Chapter Five

After barely sleeping the previous night, Blaine made sure to get up before Cooper to make him breakfast and wish him good luck. It was the least he could do.

He methodically put out all the ingredients he needed to make pancakes (lots of them – Cooper ate a lot when he was nervous), grateful to have something to do with his hands while his mind worked.

He couldn't keep playing blind. Things between Cooper and Kurt were very likely to happen, and it could happen soon. As far as he knew, a successful audition for Cooper today could be the little push they needed to get together. Celebration was always a popular excuse for those things to happen. Of course, a failure could work just as well; Kurt, being the understanding person he was, would be the best to comfort Cooper.

And as much as he wanted to be there for his brother, Blaine wasn't as stupid as to put himself in place to see that. It would destroy him, and he couldn't be destroyed right now. He had to be nice and supportive and cheerful, and if Cooper and Kurt came back with news of a new developed romance… well, he'd have to suck it up. He owed them both that much.

He started on the mixture, schooling his face into a normal expression. This would be easy, coming up with a credible excuse, telling Cooper he couldn't make it to lunch but him and Kurt should have fun, wishing him luck, and seeing him off. Then he'd had the rest of the morning and potentially the afternoon to build his wall up, one that wouldn't shatter if night brought him uncomfortable news. He could just see Cooper and Kurt, both smiling excitedly and holding each other's hands, telling Blaine they were now together and he was the first who should know. Blaine would be damned if he didn't smile and congratulate them.

Then again, it may not happen, and Blaine wondered if it made him some kind of masochist to imagine the scene so many times in his mind.

As he poured the first bit of batter into the pan, he heard Cooper's alarm going off and his brother getting ready in his room. He tried to relax, breathe deeply, and remember this was just Cooper, the guy he saw every morning and every night. His brother, who cared about him and wanted for him to be happy. He would probably do the same for Blaine, which was all the more reason why he couldn't find out.

"That smells amazing," sighed Cooper when he finally emerged from the bathroom, his hair damp but styled. He was just wearing dark jeans and a blue dress shirt, but once again his innate charm made the outfit look polished and elegant. How did he always do that?

"I know you're a nervous eater, so I thought I could make you a big breakfast," said Blaine with a smile that he sincerely meant. This was his brother's big day, and he was proud of how hard Cooper had worked.

"I'm not nervous. There's no way I won't get that show. I'm perfect," said Cooper with a self-assured smile, but all the same sat down and started eating one syrup-drowned pancake after another. He was careful to not get any syrup on his clothes, but still ate about double of what he'd normally have for breakfast.

"You're going to be great."

"I know, I told you. So I was thinking – there's this Thai place a couple of blocks from there, I'm sure you've never been. And the waitresses all wear this sort of traditional dress that Kurt's going to love. It's the perfect place to celebrate."

"Yeah, about that…" started Blaine – better to get it out of the way quickly. "I don't think I'll be able to make it. I need to go to the library to pick up some books and I'm just too far behind in my reading. Finals are getting close."

"Aw, come on, shrimp! It's only lunch! My celebratory lunch, and you want to skip it? Kurt said he'd come."

Blaine pursed his lips. "Well, that's another thing. Don't you think this celebration should be for the two of you? You've both worked really hard for this." His voice lowered as he kept speaking. Maybe his brain couldn't understand why he was pushing Cooper to spend time alone with Kurt.

"But… you're here too," replied Cooper, sounding confused. "I know I haven't actually practiced with you, but that doesn't mean you aren't part of this."

"I know, I know. But being part of it doesn't mean I have to be there all the time, right? Besides, I really do need to go to the library. There's this paper coming up that-"

"Blaine, stop. What are you talking about?" asked Cooper, and Blaine felt a pang of guilt at his brother sounding a little hurt. "Look, I don't know what's going on, but it's not like I haven't realized you barely spend time here anymore. And I get it, college life is a big adventure and you want to discover new places and new people and all, but it feels like you can't get away from me fast enough. Did I do something?"

Cooper had his serious face on – the kind of face Blaine hardly ever saw, the one that made him remember that, whatever it looked like, Cooper was still a person with feelings. That he could still get hurt.

And god, why did Blaine have to always screw up so bad? He'd spent all night thinking about how he would do everything to not hurt his brother in the future, but he should have realized he already had. After all, he wouldn't be able to stand it if he felt Cooper was avoiding him.

"No. No, it's not like that. Coop, you did nothing, ok? I'm just… I just don't want to get in the way…" Blaine trailed off, his voice pleading for his brother to understand. He needed Cooper to understand on his own – Blaine wouldn't be able to say it.

