from the awesome soundgasm they were surely inducing.

Nervous as shit?

Him too...but just vibe off him and enjoy it...

Relax.

And look at that! The second verse was done...went fast, didn't it?

Ooooooooh now they were cookin' on gas. And now it was coming up to the part he had been looking forward to the most.

The face melting!

Scotty and Kai's heart slammed like rabbits on acid.

Oh no...it was coming up to the part he'd been dreading..

"Sail on silver girl..."

"Sail on silver girl..."

"Sail on silver girl..."

"Sail on by..."

"Sail on by...

"Your time has come to shine, all your dreams are on their way..."

"Your time has come to shine, all your dreams are on their way..."

The hairs on the back of Rei 's neck stood up.

Something wonderful was happening...

They had sounded great before, their voices ascending beautifully, flowing their way together like a river through the hall.

But now it sounded as if the river was branching off, in different directions yet still flowing so harmoniously.

The high notes and low notes waved and intertwined, echoing each other in such a beautiful way and so powerfully that it drowned his heart and made his eyes brim and threaten to flood.

"See how they shine..."

"See them shineeee."

"If you need a friend..."

The three boy inhaled, chests filling and bodies clearly bracing to throw out some force.

As much as they didn't want to, for fear of looking like dorks, their eyes scrunched shut and heads fell back a little as their voices burst out of them.

"I'm sailing right behind!"

"Like a bridge over troubled water, I will ease your mind..."

And up in the seats, Rei 's lip trembled pathetically as his eyes flooded over, the three voices, Kai's voice, being so strong that they stood out on their own while almost being pushed and carried along by the tidal wave of the choir behind them that crashed down in to the hall and made every hair on his body stand up and every inch of him shiver and tingle.

Dan wasn't mouthing along any more. He was too busy gnawing the inside of his cheek and stopping his stupid eyes from watering.

Absolutely nailed it...

"Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down..."

"I will lay me down..."

"I will lay me down..."

They held the last note, letting it rain down throughout the hall as Dan slowly raised his hand before throwing it up and closing his fist, chest swollen with pride and beaming eyes glistening as an enormous applause erupted behind him.

He gave them a nod as his lip curled, holding it together just a little longer to turn and take his bow with the rest of them.

Rei 's hands stung as they slammed together as fast and as hard as they could go, stood up and balancing on one foot, sniffling while his eyes leaked and making noises he knew he'd cringe at later. A unique blend of overjoyed laughter, relieved tears, pride, a pinch of fanboying and a generous dash of HNNNNN!

Mr Dickenson couldn't help but chortle, dabbing his own eyes in between applause.

That looked like one proud teacher...

And for good reason.

That had been outstanding!

All those boys had incredible voices, but he had to admit had was not expecting Kai to be centre stage and matching their talent.

As for the boy beside him going berserk, he expected no less.

What a special bond those two shared...

They turned to walk off stage, Dan leading while the others followed.

They all seemed to hold their breaths while they walked off, Kai and Scotty feeling their faces turning red since they were the last ones off.

The second they were shielded behind the curtain, Scotty spun on the balls of his feet and gripped his arms, Kai gripping back as they both let out the loud and vocal "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...", buckling at the knees.

"Jesus Christ..." Kai breathed out, still shaking on adrenaline.

"We did it...it's over..."Scotty breathed back.

"It will be when we get off this stage completely, so move!"

Scotty let go and spun back, hot footing it out to where the others were stood gathered doing their own various versions of 'holy shit'.

Dan stood quietly, hands on his hips as he waited for them all to appear.

"G-uys that was..." he stuttered.

They went quiet and turned to him, seeing his strained face trying and failing to look normal.

"You all did an amazing job you should beveryproudofyourselves..." his voice wobbled all over the place like a pubescent boy.

Before anyone could say anything, he ushered them off before he lost it.

"Now get back to your seats! Few more to go!" he beaconed as he opened up the door.

Their still gelatinous legs carried them out one by one, Dan waving them out until his hand came out to stop the last one.

His Fireball...

His hand powerfully came down on his shoulder, squeezing tighter than before, his lips and face straining more as Kai waited for him to...do whatever he was doing.

Dan searched for the right words, but instead his soppy eyes just welled up more.

"Hnnn..." came out his throat in a weird pitch.

