I'm a Prick... so what?!

Christmas was.... interesting. It wasn't what I was expecting, or hoping, but I tried to make the best of it and enjoyed myself. Jay's family were very welcoming; it felt a bit like the fairytale Christmas holiday you wanted to experience. It was very unfortunate that Jay was ill.

Not right away, no. Catie and I have started working on a smaller, but still impressive exhibit for this spring. Unfortunately details are not public knowledge at this time.

Quinn sympathized with Hunter as he spoke of the Bakers and his family. She shared, “I’m sure Jay just wants to help you make the best of that situation. I’m sure you’ll talk through how you guys want to approach it, or if you want to at all. You’ll figure it out. Puck and I got some closure with his dad and have established some boundaries with my dad - we’ve had to accept that it is what it is. We’ve just made peace that our mothers are enough.”

Quinn had never seen Hunter like this. “In just a few months…you and him…it’s really transformed you. Your texts haven’t done this justice,” she breathed, feeling inspired by his speech. “It’s been like a Nora Ephron movie. Hunt, I’m so happy for you.”

Sebastian watched Hunter sighing and shrugging, trailing off. It was disappointing to hear and see all this but also a huge relief that it wasn’t as bad he imagined. He came over and put one knee on the bed, caressing Hunter’s cheek in his hand. “You scared the shit out of me, Babe. How many times do I have to tell you not to go off by yourself? Just take one of us when it’s too much,” he said softly, massaging the back of Hunter’s neck. Then he looked down and felt better when he saw Hunter’s smile, small as it was. “Glad you won’t stop worrying about me, Hunt. But it’s more fun if we keep getting into enough trouble to make everyone else worry about both of us.”

The door opened and Jay came in, looking calm and easy. “I heard my New Year’s Date was still here and I decided to ruin our plan. I was getting impatient,” he said, smiling at Quinn, Sebastian, and most of all, Hunter. He said to Sebastian and Quinn, “We’re going to need the room.”

Hunter nodded as he listened to Quinn.  He wasn’t sure his mother would ever be anything more than the dutiful military wife to his father.  Although he held out hope.  She’d had her moments, especially when his grandmother had still been alive, where the two of them would gang up on his father, especially when it came to things regarding Hunter.  It made him miss his grandmother terribly.  She would have loved Jay.  

“Weeks,” Hunter corrected.  Technically he and Jay had only been together since Thanksgiving, but Quinn wasn’t wrong.  Jay had begun impacting Hunter’s life the moment he walked into it. No one really saw it coming though.  “Although I guess there was a shift I didn’t realize was happening as soon as I met him.”  He laughed.  “Never thought I’d be the guy to end up with a romantic comedy life.  Or want to even, for that matter.  Thank you Quinn.”

Hunter watched as Sebastian came over to him.  He leaned into the familiar, but also not, touch, closing his eyes.  “I’m sorry I scared you.  Everyone else was having such a good time, I didn’t want to bring anyone down-- it’s a party!”  He opened his eyes and looked at Sebastian; his best friend.  Of course they were both going to worry.  The rest of his statement washed over Hunter and his brows furrowed, as he inhaled deeply and then slowly let it out not wanting to say something he’d regret.  “Just be safe, and careful.  Think about what you really want,” Hunter pleaded with Sebastian.  

The door opened again and Hunter bristled for a moment, expecting someone like Santana, or Marc.  He released all that tension the moment his eyes found Jay’s though, and he stood up, crossing to him quickly.  “You didn’t have to do that.  But I’m so glad you’re here now.”  He raised an eyebrow at Jay’s next words.  “That’s hot,” he leaned in to whisper to Jay.  

Celebration || NYE Group Para

Quinn looked sympathetic but only said, “Yeah, I bet that’s annoying as hell but none of us are willing to take that risk yet. I’m sorry, but until you earn it, we’re going to do what we have to do to make sure you’re as safe as possible.” She lean towards him to catch his eye. “It sucks, I know. I’m sorry.”

“You’re more than good enough,” Quinn said, looking concerned again. “Your parents are the ones who aren’t good enough,” she continued firmly, before assuming a more loving expression. “You’re more than a good enough friend -  you’re the only one who can read and take care of ice queens like Seb and I. And you’re beyond good for Jay to have chosen you. And you’re more than good enough for the Museum, and for Catie.” She touched his cheek with a small smile. “But I’m sorry that Seb and I aren’t making you feel very good at all right now,” she concluded with a sad expression. “Let’s get you to Jay.” 