"You're not getting in the way. We've been through this, Blaine – this apartment is yours as much as mine. You don't need to stay out if you don't want to, and you don't need to skip meeting me in other places because… because you think I need my own space or something. I like spending time with you," said Cooper, his voice was heavy with sincerity that made Blaine's heart clench. His brother was looking out for him, and Blaine needed to do the same.

"I know. That's not what I mean." How could he even explain what he meant? Cooper was taking his explanation the wrong way, but was also looking at Blaine fixedly, and Blaine knew he had to say something. "I just… Kurt," he offered, like it explained everything.

Maybe it did.

"This is about Kurt?" asked Cooper, his voice charged with… something. "Did you guys have a fight? I thought you liked him."

Maybe not.

"Well, of course I like him – he's my friend" (my best friend) "and he's awesome" (gorgeous, understanding, perfect) "I mean, he's really great. And you… It's… nice, that you both are really… getting along," Blaine finished, with what he hoped was a significant look.

His heart was beating strongly, his hands shaking a little bit. He needed Cooper to understand soon – he wouldn't be able to go on with this for too long.

"Then what's the problem? I like him. He's helped me a lot, and I like having him around."

Blaine was having trouble breathing. Why did Cooper have to take so long to get it?

"I know," he said, his voice small.

"So? I still don't understand why you'd have to-"

He stopped suddenly, and Blaine could see the exact moment when understanding dawned upon his mind. He didn't know why, but he was terrified. Cooper's eyes widened and his mouth slightly opened, like the new knowledge was too big for him to wrap his head around. But Blaine needed him to get it. He needed Cooper to know that he would support him no matter what, that he wouldn't get on the way.

"You…" Copper started, but didn't find the words to continue.

"We're just friends," said Blaine in a pleading voice. He didn't know how else he could explain. "Just friends, nothing more."

"But… Blaine, you…?" Cooper seemed like he could barely talk, could hardly make sense of the conversation between them. And that was okay, because Cooper had always been like that. He always shut down for a little while before he managed to recover.

Blaine, on the other hand, needed to find his words quickly. He couldn't leave any doubt in Cooper's mind, whenever it started to work again, that he was doing this. That no matter what Cooper said, he had already decided to step aside. Kurt and Cooper wanted each other; they could be good for each other. Blaine was the one who had nothing to do in the picture.

He tried. He looked for the words in his mind to tell Cooper. Yes, he loved Kurt. No, Kurt didn't want him. He wanted Cooper. There was no reason for them not to try. He would be fine; he always was. He would find a way to smile every morning and keep going with his life and he would be happy for them, even if it killed him in the beginning.

His words came in form of tears. He hadn't meant to, but he couldn't stop it. He was afraid of trying to speak, lest his tears may become sobs, but he was even more afraid of the helpless look in Cooper's eyes. He couldn't let Cooper think this was his fault.

An alarm started to sound on Cooper's room. It startled them both before Cooper bolted to follow it. Blaine used those precious seconds to try and dry his eyes, but he doubted he was successful.

When Cooper came back, he had his cell phone in one hand and his briefcase on the other. Blaine looked at the clock and realized it was time for Cooper to go, or else he'd get late to his audition.

They looked at each other. Cooper still looked stranded and regretful. But it was probably for the best; Blaine could clear his head and talk to Cooper when he had calmed down.

It seemed like there was something Cooper wanted to say, but didn't know how. Blaine waited for a couple of seconds, his breath catching, but nothing came.

"You should go," said Blaine instead. His voice was barely a whisper, but he knew Cooper had heard. They didn't need for Cooper to be late and lose his big chance on top of everything else.

Cooper hesitated, and Blaine knew he needed a bit of reassurance. So he stepped forward, grabbing Cooper's arm, and smiled as best as he could at that moment.

"Break a leg."

There was another second of heavy silence before Cooper gave a small nod and headed for the door.

A Cooper Interlude

Every time Cooper realized someone actually loved him, he became paralyzed. It didn't happen often, and maybe that was the reason why it always caught him so out of guard.

Well, it wasn't like he wasn't used to some kind of love. The superficial kind, the one he received from the young students who looked at him with bright eyes and adoring smiles – he was used to that. Being such a dashing, talented and handsome man always brought that kind of attention; Cooper expected and welcomed it.

It was the other kind that he wasn't used to. Love love – the honest, wish-nothing-in-return, would-sacrifice-anything-for-you kind of feeling that he didn't even know existed until well after his teenage years. It was so powerful, it stole his breath away every time.