And yet somehow, it was something Kai could understand, face softening and his own eyes watering a little.

"Hnnn-hnn..." he grunted back as he shook his head at him that sounded like a 'nuh-uh' and pushed his way out.

Not here...not now. Nope.

As if tonnes of steel had been lifted off their shoulders, they floated like feathers back to their seats, the cushioning beneath their no longer clenched asses, no longer feeling scratchy, but rather comfortable.

There was still the judging yet. And yes, the jitters about that would probably hit them soon enough.

But for now, they all relaxed in to their seats content and slightly buzzed at the knowledge that that couldn't have gone much better if they tried.

"And now, our thirteenth performance..."

A relaxing fifteen minutes later, the fifteenth school walked off the stage to the last round of applause.

It was all done...

Suit guy walked on to the stage, holding his mic up once again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the judges will now deliberate the results. Please allow some them to make their decisions. We will give an announcement when the results are in."

The hall buzzed with chatter. Some getting out their seats to walk about, some saying firmly planted.

"I don't envy those judges..." Mr. Dickenson said to Rei , "I wouldn't be able to pick just one out of them. They were all marvellous!"

Rei unintentionally gave him a look.

Really? Couldn't pick one?

Placing them and ranking them all though, he bet was another story.

He doubted it would take long though...

Ten minutes went by.

Then twenty.

Then thirty...

Rei tapped his foot impatiently.

What was taking so long?!

Forty...

Fifty?!

Oh come on!

A few minutes after that thought the speakers gave the announcement that the results were in, and that students had five minutes to return to their seats.

Empty seats got filled quickly, and before long the fabulous old lady judge with the curled and styled white hair with high heels walked gracefully on the stage.

The room fell to a hush.

"Ladies, gentlemen...we apologise for the long wait. Due to the quality of this years' performances, it was rather tricky to get come to a final decision..."

She was met with restless stares, despite the complement.

"First off, we would like to say congratulations to all of you for the hard work that we can tell was put in. The countless hours of practise and dedication. All of you should leave here with your head held high, regardless of where you are placed."

Kai let out a silent sigh through his nose.

Come on, lady!

"Without further ado, I will now read out the placements, starting from fifteenth place..."

She cleared her throat.

"At fifteenth place...St. James' High School..."

There was a polite applause as the lanky, balding teacher that belonged to the poor guys that had been all over the place walked his way up to the stage to receive his certificate.

Aw...

The placements rolled on, slowly but surely. Hands getting red and sore for the mandatory applause for every single one.

They were whittled away one by one, some disappointed tears among the students sat in the lower rankings.

Finally, it got to where people were really paying attention. The top five.

Kai's heart went back to slamming in his chest.

Their school's name hadn't been called yet.

They'd really made it to top five!?

That was...awesome!

"At fifth place...Xavier High School!"

Some gasps of angry disbelief came from the green jackets, as well as surprised ones from the St. Tristan's boys.

The defending champions...fifth?!

HA! They'd beaten them at least!

Dan sucked his cheeks in to stop the smug smirk as Douchebag went up looking salty to collect his small trophy.

Maybe it wasn't professional to enjoy that, the kids would be disappointed but...

Eh. Blame D-bag.

"At fourth place..."

Kai and Scotty leaned in and touched shoulders.

"Trinity High School!"

They exchanged glances.

TOP THREE?!

Rei had strange cat like hums trilling quietly in his throat as he vibrated in his seat, clawing at Mr. Dickenson's sleeve.

TOP THREE?!

"At third place..."

Kai and Scotty's shoulder's came back together with a little more force.

"Green Oak High School!"

Their heads snapped to each other again.

NOOOOO WAAAAYYYYYY.

TOP TWO?!

Mr. Dickenson hissed as he felt a sharp scratch on his skin.

"Rei ! Not so hard!"

Rei let go but vibrated harder, weird humming sound rumbling harder.

He was gonna pass out at this rate!

They were either second or first place?!

Kai glanced over as he saw Scotty move in the corner of his eye as Green Oak went up for their prize.

The poor guy was shaking, hands balled together and leaning to rest his forehead on it.

He could hear the shaking breaths coming out his nose.

...He really wanted this.

He wanted to win himself too, of course. When did he not? But he would be more than happy with second.