Quinn stood up again. about to ask if there was any in the medicine cabinet, but then decided maybe he didn’t need any at the moment. The way talking about Jay transformed him…it was the sweetest thing Quinn had seen in a long time. “I can’t wait to get to know him better,” she said kindly.

She shook her head. “No, he’s not pissed - just worried. But he’s been drinking a lot, so I think you should just leave. I don’t want him to say anything reckless that ruins your night more.” Then she shrugged. “I think you get to say anything you want about who he spends time with. If anything, I think you can be more free to say what you want, since the repercussions won’t be as local.” 

She texted Sebastian with Hunter’s wishes and in two downbeats the door swung open a little violently. Sebastian was quiet, however. He looked urgently at Hunter as he stood in the doorway, then closed the door in Santana’s face and strode over. He looked from Quinn to Hunter. “What did it this time?” he asked.

Hunter narrowed his eyes but stayed quiet.  He was tired of going around and around on this, but some other time he was going to ask just what he’d have to do to earn the agency to take care of himself.  He simply shrugged when she said she knew it sucked.  

It felt a little different talking about his parents. Maybe it was because the Bakers had asked him more about his life, his childhood, his friends and family.  They’d been empathetic without making him feel bad.  “Sometimes I wonder if things will ever change with my parents and I.  If they’ll accept me unconditionally.  If we’ll ever have some kind of relationship.  I feel like Jay really wants to meet them, but I don’t want to open him up to what they’ve pulled on me for years.  How would I even introduce them?  Mom, Dad, remember that thing about me that you don’t like to talk about, well meet my boyfriend.”

Hunter laughed.  “It’s so easy.  The first night we had dinner after he first moved to the city, we just talked and talked and talked some more.  And the night before the museum, he brought me coffee and helped me with last minute details.”  He shook his head.  “I should have been nervous and anxious, but we kept talking, and he made me laugh; and that’s the part I remember.  Coffee, music, balloons, inhaling some helium for the funny voices...” Hunter trailed off.

Hunter rolled his eyes.  “There is nothing to be worried about.  I just didn’t want to have them in my face.”  Although he felt bad about leaving without saying bye to Sebastian, maybe Quinn had a point, and they’d had a good talk before everyone had arrived.  

But then the door opened and Sebastian was standing there.  Hunter could feel something rolling off him; anger, worry, disappointment, annoyance, regret, he couldn’t quite tell.  He sighed.  “It was nothing.  I just needed some time to myself.  Yes, Quinn found me with pills, but I wasn’t going to take them.  I’d found them and I was kind of surprised because I thought we got rid of all of them after Thanksgiving.”  He shrugged.  “Yes, I was tempted.  But I thought you were seeing how weird tonight is and then....” he trailed off.  “It got to be too much, quickly, and I just wanted to be somewhere familiar, less overwhelming.”

Hunter offered Seb a small smile.   “Go back to your party and your guests Handsome,”  he said.  “Enjoy.  But please be safe, be careful.  I know it’s not my place to worry anymore but I do and I probably will keep doing so.  I’m going to head over to Jays.”  Hunter paused and looked at Sebastian.  “Unless you don’t want to be alone later. That could be...weird.   Maybe Jay and I could come back.”  Don’t say Marc is staying, he thought.  

Celebration || NYE Group Para

Quinn nodded, glad to hear Hunter talk out his feelings about Sebastian and reassure himself in the process. She was expressionless when Hunter glared at her about Marc. She didn’t know why she thought she’d get anything more than in response to her offer. “Fine,” she said, with cold look back. “Excuse me for asking,” she said in a polite tone. 

She listened to him complain about being treated like a child. This was was 100% predictable. She felt badly for him but she wasn’t going to apologize for her actions. “Hunt, if I walk into a room and you have a bottle of pills in your hand, I’m going to flush them. Seb always wants me to flush them, because that’s what he would do. That’s because we know you and your upper body strength will always overpower us. This isn’t our first time at this rodeo.” 

