Disclaimer: This story is for non-profit use and reader's enjoyment only. All creative rights concerning Glee, it's characters and any sayings and/or lyrics quoted here belong to their original creator(s)/artist(s).

"Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." ~ Robert McAfee Brown

Ever since mankind discovered the joy of story-telling (which was roughly 200,000 years ago, when humans discovered that their mouths were made for other things besides chewing on raw meat. They immediately dumped sign language in order to make noises: partly to communicate better with each other, partly just to annoy the hell out of their fellow cave-men), people have told each other millions of stories, and still, there are twice as many that never actually have been told.

Some of these stories were about love, some about war, some about friendship, some about history, some about grief, some about learning, some about change.

This particular story features many of these themes, too.

It's about friendship, it's about fitting in, it's about being disappointed.

It's about accepting each other, it's about forgiving each other, it's about helping each other.

It's about being who you are and finding love in the most unusual ways.

One question remains, though: who does this story belong to?

Does it belong to the people it's about?

Or does it belong to the people who are telling you about them?

Just whose story are you listening to, exactly?

"Do you think he's very disappointed?"

Nick looked up from the sheet music resting on his thigh to glance at his best friend who was sitting next to him. Jeff's forehead was furrowed and he was gnawing on his bottom lip – which usually indicated that something was bothering him immensely.

"Who is?" Nick asked, unable to follow Jeff's train of thought. Ten minutes ago, when they settled on Nick's bed to practise their songs for the second audition, Jeff had been completely psyched, practically bouncing up and down on the mattress. Even the fact that he would be competing against his best friend hadn't bothered him – he just claimed how awesome it was that at least one of them was bound to get a freaking solo for Sectionals.

Now he looked something between guilty and concerned.

"Kurt," he said, looking at Nick in a who-else-would-I-be-talking-about-manner. "Because he didn't move on."

Nick tipped his head sideways, curious to where this conversation would be going. "Yeah, he probably is. I mean, I know I would be disappointed," he added, remembering the three times his auditions had been unsuccessful.

Jeff tugged at a loose thread in Nick's comforter. "It's just... I feel really sorry for him."

Surprised at Jeff's sudden concern for the newest Warbler, Nick gently swatted Jeff's hand away from the comforter, but otherwise remained silent. Unable to keep his hands still, Jeff settled on tearing tiny pieces of paper from his sheet music, staring into space with a thoughtful expression. Finally, just as Nick started to grow impatient, he voiced his concern: "I mean... I just guess it's really hard for him, you know? Leaving his old school, coming here, being the new kid, probably being all uncomfortable about it, then getting the chance to prove himself and then being brushed off, just like that."

Nick nodded slowly. None of them really knew for sure what had happened at Kurt's old school. A few days ago, Blaine had called an emergency meeting, telling them about this new friend who was going to transfer to Dalton, and would most likely be joining the Warblers. He only hinted at the reasons behind Kurt transferring, letting slip that it had something to do with bullying, but he really didn't need to elaborate.

All of them knew Blaine's story and the reasons why he transferred to Dalton more than a year ago. Seeing him so worked up about another student's transfer, they had all drawn their own conclusions.

Nick and Jeff had talked about it (although the council generally disapproved of any gossiping going on, but hey, what they did in their room was their own business, wasn't it?) and felt their speculations confirmed when they got to meet Kurt. He didn't seem to lack self-confidence in general, but they could see that he had no clue how to fit in at Dalton yet, and at the same time was desperately trying to.

They had been surprised when they heard that Kurt also had been invited to audition for a solo at Sectionals. Normally, no new Warblers were given this opportunity, and they had a strong feeling that Blaine and his influence on the council had something to with it. But more than anything else, they had been curious about his talent as a singer.

Nick fondly remembered Kurt's version of "Don't cry for me, Argentina."

"Well," he said, just realizing that Jeff was still watching him, patiently waiting for an answer. "His voice is really awesome. I guess it was mainly his song selection that the council didn't approve of."

Jeff nodded. He had chosen to perform Howie Day's "Collide" while Nick had settled on "More than a feeling" by Boston. Both of them knew from experience that classics or Top40 songs were the safest way to audition in front of Wes, David and Thad.

"And I think," Nick continued. "With a voice like his, he won't have any problems getting solos in the future. Okay, it didn't work out this time, but as soon as the council thinks he's fitting in alright, he'll get his chance."

Jeff, already looking happier, nodded again. Suddenly, he frowned: "Did you get his canary joke?"

Nick shook his head. "I got the reference, just not the humour."

"It's just... nobody laughed," Jeff said. Nick snorted: "Of course nobody laughed. They were all afraid of Thad pointing out that we 'do not mock the canaries'."

"Now Kurt probably thinks we're a bunch of dapper-looking, ambitious, prep-school-boy-stick-in-the-muds."

Nick grinned. "I'm sure he doesn't think that about all of us. Didn't you see Blaine cracking up?"

"He was?"

"He totally was."

Jeff grinned, then got serious again.

"Do you think he's gay?"

"You mean Kurt?"

Jeff nodded.

"Well, taking into consideration the dreamy eyed looks he is giving Blaine all the time as well as the fact that he's using words like "show-biz-panache" in his everyday language – I'd probably said: Yes, he is," Nick answered.