But he wasn't Scotty.

He leaned over, nudging their shoulders together again. For solidarity.

Scotty looked up and gave him a quick smile, leaning in to him back.

"At second place..." the glamorous swan's voice said louder than before, pausing.

Scotty and Kai almost crushed each other's shoulders.

It was between them and St. Francis. The very first ones to go up.

They had been good...

And neither Kai nor Scotty could say with certainty that theirs had been better.

The older judge seemed to enjoy the suspenseful pause, giving a smile and leaning in to the microphone while she held her piece of paper.

"...St. …."

Kai growled.

Oohhhhhhh you bitch! LIS-

"Francis High School!"

HN?!

The vibes from the group around him exploded, humbly keeping their emotions silent and inward for the moment so that St. Francis' could collect their silver trophy and roses and enjoy their success.

The shoulder pressed in to Kai's shoulder shook a little, followed by sniffles that were trying hard to be quiet, causing a small smile to curl on Kai's lips, somehow not sinking in yet that he was part of this too...

And they'd won...

"At first place...a big congratulations to St. Tristan's High School!" the lady smiled.

The announcement finally filtered through, going off him his head with a pop like a bubble.

"Fuck off..." he muttered a little numbly in disbelief.

They won?! They actually won!?

Dan rushed over to them, beaming like they'd never seen and ushering them to stand and follow him while the deafening applause crackled in their ears.

Scotty was sobbing now, along with a few others in blue jackets, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand and fishing out his hand towel.

The preppy Pied Piper was back in full force, striding effervescently and glowing as he lead them up the small set of steps at the front of the stage to make his way up.

He waited at the top, letting his boys made their way on and spread out along the stage as the Glamorpuss waited with the gold trophy in her hands.

Dan straightened his jacket, composing himself as he faced her.

Approaching her gracefully, he bowed his head a little as he leaned forward to take it from her, applause blowing up again as he turned to them and gave a deeper bow.

Now the formal shit was done, he could do what he really wanted to...

He turned to face his boys, face breaking in to the biggest Dan Harris grin as he bounced over far less gracefully.

"YEEHHHH!" he hollered as he held up the golden victory, punching the air with the other.

The boys startled for a split second, before they mirrored his grin and hollered back, forgetting about the rest of the hall.

Rei choked on his happy sobs and quickly burst out laughing as Dan unleashed ecstatic chaos out on the stage, friends clambering on, jumping on and hugging each other.

Awww, poor Scotty couldn't compose himself just yet.

But even more awwwwwwww was that Kai was patting his back. A little awkwardly. But it was sweet nonetheless.

As was watching Dan leap around like he was one of the teenagers.

Oh...was he going to dare attempt contact with the Sourpuss?

Yyyyyyup...hand right in there ruffling his hair with an arm round his shoulders...

And awww...look at that.

He didn't push him off this time...

As the stage emptied and Suit Guy wrapped up, the hall started to stand up and make their way out.

Rei jumped up to his feet, grabbing his crutches, weird trilling hum finally coming out at full volume.

His turn!

The boys' high was unrelenting, all smiles as they posed for the obligatory photographs and for parents and family as they hunted them down to make a fuss of their princes.

Kai stood to the side, looking around and getting a look at who resembled who as he waited.

Wow. Scotty really looked like his dad. Same cry face.

"Kai, my boy! Congratulations lad!"

Kai jumped out his skin as his head snapped, catching the round familiar face waddling over.

"Mr. Dickenson! What-"

There was no point asking what he was doing there. Was obvious.

"Thank you, sir..."

"That was absolutely other worldly! My goosebumps still haven't gone down!" he chuckled, "And I have to say that song is one of my favorites! What a treat to have listened to it sung so beautifully!" he complemented before he caught another figure stroll over.

"Ah! Mr. Harris! Congratulations! You must be thrilled!"

"Incredibly! Thank you!"

"All that hard work paid off!"

"It did! They blew me away!"

"Aw come now my good man, you deserve ample credit as well! Heh! I must say you look like you really get in to your groove on that podium!"

Kai stood and listened to the complementary exchange between the two go on a little longer before the older man pat his arm.

"And you must be incredibly proud of this one..."

"You have no idea..."

Kai squirmed.

