Always and Forever - Book 5

Frenemies

A/N: I have tried so hard not to skip any episodes, even when I had no clue what to write, but 'Previously Unaired Christmas' is hard as it practically goes back in time and I can't find where to actually fit it in.

So I had no choice but to skip it. xxx

***

Hunter strolled down the hallway, his mind wandering, when he heard the unmistakable voice of Sue Sylvester cut through the air.

"Soundtrack! Get over here."

He rolled his eyes, sighing at the nickname Sue had latched onto. Unlike the rest of the New Directions crew, who had been on the receiving end of Sue's cutting insults since their freshman year, Hunter had somehow flown under her radar—until recently. And now she was making up for lost time with that oh-so-clever nickname.

Stopping in his tracks, Hunter turned around to see Sue standing in her office doorway, arms crossed and her trademark smirk in place. The kind of smirk that usually meant she was plotting someone's destruction.

"Great," Hunter muttered to himself. "Just what I needed today..."

Reluctantly, he made his way over to her, throwing her a look of pure indifference. "What's up, Sue? Couldn't get through the day without hurling some verbal abuse at me?"

Sue didn't miss a beat, locking her gaze on him like a hawk zeroing in on prey. "So, how's it going, McKinley's resident soundtrack? Still wooing the masses with your passable vocals and tragically predictable song choices?"

Hunter crossed his arms, mirroring her stance. "Really? 'Soundtrack'? That's the best you've got? You've been calling me that for months now. I thought someone with your level of creative cruelty would come up with something better. You're slipping, Grandma Botox."

Sue's smirk only deepened, though her eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the jab. "Oh, trust me, babyface, I've got plenty more where that came from. But 'Soundtrack' fits. You're like background noise—always there, but no one's really paying attention to the specifics. Consider yourself lucky I didn't go with something harsher."

Hunter let out a sarcastic laugh. "Right, and what should I call you? How about Has-Been Headmistress, Overlord of Unfulfilled Dreams or Queen of Sweatpants and Misery?"

Sue's smile flickered, the muscles in her jaw tightening. She was not used to having someone talk back quite like that. "Careful, Soundtrack. One more insult and you'll find yourself spending an afternoon cleaning the boys' locker room with nothing but a toothbrush and a prayer." She paused, leaning in slightly, "But for now, as much as I enjoy your misplaced attempts at sarcasm, I actually have a real reason for calling you over here."

Hunter raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "What, you finally found a new way to sabotage glee club?"

Sue straightened up, her smirk morphing into something more deliberate. "As much as I relish every opportunity to crush Mr. Schue and his merry band of misfits, this isn't about them. It's about you."

"Me?" Hunter raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "What could you possibly want with me?"

Sue stepped forward, her expression growing serious. "As much as it pains me to admit, if I ever needed an ally in one of my schemes, you'd be my first choice. Ever since your freshman year, you've had something the others don't. A ruthless streak, no fear, no hesitation. You're cunning, Blake. You're the only one in that club who's not afraid to say what's on your mind or cut someone down if they deserve it. That's a quality I respect."

Hunter blinked, genuinely taken aback. "Wait, what? Did you just say you respect me? Are you feeling okay? I think you need to check your blood pressure, Sue."