AN: Hey guys! I know, I know, I have neglected this story for far too long! I hope you all don't hate me!
The song in this chapter is "Lean On Me" (which I'm sure you all know) I wasn't planning on having a song here, but I felt it fit the situation too well *not* to put in! Don't you?
Disclaimer: As usual, Glee is not mine. (Believe me, there would not only be more Klaine, but FAR less autotuning those perfect voices!)
Blaine sat alone on the sofa ten minutes before the show was due to was upstairs working on his homework, as he was a senior now, and was trying to get into a good college to study law, or possibly medicine. Blaine didn't know what his parents had agreed on yet. Suddenly, he heard a thump, and someone shouting. Blaine huddled down, hugging a cushion to his face to hide his tears. Arguments were a common occurrence in the Anderson household, but that didn't mean Blaine had grown to accept them, or even get used to them.
As the opening bars of the introduction tune played from the television, the shouting hadn't stopped. If anything, it had gotten louder. It was his dad and Cooper, as usual. He tried to tune them out, and focus on the show, but it was no use. He couldn't hear the exact words, but he got the idea of the argument. Something about "College" and "Acting". Blaine remembered when Copper took part in the school production of "The Merchant of Venice" the previous year, in which he played Antonio. Although Blaine hadn't understood some of the old fashioned language (What was a "Cur" anyways?), he could tell that his brother had enjoyed it thoroughly.
His parents, needless to say, had not been overly ecstatic. Especially when Cooper had spent the entire drive home discussing "The blatantly obvious homoerotic undertones between Antonio and Bassanio"
As the show drew to a close, there was a thundering on the stairs, and Cooper flew into the living room, carrying a suitcase, with a large red welt on the side of his face. He knelt in front of his brother.
"Koda. I have to leave now, okay? Be good for me, I'll ring Kurt's dad to let you know where I am. You cannot tell them anything do you understand?" Blaine simply nodded, dumb with surprise, as he watched his brother running out the door and getting into his car, which had been a gift for his sixteenth birthday.
The rest of the year passed in a blur for both Kurt and Blaine. They started middle school, which, as they had been warned, was much tougher than Elementary had been. The other kids had progressed from pinching and toe stepping, to hitting and tripping, and the name calling got worse. They still had each other though, and Rachel and Quinn became close friends. They also met some new friends, such as Mercedes, a black girl who was almost as passionate about things as Rachel was, and Tina, who, despite being quiet and having a stutter, was really fun to have around.
Blaine spent more and more nights with Kurt, as being alone in the house with his parents, especially when they were in a bad mood, was not a good idea. He did have to stay there sometimes though, and nine times out of ten when he did, he ended up with at least one new bruise. He grew to resent Cooper for leaving him alone, though he new deep down how hard it must have been. After all, he was going through it now. He could only imagine what would happen if he confronted his parents about wanting to become a musician when he grew up. Not that he would ever put himself through that, it was only a silly childish dream after all, like when kids say they want to be a superhero, or a pirate.
The waiting room for the interviews was the same as ever, Rachel and Quinn already sitting together, talking about everything and anything, until they were called for their interviews. The girls went first, Rachel to Judy, and Quinn to Eric. Kurt was sure that the cameras would love hearing about the girls' newfound friendship.
Blaine, Kurt noticed, was acting more distant than usual. He knew it was because he was remembering what had happened with his brother. He wrapped his arm around his best friend's shoulder, and felt some of the tension melt away. They stayed like that for a few minutes, while the adults talked amongst themselves. Eventually, they started talking softly about music, and what Kurt should do for the school talent show which was coming up in a few weeks. Kurt had tried to get Blaine to enter, but he understood why Blaine was reluctant to perform, after what had happened.
Kurt walked into Eric's interview room, and smiled when he saw not only several sketch pads and watercolour sets, along with very high quality pencils, but also a microphone, guitar and keyboard. He hoped that the other room would be similarly stocked. Blaine could use an outlet like that. He picked up a sketch pad and started doodling outfits, marvelling at how the obviously expensive pencils simply glided across the paper, and how the paints blended perfectly.
Blaine was nervous about his interview, and he knew it was obvious to Judy as soon as he walked in the door. However, when his eyes fell on the acoustic guitar resting in the stand next to the usual plush armchair, on which rested a large book with the title "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", his face lit up, and he immediately started fiddling with the strings on the guitar, tuning it and testing the sound.
Cooper hadn't gotten the chance to teach him very much of the instrument, but he hadn't brought his guitar with him when he left, so Blaine had taught himself most of the basics, and was now able to play a few songs by ear. He had even written a few simple chord sequences, though he hadn't mastered writing lyrics yet. His parents had cancelled his piano lessons the previous month. They claimed it was because they were getting too costly and they needed to cut back, but Blaine knew the truth. They had plenty of money, but it was a precaution against Blaine becoming skilled enough to try to forge a career from it later in life. Too late.