As much as he'd wanted to hear it, the direct attention felt horribly uncomfortable.

Mr. Dickenson nodded.

"I uh...I don't suppose I could trouble you for a word in private? Sorry to bother you in your time of celebration, just a quick word while we're both in the same building."

"Of course! Let's go find somewhere!" he exclaimed with an arm out directing him to follow, leaving Kai looking on and narrowing his eyes.

….Oh no...

That never ended well for him...

Why did he need to talk to him?!

He stood and speculated, oblivious to the taps of crutches racing towards him.

"Kai! Think fast!"

Kai turned to catch a flash of dark hair and a white tunic mid air, limbs sprawled out as the crutches hit the ground.

He yelped and swiped his arms to catch him, getting a huge thud and knocked back as he made impact, arms and a bandaged up leg wrapping round him.

"Rei whatthefuckareyoudoinghere?!"

"I am so, so, SO proud of you! You did it! You were amazing! I knew you would be but you went and actually won it!"

Kai blinked as Rei clung like a koala and rabbited on in his face, setting him down a moment to pick up his crutches for him.

"Thank you?!" he shrieked, handing them back to him and still not over the fact he was there.

Rei took them off him, only to speed off.

"Follow me!"

Kai blinked again, taking a moment before he jogged after him.

Rei zig zagged in and out of people while Kai followed behind him, coming out of the crowded area and heading further in to the emptier areas.

He finally found the place he'd scoped out earlier, turning in to a small and short hallway that lead to a dead end window and a well placed potted tree for them to hide behind.

"Rei ? Where are we go-"

Rei 's hand grabbed him, swinging him around the plant and near enough slamming him in to the wall before turning him back round and slumping in to him.

Kai's hands went to support him instantly, but got somewhat sidetracked when his lips crashed on to his.

...Nevermind...

Behind the cover of the probably fake plastic tree, the two lost themselves in a heavy and needy make out session, high level of emotion of the day projecting in to it and making it all the more passionate.

Unfortunately for them, a fast click and swing opposite them forced them to part.

But it was too late...

Steely grey eyes stood holding the handle of the door with his jaw on the floor and deer in the headlights look on his face.

Kai paled and flushed at the same time.

No...no no no...

Of all people to catch them swapping saliva...

The hanging jaw slowly lifted to an almost maniacal, wolfish grin.

"...ARE YOU SHITTING ME?!"

Kai shook his head.

No.

No.

This wasn't happening...

A throat cleared behind him, scolding the language.

"Problem, Mr. Harris?"

"Nope! Noooope nope nope! No problems here!" he beamed, wanting to laugh as the other two scrambled off each other before Grandpa Dickenson caught them too.

"Ah! I see you boys managed to find each other!"

"Haaaaa! And then some!" Dan gushed, unable to control himself.

Stanley raised a brow. He didn't know what that meant. But either way...

"Anyway, I'm terribly sorry Kai. I have to be back in my office by two o'clock at the latest. I'm afraid I'll have to leave you now and take Rei with me to drop him back." he apologised.

Kai shook his head.

"Not at all. Thank you for coming..."

He had told him he didn't want him to come.

But the fact that he did had touched him.

Rei subtly squeezed his arm, both of them letting out the silent, longing whine that they were being dragged away from each other.

"I'll see you back at the school soon, yeh?"

Kai blushed and went weak at the knees.

Ooooo he couldn't wait to get back to his room tonight.

"Yeh..."

Dan's head almost exploded. Waiting until the other two were gone before he pounced.

"BUDDY! Congratulations! I just?! Why didn't you!? Tell me everything! When!? How?!"

Kai leaned back, dodging him as he towered over him and ran for his life.

"Nope!"

Dan danced on foot to foot, giggling to himself like an idiot as he watched him run away.

Whatever. He'd get get details from Rei...

All that mattered was that finally...FINALLY his hard work and meddling had paid off.

He strolled back down the hall casually with a spring in his step as he chuckled watching his Fireball haul ass away from him, getting smaller in the distance.

Well, wasn't this one of the best damn days of his life?

Wasn't even over yet!

He was quickly hit though, and stopped for a moment.

...What would he torment him with now...?

….

Ah, who was he kidding, he'd still ridicule him senseless about it!

But for now, the ultimate celebration...

