Blaine sat quietly in the back seat on the way home. He watched and listened as his brother made idle chit-chat with his new husband. Coopers husband, the idea was so foreign to Blaine he had a hard time taking it in. 

As far as Kurt went he wasnt anything like what Blaine had imagined, not that he knew what to imagine. 

Kurt was the first person he saw when he walked into the LMC that morning. Cooper was out pacing the parking lot "getting into character" before he came in. Blaine knew that meant calming his nerves. When Blaine walked in and saw Kurt sitting nervously rim-rod straight in his chair he immediately knew it was him. 

It was a struggle for Blaine to keep his eyes off of him the 20 or so minutes he waited with Cooper for his name to be called. He kept telling himself that his fascination with the young man was just because he was Coopers Lifemate, but Blaine knew that wasnt all there was too it. 

Kurt was literally the most stunning guy Blaine had ever seen. 

His hair flawlessly swooped over his head, his clothes fitting him perfectly and emphasizing the long lines of his body. And his face, pale with an anxious pink blush to his cheeks and eyes that seemed both blue and green at the same time. 

Blaine had to keep reminding himself to look away and not to forget that this was the man his brother was about to marry. Soon Cooper and Kurt were called back and Blaine didn't see them again for an hour. He spent the time talking to Kurt's father Burt, a mechanic a town over. Burt didn't say too much about his son, but it was obvious that he loved him very much and was worried about his well-being. 

Blaine did the best he could to let Burt Hummel know that Cooper was a good guy who would treat Kurt well. But what good was Blaine's word? Burt didn't know either of them. Then came a hurried wedding, Blaine was only partially surprised Cooper had opted to get the ceremony done that dau. Cooper may not want the wedding, but he also knew it was inevitable.

Anyone who didn't know Cooper might think he was happy about being paired, but Blaine could see the strain behind his eyes and the slight tightening around his lips. Cooper was just doing what he had to and getting it over with quick.

Now Blaine sat in the backseat trying to make himself invisible, he'd never felt like such a third wheel as he did right then. 

“So you live in Westerville, but you're an actor?” Kurt asked Cooper and Blaine couldn't help but smile at the melodic sound of his voice. 

“Yeah, I mean I haven't done a lot of acting in the past few years.” Cooper said and glanced at Blaine through the rearview window. “Some commercials and voice overs. But I'm getting back into it, my agent has some auditions lined up for me the next few weeks.”

“In Ohio?” Kurt asked surprised.

“Some small stuff here, but no, there's nothing really out here for someone of my talent.” 

Blaine chuckled and shook his head, he hoped Kurt would come to find out that under all of his pride and bravado Cooper was a good guy. 

“No I go back and forth between here and L.A. a lot. Use to live out there.” 

“Oh.” Kurt said. “So you're gone often?”

“I guess. I mean Squirt doesn't need me as much, so yeah.” He turned his head to smile back at Blaine. 

Blaine cleared his throat. “Cooper only moved back to Ohio to live with me when our parents passed away.” Kurt had turned around in his seat the best he could to look at him and his steady gaze made Blaine feel a little ruffled. “I don't know what I would have done without him.” Blaine smiled. “Actually I do know. I would have gone to live with Aunt Kelly, which would have been…”

“Horrible.” Cooper finished for him. 

“Awkward. I was going to say awkward.”

“So you gave up your career to move back to Ohio?” Kurt asked looking at Cooper with something like awe in his eyes. This could be good; Blaine could build Cooper up as the hero. Because maybe this marriage hadn't been what Cooper wanted, but that didn't mean it couldn't work. 

Cooper shrugged. “Not gave up, put on hold.”  

They were mostly silent the rest of the way home, stooping for some fast food for lunch. Blaine kept stealing glances at Kurt's profile, he could almost see wheels turning in his head, but had no idea what he was mulling over. 

When they got back to the house they all grabbed Kurt's suitcases. Kurt's dad said he was going to send more of Kurt's things over later on, but for now they all carted what he had into the house and up to Cooper's room. Cooper had taken over the master bedroom when he had moved back, his childhood room having been converted for guest. 

Blaine watched as Kurt looked around the room, it was big and open and expensively decorated like the rest of the house. 

