Kurt twirled around his apartment making himself a quick brunch before his callback. Or maybe he was twirling because of the adorable boy whose smile and sparkling eyes he couldn't quite get out of his head. Not that he wanted to. Blaine was just about the cutest thing he had ever laid eyes on. And so generous and understanding. And he was so totally into Kurt too, this was the best day ever.

He twirled from the kitchen into his bedroom, dressing in something fashionable and comfortable, in case he had to dance.

The part he was auditioning for was a boy in a wheelchair who found friends and a sense of empowerment through joining his high school's show choir. It was a nice part, lots of opportunities for a wide range of emotion. Kurt could cry on command, which was something that his father had often lamented about, but it served him well as an actor. He felt that he had to protect his methods, though, so instead of telling classmates that he thought about his mother's death, he liked to say that he could cry by imagining eye injuries. Pretty clever, he thought, and it made people laugh.

Kurt loved making people laugh. He would get to do that in this role too. He wanted it so badly, but he had to keep calm and focused. He would not let the directors know how desperately he wanted it. Collected, professional, outstandingly talented. That was the image he was going to convey, he told himself. He popped a Valium as he walked out the door, repeating the mantra to himself: You are the best, this part is yours, take it.

And that is exactly what he did. He walked in, shook hands with Cooper Anderson and Ryan Murphy, and was outstanding. He sang his heart out, and learned a dance number on the spot. He cried, he owned the lines, and he made everyone in the room laugh. He was kind and polite and professional. To put it bluntly, he killed it. He was going to get this part, he could feel it in his bones. Walking out into the afternoon sun and grinning up at the sky, the first thing he wanted to do was call Blaine.

"Hello?" Blaine answered on the first ring. He had been thinking of Kurt at his audition.

"Oh my goodness Blaine it was so good! They are going to call me, but they practically said I already have the part, what are you doing right now? I could feel your encouraging presence in that room, I want to come say thank you. Dinner?" Kurt knew he was rambling but didn't care. He was so high on his accomplishment that he felt like he could grab onto the clouds and swing.

"Well I would love to see you, but I'm having dinner with my brother tonight. Would you like to come by for coffee later, like maybe around 9?"

"Aw I wish I could see you right now, but okay, I can do 9. I actually don't think it will be a problem, I will still be bouncing off the walls with excitement tonight."

Blaine chuckled. "Okay great, just come by my dorm."

"Okay bye!"

"Bye Kurt..." Blaine couldn't help but let a sliver of expectation creep into his tone. Maybe they would make out some more tonight. Perhaps more? If Kurt felt like celebrating...

---AAIGAAIGAAIG---

Blaine met Cooper at a trendy Asian fusion place in the village, where Cooper was already charming the hostess into giving them the absolute best seats in the entire place. They sat at a private booth after a quick hug hello. They spoke to each other over a centerpiece that might have been bamboo or grass, Blaine wasn't sure.

"So, how's life, big brother?" Blaine knew that Cooper wouldn't be able to listen to anything about school or friends or his health until Cooper talked about himself for at least 20 minutes. His older brother was spectacularly self-centered, though he supposed it wasn't the worst possible trait in a brother.

"Well," Cooper began, revving himself up for some storytelling, "Picture this. The space was lit up like an interrogation room, lamps everywhere shining right into the eyes of the actors who were auditioning. One after another, they bore their souls and served them up for slaughter..." Cooper took a dramatic pause, and Blaine rolled his eyes.

"And?"

"And a star rose above the other earthly creatures. Well, two stars. There are two really talented people that transcended the babbling of all the other peasants that came in. But then," Cooper looked around as if conferring with co-conspirators, "A plot twist! Our budget was cut and we can only hire one of them. And it's up to me to choose which one. It has be to a good choice, and basically my future career is riding on it. I already know they are both good actors, singers, and dancers. I need to use my people skills to figure out who will be the most reliable on set and cause the least drama. And who will gel with the other actors."

At this point Blaine had given up his attempt not to giggle at his brother.

Cooper cleared his throat louder than Blaine's laughter. "It's Sophie's choice. I am King Solomon. My word is law."

"Okay, so you have to pick an actor for a part. Right. I'm sure you'll choose well and do a good job training whoever you bring on payroll. It's just one part, right? There are still all the other components of the show that have to be-"

"King Solomon, Blaine. I am King Solomon."

"Okay Cooper, you are King Solomon."

---AAIGAAIGAAIG---

Cooper was dropping Blaine off at his dorm when Kurt showed up a little early, still excited. The three of them were all in the lobby of the modern, high ceiling building when Kurt rushed over to kiss Blaine on the cheek before realizing who he was standing next to.

"Kurt!" Blaine grinned "This is my brother-"

"Cooper Anderson. Oh wow, I had no idea you were Blaine's brother."

Cooper looked a little uncomfortable. "And I didn't know you were Blaine's boyfriend."

Kurt suddenly felt like there was an elephant in the room and it was him. He was the elephant. He had to get out of there before he did anything to offend Blaine or jeopardize his chances at the role. He put on his most calm, cool smile for Cooper, shook his hand and reiterated that it was nice to meet him earlier. Then told a disappointed looking Blaine he would call him tomorrow.

After an awkward silence that consisted of both brothers watching Kurt walk down the block and turn a corner, Cooper turned to Blaine.

"Sorry bro, didn't mean to cock block. Kurt was one of the actors who auditioned today."

"Yes," Blaine replied, "I see that now."

"Okay Blaine, I have to ask you something. I'm sorry to say this at all, but this is a really important decision that is going to affect my career. Can you tell me anything about Kurt that should stop me from hiring him?"

Blaine was still trying to organize the whirlwind of events that had occurred in the last 5 minutes into a more discernible order in his head. He looked down at the floor. "Umm..."