Twenty minutes later, after bathroom visits, round ups, and navigating their way out of on to the main road, the St. Tristan's bus was on its way back to the school.

This morning hadn't been the time for bus karaoke.

But now it sure as hell was.

The whirling and screeching guitar and drums boomed through the bus, kids kneeling up in their seats draped over whoever they were next to swaying, swinging, hands up and passing around the golden trophy.

"ON and ON and ON and ONNN!"

"WEEEEEEEEEEE ARE THE CHAAAAAMPIONSS MY FRIENNNDS!"

Scotty had finally stopped weeping like an Oscar winner and had now embraced the jovial side, hanging off Kai and too drunk on joy to even notice the broad, muscular shoulders.

Kai allowed it. Just this once.

While he wasn't moving quite as wildly as the rest of the rocking bus, he was swept up in the singing...

...Would be rude not to after all.

Besides, he did an awesome Freddy...

"WE AREEE THE CHAMMPIOOONS! WEEE ARE THE CHAMPIOOONS! NO TIME FOR LOOOOSERS, 'CAUSE WEEEE ARE THE CHAMPIONS..."

Dan punched the air from the driver's seat, snatching up the solo.

"OF THE WORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRLD!"

They pulled up back at the school, feeling their bus-buzz ebb away just a little at being brought back to reality.

Dan stumbled out the driver's seat.

"Listen up boys! It is only two o'clock, but you all have permission to skip 6th period and home room and start your weekends early!"

He got a cheer in return.

"Now go on! Get out of here! Well done, boys! We're going to REGIONALS!"

The cheer only got more raucous as they bounced their ways off the bus, chattering as they made their ways back in to the school and up to their dorms, planning celebrations for the weekend ahead.

"You want to go do something with me, Reu and Ray this weekend?!" Scotty hopped beside him, "The four of us could go out for pizza or something! Celebrate!"

Kai hesitated.

He actually had something incredibly important planned for tomorrow...

"Um. Yeh! You think we could do it Sunday though? I'm tied up tomorrow..."

"Sure! No problem! We're free! I can't speak for Ray but I'm sure if you are, he is!"

"I'm pretty sure he is!"

"Great! It's a date!"

Kai cringed.

No...it wasn't...

But tomorrow was...hopefully.

Dan followed a little way back and smiled.

Today just kept getting better and better.

Look at him making plans with friends...

As they branched off to the student dorms, Dan finally cleared his throat.

"Hey Kai? You mind if I talk to you a minute?"

Scotty and Kai looked over their shoulder and stopped.

"Oh. Sure?"

Dan grinned at Scotty.

"Privately, dude."

"Oh! Of course! Sorry...See you later Kai. And thank you, Mr. Harris!" he waved off and took his leave.

Kai waited, and Dan just chuckled again.

"N'yeah...sort of a private matter. Your dorm or my crap hole?"

Kai wanted to say his.

But then he remembered Ray's stuff was in there, and he really didn't want the ribbing.

"Your crap hole."

"Very well..."

Kai followed him, the nervous feeling he'd had until their performance was over running riot through him again.

He had a feeling he knew what this was...

He entered the usually forbidden territory of the teacher's dorms and followed him to his door, which he keyed the code to and let them in.

Kai looked around.

It was a lot tidier than the last time he'd been in there...

Dan pulled out his desk chair and turned it, offering it to him.

"Sit, please!"

Kai gave him a nod and sat, Dan doing the same and stepping back to sit on his bed opposite.

"You know first things first...just wanted to tell you that you amazed me today. Not just your performance, which was...wow, buddy." he laughed a little, "But the way you managed to keep it together. I know how worried you were, how much you struggled with it all and panicked. But when it came to crunch time you hit it out the park. I can't believe the same guy who couldn't even handle the falling trust exercise on a classmate a little while back just got up center stage with nineteen other people and won the whole thing. I'm immensely proud, I hope you are too."

Kai felt his chest tense in a good way, letting out a smile.

There it was. His gold trophy.

"So um..." Dan stuttered after a moment of silence, running an awkward hand over the back of his head.

"I told you I would let you know as soon as I did...had to delay it by a few hours since...well, contest."

Kai's stomach dropped yet again and nodded just because he didn't know what else to do.

"But um...see the reason the principle pulled me aside this morning was to tell me I had the all clear to move..."

