Happy Wednesday!

I'm so happy you all liked the last chapter. This is its follow up – hope you're ready to join the boys on their first trip together as a couple :)

Thanks for all the support! You're the best of the best.

My beta Christine is also the best of the best. Thanks for always spotting all my mistakes and making my writing better!

Thanks to Sofi for keeping my mornings at work... interesting ;)

Enjoy!


The soft joggle of the train on the railways was almost lulling them to sleep. Kurt burrowed a little closer to Blaine's side, who lifted his arm to let him get comfortable, his head already resting on his shoulder, now tilted so he could hide his face in Blaine's neck. Blaine smiled as he looked down at him.

The sky was very slowly turning clearer as the sun started to rise on the horizon. It hadn't been easy getting out of bed so early, when it was dark outside and a little chilly despite spring being in full swing. It had felt like they had just fallen asleep when the alarm began to blare – and it wasn't far from the truth, considering they had been too entertained with each other to go to sleep at a decent time. There were no regrets, though. Any time they could spend enjoying each other was time well spent.

And Blaine wasn't about to complain that an adorably sleepy Kurt wanted to snuggle as they headed on their first vacation as a couple.

He rubbed Kurt's back, receiving a low, happy sigh in response, as he stared out the window. It hadn't taken long for the landscape to change. When you were in the middle of Manhattan, constantly surrounded by its noise, its lights, its people, you forgot what a tiny place it really was. The city had been left behind and now Blaine could see a more rural paradise, beautiful neighborhoods, green grass that wasn't surrounded by towers made of concrete everywhere. He already felt like he could breathe better, though he wasn't sure if it was because of the getaway. He had been breathing better ever since he had told Kurt he loved him. Ever since Kurt had told him he was in it forever, too.

For a very, very long time, Blaine had been scared of the future. Not because he thought something terrible would happen, but because he had been terrified it would remain unchanged from his present. He had been living a life he didn't care for, doing what others expected of him and never what he truly wanted, alone. He had thought it was his destiny, to live like that, that he couldn't do anything to prevent it – and then he had walked into a random diner on a random night and met the love of his life.

Now he looked forward to the future eagerly, because he knew Kurt would be a part of it.

The morning after his birthday, as Kurt got ready for work, Blaine had been sitting on his bed, just watching the careful way in which Kurt added his layers before he faced the world – not because he needed them to hide who he was, but because they made him who he was, the patterns and the colors, the bold choices. Blaine had walked towards him and stood behind him, looking at their reflections in the mirror, and took a little box out of his pocket, that he had been carrying around for weeks now, waiting for the right moment.

He remembered the way Kurt's blue eyes had widened at the sight of it, his breathless little gasp, and the words that came out of him quick as lightning, no hesitation to be found: "If that's an engagement ring, my answer's yes."

And Blaine had chuckled, but had felt warmth spreading all inside of him, because… well, now the idea was certainly cemented in his head. But he pushed it away for now and said: "Just open it, Kurt."

Kurt grabbed the box and opened it, and lifted his eyes towards Blaine, a silent question in them.

"It's the key to my house," Blaine murmured. "I want you to have it. So you can come and go as you please."

"Blaine…" Kurt said, and touched the key almost reverently. "No one's ever given me a key to their place before… are you sure?"

"Of course," Blaine said, pressing a kiss to the edge of Kurt's jaw. "I want you to think of it as your place, too. For when you need time away from the girls, or when you want to be closer to work, or just because you want to be there. And I can't think of anything better than getting home and finding you there already."

Kurt had kissed him fiercely then, for so long that he was almost late for work.

Kurt let out another sigh, contented and relaxed, his arm settling snuggly around Blaine's stomach. "It's kind of hard to believe this is also New York, don't you think?" He said, his gaze taking in the view. "I'm just so used to thinking of it as just Manhattan or Brooklyn…"

"Yeah, me too," Blaine said, dropping a kiss to the top of his head, just because he could. "Would you like some coffee? I brought a thermos."