Maybe it had been stupid of him to believe that kind of love only happened with romantic couples. If he had known it could happen with family, too, he would have been more prepared to talk to Blaine when he needed to.

Because look, even someone like Cooper couldn't be always perfect. And he tended to screw up with the people who meant the most to him.

It wasn't like he didn't know Blaine loved him, in a way. He was Cooper's little brother and even if he was sometimes dense and didn't understand what Cooper was doing or trying to do, he had always supported him. When Blaine was young, Cooper had believed there was certain naïveté in the determined way Blaine always stood by his side against their parents. Blaine had been a bundle of energy, always easily excited at whatever new idea or plot Cooper had hatched, and Cooper was pretty sure Blaine hadn't known what he was backing up most of the time.

As time went on, though, Cooper understood he would always find support in Blaine, never mind that he was now an adult and didn't always agree with Cooper's ideas. That, of course, was Blaine being silly, because Cooper's ideas were awesome, but he had come to appreciate that his brother would go through with them either way. It was probably brotherhood loyalty or something, because Cooper always felt compelled to do the same for Blaine, in a way he never had for his parents.

Then again, their parents were boring and close-minded. Cooper had learned that early in life, and understood that he was better off ignoring them, even though he did love them. It was the kind of knowledge he wished he could've taught Blaine when they were little – it would have saved him a lot of disappointment.

His relationship with Blaine hadn't always been what he'd wanted it to be. And in all honesty, part of it was Cooper's fault – he had failed to realize time passed and his small, innocent, easily-engaged little brother wouldn't remain so for very long. When Cooper had left for college and his life had started to change in ways he hadn't expected, a part of him had always found solace in knowing his little brother back home would always have his back. That was, until he returned to find a polite, pleasant young man instead of his little ball of joy.

It had been unsettling, but Cooper was nothing if not quick to adapt. After all, below that polished exterior it was still little Blaine, the boy who used to jump from tall furniture and swing on his arms like a monkey. Cooper could see it, even if his short visits never allowed Blaine to show it.

The problem was, being away so much made Cooper forget that teenagers were insecure and sometimes blind, and didn't always understand the unchangeable truths in life, such as the fact that Cooper would always support his brother, just like Blaine would always support him. And it had been something like a punch in the gut, seeing Blaine doubting him so much, because being distrusted by his brother was one of the few things that could make him feel like a failure. Cooper was sure he had covered pretty well how desperate he'd been to fix it, and how relieved he'd been in seeing Blaine reaching out to him again afterwards.

But even if his relationship with Blaine was probably the only one he knew he could count with for the rest of his life, he hadn't expected for Blaine love him – not in that way that was so big and selfless that it made Cooper feel undeserving.

Because if Blaine was willing to give up Kurt for him, Cooper knew he would give up anything.

Cooper had realized about his brother's feelings long ago. It wasn't hard to see, knowing Blaine like he did. The way he looked at Kurt, like he was the only person who deserved his attention; the way Blaine followed Kurt with his eyes all the time; the way he smiled when Kurt said anything remotely amusing. Even the way he sometimes seemed jealous because Cooper spent time with Kurt, too. Cooper had thought it was rather funny, but now he felt like an idiot. How long had Blaine believed Cooper liked Kurt?

It's not like it would make sense for Cooper and Kurt to start dating. Kurt was great, that was true, but Cooper hadn't expected anything less from the guy who'd caught Blaine's attention. It had been easy to become friends with him, partly because the guy had a clear opinion on acting that Cooper learned to respect, and partly because, well, if Blaine liked him, he obviously deserved a chance. And after seeing his brother and Kurt getting closer together, trusting each other, spending almost every free moment together, it was ridiculous for Cooper to consider the merest idea of himself and Kurt.

While walking out of his audition (aced it!), Cooper tried to remember if Kurt had said something that could lead to that conclusion. Cooper didn't think his own behavior towards Kurt could be interpreted as being interested in him, except in the fact that they had been spending a lot of time together lately. That was to be expected, given the importance of the audition he'd just walked out of. But otherwise, Kurt just felt like a friend, in a very Blaine-ish kind of way.

That was probably the best way he could describe it. Kurt reminded Cooper of Blaine. Not in that they were anything alike, because each had his own personality and traits and flaws. Kurt was proud in places were Blaine was mostly humble, and focused where Blaine tended to be carefree. They had their own opinions and beliefs, but they coincided in that that both of them made Cooper want to be better. They were both an inspiration to him.

