"Coop!"
"COOP!"
"COOPER!"
"What is it buddy? I'm studying."
"Mommy says you need to babysit me. She's working," Blaine jumped up into Cooper's lap where he sat at his desk.
"Okay. Do you want me to set up a movie in the other room?"
"No. I wanna play!" Blaine leaped off his brother's lap and started tugging on his arm.
"I'm sorry Blainey, but I've got this paper to write, I can't play right now."
Blaine pouted, "You never play anymore. You're boring. Come and play. Real quick!"
"Playing with you is never quick, buddy. Once we start, you won't stop until dinner," Cooper said, "How about I set up a movie for you and when I'm done with my paper, we'll play until dinner."
"Okay! Can we play at the park? Please? Please, Coop, please?"
"Only if you don't interrupt me during your movie. What do you want to watch? Tarzan? Peter Pan?"
"No! I wanna watch a princess one. The one with good music so I can sing along," Blaine jumped around, exaggerating the dances he saw in his favorite movies.
"Okay, so Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Cinder–"
"Cinderella! Cinderella, Coop! That's the one with the prettiest prince!" Blaine jumped up onto Cooper's bed next to his desk, and spun in a circle before collapsing with a huff.
"Alright, let go set it up in the playroom," Cooper said, standing up and lifting Blaine off his bed and throwing him over his shoulder, potato sack-style.
"Ahhhhhhh! Let me down, Coop! Stop!" Blaine shrieked, giggling at the end as Cooper tickled his sides.
"Oh, are you ticklish?" Cooper asked while walking down the stairs to the basement playroom, "You better watch out for the tickle monster, I hear he likes little boys who have big curly brown hair."
Cooper lightly tosses Blaine onto the big couch in the middle of the well-lit playroom and starts playfully tickling him.
"No! Ahhhh! He likes. Annoying. Big brothers. Who. Don't. Play. With. Me!" Blaine gasped out between giggles.
Cooper released him to go find the VHS of Cinderella. He put it in the VCR and turned to look at Blaine, "Alright, here's your movie. Remember, if you don't annoy me for the whole movie, we'll go to the park. Sound good."
"Yes. Get out of the way Coop! It's starting!"
Cooper walked towards the stairs, as he reached the first step he turned to see his precious brother already absorbed in the movie. If he could just freeze this moment, he thinks, life would be okay. He shakes the thought away and starts up the stairs, returning to his essay so he will be able to spend more time with his brother later.
Less than an hour later, still struggling with his essay, Cooper hears a soft knock at his door.
"I thought I told you not to interrupt me until the movie's over," he said, not exactly scolding, but not in the happiest way, either.
Blaine padded into the room without a word and sniffled. Cooper whipped his head around to the door where Blaine was standing with tears running down his face.
"What happened buddy? Are you okay?" Cooper walked over to his brother, and got down to his level.
Blaine sniffled, "Daddy got home and yelled at me for watching a girl movie. Then he and mommy were fighting and it was loud and scary."
Cooper silently cursed his parents as he pulled Blaine into a strong hug, supporting his head and stroking his hair, "Shhhhh, it's okay. How about we go to the park now."
Blaine brightened, "Okay. But you have to push me on the tire swing!"
"Of course buddy," Cooper released Blaine and stood up, letting Blaine lead the way out of his room. He directed Blaine towards the back staircase so they would avoid running into their parents. He had so many thoughts running through his head, he was furious with his parents, devastated that his parents act like this so often, but mostly concerned about Blaine being in the middle of it all.
They got to the back door and after Cooper put his own shoes on, he helped Blaine with his, both of them silent. They got up and walked out the door, heading towards the park.
"Why do mommy and daddy fight so much?"
"Well," Cooper hesitated, "sometimes mommy and daddy don't agree so they fight."
"But they always get made at me for watching my favorite movies. Is there something wrong with me?"
Cooper stopped, grabbed his younger brother's shoulders and crouched down to his level, "Blaine, don't ever think there is something wrong with you. You are perfect just the way you are and I love you more than anyone else in the whole world."
"I thought you loved that Emily girl you always talk about."
"I love you more than I could ever love her," Cooper leaned in and kissed Blaine's forehead lightly before standing up, "Come on, let's get to the park before it gets late."