Kurt smiled up at him. "My hero."

Once they arrived at the train station in East Hampton, they took a taxi to Isabelle's cottage. The closer they got to it, the louder the sound of the sea became, the saltier the air smelled, the looser they became, as if they had left all their troubles and preoccupations back at home, and there was absolutely nothing to worry about here.

The car drove by some incredible mansions that Kurt stared at with wide eyes, but ended up entering what looked like a very secluded neighborhood right by the beach, with smaller houses, cabins and cottages. Isabelle's was enclosed by trees and greenery, a large bush of white flowers by the entrance. It was a lovely one-story home, and when they finally stepped out of the car with their luggage, all they could hear was the distant waves crashing against the shore and the chirping of birds.

Isabelle's impeccable taste in clothes translated perfectly to home interiors, it seemed. The cottage was luminous, decorated mostly in neutral tones, such as white and grey. The kitchen was large and comfortable, with a grand island to sit at for breakfast or to prepare food at. The master bedroom had a lovely view of the backyard, from which you could peak at the beach that hinted its presence among the trees. There was a glass-walled breakfast nook that allowed the gorgeous exteriors to slip into the house, and a huge tub in the master bathroom that Blaine couldn't wait to try – it looked spacious enough for two.

"I think we might need to send Isabelle more flowers," Blaine said as he and Kurt stood by the large window in the living room. "This place is amazing."

"I can see why she wants to retire here," Kurt said. "I'm so glad she offered to let us have it for a couple of days."

Blaine leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Let's make the most of them, alright?"

There was no food in the house, so the first order of business was to find a grocery store. They put their luggage in the bedroom and then left the house again, hand in hand, walking aimlessly to where they knew the center of town was. They had just turned around a corner when they found a farmer's market, so they spent a long time browsing the options there, buying fresh produce and homemade bread, artisan coffee beans and cheese.

Blaine got distracted for a moment with a large selection of homemade jams, chatting with the old lady who made them. She offered him a free sample of a luscious berry jam and Blaine had to bite back a moan at the flavors that exploded in his mouth.

"Oh, this is amazing. Kurt, you have to try this…" He said, turning to his left, where Kurt had been just a second ago, and finding he had wandered off. He glanced around and couldn't see him.

"Lost something, dear?" The woman asked.

"My boyfriend," Blaine chuckled. "We just arrived for our first couple getaway, so I wouldn't want to lose him so early into this trip."

Blaine paid for a couple of jars of jam, already thinking about making breakfast in bed for Kurt the next morning, and walked down a bit, trying to find him. He was about to get his phone out to call, when he saw him coming back.

"Hey, where were you?" Blaine asked, as he pushed past a family to get to him. "I was getting worried there for a minute."

"Sorry, just wanted to get you this," Kurt said, lifting a gorgeous bouquet of wild flowers.

Blaine felt his entire soul melting. "Kurt… you didn't have to. I love them. They're gorgeous."

"This entire weekend is about wooing you," Kurt said cheekily, as Blaine ducked his head to smell the flowers.

"I appreciate that," Blaine said, certainly charmed. "Am I allowed to woo you, too?"

"As if I could stop you," Kurt laughed, threading their arms together as they turned to go back to the house. "You're a natural wooer, Blaine Anderson. It's in your blood."

"Then let's just go back so I can make you some brunch," Blaine said, leaning in to kiss the curve of his shoulder.

As they walked back, surrounded by the sound of birds, gently caressed by the spring breeze, Blaine felt nothing but peace. He wondered if this was what unabridged happiness felt like – and then he looked at Kurt, who was squinting up at the sky, the sun on his face, a tiny smile on his lovely lips, and he knew it was.


The weather seemed to be ready to celebrate them and spoil them – even though it was just mid-April, it was warm enough to head down to the beach. They found a perfect spot in the sand, next to a dune that provided the option of having some shade if the sun got to be too much (which for Kurt's pale skin, could be), and they stretched out on their beach towels, feeling lazy and decadent, hands tangled between them, not talking much because there was no need to. It was enough to be together.