He didn't normally find himself in such a place. Being as great as he was, it was hard to find people to look up to. Cooper did admire some icons in acting because he would undoubtedly become one, and could respect intelligence when he saw it, like with the guys who'd invented Google. But sometimes he would see little things, like Blaine staying up late because he had a test but he'd spent the day helping a friend, or Kurt arguing viciously with him because he didn't agree with one of his acting techniques, and suddenly he'd find himself thinking "I want to be more like that."

Even if they were almost a decade younger than him, they made him realize that he could be better. Kurt showed him that there was always room for improvement, and Blaine made him realize that there was more to life than flawless acting. That being a good person sometimes mattered more.

Seeing it in that light, he could accept his behavior with Kurt had probably changed – but only because it felt natural to trust him, to let his words sink in like Blaine's did. Besides, most of the time he was with Kurt, Blaine was there, too, and for some time now, he'd started to perceive them as a unit more than as individuals.

Cooper had actually been expecting for them to announce a new relationship status any day now. Kurt clearly cared about Blaine as well, which was all the more reason for Cooper to treat him like a closer friend. And Kurt had helped him so much in the previous days. Of course it also benefited him, since practicing with an actor as good as Cooper was nothing short of a gift. But Cooper knew college life was demanding, and Kurt had given him a lot of his free time. He was grateful, and he'd only wanted to show it. He hadn't wanted to repeat the mistakes he'd made with Blaine.

He had to set things right. Luckily, Kurt agreed instantly to change their plans and just meet at a small park near his apartment, because Cooper didn't think he could eat lunch while knowing Blaine was hurting. It was his responsibility to take care of his little brother, and he would.

KC-KC-KC-KC-KC

Kurt was already waiting when he got there. He wanted to do this quickly and get back to Blaine soon, but he had to be subtle, too. After all, he didn't want to hurt Kurt, if there was something to get hurt about.

"Hey, how did it go?" Kurt gushed, and Cooper had to pause for a second before realizing he was asking about the audition. Cooper waved his hand to lessen its importance because seriously, there were more pressing matters in his head right now.

"Fine; it was good. But there's something else I need to talk to you about. I thought it was better if we talked here instead of a restaurant. It's sort of personal."

Kurt smiled, although he looked uncomfortable. "Where's Blaine?"

Cooper sighed. "He's not coming. Listen, Kurt… about the last couple of weeks. I… you know I am grateful, right? I appreciate how much you worked at this," he said, trying to sound sincere.

"I know," answered Kurt, playing anxiously with his own hands. Cooper felt a little anxious himself – something seemed wrong. Kurt wasn't usually this quiet or walled off.

"Right… well, I've been thinking… more like realizing some things about you. The way we've been these past time, and-"

"I think I'm in love with your brother," Kurt blurted out. Cooper blinked.

Well then. That certainly made things a lot simpler.

Cooper stared at Kurt, trying to see if he was serious, because this would potentially determine Blaine's happiness. Kurt looked back at him, expression determined, if a bit shaky.

"You think?" asked Cooper evenly.

Kurt exhaled nervously, but when he started talking, Cooper was sure he was being honest.

"I think I didn't realize before because, well, I thought he was just… my best friend. I was… distracted," Kurt muttered hurriedly, and Cooper found it a bit amusing that he was trying so hard to justify himself. "But I miss him so much when he isn't there, and at first I didn't know why and now… I just want to be with him."

Cooper couldn't help but smile, a huge weight lifting from his shoulders. Ah, young love - foolish and beautiful and it kind of made him feel nostalgic. He should save this feeling to use in his acting sometime.

Kurt raised his eyes to look at Cooper, visibly relaxing at seeing him smile. Cooper got the feeling that he was probably missing something, but it didn't really matter. Now that he knew were Kurt stood in all of this, he just had to talk to Blaine and calm his worries.

"You should, then," was all that Cooper said, not pushing for more because experience had taught him that his friends didn't always appreciate him playing matchmaker. He was sure Kurt and Blaine would get there by themselves soon enough.

"It's a bit… complicated," said Kurt with a frown, "but I'll have to talk to him soon. I… I have to explain some things."

Cooper raised an eyebrow, wondering how much had been Kurt's doing what Blaine believed.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. Is it ok if we skip that lunch plan? I need to go talk to Blaine."

"Wait - you can't tell him," said Kurt, sounding alarmed.

"Duh; of course not." He wasn't that stupid. "I have to talk to Blaine about other things. Although you should probably talk to him soon, too," he advised. Kurt nodded like he was only half listening, and after a minute without getting another response, Cooper got to his feet and waved goodbye to a distracted Kurt. He walked home quickly, anxious to get to his brother and help him relieve his heart.

