Getting Away
Chapter 36: Dew
In the places the sun has not reached yet the ground and grass are still frosted over with dew.
Airi and Aneira could not be more in love with the hint of snow and winter, the summer will be a long one for them, but winter all the more welcome for it after.
Cooper had not expected to be greeted not only by Carole, Kurt and Blaine this morning, but also two husky pups, Burt, and a tall dark-haired boy he has never seen before.
After what had happened this morning with Blaine in that hallway, looking so very scared, Burt had not been able to convince himself it would be better to stay away, not crowd everyone.
Burt had always known he has always been overprotective when it comes to his son, but in all his life he had never expected to feel the same way about his son's first boyfriend.
Cooper thinks he understands why he is so hugely outnumbered, and as much as he appreciates it, he is equally terrified.
"Cooper," Carole is the first to reach him, warmly shaking his hand.
"Hello," Cooper replies with a hesitant smile, pushing the glasses slightly askew back into place on his nose.
Carole cannot overlook the signs of exhaustion in the young man's features. "How do you like Lima?"
"It is a nice change from all the travelling I have to do for work to stay in one place a little longer for once than just a couple of nights."
"Right. Sure," Burt says, as he steps up next to Carole and shakes Cooper's hand too; maybe a little too tightly. But hey, it is just to make sure the man remembers no less than the best of intentions will allow him a place in Blaine's life if Burt has any say in it. Which he will fight for, if he has to.
"Blaine," Cooper greats hopefully.
"Hi."
Kurt waves to Cooper in a friendly but reserved greeting, standing beside the smaller boy.
Blaine's reply is shy, but Cooper cannot help but feel all warm inside at the small attempt at a smile accompanying it, and especially at the healthy pinkish tone in Blaine's cheeks he only notices now as they are standing close. 'He must have run around a little with the dogs on his way here.' "Your dogs are beautiful," Cooper says into the round.
"Thanks, man," Finn is the one to step up, too holding out a hand. "I'm Finn, Kurt's brother."
"Oh. You are brother's?" Cooper not meaning any harm asks looking between the boys for a likeness in features.
"Carole's my mom, and Kurt's …."
"Step-mom," Cooper finishes.
"Exactly," Finn confirms with a smile.
Kurt and Cooper exchange a look that Finn has no idea how to read, so instead of prying he turns to Blaine, "Dude, your bro seems cool."
Blaine allows a small smile to actually cross his lips as he looks back at Cooper.
Kurt feels Blaine's hand holding onto his more tightly as he says, "Th…, thank you for coming to see," he clears his scratchy throat, "… see me."
Cooper, shrugging his shoulders, and tilting his head a little to the side, clearly imitating Finn as he stuffs his hands into his pants pockets too, replies, "Dude, it's cool."
Kurt is the first to burst into a big smile, nudging Blaine gently in the shoulder with his own, as Blaine chews on a smile that feels unfamiliar on his face … but good too.
"Man that was awesome," Finn chimes happily. "Mom said you were an actor. But why do you sound so British?"
"I've lived there for a long while, with our grandmother. Blaine and mine's that is."
"Cool," Finn nods. "Rachel made me watch that movie, My Fair … something."
"My Fair Lady?" Cooper asks.
"Yeah, yeah that one. And, man, I can understand you way better than that flower girl."
"Glad to hear it," Cooper smiles, not missing Blaine and Kurt smiling too, Kurt rolling his eyes fondly.
Cooper kneels down next to the dogs, reaching out to pet their fur and about to ask their names when Blaine blurts, stepping forward and almost in between Cooper and the husky pups, "I think they are getting restless. We should walk around some."
Cooper nods, confusion visible on his face, but only as they are walking again, Kurt and Finn walking in between him on one side and Blaine and the pups on the other, Cooper asks, "What are their names?"
Finn looking like he is almost about to skip happily answers, "Airi is the brownish one and Aneira the one with more black spots in her fur."
Cooper smiles, looking over at Blaine again, who looks curiously tense.
They walk in silence for a while. Only when they have all a cup of coffee, Finn hot chocolate and Burt a hot tea, in hand and are settled down on some park benches beside a pond, the dogs sitting with Carole and Burt now, some feet away, Cooper tries again. Getting up from one end of the bench he walks the five steps over to where Blaine is sitting with Kurt and squats down in front of the boy, "Blaine?"
"Yes?" Blaine is looking down again.
Cooper hates how small the boy sitting there looks, and he wants to pull his baby brother into a hug, but after the moment with the pups earlier he does not dare reach out. There is a question he has to ask. As much as he wants to know the answer he is also afraid he knows it already. "Why did you not want me to touch Airi and Aneira?"
"It's not that," Blaine says, scooting back on the bench, a little further away from Cooper.
Cooper does not miss the small movement, takes the hint and moves about half a meter back himself.
That does get Blaine's attention, because as much as he tries to focus on the ground, as much as he tries to keep his eyes fixed there, he cannot help watching the older man, his brother, out of the corner of his eyes. It is terrifying to look, but even scarier to not see anything at all.
"I'm scared," Blaine whispers, clearly wanting to say more, but mouth just gaping and twitching helplessly slightly.
Cooper is not just anyone, Cooper knows things others do not when it comes to Blaine, so he does not need to hear more to hear it all, said and not, "I promise you, Blaine, I promise," and there are tears in both brothers' eyes when they meet a moment later, "I will never hurt them, or you. I will never hurt anyone you love."
"You are not just saying that, right? Please don't just say that if … if …," Blaine blubbers struggling.
"B, I know you cannot remember me, and all I remember about you is how mashed strawberries and blueberries were your favorite food when you were two, and how mom tried to teach you to say new words, but all you were interested in was the word music, because you knew that mom would play something for you whenever you said it."
"I did that?" Blaine asks, crying harder.
"Yeah," Cooper hums warmly. "Yeah, B, you did. And I don't know how to prove it to you, how to ever prove it to you. All I can tell you is that … that, I loved you then and I love you now. And I wish, more than anything that you could believe and trust me."
"I want to," Blaine replies quickly. "I really want to, but …."
"You don't know how. I know," Cooper finishes for the boy when he watches him bury his tear-stained face in Kurt's shoulder and hold on to the boy he has learned to trust over the last months, with so much, with almost everything.