After a while, though, Blaine sat up. His skin was beautiful in the sun, glowing with a bit of sweat, bronzing quickly. He removed his sunglasses and looked down at Kurt with a little grin.

"Want to swim? I bet the water's not too cold," he said.

"Maybe later?" Kurt replied. He felt boneless and relaxed and didn't really want to move. "But you go right ahead."

Blaine straddled him and leaned in, his knees and elbows supporting his weight and keeping his body hovering over Kurt's, not touching at all. "Are you sure?"

"Stop tempting me with your gorgeous body," Kurt teased, eyebrow arched and making Blaine laugh. "Go. I'll join you in a bit."

Blaine planted a noisy, playful kiss on his lips before he was moving away and standing up. "As you wish."

Kurt leaned up to watch him run towards the water. He looked so carefree and youthful right now, and it was such a contrast from the weary man he had met last year. It had been such a great idea, coming here, and he was so grateful that Isabelle had suggested it.

Come to think of it, Kurt realized, he too was a different guy now. He had been lost and a little jaded when he met Blaine. But now he had a job he loved and a man he loved even more, and his future seemed to be shaping up nicely. He felt calm and full of enthusiasm for whatever was to come. He no longer dreaded his days when his alarm went off – they sometimes began with Blaine sleeping next to him, only to continue with going to a job he loved, and often ended with him going back into Blaine's arms.

Kurt smiled up at the perfect blue sky and thought: Well, Kurt Hummel's had a pretty good year.

And then he sat up and ran towards the sea to join his boyfriend amongst the waves.


After getting the vestiges of sand and salt off them that evening, they decided to head out for a walk and find a place to have dinner at. It was a lovely night, made lovelier by the fact that they could just enjoy time together without worrying about anything else. They were allowed to get lost in each other in this little paradise, and nothing else existed – no roommates, no brothers, no deadlines or decisions to be made.

They found a small restaurant overlooking the sea. Blaine ordered white wine for both of them, as Kurt perused the menu. They spent all of dinner trading bites off each other's plates, Blaine moaning around his fork when he tried the mixed saltiness of the tuna steak with the sweetness of its mango relish from Kurt's place, Kurt stealing a forkful of Chilean Sea bass from Blaine's. The entire evening felt like a buzz of familiarity and comfort, and Kurt realized they had reached a level of trust and easiness together that he had never been able to build with anyone else. He knew it wasn't effortless – he and Blaine had had a few bumps in the road, for sure – but it felt effortless now, natural, meant to be.

After sharing a slice of cheesecake for dessert, they made their way back, deciding to walk across the beach instead. There was something beautiful and safe about the way Blaine's hand curled in his as they walked, the way their shoulders bumped together with every step.

They paused when they were almost at the house, and looked at the way the moon reflected on the water.

"Do you think…" Kurt started, moving closer so he could wrap his arms around Blaine's waist, "that if we stay here and never go back, Isabelle will notice we take over her cottage?"

Blaine chuckled, a soft, beautiful sound that went straight to Kurt's heart. "I'm afraid so, darling. She'll know as soon as you don't show up for work on Monday."

"Damn," Kurt said, and Blaine chuckled again. "My plan is flawed."

"We can always come back," Blaine said, reaching up to cup his cheek. "Or go somewhere else. Maybe this summer? If you get time off?"

"I would love that," Kurt murmured with a happy hum.

"I want to take you everywhere," Blaine said as he leaned in to kiss his jaw, a quick little trail that sent shivers down Kurt's spine. "To see the gothic buildings in Barcelona and the palaces in England. To the gorgeous beaches in Greece and Hawaii. To Paris, to the very top of the Eiffel Tower so you can look down at the city and fall in love with it…"

Kurt shivered and moved closer to Blaine's body. He felt wildly in love with him. He turned his head, gluing his lips to the shell of Blaine's ear and whispered: "You can take me right here."