She softened and sat down next to him, saying sincerely, “I’m truly sorry that we’re making you feel badly, I do. But we don’t think of you as a broken child. We think of you as an adult who has a dangerous habit. Like I said, we all have dangerous habits, and we would all intervene for each other if we were really concerned. Seb and I have done this routine a number of times, but we’ve decided to not do anything, like 90% of the time. “It’s just what Santana and I would do if I found Sebastian drinking alone and smoking like a chimney, or if she, Tina, Sam and Seb found out I hadn’t been eating enough. You’re not broken, you’re just human. And we love that you’re human. You’re too darned perfect otherwise.” She gave him a small smile. “The good news is, this is the last insane, dangerous party you’ll ever be at alone. I’m sure Jay will do a much better job at intervening than I am. Hell, he’ll probably do everything he can to make sure you won’t ever feel like this again, either.”

Quinn grew more concerned as she listened to him go on about Mark and Sebastian and the rest. She knew he would absolutely intervene if she was in trouble and he could help, but she didn’t respond, forcing herself to just listen. He was talking himself out of his unreasonable statements, but he was just so anxious. She said kindly, “That’s great you and Seb are going to have regular dinners. And I love that you’ll come to our McKinley gatherings.” 

She bit her lip, thinking. “Hunt, where are your prescription pills, for your anxiety? Maybe you stop drinking and take a dose of those. I think they’ll make you feel better than the cocktails. Then you might feel better on your walk before you go home to Jay. Oh, by the way, I love that you were able to hook the most good looking, kind, Stanford educated guy in New York City. You deserve him.”

She noticed her phone blowing up with texts from Sebastian. She picked it up and looked up at Hunter. “Seb wants to see you, do you want to see him? Should I make sure Marc’s not out there with him?”

Hunter laughed.  “The number of times anyone has taken my pills and flushed them is countable on one hand.  Even if I probably deserved it many, many more times.  Including the night at the museum.”  He didn’t bother to mention that no one seemed to care then.  “Go figure, one time I actually haven’t taken anything, I’m honest as fuck about shit, and I’m not even allowed to take care of it on my own.”  He shook his head again in frustration.  

When Quinn mentioned Sebastian smoking and drinking excessively, it made Hunter think back to the night Sebastian had come back from Café Lalo.  He sat down on the bed.  He wondered if anyone knew how much pain Sebastian had been in that night.  But it wasn’t his place to say anything.  Even if it was one of the reasons Hunter felt compelled to keep all his wits about him. 

Hunter snorted.  “I am so far from perfect.  I’m hardly even good enough sometimes.  Not for my parents, not for Sebastian, not for you.”    He shrugged as if that was just a simple statement.  “I somehow doubt it will be the last insane and possibly dangerous one, but hopefully the last I have to be at alone.  If Jay was here, I would have taken the pills to him directly.  And we would have taken care of it.”  He nodded his head.  “It’ll be good to work on just being friends. He and I aren’t so different in some ways. It’s nice to know someone understands.  I’m not sure if Catie will give me much of a choice.  And the caroling at Christmas wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever done.”  

“I didn’t bring them,” Hunter replied, eyes narrowed again.  He felt like it was hypocritical to flush one set of pills and then encourage him to take others.  He recognized the difference between the two, but he hadn’t taken the first set.  Was he tempted, sure.  But he hadn’t taken them, he hadn’t really tried to hide them, and he hadn’t lied about what they were, which now he realized he probably easily could have.  “I didn’t want to have them on me, and be tempted.  I knew if I needed them, I could always leave, or go to Jay’s and get them.  However, considering I plan on drinking with Jay when I get home, I didn’t want to take them.”  Hunter shook his head, and laughed lightly.  “Oh, I didn’t hook him.  He completely hooked me.  I don’t think he even intended to.  But he sure is beautiful.  Inside and out.  And smart.  Talented.  Passionate. Kind.  Creative.  Witty... and I can’t believe he’s with me.”  The more he talked about Jay, the more Hunter relaxed, a genuine small spreading across his lips.