Kai couldn't explain the feeling that went through him at that moment.

But if he had to pick one it would probably be 'crushed'.

"Oh..."

"Yeh...another few weeks and I'll be packed up and getting out of here...surreal really..."

Kai's eyes prickled hot, trying to keep his face together.

"...Mhmm..."

His eyes went to look around the room. Anywhere but him.

Dan let out a deep sigh and rubbed his face, going quiet a moment. And Kai leapt on it.

He pushed himself out of his seat to stand.

"Was that everything? If you don't mind I think I'm just gonna..." his voice wobbled as he head to the door.

"Kai...Kai, hold on. I'm sorry..."

Kai's hand stopped on the doorknob.

"...You don't need to be sorry, Mr. Harris. You should never be sorry for ceasing opportunities..."

"No, that isn't-"

"I'll miss you..."

The watery tone of his voice stabbed the teacher in the heart as he stared at the back of his head, hand still on the door handle.

...Damnit. Now he felt like a major asshole!

"Kai..." he let out, "I meant I'm sorry because I'm just fucking with you, buddy. I'm just moving house, not schools..."

His grip on the door handle tightened.

"...What?"

Dan both smirked and flinched at the rough and unimpressed tone in his voice.

"I told you you'd cry, didn't I? Sorry, dick move I know, I just couldn't help myself..."

The shoulders hunched, going eerily silent and still.

"...Kai?"

In a sharp sudden burst, a blur of blue hurled towards him.

"You are such an asshole!" he shrieked out furiously arm reeling back and debating whether or not to give him a dead arm.

While his watery eyes burned and his fists had no idea what to do with themselves, Dan took hold of his arms and just pulled him in to a hug instead to decide for him.

"I know. But listen, I'm sorry. Not just for that but for stressing you out with this for so long. There was so much back and forth with this and so many bits and pieces getting figured out, I just thought it would be better to tell you once it was all sorted. This whole thing snowballed after I told the principle I'd only stay if I was able to live off campus...which was apparently a huge problem. I didn't want to go to the other school, I love it here. But I'm not getting any younger and Charlotte, god love her, she's been waiting for this for years...I had to do what was right by her as well. I hope you can understand that. I meant it when I said I would still be around for you if I did leave, which is why Mr. Dickenson and I started talking."

Kai frowned and leaned back a little from the hug that he wasn't pushing off just yet.

What did he have to with any of this?

Dan held him out at the shoulders.

"Mr. Dickenson calls me often, wants to know how you're doing and what's going on with you. He adores you, Kai. But he always feels horrible that he is responsible for you and yet being the head of the BBA ties him up so much he can't be the guardian you need..."

It was his turn to feel a bit nervous now.

Probably shouldn't have pissed him off before bringing this up...

"So...I, well we, thought...whatever came of this transfer business, it might be in your better interest if he signed guardianship over to me...so that...you know...you could legally be my pain in the ass for the next few years." he chuckled, stopping his rambling to check for a reaction, but that damn floppy hair covered his face.

"Is that...is that something you would want? I asked him to let me talk to you about it first before he gets it all the red tape set up..."

He was met with a few more moments of painful silence before hands gripped the sides of his shirt and his head flopped on to his shoulder.

Dan cracked a warm smile, putting his arms round him and patting his back.

"I told you buddy, I aint going anywhere..."

As the sniffling came in stonger and louder, the hands gripping his shirt let go and wrapped round him.

He rubbed his back harder, staring at the bright lightbulb above his head in a weak attempt not to be set off himself.

If this wasn't one of the most perfect days ever, he didn't know what was.

End of Chapter 27.

Haaaaaaaaaa! So glad to finally get this done!

I really hope you enjoyed it!

I don't think anyone cares, but just in case, I'm sure you can imagine it is very hard to write about how singing sounds lol.

Since the start of this story, I always used this video I found on YouTube by the London Gay Men's Choir performing Bridge Over Troubled Water as a reference for what they sounded like. If on the odd chance anyone wanted to listen to get an idea XD

Anyway, the contest is over and now we can relax and enjoy the rest of this ride! There's still a few things I want to do to wrap this story up and set up for the second instalment! Hopefully won't take me too long to get the next one up!

Until then, stay home, stay safe!