It was Blaine's turn to shiver now and he let out a quiet little groan as his mouth went back up his jaw and towards Kurt's lips. "Kurt…"

"There's no one around," Kurt said, glancing quickly around. "No one would see us."

"You're always surprising me," Blaine said and pulled Kurt into a kiss so intense, it made his knees buckle.

Kurt bit lightly on his bottom lip as he ended the kiss and said: "Then you're about to be surprised as hell," and began to remove his own clothes.

Blaine watched him in shock for a moment, as layer after layer fell down on the sand, and then Kurt was naked and running towards the water.

"Holy fuck," Blaine said, and hurried to follow suit.

Kurt splashed into the water, relieved that it wasn't icy, as Blaine finished taking his clothes off. He floated as he waited, watching Blaine rush towards the sea stark naked, already half hard in anticipation. He dove into the water, his body gorgeous in the moonlight, and swam in his direction, immediately moving into Kurt's arms to kiss him, eager and a little dirty, pushing his tongue into his mouth at once.

"This is absolutely insane," Blaine muttered as he pulled away to kiss his neck. "I love it."

Kurt pressed his lips to Blaine's temple, where the grey hairs seemed to look white in the pale light coming from the moon. "I love you," he said.

"Love you too, baby," Blaine said, and slipped a leg between Kurt's, his thigh pushing against his cock, where he was already hard for him.

They began to rock together, unhurried, more focused on the kissing than on anything else. Kurt bit into Blaine's shoulder, feeling the saltiness of the water on his skin. Blaine let his hands trail down Kurt's body, grabbing his ass and squeezing, pushing him closer, eliciting a moan from deep within him.

Reaching an orgasm became almost an afterthought – they were perfectly happy holding each other as the waves swayed them gently, kissing, kissing, kissing, their hands exploring their bodies as if they were rediscovering them all over again. But there was not real intent, no urgency. It was about being together, about how good it felt to be like this.

"I want to stay right here with you, like this, forever," Kurt muttered, resting their foreheads together.

"Me too," Blaine said. He shifted in a way that their cocks ended up almost aligned, trapped between them. He gasped at how good it felt, and now the urgency began to rise in them. "But… I might need to go back to the house soon. I'd love it if you'd fuck me right now…"

"Blaine…" Kurt moaned, speeding up a bit. "Yes. Yes, I want to fuck you so hard…"

"I love how it feels when you're inside me," Blaine murmured, leaning down to kiss his neck. "So full, so perfect, like I'm right where I'm meant to be…"

Kurt let out a little groan. "I know what you mean. I love it, too. It's like… I'm home."

"Yes," Blaine whined, low in his throat. "Yes, Kurt, yes. I want to be your home, baby."

"You are," Kurt said, thrusting a little harder. He kissed Blaine, swallowing the moan that was coming out of him, pushing his tongue into his mouth, kissing him so deeply he couldn't even breathe.

They came soon after, arms tightening around each other, mouths parting so they could pant out their release, and then they just floated together for a minute or two, coming down from their highs, before they finally began to swim back to the shore.

They got dressed quickly, afraid someone would catch them now that the heat was gone and they could think more clearly. Kurt shivered as the night breeze picked up, and Blaine wrapped his jacket around his shoulders before he grabbed his hand and they made their way back to the cottage.

They spent the entire night making each other feel at home.


Sunday started lazily, with breakfast in bed and kisses. It was almost noon when they finally left the bedroom and went down to the beach for a little walk. They just wandered around town for a while afterwards, until they found a nice little bistro where they had lunch, before heading back to the beach to enjoy their afternoon in the sun.

It was so perfect and idyllic, they wished it didn't have to end.

That night they chose to stay in and Blaine cooked dinner for him, which Kurt wasn't going to complain about. While the food was in the oven, Blaine put music on and they danced around the living room, cheek to cheek, heart to heart, feeling so happy they were both afraid it was a dream they were about to wake up from.