"It must be really hard for him," Jeff said, returning to the original point of their discussion. "I mean, I don't know what he had to go through at his old school, but I wish we could make this whole thing easier for him."

Smiling at the blonde boy, Nick patted Jeff's shoulder reassuringly. "Maybe we could help him. You know, show him that he's welcomed here. That he doesn't need to try so hard, 'cause he's alright just the way he is."

Jeff beamed at his best friend, eyes lit up, and asked enthusiastically: "So what are we gonna do?"

Nick looked at Jeff's lap that was covered with the remains of his sheet music. Suddenly he grinned.

"I have the perfect idea."

"I can't believe you guys just threw the competition," Blaine said, staring at the two boys in front of him. Even though he just had informed them that neither of them was going to get a solo at Sectionals, their content and happy expressions didn't falter for so much as a second. It was quite unnerving.

"We didn't throw the competition," Nick protested. Jeff chimed in: "Yeah. We just decided on auditioning with a duet rather than two solos. That's been done before."

He paused, frowned and turned to his best friend. "It has been done before, right?"

Blaine stared at them for a second before opening his mouth again.

"You auditioned for a solo lead at Sectionals."

"Yep."

"With a duet."

"Right."

"You auditioned for a solo lead at Sectionals by singing "If You Were Gay" with the guy you were originally competing against?"

"So?" Nick asked innocently. "What's the big deal? I thought the best thing about our school was tolerance and acceptance and us getting along with each other. Well," he added as an afterthought. "That and the bagels in the cafeteria."

"Yeah", Jeff added. "What's wrong with two guys discussing the possibility of being interested in the same sex in song?"

Blaine just continued to stare at them. Finally, he said: "Since you have been part of the Warblers even longer than I have, I assume you know Wes, David and Thad very well. And I'm having a hard time believing that even in the craziest part of your brains the idea of singing Avenue Q and getting a solo lead at Sectionals made any sense at all. Especially," he added. "with you performing it the way you did."

Later, the Warblers (minus the council) would agree on the word "epic" being the appropriate term for Nick's and Jeff's performance. But at this very moment, all Blaine could remember was Nick and Jeff hopping on and over furniture while doing their chaotic rendition of the most beloved Avenue Q song.

It had been fun, it had been heartfelt, it had been flirty – it had been anything but Sectionals material. Blaine could still see Wes' face as he said: "Maybe it is a little too early for them to deal with the responsibility of a solo lead. I truly believe they have yet to understand what the Warbler's legacy is about."

"Kurt seemed to like it."

Blaine snapped out of his thoughts: "What?"

"Kurt," Nick repeated. "Your new best friend. Tall, slender, always having that sceptical look on his face? He seemed to like it."

Blaine thought about that for a second, and had to admit that Nick was right. Kurt's eyes had been shining with excitement during the whole performance and he had applauded most enthusiastically in the end.

Not that Blaine had been watching him.

"Anyways, thanks for your support Blaine," Jeff said, clapping their lead vocalist on the back. "It just wasn't meant to be. Me or Nick getting the solo, I mean. Maybe next time."

"Don't be too disappointed", Blaine said, ready to comfort them even though they didn't seem like they needed any pity or reassurance.

"We aren't," Nick assured him. "But we really gotta go now, we're meeting Kurt in the cafeteria."

Blaine blinked. "You're doing what?"

"We're meeting Kurt in the cafeteria," Nick repeated patiently. "He and I have French together and I offered to help him catch up with the literature we've been doing."

"And I'm pretty sure after seeing us doing Avenue Q, he wants to recruit us to convince the council to add more broadway to our set-lists," Jeff added. Judging by his cheerful expression, he didn't seem to mind that in the least.

"Later, Blaine," Nick called over his shoulder as he followed Jeff down the hallway.

If they had stayed, maybe they could have helped Blaine figure out that weird feeling deep down inside his stomach, a strange mixture of jealousy, hope, joy, envy and longing. But even if they had stayed with him, they probably had refused to help him.

They would have wanted him to figure it out on his own.

A/N: Yep, I am writing a Niff story - just because I love these guys way too much and I can't accept the lack of Warblers we will be facing now in the last four episodes! Also, Riker and Curt... I mean, what's not to love?

This will basically be the story of Kurt and Blaine as it happens in the original series - with Nick and Jeff filling in all the moments that were actually missing on screen (I have a loooooong 'Blame it on the alcohol' chapter planned. Because this episode is missing so freaking much). Also, Nick and Jeff will not developing any romantic feelings for each other in this story. As much as I enjoy reading stories about them as a couple - to me, they will stay best friends. (Maybe I'll write a story about them as a couple someday, who knows.) But don't worry - I'm a sucker for subtext. And there will be a looooot of subtext in here, I can promise you that =D

Also: "If You were gay?" PERFECT Niff Song! I need more AvenueQ on glee...

The next chapter is almost finished and will naturally deal with "A very glee christmas"! Please let me know what you thought about it so far!

~ Nalasan

P.S. I didn't forget about my Klaine stories! 'Sanctuary' will be updated soon, I promise! ;)