Chapter FOUR

Baby steps and learning to be yourself

Harry stared at Blaine as if he was trying to figure out if his brother was mentally incompetent.

"You want me to what?" he asked slowly.

"Just cover for me this once please?" Blaine's eyes went wide and he pouted slightly.

"You realise that face only works on our parent's right? We made that up together" he stated blankly.

"Please Harry? I'll buy you five new books" Blaine pleaded.

Harry arched a slow brow. They both knew that five books that he was interested in would take up most of Blaine's weekly allowance.

"You really like this kid huh?" he asked quietly

Blaine smiled nervously and nodded.

"He's in a bad place right now, he needs help. I had you to help me and I just want to be there for him. No one should go through this alone" Blaine smiled at him hopefully and Harry sighed.

"Fine I'll tell people at school you're sick. If mum and dad find out though you're on your own" he huffed.

"Just don't tell the teachers you don't know where I am is all I ask. They won't report me unless I miss three days of school unless you tell them I should be there" Blaine grinned happily.

Harry rolled his eyes but nodded his consent. He knew where Blaine was coming from. The bullying at their old school wasn't half as bad as it could have been because they were a double target. If Blaine had been alone he would have gotten a lot worse. Harry too would have spent all those years being pummelled and pushed around for being a geeky little nerd if it wasn't for Blaine. They had each other and he knew that this Kurt guy didn't have that. So Blaine being there to offer support was cool. It was a nice thing to do for someone. He just hoped it didn't go on his permanent record if they got caught skipping school. He wanted to get into a good school hopefully MIT or something. Being party to absenteeism was not going to look good on his records. But he loved his brother and this was the right thing to do. Even his Ethics and Philosophy teacher would agree, he hoped.

So he drove into Dalton alone and smiled blandly at everyone who asked where his much more popular brother was. He knew that they mostly tolerated him still because of Blaine's reflected glory. Blaine was the lead vocalist on the Warblers and always in the top five in all his classes. He was on the swim team and he helped the theatre groups. Harry was shy, quiet top of the whole grade. The shadow behind Blaine Anderson always hanging around him when he wasn't stuck in a book or locked in one of the music practise rooms being moody and arty. He'd heard someone call him a tortured artist, the soul of a musician and the Einstein dude. He had joined the track team just because he liked running and liked the feel of going all out fast, like if he just went a bit faster he could take off and fly. But he wasn't exactly friends with anyone of any of the teams. Even the other kids of the decathlon didn't really know that much about him. Except he was Blaine's brother and he was really smart. He liked it this way. He went slightly unnoticed in a crowd and he could be a dorky genius in his own peace. But today plenty of people wanted to know where Blaine was. Wes and David cornered him for lunch. Even when he only planned to grab a snack and eat in the sound studio he got dragged to their table to eat. He usually only did that so Blaine wouldn't whine at him to be more sociable. He'd kind of figured the other boys didn't even notice his presence. He was pretty shocked when they all carried on talking casually and greeted him like he was one of them. Carter and Jamie were busily talking about a new science journal and Harry was listening in bemusement. He tried not to take over those discussions too much. If he started talking they always tended to shut up and listen like he was the author himself. It was kind of embarrassing. Blaine had told him once that he shouldn't just go on and on just because he knew all the answers and let other people work it out for themselves. So he was doing his best not to railroad the discussion and just enjoy the academic debate.

GLEEHP

Blaine shook slightly as he and Kurt left the school after confronting the Karofsky kid. He didn't want Kurt to see how shaken by it he was. He wanted to be there for Kurt to lean on. Just like Harry had been for him. Time after time shrugging off being called a fag hag and numerous other slurs like it wasn't even heard. Harry had been his rock and he knew he'd have broken down so much faster without him to rely on. So now he was going to try and let Kurt have that too. Someone to rely on and go to with his problems. He fondly remembered Harry not complaining when he barged into his room and threw on Katy Perry blasting so he could angst out and whine like a baby.

"That was good right. I mean I know it didn't make much difference. But...he didn't react too badly" He tried softly smiling at Kurt.

Kurt nodded looking a little distraught but still stronger for standing up for himself.

"Yeah I mean he didn't kiss me again" he laughed slightly hysterically.

"Any improvement is a good thing right? I mean now he has something to think about. He can...I don't know just realise he's not the only gay person out here you know? I mean he probably knew that already. But now that we've stood up to him maybe he'll think a little?" Blaine tried to inject enthusiasm and warmth into his voice.

He knew he was babbling and he snapped his mouth shut with a tentative smile. Kurt nodded and smiled back.

"Thank you for coming all the way out here to try at least" he whispered

Blaine felt his heart clench and he threw an arm around Kurt's shoulders and squeezed.

"Anytime" he promised.

GLEHP

Harry got home to find Blaine sitting at the island counter staring blankly at the microwave.