"You know," Blaine whispered softly, not wanting to break the spell, his face tilted slightly into Kurt's neck as they swayed. "I think this is the best birthday present I ever had. Best birthday ever, period."

Kurt hummed happily. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I had a great time, too."

"This makes me realize," Blaine murmured, placing a quick kiss under Kurt's ear like he couldn't stop the temptation. "I still don't know when your birthday is."

"Next month," Kurt smiled. A birthday with Blaine by his side. He wouldn't need to make a single wish as he blew his candles out this year. "May 27th."

Blaine's hand went up his back, fingers splaying there to hold him closer. "Well. That gives me plenty of time to plan something."

"I don't really want anything," Kurt admitted quietly. "I just want to be with you."

Blaine breathed out slowly, his heart so full that it was a miracle it didn't burst. "I'm not going anywhere, darling."

He would be a fool to let go.


The elevator doors opened and Kurt walked out of it, almost feeling as if he was floating, as if part of him was still stranded in the middle of the sea in East Hampton, instead of back at work in Manhattan, the city bustling with activity, no time for Kurt to get off his vacation-high.

He dropped his bag and coat at his desk before he marched straight towards Isabelle's office. He found her sitting at her own desk, scrolling through her computer while she mindlessly munched on a salad.

"There's my favorite assistant!" She exclaimed, immediately lighting up when she saw him. "Come on in, tell me everything! Did you and Blaine have a nice time?"

"The best time," he said with a big smile. "We didn't want to come back. Thank you so much for letting us stay at your cottage. It's so dreamy," he slipped the key out of his pocket and gave it back to her, before he placed a small black box on her desk. "And this is from Blaine, as a thank you."

"Aw," Isabelle said, reaching for the box and opening it. Inside, she found a delicate, lovely silver bracelet. "Oh, Kurt, this is gorgeous!" She looked up at him with wide eyes. "He has such great taste. Can I steal him?"

"Nope," Kurt said, with a quick laugh. "He's all mine. Sorry. That's non-negotiable."

Isabelle put the bracelet on and admired it for a while, before she propped her chin up on her hand, a kind of softness in her eyes. "You look so happy."

"I am," Kurt replied easily. "I love him. He loves me. I love this job. Life feels like… it's fallen into place, you know? I can't complain about a single thing."

"I'm glad. You work hard, Kurt. I can tell it's something that you do in all areas of your life, so…" She shrugged and smiled at him. "Just enjoy it. Hold onto it. For as long as you can."

"Oh, I will," Kurt said. "Forever, if I can." He let out a sigh, feeling like he was about to burst with how full he felt right now. He could hardly stop smiling. "Okay, so. Put me to work. What did I miss this morning?"

Isabelle caught him up quickly and Kurt turned around to head back to his desk and get his day finally started, but she stopped him just as he reached the door.

"Tell Blaine thank you for me," she said, touching the bracelet gratefully.

"I will. And thank you, again. This weekend was… perfect," Kurt replied.

He got back to work, feeling like the luckiest guy in the world.


The text took him by surprise but filled him with warmth. Blaine was sitting at the kitchen table, his computer in front of him, a steaming cup of coffee next to it, working, thinking, brainstorming, when he got it.

[COOPER – 11:17 AM]: Hey little bro. I was just wondering if you and Kurt wanted to have dinner with me this week? Maybe on Friday?

He recognized the effort, the gesture of good will – Cooper had promised to be better and he was taking a step towards it. And the fact that he included Kurt… Blaine couldn't help smiling as he replied.

[BLAINE – 11:19 AM]: Hi, Coop. That sounds great. I need to check with Kurt, but even if he can't make it, let's get together the two of us. I'll text him and let you know if he can join us. Did you have a place in mind?

[COOPER – 11:23 AM]: Why don't you come over? We can just have a quiet dinner in. Let me know what kind of food Kurt likes, if he's coming.