"That is a very good design, Kurt" Eric commented, when Kurt had set it aside to dry and the cameras had started rolling. "Do you think fashion is something you might want to do when you grow up?"
"Well, I'm not really sure. I love fashion, of course, but I really want to be an actor on stage. Designing is just a hobby. For now at least." As he answered, he realised that he had never put much thought into what he wanted to be when he grew up. He figured it didn't really matter. It wasn't like he was in a hurry, being only eleven.
"So you still enjoy singing? Would you like to maybe sing again?" Eric had hoped he would of course. The audience response to the last time had been phenomenal. Kurt seemed to debate for a moment, before replying.
"Well I suppose I could. I'll have to decide on a song though. Can it wait until the end?"
"Of course. We wouldn't want you forgetting lyrics or anything now would we?" Eric joked back.
"So tell me, Kurt. What happened for you this year? Anything exciting?"
Kurt paused and thought about this. What had happened this year? All he could think of was what Blaine had gone through, but, that was for Blaine to talk about. He had started Middle school, but there wasn't much to talk about there. He talked a bit about Tina and Mercedes, and how he was still just as close with Blaine, if not closer. There wasn't really much else to say about his year, so they left it mostly at that, before Eric gestured towards the microphone.
Kurt stood nervously and walked to it. He wasn't sure why he was so much more nervous this year. It was probably because he now understood how popular this show was. People at school kept referencing things they had said, sometimes mocking, sometimes in hushed tones as they passed in the corridors. The latter usually had something to do with the sensitive subjects they had discussed, such as Kurt's mother, or Blaine's parents.
He stood at the stand, and took a deep breath. This song was for his best friend, who he knew needed support and friendship more than anything right now. He whispered something to the keyboard player whom Eric must have summoned at some point, who started to play. Then he began singing.
Sometimes in our lives,
We all have pain,
We all have sorrow,
But if we are wise,
We know that there's always tomorrow.
As he sang, his worries melted away, and he was lost in the music yet again. When he reached the chorus, various members of the crew began clapping along, keeping the beat.
You just call on me brother, when you need a hand,
We all need somebody to lean on,
I just might have a problem that you'd understand,
We all need somebody to lean on.
As he finished the song, he re-focused on the room and saw, again, the amazed faces of those present. The sight turned his face red, and he was unable to suppress a smile. He really loved performing.
Blaine sat, strumming on the guitar, humming absentmindedly, until Judy called on him to start his interview.
"You are a very talented musician. How long have you been playing?" She asked. It took Blaine off-guard, as the last thing he expected from Judy was a genuine compliment (or, at least, it was genuine as far as he could tell), So it took him a while to answer.
"Well, my b-brother started teaching me a few months ago, but... Well... He's moved out, you see, so I figured most of it out by myself. I wouldn't exactly consider myself overly talented though. I'm sure there are loads of people better at it than me." His answer was quiet, and he berated himself silently for stumbling over the word "Brother". It's not like Coop was dead, even though he may not live in the same house anymore. He would be in college by now anyway, so he wouldn't be living at home anyway. He told himself not to get too emotional, and to carry on. He smiled at Judy, giving her a sign to carry on.
"Yes, Cooper moved out to go to college, right? It must be hard for you living without him; I understand the two of you were quite close?" A look of confusion swept across his face. She didn't know? He debated briefly whether to correct her about the circumstances of his brother's leaving, but the thought of what his parents would say, or do, quickly discouraged him.
He agreed with her, adding, "Of course, I always knew he would move out eventually, but it came so suddenly." Judy was giving him a strange look, so he continued, "I wasn't expecting it, but I still get to talk to him on the phone, and I visit him every now and then, so it's fine."
He immediately realised his mistake. His parents didn't know he visited Cooper. They didn't even know where he was. He idly answered the rest of Judy's questioned, internally filled with sheer panic. When Judy noticed something was wrong and inquired about it, he said that he simply had a slight stomach ache, and that it was nothing to worry about.
It was then that he heard the voice coming from the next room. The song was faint, but instantly recognisable as the same song Kurt had sang the day after Cooper's departure.
Lean on me, when you're not strong,
And I'll be your friend,
I'll help you carry on...
The song filled him with the strength to finish the interview, knowing that his best friend would be there to help him figure out what to do. Never had he been more grateful for the friendship they shared.
In the car on the way home, Blaine told Kurt his problem, and, as he had foreseen, Kurt had the perfect solution. He hoped it would work, and as he fell asleep, curled up in the corner, for the first time in almost a year, he didn't feel as though he needed his older brother beside him.
AN: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Feel free to leave a review, and if you wanna talk to me about anything in the story, my tumblr and twitter are on my profile page.
Love you all,
-Sorcha xx