“Is he pissed with me?” Hunter asked.  “Because I don’t want to go another ten rounds with Seb.  I’d rather just leave.  And yes, please make sure Marc isn’t with him, although I know I really don’t get to say anything about who or how Seb spends his time now. “

Celebration || NYE Group Para

Quinn was watching Hunter, taking him in, the anxiety was pouring off of him. It was hard to be patient, she wanted him to be better now but she had to just bear it while he worked his way through it. “Well, I’m glad that’s one thing you aren’t anxious about. I’m not worried about Seb, either. In the long run.” She watched him snort and roll his eyes. “Do you want to talk about Marc being here?” she asked calmly, brows raised.

She knew he was going to be pissed when she flushed the pills. She crossed her arms as she walked out of the bathroom and stood above him. “No one’s dumping Seb’s drinks, YET. He’s not that bad yet, he was sober enough to be chasing around out there looking for you, but he might be drinking too much now, standing outside the door with Puck and Sam,” she said, knowing that Hunter might appreciate knowing Sebastian was worried. 

“And yes, I heard you and your plan to take our pills by yourself past a few city blocks, but I decided that I don’t agree with your plan,” she said with a shrug. “I love you and we can agree to disagree. After your museum experience I decided that the conservative way is the best way - don’t tell my father I said that. But I’m going to trust you and believe that there are no more.” 

She gave him a pointed look, meeting his frustration with her own stubbornness. She softened though, in trying to explain Santana. “I agree with you that he’s better in a pair. He was way better with you than he was alone. Santana just wants him instantly stronger. “We all want him happy, and we all want you happy. I just really hope that you don’t leave here tonight and just fade into the sunset, only showing up for Sebastian’s birthday or mine…we would all miss you.” 

He was being cryptic about what he needed to let go of, but years of friendship told her not to push on it, or the fact that he didn’t want an escort. She thought for a second and then looked up, “Ok, I won’t force you into a cab as long as you promise me that whatever you’re letting go of does not involve you hurting yourself or even numbing yourself, in any way. I doubt that it does, because I think you show good judgment for Jay. But you’re pretty emotional right now, so I just want to make sure you’re not so upset that your judgment is impaired. And if you are you should stay put. We can talk, or not,” she said simply. “Either way, I’m glad to be spending some of my night with you. You’re still one of my best friends. “So how mad are you right now? I know I’ve been frustrating…”

Outside, Sebastian was getting impatient, and as she was speaking he sent a barrage of texts to the lock screen on Quinn’s phone, which lay silenced on the bed: SEBASTIAN: How high is he? SEBASTIAN: Is it as bad as it was at the museum? SEBASTIAN: Maybe it’s better if I talk to him. Maybe we should shut the party down so he and I can just be in our house like we used to. SEBASTIAN: Q SEBASTIAN: Q SEBASTIAN: Q! SEBASTIAN: I’m giving you five more minutes and then I’m coming in SEBASTIAN: [30 seconds later] I’m going to call Jay.  SEBASTIAN: Tana says Hunt might not Jay to see Hunt like this SEBASTIAN: [dials]

“In the long run, when you watch what he’s been saying since we broke up, you can tell he will be okay.  I know he can talk a good game, but he has plans, goals and putting them out there, will make him more accountable to himself,” Hunter admitted.  “His actions...have been a little less reassuring, but he’s allowed to shake off the funk that was what we’d become.  I think he’s getting it out of his system.”   His eyes could have bored through Quinn.  “Not even a little bit,” Hunter replied when Quinn asked if he wanted to talk about Marc.  

“And I am THAT bad?” Hunter countered.  “I didn’t take anything.  I survived Christmas and everything that happened without taking anything extra.  I came here tonight, to a party I didn’t really understand, unmedicated, because I knew I’d be drinking, even managed to enjoy myself for a bit... yet I feel like I’m being treated like a broken child no one trusts.”  He shook his head.  “He’s probably smoking.  Someone should take those from him tonight so he doesn’t accidently burn the place down after everyone goes home.  Or most everyone goes home.”  