"It won't work by itself or brainpower" he stated idly.

"I'm sorry"

Harry cocked his head and tried to figure out what was wrong without asking. He was smart enough to realise his brother was actually apologising to him, and not just saying sorry for being away with the fairies. But what would have Blaine looking so morose and sad. He was sure they hadn't argued.

"I didn't mind lying for you that much. Most people only asked if you were sick and I nodded. It wasn't that hard" he grinned extra cheerfully.

Blaine moved his stare to him and sighed heavily.

"I never thanked you for being there for me really did I? I always took it for granted that you were my brother and you would stand by me" he whispered.

Harry frowned and blinked rapidly.

"Need I remind you that when you came out as Gay you were absolutely terrified I would stop talking to you or something equally as heinous? That you leapt on me and squeezed me till I was blue and thanked me while sobbing snot all over my shirt for not hating you?" he asked lightly

"I remember that part. Felt like I was having a heart attack trying to tell you all" he mumbled fingering his cuff nervously "But when you just stood by my side all them times at school while they called me and you names. All I could ever do was be self centred and worried about how mean they were to me. I never even tried to be there for you about it all did I?" he asked with a hitched breath.

Harry arched a disbelieving brow at his idiotic brother and walked around the counter to grab his shoulders and shake.

"You're being an idiot. You always apologised, needlessly I add. For those moronic toss pots calling me stupid names just for supporting my brother. You know I didn't care. Why are you so worried about this? I love you Blaine. I would have taken every slur and beating I could for you if it meant they'd leave you alone" he sighed pulling him into a hug.

"But I never thought about what it was doing to you! All I cared about was how bad it was for me!" Blaine struggled in the hug and Harry huffed holding him still.

"You did not; you were going through a hard time Blaine. What about when the boys pushed me around or tried to make me do their homework and you stuck up for me huh? Or the time you stopped that guy flushing my head down the toilet because he failed a test he'd tried to cheat off me for? Or the time you took my lunch money back off that guy when he stole it and hit me? You were always there for me when I needed you to be and I was there when you needed it. We're brothers. We stick up for each other. It just so happens that despite how awesome we are the rest of this hillbilly town isn't ready to see it! Back in Britain they don't give a damn that I'm so smart it freaks them out. They don't bat a lash when I visit and I look like a dorky tourist. They don't care that my two godfathers are gay together and treat me like their son. They wouldn't give a damn if you were kissing your boyfriend in the middle of a crowded street. There are small pockets of this world that couldn't give a toss what you are and who you love. But we live here and we're as happy as we can be while putting up with the meat heads that occupy this corner of the world. One day when we're older the people who hurt us are going to be sorry they did it. Because I'll be the owner of a multi-billion net worth company and you'll be an awesome famous musician or performer or whatever the hell you decide to be. For now, yeah we have to put up with a bit of crap. But later, well later we'll be the happy ones" Harry grinned brightly and hugged Blaine hard before stepping back and giving him a bossy no nonsense look.

"Now I'm going to bake brownies you can either help or get the hell out of my kitchen and listen to your whiny Perry music somewhere else" he smirked.

Blaine laughed and nodded.

"Ok Harry. Thank you I needed that" he smiled calmly.

"Any time little brother" he chuckled cranking up the radio and pulling out the ingredients. "Did you know that the word Cookie is derives from the Dutch word Koejke?" he asked lightly and the sense of normality and calmness swept across the room as they got to work.

GLEEHP

Harry went to school the next day with a whole Tupperware box of cookies and brownies that he and Blaine had ended up making in peaceful companionship. They had decided to give them out at school instead of letting their parents see the mountains of sweetness. Last time Harry had gone on such a cooking binge their mum had threatened to take away the whisk and blender. Even if it had been a joke Harry wasn't risking it.

He took them to track and decathlon and Blaine took them to Swim and Warbler practise. They were a huge hit and all the boys wanted more. Harry laughed as he was besieged by demands at lunch and Blaine just sat back and smiled. His brother the usually shy and bookish boy was centre of attention for once. He didn't even seem to notice that he was either. Maybe this school wasn't such a bad idea after all. They could both be who they were and nobody seemed to judge them for it. Here everyone was equal and most of all no one seemed to notice your odd quirks. Mainly because they all had them anyway and it was all that made them individuals in their identical uniformity.

AN

So this is the last complete chapter I have in my stores. So much for going slow huh :D but you've all been so awesome I couldn't not post it. I'm writing the next chapter on and off right now. its like 5000 words already and not done so I don't know when i'll post it :D have patience :) I can tell you that the next one will see the boys meeting NEW Directions and we have some interactions for you. The pairing is still undetermined but I have sooo many ideas for how they get along now :D Hope you enjoyed this one and it holds you over until I can stop spazzing about the next chapter called : Of Sectionals Decathlons and wedding bells :D