The first time Blaine met Rachel he'd been rather scared of her. She'd dropped down right in front of him, and started being loud like the other boys at the orphanage. He hadn't known what to think when she'd told him she was going to be his big sister. He'd had a big brother before his parents had died but that was different. Cooper was an almost grown-up. He could drive and throw Blaine over his shoulder and do lots of things Rachel certainly couldn't. But as the months went by he got used to her, didn't even mind her bossy ways and her shock at realizing that, yes, Blaine was a boy in more than just the label. He liked to play soccer, run around and get dirty, and read comic books like most of the other boys his age.

Rachel hadn't liked a lot of that, but they'd been able to compromise with their shared interests and what Mr. Berries had said were their family values because Blaine liked dancing. However, the one playtime activity he'd hated having to do to keep Rachel happy once he officially moved in with them was tea parties. It wasn't that he didn't like the little muffins Daddy Hiram gave them, or the Kool-Aid that Rachel insisted was actually tea, he just didn't like to sit still and be told he was Lady Applecrumb or Broadway star Bethany from Canada. He didn't want to talk to dolls or sit on a blanket in the park when he could be playing on the swings and the jungle gym.

But it happened every Thursday when Daddy Leroy picked them up from school, and while Daddy Leroy made sure he got to have his own fun for a good portion of the trip, he still didn't like the tea parties. Especially when Rachel wouldn't let the little boy with the pretty eyes play with them.

Blaine hadn't said one word to the other boy since he'd seen him for the first time, but he'd watched from afar as Rachel told him he wasn't allowed to play tea party anymore because she had a new brother who didn't argue with her.

That had been a week ago. The little boy had left the park in a huff, and Blaine hadn't seen him since. Blaine thought he probably went to school with them – was most likely in Rachel's grade – but he wasn't sure. On this particular Thursday Rachel was super bossy, and kept insisting Blaine wear some big flowery, feather covered hat that made Blaine sneeze every other minute.

The hat was uncomfortable, and itchy on his head as he watched the other kids run around the little play houses and down by the small stream that ran through the middle of the fenced off park. With a heavy sigh, Blaine dropped his chin into his hand and blew one of the feathers from the hat out of his eyes as Rachel poured invisible tea for one of her dolls. Blaine glared at the little rag doll that had taken his Batman action figure's usual spot. Rachel had been so bossy he hadn't even been allowed to bring Batman and Robin and it was their wedding tea party.

"Drink up, everyone, before it gets cold," Rachel encouraged her dolls. When Blaine didn't move her smile became very forced as she spat out of the corner of her mouth, "Drink, Blaine. Don't be rude to our guests."

Blaine returned her look and said waspishly, "There's nothing to drink. And the party shouldn't have started since the grooms aren't here– "

Rachel flashed her immobile dolls a winning smile and then shot him a fierce glare. "I'm not going to let you play Lady Applecrumb–"

"I don't want to play her!" Blaine snapped back. After a moment he added, "I don't want to call you Barbra, either!"

"You're being immature– "

"You're drinking air with dolls!"

"If you want something to drink so much then go fill the cups with water from the stream!" Rachel said shrilly, tossing her cup at him. "But if any of us get- get water poisoning– "

"How can water poisonyou?"

"It just can! Don't ask questions!" Rachel said sharply, rapping her knuckles on the plastic tea pot. "Fetch us the tea, stable boy!"

Blaine huffed loudly and stood up, grabbing the cups and tea pot before marching off towards the stream. As much as he'd come to love having Rachel around as a friend and sister, he really couldn't stand her sometimes. Like right now.

He reached the stream in a few minutes, but instead of bending down to fill the cups or pot with water Blaine wandered along it towards the little spot shaded by a handful of trees and big, bushy shrubs. He glanced back towards where Rachel was sitting on her picnic blanket, but she wasn't watching him. She was busy entertaining her "guests". Blaine rolled his eyes and continued towards the trees, stepping into the shade and dropping down on the little pebbles that covered the ground.

Maybe he would just stay here until Daddy Leroy came looking for him. Then Rachel would get worried about him and stop being so mean. Then she'd remember she shouldn't be bossy because she loved him. He let the tea pot drop onto the pebbles beside him. It clattered over the little rocks, and another noise followed immediately. Louder, more like rustling and rocks being kicked about as someone scrabbled to get onto their feet.

"Who's there?" Blaine asked curiously, peering around the big bush next to him.

A little squeal greeted him when he poked his head around the bush.

"Don't look!"

It was the little boy Rachel kept fighting with about her tea parties. The one with the big, pretty eyes that reminded Blaine of the sky. Blaine noticed his clothes were a little rumpled and there was a spot of mud on his shirt. He wondered how it had gotten there, if maybe the boy had slipped because the knees of his pants were dirty, too. The other boy scrambled to fix his little purple bow tie and fancy dress shirt, babbling about how he wasn't proper.

"I like your bow tie," Blaine told him softly, reminding himself of Rachel for a moment. She'd said the same thing to him the first time they'd met. The boy froze and looked at him in surprise, carefully dropping back to his knees.

"You... you like them?"

"Uh huh. They're really nice. I've got a bow tie, too," Blaine informed him proudly, reaching over and straightening the other boy's.

The other boy eyed him curiously, his blue eyes wide and surprised. "I've never met another boy who liked bow ties."

Blaine smiled brightly and set down his tea cups as well. "They're my favorite thing! Mine's red, though, 'cause red used to be my favorite color."

"It's not anymore?"

Blaine shook his head, feeling his curls shake as he looked into the prettiest eyes he'd ever seen. They were even more beautiful up close. "It's blue now. Like the sky."

"Oh," the boy said. "Blue is nice. My favorite's purple."

Blaine nodded, and then stuck out his hand. "My name's Blaine."

After a moment of hesitation the boy smiled nervously. "Kurt."