Blaine's morning consisted of him brooding.

He knew it wasn't healthy, and he knew that it didn't fix anything, but he was just getting tired of all of this. He was tired of this situation making him feel so bad, but mostly, he was tired of doing everything wrong.

He had handled that morning with Cooper so badly… He should have said more, talked more clearly. He should have been able to contain himself – Cooper wouldn't willingly do anything if he thought it would hurt Blaine, but this was different. This was about Cooper and Kurt's collective happiness.

He knew what Cooper would think. After all, it was the same thing he was thinking: he would walk away if it meant his brother was happy. But Cooper needed to understand that Blaine was the one who had to walk away this time.

He just had to reassure Cooper. He just had to show him that he was happy for them (not completely true, but he would work on that), and that they deserved to be happy together. Even if his brother was probably only starting to feel things for Kurt, he should keep going. He'd admitted that he liked Kurt before he realized what Blaine felt, and Blaine wouldn't let him back down from that just because he thought it would make Blaine unhappy.

So he steeled himself. He needed to be ready when Cooper got home.

I'm probably never going to be ready, he thought to himself when he heard Cooper's footsteps on the hallway. Especially since he was arriving hours before Blaine expected him.

He breathed deeply and stood on the living room until Cooper opened the door and walked in. Once he was there, they stood in front of each other for several seconds before Blaine broke the silence.

"We have to talk about what happened this morning, Coop," Blaine started steadily. It helped to make Cooper listen when he used his 'grown up' voice.

"Yeah, you're right," said Cooper, dropping his things on the table. He looked at Blaine uncertainly and walked to the couch, motioning for Blaine sit before doing so himself.

Blaine started talking first again. He wanted to get it out before his brother even thought of complaining.

"Look, the way I was at the end of our talk... It was kind of exaggerated. I don't know, maybe I didn't sleep well or something. But the thing is, you really shouldn't take that into account for your relationship with Kurt. You have to keep -"

"Blaine, shut up," said Cooper, sounding sure even if his voice was soft. "You're talking about something that doesn't even exist. There's nothing between me and Kurt, and there won't be in the future."

Blaine sighed. "No, you stop. I knew you would try to do this if you found out and it's not fair for you, ok? You have to be with whoever you want."

"I don't want to be with Kurt," said Cooper firmly. Blaine blinked, taken aback. He hadn't expected for Cooper to say it so upfront.

"You don't?"

"No, I don't," repeated Cooper.

Blaine searched for any hint of a lie in his brother's face. But though he wasn't sure there was any, Blaine closed his eyes and shook his head. This was what Cooper wanted to make him believe, and Cooper had always been a better actor than Blaine.

"You said you liked him, this morning," Blaine replied slowly.

"I do. I like him, but not like that. Blaine, Kurt's a good guy and he's interesting and all, but he's… he's not for me."

"I'm not going to let you walk away because of me," Blaine insisted. "I've seen how you are with each other – there is something there. I didn't make it up."

Cooper looked at him, searching for more words, and Blaine wished he would just give it up. It wasn't easy to do this. It wasn't easy to hand the person you loved over to someone else.

"I'm sure you're doing what you think is right, shrimp," replied Cooper after a while, his words even. "And I can't imagine what this is doing to you, because I know your feelings for Kurt are deep. Don't even try to deny it; I've known for a long time." Blaine followed his advice and kept silent. Cooper went on. "But whatever you saw or think you saw, it's all a misunderstanding. I do like Kurt, as your friend or… whatever, but I never wanted anything beyond that. I'm not into him like that."

Blaine was silent, his jaw clenched, because god, could it be true? Was he wrong about everything he thought he'd seen?

Was it wrong that he wanted so bad to believe his brother? Would Cooper trick him with it to make him believe something that wasn't true?

Stop it, said a voice inside his head. Not everyone around you has a secret agenda like you. He wouldn't lie about something like this.

"Are you sure? You're not doing this for me?" asked Blaine, sounding almost scared. Cooper smiled warmly at him, putting an arm around his shoulders to bring him closer.

"I was too in shock this morning to really talk about it," explained Cooper gently. "If I'd been able to think clearly, I would have told you from the beginning – I don't like Kurt that way, and even if you didn't, that wouldn't change. I mean, I would never date one of my students."

A snort escaped Blaine. Life could be so ironic.

He snuggled a bit into his brother, resting his head on his shoulder. He suddenly felt light and tired, and remembered he had barely slept the night before.

