A/N: Sorry this took so long. Things have been crazy with moving to University and I've been trying my best to fit this in but I'm pretty much settled, now, so updates will be more frequent. I'm sticking with this story because I have so many ideas for it :) I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2

"Sebastian, for the love of my sanity, put a shirt on."

The boy in question just smirked, sparing little attention for Kurt's wishes as he turned back to the bacon in the frying pan. It was the morning after Sebastian's revelation of his stay, and Kurt had been on edge every waking moment since. Blaine, who had followed Kurt into the kitchen in a much better mood, was taken aback by the site of the half-naked brother, but not at all unpleasantly. It was fair to say that Sebastian definitely had the right to be so cocky, Blaine thought, guiltily tearing his eyes away from the defined muscles of Sebastian's back.

"Your boyfriend doesn't seem to mind," Sebastian replied, not even turning his head to face them. Blaine immediately blushed, just to realise moments after that he was only teasing. "Besides, if I took clothes advice from you, I'm sure we'd share the same, shockingly pale skin tone. I can't say I'm one for wearing four jumpers in the middle of July."

"I don't wear four jumpers," Kurt spat.

"Whatever you say, Casper," Sebastian smirked, tipping the contents of the frying pan onto a large plate. "Bacon?"

"No," Kurt said, scrunching his nose. "It's too heavy for the morning."

"It can't be much heavier than that product in your hair."

Kurt scowled, mustering a comeback when his dad entered the room, going straight for the coffee maker. He had a noticeable air of ease, as if he was almost trying to radiate the feeling of absolutely nothing being different or weird. His son's eyes landed on him with an intense feel of anger, immediately approaching him while Sebastian already looked incredibly amused by the situation, his eyes landing on Blaine and raising his eyebrows just to earn a polite, bashful smile in return.

"Why didn't you tell me that Sebastian is staying with us?" Kurt demanded. Sebastian just shrugged off the venom used on his name, putting some bread in the toaster and watching the scene in front of him unfold.

"Good morning to you, too, Kurt," Burt mused.

"Dad."

"Because I knew you'd react," his father said simply. "If I'd told you, you would've… I dunno… stayed in a hotel for the summer, or made it so it was completely impossible for Sebastian to live here."

"Did you think about how Sebastian is impossible to live with?"

"It'll be good for you two to spend some time together," Burt told him firmly. Sebastian smiled at him cheekily, raising his coffee mug at him as if this was all simply good entertainment, and Kurt huffed, storming out of the room. Blaine just blinked, unsure whether following him was really a safe option.

"Morning, Blaine," Burt said casually, and the curly haired boy couldn't help but chuckle.

"Good morning, Mr Hummel," Blaine replied. Burt just looked at him with an in-joke expression, and Blaine knew it was down to the 'call me Burt' issue. No matter how many times he was told, he just couldn't get used to it. "Do you think Kurt will come around to this whole idea eventually?"

"Of course he will," Sebastian interjected. "He'll realise eventually that being related to me is an honour."

"Kurt will learn to get by," Burt sighed, taking the now full coffee mug over to the breakfast table. "But I think at this stage, that's the best he can do."

Blaine frowned. It suddenly hit him just how complicated this whole half-brother situation really was; Was Sebastian Burt's son, or did he share a mother with Kurt? Judging by Sebastian's age, it would have probably meant one of the parents would have to have cheated, and when he thought about it, he just couldn't place Burt as a cheater. Although he put on a tough front, there was just too much love in the man's heart. He knew that Kurt's mom had stayed with him all the way up to her death, though, and that there was no divorce, so that didn't seem to make much sense, either. But one way had to be right…

There was also how the situation seemed to affect Kurt. Although Sebastian seemed remarkably comfortable in the position he was in, Kurt looked ready to do anything to escape the situation, and Blaine badly wanted to know why. Past the brotherly banter, he couldn't yet see any real chasm in their relationship. But the fact it was so invisible and still obviously there made him wary; only the darkest secrets were kept so desperately hidden.

The tree house in the Hummel's back garden was barely used, anymore. It used to be a popular hangout spot for Kurt, and should he ever opt for a game of hide and seek he would often be found in the furthest corner of the wooden space, curled in a tight ball and giggling. It was never a place of negativity, and there were still crayon pictures stuck up neatly on the hard walls, a smell that resembled a heavily wooded forest, and a calm, easy feel about the place. Just as Sebastian remembered it.

He sat against the wall right next to the small window, taking another drag from his cigarette and blowing the smoke outside. His legs were stretched out into the space that now seemed so much smaller, his head leaning back against the wall and his eyes shut softly. There was no need to put up a front, here. This was his haven. But as he took another drag, tilting his head towards the window, he couldn't help but feel the hole in his heart that screamed for his real home.

When he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps climbing up the tree house, disturbing his tranquillity, he couldn't help the small leap his heart made. It was stupid, really. When they were younger, if Sebastian was in the tree house and Kurt joined him, it was as though their rivalry was timed out. Kurt would climb up and sit opposite his half-brother, giving him a small smile that suggested peace, and the two of them would just talk. It was always a wonder to people how the two of them could know so much about each other as youngsters when it seemed all they did was fight or hate each other, but they never told anyone. It was their little secret. And something Sebastian wasn't even aware he still cared about.

