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"Ladies," Blaine says, spreading her arms and curtsying a little. "I'd like to introduce you to our new bass, Kurt Hummel!"
Kurt smiles and lifts her chin, giving a small wave. "Hello, hello."
"And Kurt," Blaine continues, "this is Rachel, Mercedes, Tina, Sugar, Brittany, and Santana."
One by one, they wave back, and Kurt feels her nerves start to recede. Okay. They're nothing like the Treblemakers. For one thing, they seem to have manners. And besides that, they look happy to have her there.
Sugar raises her hand and speaks. "So Kurt, we heard you ran into the Treblemakers the other day? How was that?"
"Yes. Yes I did." Kurt laughs humorlessly. "They weren't exactly... nice." She'd thought college would be different than high school, but as the Treblemakers showed, hope is a foolish exercise.
Blaine makes a grotesque face, and Kurt watches as she seems to smooth it out by sheer force of will, training kind eyes on Kurt's. "Rest assured, Kurt, that the Barden Bellas absolutely do not discriminate based on sex, race, religion, or sexual orientation..."
At the last one, Kurt gives a little start in her chair, looking around to see their reactions, because god, what if they found out before she gets the chance to tell them? Santana gives her a knowing smile, curling her hand tightly around Brittany's.
"Um," Kurt begins, suddenly nervous all over again. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course," Blaine says, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap. In her grey pencil skirt and mustard cardigan, she looks like a real estate agent.
"Are you guys all gay?"
The room erupts into loud, raucous laughter. Rachel is loudest of all, clutching her sides in exaggerated agony. "Are — are we — ?" she wheezes.
"I didn't think it was that funny," Kurt mutters, sullen, as the laughter dies off, though her shoulders feel altogether lighter nonetheless.
"No," Santana says, "we're not all gay." She stretches an arm around Brittany and pulls her even closer.
Brittany nods. "We've all made out though. You should try it sometime." Kurt doesn't miss the way Mercedes and Rachel avoid each other's eyes.
Or the way Blaine's eyes flick down to her lips before she blinks herself alert, turning brusquely to gather her sheet music.