AN: I know, it's been AGES since I updated. Hoping that won't happen again, I've already written most of the next chapter. Thank you for the responses so far, you all are the best. :)

Kurt kept his eyes trained carefully on the ground as the door swung open. He tried not to shift his weight from foot to foot-his dad used to hate it when he fidgeted, but it was a habit he was never quite able to break. He kept his casted left arm close to his chest and tried to keep his breathes even despite his nerves to avoid aggravating his sensitive ribs.

"You must be Kurt," a gentle voice startled him from his thoughts.

"Yes, ma'am," he said.

"I'm Mrs. Anderson. It's good to finally meet you. We've heard so much about you."

Kurt bit his lip at that, wondering who she had talked to about him. No doubt they had only bad things to say. Unsure of how to respond, he just stayed silent, something he had been doing more and more recently.

"Kurt's very shy," Ms. Martha intervened. She took Kurt by the shoulder (he jumped again) and encouraged him to look up. "Kurt, I'd like you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Anderson and their two sons, Cooper and Blaine."

Kurt hesitantly met the eyes of the two adults giving each a quick nod. They both smiled at him encouragingly. Kurt thought the lady looked nice. She was small with dark hair pulled out of her face in a big clip. The man, on the other hand, made Kurt shudder. He was big. Not football player big, but still large enough to hold both of Kurt's small wrists in one hand with room spare.

The older boy stuck his hand out. His hair was casually gelled back and he practically radiated confidence. "Sup, dude. You can call me Coop."

"Okay," Kurt said softly. He pretended not to see the extended hand which Cooper dropped, nonplussed, after a moment without reciprocation.

"Sourpuss over here is Blaine." Cooper gestured at his shorter counterpart who was standing behind his other family members with his arms crossed cross his chest. He gave a dramatic eye roll and sigh but said nothing, not even glancing in Kurt's direction.

"Hi," Kurt said. Blaine snorted in response.

"Come in, come in. I didn't mean to keep you two waiting outside for so long." Mrs. Anderson ushered them inside and through an entry hallway. In the living room there was a large couch and two big, plush chairs gathered around a fireplace. A large flat screen TV was built into the wall above it with the news playing on mute. Kurt's eyes glanced over the pictures crowding all the surfaces of the room. They showcased the two boys at various ages and a few full family shots, all of them grinning widely. Kurt wanted to look closer but knew that it was rude without permission, so he averted his eyes.

"Sit," Mrs. Anderson gestured to one of the big chairs with newly fluffed pillows. Kurt was usually wary of sitting on the furniture, another pet peeve of his father's, but he knew an order when he heard one so he dropped into the chair a little too quickly than was comfortable for his tender midsection.

"Yes, ma'am."

Mrs. Anderson frowned at his response but didn't comment on it, instead offering Ms. Martha the seat across from Kurt before squeezing herself on the couch between her husband and scowling younger son. Placing his backpack in his lap to avoid dirtying the carpet, Kurt sat and waited for instruction.

"Well," Ms. Martha began, "you guys are veterans at this so I don't have to explain to you that I'll be checking in on Kurt every so often, sometimes unannounced."

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson nodded.

"Great. And you know if you have any questions or concerns to give me a call. I've got a copy of Kurt's pertinent medical information for you," she continued, passing them a sealed manilla envelope. "Just allergies, medical history, that sort of thing. Kurt's already scheduled for a check up next Friday afternoon, so someone will need to check him out of school for that."

"Of course," Mrs. Anderson said.

"The information's in the file but the doctor said probably six more weeks before the cast can come off."

The Andersons all turned to look at him then, as if they hadn't noticed on first glance the glaringly obvious case of plaster that enclosed his left arm. Kurt blushed furiously.

"And if I could speak to the two of you alone for a moment," Ms. Martha indicated the two Anderson parents, "then I can be out of your hair." The three adults stood to exit the room leaving the kids behind. Ms. Martha stopped to give Kurt's shoulder a squeeze on her way out. "Call me if you need anything Kurt. I mean it."

Knowing a millisecond of eye contact and a small nod was the best response she was going to get, she smiled at Kurt and exited the room. Kurt tried not to strain his ears to hear the hushed conversation in the entry hall.

"Sooo," the elder brother began, "you're going to be a sophomore this year?"

"Um, I'm not sure."

"Well, how old are you?" Cooper asked, leaned back casually into the couch and studying Kurt with his fingers steepled in front of him.

"Sixteen."

"Sophomore it is, then. Blainers here is a Junior." He gave his little brother a shove.

"Stop calling me that," Blaine growled.

"He's so sensitive," Cooper pretended to whisper to Kurt, "especially this time of month." Kurt smiled a little but his posture remained tense. He couldn't remember how to act normally around people his own age, if he had ever known to begin with. And surely he was doing something wrong since Blaine already looked like he wanted nothing to do with him.

Ugh. Blaine shouldn't be surprised that already Coop had the new kid on his side. Not that there were sides, per se, but if history was anything to go by anyone who hit it off with Cooper was not going to be his biggest fan. He tuned out his brother and instead tried to focus on the conversation taking place right outside of the room.

He couldn't hear much but picked up a few phrases here and there, all concerning how 'fragile,' Kurt was and how 'careful' they had to be with him. Blaine didn't think he could roll his eyes any harder. Minus his broken arm, the kid looked alright to him. Not the picture of health, maybe, but certainly not about to keel over and die on them.

Blaine zoned back in to Cooper as he was rambling on to Kurt whatever came to mind, and the kid looked absolutely fascinated. Cooper could read Hemingway aloud and people would still be enraptured by him. Blaine, on the other hand, was more of a fade into the background kind of guy, but not for long if he could help it.

"So," he finally joined the conversation and tried not to be offended when Kurt flinched at his voice. "We're sharing a room."

"O-okay."

"And I expect you not to touch any of the stuff in there. Even if Coop here tries to convince you otherwise, it's mine." Coop threw his hands up and tried to act innocent when Kurt looked at him, bewildered. "If I'm sleeping don't wake me up. I won't be happy."

"See what I told you? Mood-dy." Cooper cut in.

"Lastly," Blaine ignored him. "Don't talk to me or about me at school. I already have friends there and I don't need you to ruin that for me."

"Geez, Blaine, don't you think that's a little harsh?"

"No. Not after last time." Coop had the decency to look a little ashamed at that. Ashley, the girl who had left a few months ago, had collaborated with Cooper and come up with some oh so hilarious rumors to spread about him; his reputation was still recovering.

Blaine noticed the fingers of Kurt's right hand twisting the strap of his backpack around them vigorously as he nodded. "I won't mess with your stuff, I'm very neat. You won't have to worry about me at school either."

Feeling a stab of guilt at the way Kurt jumped at the opportunity to please him, he nodded his head and turned. The sound of the front door closing signaled to them that Ms. Martha had made her exit and Blaine chose this as an opportune time to escape to his room for his last few minutes of solitude.