Good morning everyone, or whatever time it is that finds you here! I wanted to thank you again for all the comments and feedback, they really help a writer out. Posting a story it like sending it out into a void so hearing from you is always nice. I know a lot of you are waiting for some Kurt/Cooper or Kurt/Blaine action, and that is coming, but it is a slow build in this story so bare with me. And enjoy!
Kurt didn't want to say the Cooper was avoiding him, but over the next few days it felt like he was.
Monday rolled around and Kurt's family was going to come over for dinner. Cooper and Kurt prepared the meal and it was the first time since spending an hour together at the LMC that Kurt actually got to spend some one-on-one time with him.
Blaine hid up in his room while they got dinner ready. Kurt got the impression that Blaine usually did the cooking, but he was letting Kurt and Cooper have some time together.
Cooper was funny and enjoyable while they cooked. Complementing Kurt's skills in the kitchen and winking at him making him blush. Kurt didn't understand, it was like there was more than one Cooper; The enjoyable affable Cooper who was chopping carrots for a salad and bumping his hip against Kurt's. And then there was the Cooper who was out all of the time and only came back home once Kurt was already in bed.
Kurt wished he had the guts to ask Cooper what was going on in his head, but he didn't know him that well.
Burt, Carole, Finn and Rachel arrived and Kurt hugged his dad like he hadn't seen him in years. Rachel hadn't exactly been invited but she managed to make it over anyway. Kurt was actually relieved to see her, he needed a friend.
Dinner was going well, Cooper was charming and talkative and though Kurt was learning that Cooper's favorite subject was himself he was somehow good natured and charismatic about it.
Kurt sat between him and Rachel and every once in a while Kurt would feel Cooper brush his hand against his leg or purposefully bump his foot against his own under the table. It wasn't much of anything at all, but it made Kurt smile every time he did it. It seemed flirty.
Between Rachel and Cooper no one else got to say too much. Rachel was peppering Cooper with questions about his career and Cooper was more than happy to give her tips and pointers.
"So you see yourself working in L.A. one day?" Burt asked when there was finally a pause in Rachel and Cooper's conversation. Kurt looked at his dad and then Cooper. Kurt pretty much knew the answer to that question, but had avoided directly asking it so that he could at least pretend that Cooper didn't have set plans.
"My plan has always been to move back out west once Blaine starts college." Cooper said with a smile. "I mean you can't really be a full time actor in Ohio."
Kurt swallowed, his food suddenly tasting dry and his heart heavy. Cooper wanted L.A. and Kurt wanted New York. Kurt looked worriedly at Cooper and then quickly away. Blaine caught his eyes and gave him a small encouraging smile. At least they had a year to figure it out, Kurt wouldn't freak out yet. He still had a year.
"Oh but Kurt is going to New York." Rachel said and Kurt shot her a glare. This wasn't a conversation he was ready to have three days into knowing Cooper, especially right now in front of everyone.
Cooper raised his eyebrows and looked at Kurt. "New York? Really? You never mentioned that."
Kurt froze, everyone at the table looking at him. It was all Kurt could do to keep himself from turning on the snark and snap out something about how of course he hadn't mentioned it, how could he when Cooper was never even around!?
He was saved by Blaine though who broke the awkward silence. "New York City?" He asked looking excited. "What do you want to do there?"
"I've been accepted to the New York Academy for Dramatic Arts actually." Kurt said feeling a swell of pride. "I had to turn it down this year, but I can reapply next year and most of the time if you had to defer because your name was drawn in the Lottery they let you in."
Blaine's eyes grew round. "You got into NYADA? That's incredible Kurt only a handful of people make in it."
"I know!" Rachel spoke up. "He is very talented." She looked at Cooper pointedly. "New York will love him."
"Well good job kid." Cooper said and his foot that had been pressed against Kurt's moved away.
Kurt again felt stuck, anything he said would lead to a conversation he just wasn't ready to have. And even that small gesture of Cooper moving his foot away was hurtful.
Blaine came to the rescue again. "You know Kurt maybe this school year you could come talk to the Warblers, we'd love to hear from someone who's not only won Nationals but was accepted to NYADA."
"But that would be treason!" Rachel gasped.
Kurt smiled and rolled his eyes. "I'd like that." He answered Blaine.
It wasn't that he wasn't loyal to New Directions, but Blaine was family now. He could talk to the Warblers without betraying his friends. The conversation flowed easily from there, though Cooper was strangely quiet for the rest of the evening.
As everyone left Finn gave Kurt a pat on the back and a dopy smile and Carol and Rachel hugged him tight. Burt hugged him too and whispered in his ear, "Don't give up your dreams bud, find a way to make it work." And then they were gone and Kurt was left with just Cooper and Blaine again.
The next few weeks went pretty much the same, Cooper was gone all the time; Driving to Columbus for overnight stays to see his agent, or flying out to Cincinnati to shoot a commercial. At first Kurt was angry about how little he saw of his new husband, but he slowly started to get use to it. He was much more comfortable in his new home and had even done a little redecorating in the bedroom with Blaine's help.
His dad had brought his car that first Monday night as well so Kurt didn't feel as trapped. Rachel left for New York and threw a big party that Cooper couldn't make it too, but Kurt asked Blaine to come and he did.
Rachel was sad and weepy by the end of the night talking about how everyone always abandoned her because Finn refused to move and Kurt was married. Kurt comforted her the best he could while dealing with his own disappointment.