Blaine replied that he would let him know and that he was okay with going over to Cooper's place, before he texted Kurt to ask if he wanted to join them. His boyfriend was immediately on board, which made Blaine love him even more – despite how difficult and awful things had been with Cooper before, Kurt was always ready to make an effort. He was kind and forgiving, supportive, and Blaine still couldn't believe he even looked at him. He couldn't believe how lucky he was that Kurt loved him.

On Friday, Blaine picked Kurt up at Vogue, which meant he got a big hug from Isabelle as soon as the two of them walked out of the building together.

"You are a sweetheart, Blaine Anderson," she said as she kissed his cheek. "Thank you for the present."

"Thank you, Isabelle. Kurt and I had a great time in your cottage. And thanks for giving him time off so we didn't have to rush back. It was difficult to come back at all, honestly," Blaine said with a quick laugh.

Kurt slipped his arm into Blaine's and leaned in to kiss his cheek in greeting. "Don't be fooled, she wants to steal you," he muttered teasingly and Isabelle huffed indignantly.

"Don't blow my cover or I'll fire you," she retorted with an arched eyebrow. "I have to run. You two have a wonderful weekend! Kurt, I'll see you on Monday!"

She kissed their cheeks before she was hailing a cab, leaving a lovely trail of Chanel N° 5 in her wake. They chuckled as they turned to get a cab for themselves, and then they were on their way too, sitting close together in the backseat while Blaine asked Kurt about his day.

Blaine could tell Kurt was a little nervous as they went up to Cooper's apartment in the elevator, so he grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He hoped Kurt understood just how much this meant to him, that he would make time for his brother, to willingly spend a night with him, even when Cooper could be too much sometimes.

When they went into Cooper's apartment, they were immediately hit by the strong, spicy aroma of whatever it was that Cooper had planned for dinner.

"Coop!" Blaine called as they stepped in, dropping his keys in the bowl and helping Kurt out of his jacket. "We're here!"

"In the kitchen!" Cooper replied, so they headed there.

Blaine paused in the doorway, eyebrows all the way up in his hairline. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked in surprise.

"Cooking dinner!" Cooper said with a grin. He was wearing an apron, and there was a stain on his cheek that looked like some kind of sauce.

"You… don't know how to cook," Blaine said, unable to hide the concern in his voice. Whatever Cooper had made couldn't be edible.

Cooper pointed at the recipe book he had propped up on the counter. "Duh. I'm following instructions." He wiped his hands on a kitchen cloth and went towards them. "I'm glad you two could make it. Thank you for coming." He patted Blaine on the back and then hesitated as he turned to Kurt, but then settled on patting his back, too.

"We're happy to be here," Kurt said with a smile. "Anything we can do to help?"

"Well, if one of you wants to open a bottle of wine, I wouldn't complain," Cooper said with a wink, and then turned back to the stove to check on the food.

Blaine rolled his eyes and headed to the wine cellar next to the cupboard. He selected a bottle and opened it. "What are you making?"

"Chicken adobo on white rice," Cooper replied, stirring the rice inside the pot to make sure it didn't stick. "It was my favorite food when we were kids, did you know that? Your mom made it for us all the time."

Blaine paused as he was about to reach for the wine glasses. This had to be the first time Cooper mentioned his mother in over thirty years. "Really?"

"Yup. I don't know if it'll be as good as hers, because she used her grandmother's recipe and this is certainly not it, but I suddenly had a craving. I thought you'd like to eat it again, too," Cooper commented, a look of concentration on his face as he looked into the pot of rice.

"I… don't even remember ever having it," Blaine muttered. He poured the wine and handed a glass to Kurt and one to Cooper. He took a sip of his own.

"Well, you were little," Cooper said with a sigh, before he turned to Kurt. "I don't know if Blaine told you this, but his mom was an amazing cook. I think what I missed most about her once she passed away was seeing her in the kitchen, the way she filled the house with delicious scents… it made it feel like a home."