His mind started to wonder about what this would mean to him. After all, it didn't influence Kurt's feelings. And even though he now had a real advantage in knowing Cooper wasn't interested, he was too tired to even think about using that to move forward into anything with Kurt. It had been too draining the first time around. Besides, it didn't feel right… he had been a fool to try plotting with people's feelings before.

With his shoulders relaxing in a way they hadn't in weeks, Blaine wondered if he should have talked with his brother about this before. Sure, Cooper would have teased him, but maybe Blaine would've had support from the very beginning. He would've had someone to talk to, someone to keep him sane. Cooper would have done that for him, and that made Blaine realize he didn't give his brother enough credit. He needed to start trusting him for real.

"Didn't you get lunch with Kurt?" asked Blaine after a while.

"I canceled. I didn't want you to stay at home with your thoughts for very long, so-"

"OH MY GOD!" Blaine jumped from his place with a shout, startling Cooper in the process. "Coop! Your audition! How did it go? Please don't tell me it went bad… Was it good? Oh my god, Coop, tell me everything!"

Cooper seemed to recover after a second, and his usual confident smile appeared on his lips. Seeing it rested something in Blaine's mind, like they were finally settling back into who they usually were.

"Of course it went well. It's me you're talking about, remember?" Cooper's self-assured tone made Blaine smile wider. "I don't want to say anything too early, but I'm probably… oh, who am I kidding? I totally nailed it, there's no way they're not hiring me."

Blaine gave a little leap of excitement, hugging Cooper for a while.

"Congratulations! I knew so much practicing would pay off."

Cooper's smile changed. It became somewhat… shy, like he was debating with himself if he should say something or not.

"I don't think it was the practicing," he said, the tiniest bit uncertain. "I mean, of course it helped; they looked impressed. But what I think really got to them was… they gave me a new scene to read, and just five minutes to go over it. And it was this small monologue with the guy talking about his missing girlfriend and… and hurting, and… it made think of you."

"What?" asked Blaine, trying to understand what his brother meant.

"About this morning. There was this moment just before I left when… god, you were just there and barely said anything, but somehow I could still see how much you were hurting and I swear it was louder than anything I've ever experienced. I… guess that I finally got what you always tell me, you know? That sometimes you don't need loud words to make a point, because the right kind of silence can be more powerful."

Blaine remained silent. Their smiles were still on, but Blaine felt like crying, though this time not from sorrow. He couldn't explain why listening this from Cooper meant so much to him, but it did.

"And I don't know how much I was able to portray that to the scene, but they really liked it. It was over after that, but one of them walked me out and said they would definitely be in touch," said Cooper smugly. "So it seems, little brother, that you were my inspiration."

If Cooper noticed a small tear escaping from one of Blaine's eyes, he didn't say anything. He just held him again, and let Blaine rest.

For the next couple of days, Blaine was able to relax. Not from his school work, but from his own mind.

Falling onto the right page with Cooper had made all the difference. He felt now that he had someone to back him up, no matter what happened, and felt stupid for not realizing he'd always had it. Also, Cooper's good mood about the success of his audition was so contagious, Blaine found himself smiling most of the time. They were still waiting for the call to make it official, but this thing could take time.

Then, there was Kurt.

It wasn't like there was something wrong going on between them or anything – they just hadn't seen each other. And they had talked over the phone, but it had been a three-way call with Cooper to tell Kurt about the success of his audition. His brother had given them the second-by-second recount of it, and then they'd proceeded to talk about what they would do when Cooper became famous. It had been fun an easygoing, and it reminded Blaine why he liked it so much that Kurt and Cooper were friends.

Still, it made Blaine wonder where they would stand from then on. He knew Cooper didn't want to date Kurt, but he didn't know if Kurt knew that. Cooper had skipped their lunch the day of his audition, and they hadn't met since. For all Blaine knew, Kurt was disappointed at missing that lunch but was otherwise the same as he had been before that. As different as Blaine felt now, it had been only three days.

However, Blaine did feel different, and he wanted to make up a lot of his mistakes from the last months. If he was honest, he didn't want to play any kind of game anymore. He had come clean with Cooper about everything (and been laughed at on several parts, but that was to be expected), and he wanted to do the same with Kurt. He wouldn't tell him everything, but he certainly planned on making his feelings clear to him, even if he'd probably dilute it a bit at the beginning.

He couldn't keep hiding his heart any longer.