"You're a good friend you know." Blaine said on the ride back to Westerville. "I know it can't be easy for you, not going to New York this year."
Kurt bit his lip and kept his eyes on the road not speaking for a moment. "I didn't mind so much when I first found out." Kurt finally said. "I mean… I've kind of always wanted a Lifemate." He could feel Blaine looking at him, but still kept his eyes forward.
"I get that. The Lottery is good for a lot of people. My parents really loved each other and it seems like your dad and Carole work."
"Carole has been great for my dad. Now that I'm not there I'm so glad he has someone. He really loved my mom too, so I know that the Lottery can work. I just want it to work for me."
He glanced over at Blaine to get his reaction, not having meant to say so much. Blaine looked a little flustered
"Cooper's just… Cooper is…"
"It's okay. You don't need to say anything for Cooper." Kurt said thinking how cute Blaine looked when he was nervous. "I just need to man up and talk to him about us and where things are going."
Blaine was quite for a while before he spoke up again. "What happened to your mom?"
Kurt pulled up to a stoplight and faced Blaine with a sad smile wondering where the change of subject had come from. "Cancer. When I was eight."
Blaine's forehead furrowed and he put a hand over one of Kurt's on the steering wheel. He hand was strong and smooth and had calluses on the fingertips that Kurt knew came from playing the guitar.
"I'm sorry Kurt." Blaine said. "No one should have to lose their mom so young."
Kurt nodded his throat filling with tears as the light changed and he drove forward.
"Tell me about her." Blaine said. "I mean if you want to."
Kurt smiled, people rarely asked about his mom and Kurt actually loved to talk about her.
"She was a teacher and she played the piano. She started teaching me but I didn't keep up with it so I'm not very good. And she loved to bake. I remember making cookies and muffins with her. She always encouraged me to just be myself. My dad says that even when I was little I had a strong will and she knew how to handle it."
Blaine laughed, "You? A strong will? Never."
Kurt swatted at him. "Hey!"
"She sounds wonderful Kurt."
Kurt's smile widened. It hurt to talk about his mom, but it hurt more to never talk about her. He didn't want to lose the memories he had.
"What about you, what happened to you parents?" He asked tentatively, neither Blaine or Cooper had said much about their parents.
"It was a car accident. Coming home from a relative's wedding. I was 14 and staying with a friend. My friend's mom told me what had happened the next morning but I didn't really believe it until Cooper came back from California.
'I'd never seen him so solemn. He and I got along but weren't really close up till that point. I remember he came over to where I was staying and didn't say anything at all he just gave me this really tight long hug. And that's when I knew. They were really gone."
Kurt had to wipe at his eyes to see the road clearly, losing his mom had been almost unbearable, if he had lost his dad too? Kurt wasn't sure what would have become of him.
"And then he moved back home?"
"Yeah, and then he moved back home. If not I would have gone to my Aunt Kelly who is very conservative and not that gay friendly. I know it sounds dramatic but I feel like Coop saved me."
"Wait." Kurt said in surprise. "You're gay?" He stole a glance at Blaine to see his face break out in a smile before he started to laugh.
"It isn't obvious?"
"I don't know!" Kurt said. "I mean I hadn't really thought about it."
"Yeah, I'm gay." Blaine laughed.
"Did your parents know?"
"Yes, I had come out the year before. I mean my dad wasn't thrilled, but I like to think he would have come around. Mom was great about it though. I think she knew already."
"I came out when I was 16." Kurt said. "When I had to mark my preference on the Lottery registration. I was so scared of how my dad would react, but he said he already knew. He was supportive from the start, but has definitely grown more comfortable with it over time."
It felt good to talk to Blaine. There was something so comforting and approachable about him. Cooper made him blush and feel a little giddy, but he also made Kurt upset and feel somewhat unwanted. He wished it was as easy with Cooper as it was with Blaine.
Kurt pulled up to the house and they both got out and walked to the door. For a split second Kurt thought about reaching out to hold Blaine's hand, but then caught himself not knowing where that thought had come from.
"So now that your friends are all off spread out around the map I have an idea." Blaine said as he unlocked the front door.
"Yeah?" Kurt asked.
"I think before I go back to school you and you start your online classes you need to meet the Warblers."
"You want me to meet your friends?" Kurt said with a smiled.
"Of course I do!" Blaine said as they walked in, but the conversation stopped there as Cooper coming running into the foyer.
"You won't believe it!" He yelled and gave Blaine a big hug before turning to Kurt and hugging him as well and placing a quick peak to his cheek. Kurt could feel his whole face heat up. It was the first real show of affection he'd received from Cooper.
"I got an audition. A big one!"
"Really Coop? That's great!" Blaine said sharing in his excitement.
"I head back to L.A. tomorrow for the audition. It's for a movie! Like a big movie not the small independent one like I was trying out for a few weeks ago. This is a big deal!"
"Congratulations Cooper!" Kurt said feeling genuinely happy for him, Cooper's enthusiasm was contagious. "You leave tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I'll only be gone a couple of days. And then we'll have to wait and see how things go. But…" He spun around on his heels. "This could be my big break!"
Kurt smiled and celebrated with Cooper, but he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. It looked more and more like Cooper's future was in California, and where did that leave Kurt? Where did that leave them?