"Hey, kiddo," Burt's voice said, appearing at the doorway and smiling. Sebastian's heart sank a little, but he smiled anyway, embarrassed that he could even hang on to that sentiment.

"Don't call me that," he replied, but the smirk on his face showed he didn't really mind. Burt smiled back, never really knowing how to deal with Sebastian but the boy was glad he tried.

"You know that's bad for you," Burt said, gesturing to the cigarette.

"It's necessary."

Burt seemed like he was going to say more, but only smiled sadly, and Sebastian held his eye as he took another drag. He had no reason to piss him off, but something in him panicked – he didn't want Burt thinking he could tell him want to do.

"You know this is only temporary. Your dad cares about you."

"If he cares about me, why'd he kick me out?" Sebastian snapped. The display of emotion was almost a shock for Burt, but the man stayed calm.

"He's just trying to do what's best for you. He's protecting you."

Sebastian looked at him with cold eyes, swallowing down the lump in his throat. He knew what was best for him, and this wasn't it. He didn't need to be protected – his life wasn't this, and he wasn't happy about everything he knew being slipped from underneath him and demanding that he adapt.

"Are we done?" he asked thickly, turning his head away as if to suggest it was more of a statement than a question.

"We're going out for dinner, tonight," Burt told him. "All of us." With that, he left the tree house and the lonely boy inside to his thoughts. Sebastian sighed, banging his head against the wall and stumping out the cigarette. Don't cry, he told himself, drawing a shaky breath as he tried to gain strength. This'll get better. The wound's just fresh. This will get better.

But the more he had to tell himself that, the more he could only ask: when?

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hey," Blaine said nervously. He was back at home, having decided his boyfriend needed space, but now Kurt had called him he wasn't sure if he'd done the right thing. Was he mad?

"So… I'm sorry for how I acted earlier. I guess I probably made you feel awkward, and I'm ruining our summer… It's just such a shock. There's bad blood between me and him, and I can't believe my dad sprung this on me."

"It certainly is big," Blaine agreed, scrolling down the ads on his laptop screen. "But I don't know. I think it's kinda cool that you have a brother."

"Half-brother."

"Half-brother," Blaine grinned. "If you don't mind me asking, what side is he actually from? I find it hard to picture him on either side."

"My mom," Kurt sighed. Blaine couldn't help be silent for a moment – Kurt had always spoken about his mother like she was an angel on Earth.

"Your mom?" he repeated.

"Would you have been less shocked if it was my dad?"

"N-no, don't get me wrong. It's just… I mean… She must've cheated, right? Sebastian's only a year younger than you."

"Yes, Blaine, she cheated. But that doesn't mean she was any less of a mother. She was always there."

"I know, it's just-"

"Can we talk about something else?" Kurt interrupted. "I know you probably have burning questions, but I'm still pretty angry about him being here."

"Of course," Blaine replied quietly, shrinking in on himself. Kurt gave a grateful sigh and immediately leapt into conversation over the latest Vogue magazine, Blaine occasionally chirping in where he could, even though he was only half listening. He'd stopped scrolling, having come across an advert that had taken the interest of his heart; a small summer programme for musicians, ending with a concert performed in the park. It was only a week long, but it covered everything, from song writing to performance technique, vocal warm ups and the technical sides of things. It was intensive, but it looked perfect.

Except that it required him to move away for a week.

"Blaine?"

"…What? Sorry, I… I guess I zoned out a little."

"I said we're gonna go out for dinner later, do you want to come?"

"Everyone?"

"Me, Dad, Sebastian and Carole. Finn is God knows where."

"Count me in," Blaine smiled, still staring at the ad. "I'll see you later?"

"That you will, Blaine Warbler. Love you."

"Love you, too," Blaine said, hanging up before going straight back into deep thought. Kurt had already freaked out over agreeing to go away with his dad to help him with some congressman ordeal, and Blaine had reassured him that he wouldn't need to worry – they'd have plenty of time to make up for it. This ad offered him an amazing chance, but also time out of his summer with Kurt, and his boyfriend was not going to be happy about it. He bit his lip, clicking it to get more details. I can just apply, Blaine thought to himself. I might not even get in. I shouldn't worry him over nothing. Nothing has to come of it, right?

Doing his best not to think about it, he started on the form right away, but as he progressed he found his mind wondering back to the half-brother situation. If Sebastian and Kurt shared a mom, they'd both lost a mom, too. He wondered if her death had brought the two of them closer, even if just for a little while, or pushed the gap further apart. And if she spent so much time being a good mom to Kurt, what was she like to Sebastian? How could they even let him into their lives after being living evidence that Kurt's mom had cheated? There were so many questions that he couldn't really ask stirring around Blaine's brain, and he only hoped that somehow, he could get a glimpse into their lives that night when he joined them for dinner.