cooper.

Cooper rubbed a hand over his face, suppressing a yawn,·“Kinda figured that out for myself, Squirt,” he told him, walking further inside the kitchen and leaning up against the counter, watching as Blaine moved from one end of the room to the other to fetch the milk.·“What have you got to be nervous about, you know you’re going to smash it, you always do,” he shrugged, stretching his arms above his head. He turned his head a little, lips pressed together as he listened to his brother ramble, the usual confident young man seemed to have disappeared before his very eyes, and he couldn’t understand why.·“B, you don’t need warm milk to give you that confidence that you’re known for. You’ve just got to get up on the stage and own it, I know you can do it, and deep down so do you,”

His eyes studied Blaine for a moment, quickly waking up a little more as he realised that this wasn’t going to just be a quick check in before disappearing back up to bed again.·“Might as well, I’m already up, might as well make it worth my while,” he shrugged, moving to sit down in a nearby chair, turning around slightly so that he could still see Blaine.·

Pausing mid-stir, Blaine blinked up at Cooper. His brother was right to call him out.  He knew he was different lately. Lately meaning way too long now but it was even more embarrassing if he kept track. so he tried not to.  The confidence he normally exuded became harder and harder to hang onto.  He wasn’t doing that great of a job at faking it either. Willpower to do so went past hard to come by and it all chipped away at him inside until outside it was just too much to keep up with.  Blaine was trying..just sometimes (like tonight) trying wasn’t good enough.  

Still?  Having the truth served up so abruptly made him suddenly aware of how off his mark he let himself be seen.  It was embarrassing but an eye opener.  As much as an eye opener can happen in the wee hours of the morning.  “I know I can perform. At least I think I do.  It’s just that I can’t stand the idea of letting anyone else down.  Weneed this so bad.  I just need to focus but my brain’s,” his fingers lifted and wriggled next to the side of his head, “all distracted and scattered.  Tomorrow, I’ll be fine.  Promise.”  Cooper’s and his mugs were sat on the table where he plopped down in a chair beside his brother trying to sound as convincing as he was attempting to be to himself.  “Just pre-show jitters.  I guess even I can get them..,” he rolled his eyes and smiled cutting himself off with a sip.