"I didn't know that," Kurt said softly, his eyes searching Blaine's, as if wanting to check he was okay. "But the little I heard of her made me think she was really special."

"Oh, she was," Cooper nodded. He put the spoon down to grab plates from the cupboard. "She was a great mom. She loved us both, and she never once made me feel like I mattered less because I wasn't her son. That's good. She was the only mom I ever knew."

"Coop, are you okay?" Blaine asked, unable to stop himself. He had never heard him talk like this.

"Yes, I'm okay," Cooper reassured him with an easy smile. When he noticed Blaine was still looking at him intently, clearly not believing him, he rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, Blaine. I just… I've been thinking a lot lately. About the things that truly mattered, you know? And she was one of the first things to come to mind."

"That's really sweet, Coop. I never thought she meant so much to you," Blaine said, leaning against the counter next to his brother. "You never talked about her."

"I never talked about anything," Cooper shrugged. "Maybe it's time to change that."

Blaine clasped his brother's shoulder and squeezed. "Maybe that's for the best."

They sat down to eat and, Blaine wasn't going to lie, he was a little scared to try the food, mostly because Cooper was looking at him expectantly and he didn't want to hurt him if it was disgusting. Kurt, however, was braver than he was – or maybe oblivious of his brother's absolute lack of domestic skills – and grabbed a forkful.

"Oh, Cooper, this is really good," he said.

"It is?" Cooper asked, illusion all over his face.

"Yes! It just needs a tiny bit of salt, but it's so good," Kurt confirmed, and since he didn't hesitate in eating more, Blaine guessed he wasn't lying for the sake of getting along with his boyfriend's brother.

"Coop, it is good," Blaine said as soon as he had tried it. Kurt was right, it just needed a bit of salt, but that could be fixed easily. The rice was a little past the point Blaine usually made it, but he was really proud of his brother, who had cooked for himself for the very first time in decades. "I might need to borrow the recipe."

Cooper beamed at them, clearly pleased. "Of course! I'm glad you like it!" He finally started to eat as well, before he turned back to Kurt: "So, Kurt. Blaine told me you took him on a little getaway for his birthday. That was really nice of you."

Kurt smiled at him. "Well, he deserves it."

"Yes, he works harder than anyone I know," Cooper nodded. "Did you guys take any pictures? I'd love to see them!"

It was almost alien, Cooper's excitement, but Blaine knew he was trying.

Kurt grabbed his phone from his pocket. "We took a few." He passed the phone to Cooper. "It was a gorgeous place. So peaceful."

"It looks like it," Cooper said, as he swiped through the pictures. He grinned widely and then turned the phone so Blaine could see it. "You look good in that bathing suit! You don't look a day over thirty."

Blaine rolled his eyes as he leaned in to look at the picture – it was a shot of him, standing at the beach and looking at the sea, and he hadn't even noticed Kurt taking it. "Well, this is just not fair. I don't have a picture like this of you," he teased.

"That's your problem and not mine," Kurt said with a smirk. "You should've taken it when you had the chance. You're slow."

"Oh, I see how it is," Blaine replied, his eyes burning into Kurt's.

Cooper was smiling down at a picture of the two of them, faces pressed together and grinning, as they sat outside in the backyard, a small bonfire and the sun sinking down in the background. "Aw. You guys are cute. Can you send me this picture? I'd love to have it."

Kurt smiled at him. "Sure. I'll send it to Blaine and then he can resend it…"

"Oh, no, here…" Cooper tapped on the phone a few times and added his number to his contacts. "Just send it to me. Come on, we're family. We should have each other's numbers, right?"

Kurt was visibly touched, and Blaine was too, but he also saw right through his brother – it was hard for him, to act like this, to be so open. He was doing it because he knew it would make Blaine happy. But Blaine wanted to make sure he didn't do anything he wasn't comfortable with.

He reached to squeeze his brother's hand. "That's sweet of you, Coop. I appreciate it." He paused and when their eyes met, he saw how relieved Cooper was that Blaine said so. "How have you been? How are you feeling? Talk to us."