Kurt was the one to suggest a meeting. Blaine didn't know if he had avoided him these days or if there was even a reason for Kurt to avoid him – he'd gotten used to spend days without Kurt lately, although it was something he planned on fixing at the first available opportunity.

Blaine understood they were bound for a serious conversation when Kurt asked if they could meet at Blaine's apartment instead of the Valdez. Blaine tried hard to not be nervous, but promised himself, for his own sanity, that if Kurt started to talk about Cooper, Blaine would interrupt him and just tell him how he felt.

He was done setting himself up for heartbreak. Besides, he had to admit, a big part of keeping this all a secret was his own fear of being rejected, and he didn't want to be a coward anymore.

So he got up early that morning, cleaned the apartment to Kurt's standards (hopefully), and pushed Cooper out with the latter's knowing wink before he sat to wait.

The bell rang just before 10:30, like they'd agreed. Blaine received Kurt cheerfully and admired the stylish vest he was he was wearing. His smile was broad and he greeted Blaine with a small hug, which was as good a start as he could hope for.

"I was thinking about making some coffee? I won't be as good as the Valdez, but I promise it won't be awful," Blaine offered. Coffee always made things better.

"That would be great," answered Kurt with a warm smile, and followed him to the kitchen.

They chatted lightly while Blaine made coffee – about classes, mostly, and study groups and Blaine's piano practices and one of Kurt's crazy teachers. It was nice, unsurprisingly – talking to Kurt always felt comfortable and safe.

They moved to the living room with their respective coffee mugs after Kurt refused Blaine's offer to prepare something to eat. They sat in silence for a little while, each enjoying the warm drink and the company. Kurt smiled and set his mug down, and Blaine braced himself for the talk to come.

"I should probably apologize to you about my behavior lately," started Kurt. Blaine could see his effort in being calm and collected and managed to draw some security from the fact that Kurt was trying so hard to do right by him, too. Maybe even if things didn't work out with them romantically, they could keep being friends. "I've had a lot on my mind, and I wanted to think things through before talking to you."

"Okay."

"It's just that… things lately haven't really happened how I expected them to. I had some… plans, you could say. And they just turned around and… god, why is it that my most embarrassing talks always happen with you?" Kurt trailed off with a grimace.

Blaine didn't think Kurt was actually looking for an answer. Still, he might have had to step in soon, because it felt a lot like Kurt was talking about his relationship with Cooper and he didn't want to go there. Even if it was selfish of him as a friend, he didn't want it.

"Hey, just… you don't have to say anything you don't want to."

"No, I want to," Kurt insisted. "I'm just trying to not be awkward. And I feel like such an idiot and…" Blaine stared expectantly, and Kurt sighed before continuing. "Remember the last time that I… subjected you to an embarrassing talk? What I said about… about your brother?"

Kurt's face was now completely red, but he also had that determined look on his face and yeah, of course that was what this was about. Kurt was coming to talk to him about Cooper. He had to remember that, whatever his brother felt, Kurt's interests were already in place.

"Please don't talk about that," pleaded Blaine in a small voice.

It was obviously not what Kurt had been expecting, if his surprised face was anything to go by. Blaine felt bad for not giving him any warning of what was coming before now, but he couldn't hold it any longer. He knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't get it off his chest.

"What?" Kurt asked uncertainly.

"Kurt, it's probably selfish, what I'm going to do, but… I wanted to tell you that I like you," said Blaine, looking directly at Kurt through his own embarrassment. "As in, really like you. And I'm sorry if it makes me a bad friend, but I'd rather not listen to you talking about Cooper."

Kurt was stunned. It was a face that Blaine didn't know how to read – it could be good-stunned as much as bad-stunned. If Cooper was here, he would probably congratulate him either way for causing an impression.

"And it isn't like I want to guilt trip you about anything, either, because, I mean, I've suspected for a while that you like my brother and it was my own decision to not say anything and keep being you friend. But… these past days had been difficult, and I really can't hold it in anymore."

He let his words sink in and kept looking for any sort of feedback, but Kurt seemed as stunned as before. It seemed that he was like Cooper in that sense, too. Blaine really hoped that he wouldn't have to wait for half a day to get an answer – his nerves surely wouldn't bear it.

"You like me?" Kurt finally asked with a voice higher than normal.

"I like you. A lot," repeated Blaine.

There was a tight silence, and Blaine could see a battle happening behind Kurt's eyes. In the end, though, he managed to pull it together enough to give his own reply.

"Well… I like you too, Blaine."

"…"

And now, it was Blaine's turn to be stunned.