“So this is our room I guess.” Cooper said looking at Kurt and sitting down on the big king size bed. Blaine watched as Cooper waggled his eyebrows and smiled at Kurt and Kurt blushed a deep red. Blaine's feeling of being a third wheel hit him again and he excused himself as fast as he could leaving Kurt and Cooper to unpack Kurt's things. 

Blaine went downstairs poking around the kitchen to see what they could all have for dinner later. Or maybe Cooper would take Kurt out. That would probably be good; maybe Blaine would suggest it to him. Cooper came down soon and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. 

“How's it going up there?” Blaine asked. 

“He has a lot of stuff.” Cooper said taking a swig of water.

“He seems nice though.” Blaine said trying to steer the conversation towards maybe convincing Cooper to give things a try with his new Lifemate.

“Oh yeah, sweet kid. For sure.” 

“You should take him out to dinner or-“

“Actually I'm heading out.” Cooper said screwing the top back on his bottle. “I have an appointment. And then dinner plans with friends.” 

Blaine bunched up his eyebrows in confusion. “Those things couldn't be rescheduled?”

“Why should they?”

“I don't know Cooper, you got married today?” Blaine said exasperated. “Your new husband is trying to settle in. Don't you think you should be here?” Blaine was starting to lose his patience with his brother.

“Kurt's a grown up. He'll be fine. I'm not going to change my life for him and I don't expect him to change his life for me.” 

Blaine couldn't believe how callused Cooper was being. “He's upstairs unpacking because he just moved in with two complete strangers! That isn't changing his life?”

Cooper sighed and looked guilty for a moment. “You don't get it.” Cooper said. 

“No, I don't get it. Cooper you can't act like nothing has happened. This is his life too!” Blaine didn't know when his resentment towards Kurt had melted, maybe when he'd first seen him at the LMC looking scared and lovely and… Blaine shook his head; he couldn't believe what a jerk his brother was being. 

Cooper winced at Blaine's raised voice and cleared his throat. “I just need time Squirt.” He said sadly. “Just give me some time.” 

Blaine immediately felt bad; he knew that Cooper was struggling with this. He followed silently as Cooper walked out of the kitchen, grabbed his keys from the table by the door and left the house. Blaine was left staring behind him feeling upset that his brother would just leave and miserable about the lost look that Cooper had in his eyes. 

Blaine glanced upstairs biting his lip and finally decided to just go for it. He went upstairs and knocked on Cooper's bedroom door, listening as Kurt coughed and sniffled a little before calling out. “Come in.” 

Blaine was greeting by the sight of a red-eyed Kurt sitting on the bed looking like he might have just stopped crying.

Blaine shifted from foot to foot feeling uncomfortable. “Could I… do you need help unpacking?” 

Kurt looked up at him in surprise. “Cooper said he had plans.”

“Yeah.” 

“I can unpack on my own.” 

“If you want to be left alone just say.” Blaine responded, “But really I'd be happy to help and then I could show you around the house?”

Kurt looked around at his suitcases on the floor and the big open one next to him on the bed. “I'm picky about how my things are put away.”

Blaine smiled, “Just tell me what to do.” 

Cooper wasn't wrong about Kurt having a lot of stuff. But it was all very well organized. After moving a bunch of Cooper's stuff out of the closet and into a guest room, assuring Kurt that they were things Cooper never used, they had space to start organizing Kurt's belongings. 

Blaine enjoyed helping Kurt unpack; it helped him learn a lot about him. It was obvious that Kurt loved fashion, that he was organized and a planner. But other things started to surface too. Blaine was hanging a lovely velvet jacket up when he stopped and looked at Kurt. 

“Is this a Paul Smith jacket?” He asked. 

“You know who Paul Smith is?” Kurt asked lifting an eyebrow.

“I saw a jacket like this of his in GQ a few months ago. You have one?”

Kurt smiled looking pleased with himself. “I made that actually. I copied the jacket from GQ.”

Blaine was properly impressed. “You're kidding me? That's amazing.” 

Kurt smiled brighter and Blaine decided that he loved Kurt's smile and he wanted to keep it on his face. Things went well from there; Kurt seemed to relax some and start to open up. After they got Kurt's things put away and the suitcases stored Blaine took him on a tour of the house. 

“I grew up in this house.” Blaine said. “Well, we moved here when I was 5 so it's all I really remember.” 