Cooper took a deep breath. "I'm… getting there? I don't know. I feel a little better." He stopped and looked at Kurt for a moment, embarrassment all over his face, before he turned back to Blaine. "I started therapy this week. It's going to be a very long road, but… I can tell it's going to help me. I already feel lighter after having talked about it all a bit. And I got confirmation from the show at last, and I'll be done next week. They just needed me to stay around until they could replace me."

"That's good," Blaine said. "I bet that's a relief."

"It is," Cooper sighed. "It's just that… it kind of opens the question of what the hell I'm going to do next."

"You have all the time in the world to figure it out," Blaine reassured him. "It's not like you are in a hurry to find a new job. You can take some time off, think, rest, get better. Do something that makes you happy, that makes you feel good about yourself."

"That's the plan," Cooper muttered, before he turned to Kurt. "Has he told you about his plans? I think they're wonderful. Don't let him get too absorbed in my shit that he lets this go."

Kurt's eyebrows arched in surprise. "I actually have not heard about these plans," he said, turning to Blaine curiously.

"Way to put me on the spot, Coop," Blaine said with an eye roll. He smiled at Kurt. "I wanted to wait until I had a clearer idea before I talked to you. But I've been thinking about starting my own music company. Just because I don't want to perform anymore, it doesn't mean I can't help other talented people get there. I want to make sure that artists who never had the chance to shine can get into the business safely, without having to deal with any of the toxic parts of it."

"Blaine, that's…" Kurt shook his head, admiration on his face, on his voice. "That's fantastic. It would be such a great fit for you."

"I figured all the connections and all the experience I got in the business have to be good for something," Blaine shrugged. "It isn't easy, though, starting from scratch, so it'll take a while. But I've been working on it."

Kurt leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek, which made Blaine smile. "I'm so proud of you, and I have absolutely no doubt that you'll be amazing at it."

"Thanks, baby," he whispered, before he turned to look at Cooper. He found his brother looking at them, and Blaine almost startled at the stark contrast – he seemed to be a different man than the boisterous, bright, obnoxious pop star he had always been. This was a mellower version, but so much more real, approachable. Imperfect. "I'm glad to count on both of you for this."

"Of course," Cooper said with a little smile, nothing of its usual glow and showmanship in it, just an honest smile for his brother. They went back to eating, and Cooper added: "In other news… I've decided to sell the apartment."

Blaine was surprised at this, and didn't hide it. "Really? Why? I thought you loved this place."

"It's huge, impersonal and empty," Cooper shrugged again. It seemed to have become his signature move. "I want… something different. Remember what you told me, when you got your place? That you didn't want something luxurious, you wanted a home? I think I need that, too."

Kurt smiled shyly, like he still wasn't sure if he was allowed to participate in the conversation, and said: "As amazing as this place is… I think I see what you mean."

"Yeah," Cooper said, looking around. "I don't need this anymore."

"We'll help you find a place that feels right for you," Blaine offered, his hand reaching for Kurt's under the table. "You'll get there, Coop. You'll find some balance and finally feel like you're living the life you're supposed to."

Cooper smiled softly. "I'd like that." He looked at the two of them for a moment, as if he was seeing them for the very first time, before he added: "You know… I'm happy, Blaine. I'm happy you finally found the family you deserved all along."

Blaine's heart did a weird little twist in his chest. He glanced briefly at Kurt, found him blushing but pleased at Cooper's compliment. He lifted his hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles, before looking back at his brother: "I've always had a good family, Coop, because I've always had you, and you always had my back, even when I didn't know it. Now it just feels… complete."

Cooper smiled at him, and Kurt squeezed his hand, and Blaine knew… his life was going to be exactly what he wanted it to be, as long as he had them.


I love Cooper with everything I am

You guys. We only have one more week left. Two more chapters. When did this happen?!

Thank you so much for reading! See you on Saturday!

L.-