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Pride flares up, hearing the compliments. But it lasts only fragments of a second before shattering again, barely giving Kurt time to register and lock away the praise in the vault where he needs to keep rare things like that.
There’s a ‘but’. There’s always a but.
He appreciates Miss Pillsbury’s attempt to root for him, glad that she’s trying, at least, to see strengths where the others only see obvious flaw, but it’s two against one, and Kurt’s smile fades as his body goes slack against the wall.
Disappointment washes over him. It wasn’t enough. It’s never enough. Once again, his mind goes over his performance, trying to pinpoint exactly where he slipped, where he showed too much Kurt. No one wants that.
He needs to convince them that he can keep whatever they don’t want to see inside. They have to give him another chance.