“It wasn’t your decision to unilaterally make though Quinn.”  Hunter folded his arms.  “I would never do something like this to you.  I’ve been trying so hard lately.  I didn’t want to get messed up and ruin Seb’s night. I don’t want to go home to Jay like that.  Not when we can finally celebrate a bit of the holiday.  I just didn’t want to feel...never mind.  It doesn’t matter anymore. As long as Marc doesn’t try to sleep with my boyfriend.” He shook his head.  “Not going to happen.  Jay won’t let it.  I think he’s already conspiring with Nick.  Seb won’t let it.  We apparently will be having regular dinners and stuff.  Probably keep working out a bit.  Which is a good thing for both of us.  And Catie too probably won’t let it happen, and since she’s with Sam, I might end up at McKinley stuff and not just Dalton stuff...” Hunter mused.

Hunter sighed.  “I don’t want to go home to Jay like this; angry, upset, frustrated, jealous, and everything else.  Tonight is supposed to be a celebration, if a bit delayed.”  He finally uncrossed his arms.  “You’re one of my best friends too, but I’m still upset with you.  So I need to just walk and clear all that out before I get home to Jay.”

Celebration || NYE Group Para

Quinn nodded, not saying anything, hearing him out at first. She replied quietly. “The museum was the beginning of the end for you and Seb. It’s a big step, even if it’s the right one. And this is the official end. The end of the end. I’m, we’re, we’re worried that yes, you might get anxious about the change, what’s going to happen, how Sebastian is going do without you. 

‘It would be natural for anyone in your position to feel a bit itchy, to do something to take the edge off of your anxiety. Seb’s drinking too much, but we there’s a battalion of our friends, plus his friend Marc, making sure he doesn’t do anything dangerous. If it were Puck, we’d be making he wasn’t having too much MJ. If it were me, you guys would be making sure I was eating enough and not going crazy on the Peloton, right?” She got up and walked into the bathroom, pills in hand. While her back was turned to him, she popped the top off of the pill bottle.  “Ok, let’s take care of it tonight,” she said as she poured the pills into the toilet. She flushed them, coming back to him with a sympathetic face. “Are there more?” 

She shook her head. “Santana is protective of Seb. She just didn’t like you with Seb. That’s different than not liking you. She does have love for you, all of the Ohio crowd. i wouldn’t lie to you, you know that. Believe me, you’d know if she didn’t like you as a person, even a little bit. And okay, she did like Seb with Jay, but when they broke up she also didn’t mind. Now, I think she likes Seb alone.”

Quinn nodded when Hunter spoke about always being in Sebastian’s life. She was relieved to hear it. “So, do you want to walk to Jay’s, or do you Seb to call his driver?”

“Sebastian--- is going to be fine without me.  Probably better than fine.  I highly doubt anyone is worried that I might be anxious about how he’ll do,” Hunter countered.  Hunter couldn’t help the snort and the roll of his eyes when Marc was mentioned. His experience was that when Marc was in town Sebastian drank more, partied harder, and Hunter sometimes worried, was more reckless.  

Hunter watched Quinn flush his pills and his eyes narrowed, words, arguments dying in his throat.  “I keep hearing the words ‘too much’ with regards everyone else.  Yet I don’t see anyone dumping Seb’s drinks or cutting him off,” he grumbled.  “When I said I wanted to take care of it tonight, I meant with Jay.  I even said as much.”  His frustration was showing and he wanted nothing more than to leave.  Hunter shook his head.  “No, there aren’t.  I hadn’t even realized these were still here.”  

He didn’t speak when Quinn talked about Santana and her preference for people with Sebastian. Hunter’s frustrations were still high and he was going to end up taking it out on Quinn at this rate.  So he didn’t bother to inform Quinn that he’d been told that Santana had wanted Jay and Seb back together.  And it wasn’t his place to say anything about Sebastian and Blaine.  “I don’t necessarily like him alone, he needs a little counterbalance, but mostly, I just want him to be happy.  Really, truly, happy.  In that satiated contented way.”

“I am going to walk, ALONE,” Hunter stressed.  “I am going to let Jay know I’m coming.  I’ll text you when I arrive, but I’ve taken up enough of your night and I need to let go of a couple of things before I get to Jay.  Which I can’t do with an audience.”   He offered Quinn a smile that he hoped was less tense than it felt.  “Find that man of yours and kiss him senseless at midnight.”  

Both are beautiful, intelligent, and witty women. I've dated neither. I've thought about both. They are among my closest friends. I've been known to call Catie my 'work wife'.

We're also currently all involved in other relationships. In my case, one I hope lasts a really damn long time.