“It's beautiful.” Kurt said. The house really was amazing. Great lighting, big windows and lots of open space. 

“My dad was an architect. He and my mom designed it together.” Blaine said running his hand down the wooden doorframe to the living room. “We thought about selling it after they died thinking it would be too hard to stay here, but…” Blaine sighed and smiled at little at Kurt who was listening to him with a sweet, but sad expression. “It felt like selling part of them you know?”

Kurt nodded. “My mom had this old dresser. When she died I asked for it. I still open the drawers sometimes because it smells like her perfume.” Blaine watched as Kurt's eye wondered off, no doubt memories of his mom crossing his mind. 

“I hope the dresser is one of the things your dad is sending.” 

“Do you think Cooper would mind?” 

“Kurt you live here now, this is your home.” Blaine didn't understand this sudden need he had to make sure that Kurt felt at home and comfortable here. He just wanted him to be happy here. Here with Cooper. 

Kurt nodded. “I'll tell him to bring it.” 

They spent the rest of the afternoon just talking, Kurt was so easy to talk to and the more time passed the more Kurt smiled and laughed and Blaine loved it. They ordered pizza because really Blaine needed to go grocery shopping and ate in the living room deciding to watch a movie. 

“You have so many musicals!” Kurt said happily surprised. 

“I love musicals.” Blaine said. “I love music.” 

Kurt seemed excited about that. “I was in my school's Glee club during high school.”

“I'm in Glee club at Dalton!” Blaine said. 

Kurt stopped mid bite. “Wait. Wait. You're a Warbler?” 

“I'm the lead singer.” Blaine said proudly and wondered for a moment if he sounded like Cooper when he bragged about the Warblers. 

Kurt sat up and smacked the pillow near him in excitement. “No way! I've seen you perform! In your navy and red blazers. I was in the New Directions!” 

Blaine coughed on his pizza. “You won Nationals last year.”

“Yes we did.” Kurt said a little smugly. 

“Aren't you also the choir that had their two leaders make-out on stage after a performance in New York one year?” 

Kurt groaned and rolled his eyes. “That was my step-brother and his on again off again girlfriend Rachel.”

“You're kidding me.” Blaine laughed. 

Kurt scooted closer to him on the couch and Blaine's heart beat a little faster. Kurt really got into the story of the drama between his step-brother and best friend. Blaine laughed and listened and enjoyed Kurt's company. Eventually they ended up watching Into The Woods and Blaine smiled as Kurt sang along under his breath. After the movie they were both ready to turn in for the night, it had been a long day.  

“Sorry I don't know when Cooper is going to be back.” Blaine said as he walked upstairs with Kurt. 

Kurt shrugged. “Yeah, I guess he had important things to do.”

Blaine felt a little guilty on his brother's behalf. “He just… he flees sometimes when he is stressed. I'm not saying it's okay, but he… we Andersons aren't always good at facing our problems.”

“I didn't know I was a problem.” Kurt said sounding a little hurt. 

“No! No no. It's not that. He just… he doesn't know what to do in this situation so he runs. Give him time. I really believe it will all work out.” Blaine's throat felt a little dry as he encouraged Kurt, and he didn't understand the weird feeling in his stomach. 

“Okay.” Kurt said simply, looking thoughtful. “I guess I can understand that.” 

Blaine smiled and looked down at the ground. “Well, goodnight Kurt.” He looked up at Kurt and could have sworn Kurt blushed a little. 

“Goodnight Blaine.”

Kurt changed into his pajamas and went through his nightly face cleaning and moisturizing routine. Then he called his dad and they talked for a while before slipping into bed. It was almost 11:00pm and Cooper still wasn't home yet. 

Kurt sighed and tried to get comfortable wondering if he was on the right side of the bed or not. Eventually when he was almost asleep he heard Cooper pad softly into the room, he shuffled around in the dark for a little while before getting under the covers next to Kurt. 

Kurt's stomach tightened with nerves but Cooper just turned away from him and Kurt could hear him snoring a few minutes later. 

Kurt bit back his tears. The afternoon and evening he'd spent to Blaine was so nice. It was easy and relaxed and made Kurt think that maybe things here wouldn't be so bad, but now next to Cooper's sleeping form he realized that he had a steep hill to climb if he wanted Cooper to fall in love with him.