Even if he searched intently, he couldn't find but honestly in Kurt's features. But how could he like him, if only a couple of weeks ago he had admitted liking Cooper? Blaine was sure he hadn't got that one wrong.

"I don't understand."

Kurt sighed and bit his lip, but it didn't take long for him to start talking again.

"This is actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I promise I'm not some… some tease who likes to go after just any guy. I know what I told you that other time and… and it was true. It just… changed."

"If you're meaning to say you like both of us, I'll be really confused," warned Blaine, although there was the smallest hint of teasing in his voice.

Kurt grimaced.

"That's not what I meant. Look, Blaine, I'm not going to lie and say I didn't have a… thing for your brother. And when I told you that, I meant it. But then you left, and I realized what I felt towards the Anderson household was towards you. I thought it was Cooper, and maybe at the beginning it was, but right now the only person I have feelings for is you."

They looked at each other, like each of them was a big mystery the other wanted to resolve. Or at least it felt like that to Blaine. He had a shy smile on his face now, but his brain still refused to completely believe Kurt.

"It's a big jump, from Cooper to me," commented Blaine, because even if he had made peace long ago to be noticed after his brother, he would not be a rebound. "Kurt, I really like you. And if you mean it, if you like me too, I want us to… to try it out. Have a chance together," he said softly. "But only if you like me for me. Not because of who my family is, or just because I'm available."

At that, Kurt looked rather insulted. "I would never do that to you, Blaine. Do you really think I'm capable of such a thing?"

Even while trying to backtrack, Blaine felt relieved. Could he be blamed for wanting to be sure, after all that had happened?

"I just… I've seen you focusing on Cooper a lot," Blaine confessed; Kurt's expression softened immediately. "And I know he's… stiff competition. Like I said, it's a big leap, and I know I don't quite measure up to him in a lot of ways."

"What are you talking about?" Kurt asked incredulously. "There's nothing to measure up because you're… Blaine, I know you're very different from your brother, but that's not really relevant – I like you for you. You're well-mannered and handsome and smart and… and you understand me more than anyone. It's you who nobody could measure up to."

Kurt's face was honest and caring, and overall so beautiful that Blaine couldn't help but want to kiss him. And since he couldn't find a reason not to, he did.

With his hands shaking a bit from anticipation, Blaine closed the distance between them, with enough time for Kurt to realize what he was doing in case he didn't want it. He didn't have to worry, though, because Kurt met him halfway, lifting a warm hand to his cheek.

If the world had burned in that moment, Blaine would hardly have noticed.

It was slow and gentle and loving, Kurt burying his hands in Blaine's hair before pushing a bit harder, making them get closer. He nipped Blaine's bottom lip with his teeth, and Blaine released a small moan. After another minute or two, Kurt pulled back.

"I've been crazy about you for ages," admitted Blaine – suddenly he wanted for Kurt to know all his secrets. And he wanted to make Kurt feel as beautiful as Blaine saw him.

"I'm sorry," Kurt said softly, and Blaine cursed himself a little – of course that would make Kurt feel bad. And Blaine didn't blame him at all. "I was just so… narrow, I guess. I should have seen from the beginning what I had right in front of me. You've always been so amazing-"

Blaine interrupted him with another kiss, this time a little stronger and deeper but separating a minute later because, as exciting as this was, Blaine wanted to take it slow. He was pretty sure Kurt felt the same.

"So…" said Blaine after a small silence.

"So?" asked Kurt.

"Am I allowed to call you my boyfriend?" asked Blaine, his face starting to burn. That would be more than enough for now. Sometime in the future, when the moment was right, Blaine would tell Kurt how much he loved him and maybe Kurt would answer that he loved Blaine too.

Kurt smiled widely. "I think that would be appropriate," he murmured, leaning into Blaine.

It had been a day Blaine would always remember. Cooper only managed to keep himself busy for another hour, after which he went back home to find Kurt and Blaine making out on the couch. He had peeked at them long enough to snap a picture with his phone, which he later announced would get framed. He mentioned how sickly adorable they looked, then obnoxiously sat on the couch to watch TV at their side. The rest of the afternoon found Kurt and Cooper discussing the pregnancy of Snookie like it was state business.

Blaine just looked at them, happy to have the two people who meant the most to him at side. With them there, he felt ready to conquer the world.

The End

OMG GUYS. I got the most amazing thing form my best friend about ten minutes ago... turns out, this fic now has a second piece of art! Check it out, it's awesome!

amethyst-uk dot tumblr dot com / post / 33681956683 / so - my - best - friend -just - surprised - my - with - an - awesome