A new day, a new life. Blaine could barely sleep a wink the night before. Fresh from his second tour of the Academy and he could barely contain how excited and terrified he was. Excited for the fresh start. Terrified for reasons ranging from the standard will they like me to the notion that maybe nothing would change. That the promises and policies of the school his brother worked tirelessly towards getting him into mid-semester was full of it. That nothing would change because this was Ohio and how many open minds can you force to stay open by rules that were supposedly unbreakable? Hope won out in the end as he drifted off. And faith and trust in Cooper that things were going to be okay. Because Cooper promised.

The morning, however? Totally different story. His hands were shaking so bad that he couldn’t finish tying his tie. His brand new blazer hung from one hand as he stared up at Cooper who patiently cocked his head to the side and finished the job he couldn’t. Then gripped his shoulder and gently turned him around to face the mirror as he slid the jacket that would soon be the sign he was looking for to be able to heal again. Past the faint scab on his bottom lip and eyebrow that would be gone within a week. Just like the greenish blue mark underneath his eye. A far cry from how it looked in the beginning. Fading hues and reassuring squeezes to his shoulders. All symbols that everything was going to be okay. Like Cooper said.

‘You heard me, right? I wouldn’t be letting this happen if I thought it was going to turn out bad. You gotta trust me. This is gonna be beyond great. Beyond me levels of amazing. You can do this, Squirt. They’re going to love you.’

“Don’tcallmethat,” a mumble and he curled his fingers towards the pressed cuff edges of his sleeve, “What if I don’t fit in? What if they look at me and they think I’m a stereotypical rich kid problem child?” His brows shoved together and lifted above panicked hazel eyes, their colors darkened by anxiety and his voice wobbling.

‘You know that’s your favorite. Don’t roll your eyes. Okay, roll them. Made you smile. Caught you doing it. Just live in the moment, Blaine. How many times have I told you that if you worry too much about the future? You’re going to get forehead wrinkles? Then it’s botox by twenty-five and you’re never going back.’

Cooper’s wide-eyed omen warning was greeted with the first real laughter Blaine felt since the day before when his brother compared the group of boys singing in the gardens to ‘every boy band that ever existed in one ensemble only good’. Steadier fingers finished the last button on his jacket and he turned to face Cooper, stepping back and swinging his arms outwards, fingers fanned from one another.

“Well? What do you think?” His heart pounded in his ears.

‘I think you look ready. Are you?’

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

‘Good. Let’s get you to your first day. Dalton Academy?!” Cooper thumbed over his shoulder towards the exit of Blaine’s room before pressing his palms against one another and rubbing them together. “Here comes Blaine Anderson. Place isn’t even gonna know what hit it.’

jeff.

Jeff had kept his eyes on Blaine. He’d watched the way the hot air came out in clouds from his mouth. He’d smiled, the air around them was cold, but the excitement seemed to be amped up to the max as the boys had shouted from twenty on down. He’d watched Blaine’s excitement grow on his face. Jeff had never enjoyed the holidays like this before, well he had spent it with the Warblers previously, but like this really genuinely watching someone live and enjoy themselves was more to Jeff than just another wish at the new years and celebrating with his homies.

Coming back from his thoughts he heard his roommate’s voice call down the time, his own voice seemed to follow suit joining the group’s countdown til zero his own body suddenly not cold, but warm and full of energy and excitement for the new year.

“four, three…” his words seemed to take forever to get out of his mouth and time seemed to slow for the moment that they spent up there on the roof of their dorm on that clear night.

Blaine was beyond less than prepared for what happened. In the last several seconds of shouted numbers nearly all the Warblers seemed to fold in on each other. Shoulder to shoulder and elbow to elbow as united voices yelled out the last second of the year in unison. Then, he could’ve sworn for two seconds, his feet left the ground as a pair of hands pulled him this way while an arm hooked around his waist tugged him in another direction. Wes’s arm slung over Jeff’s shoulders and with stumbles and skips to catch up, the boys redefined the meaning of New Years Eve Group Hug.

Puffs of grey white breath burst in the darkness of the group, Blaine had one arm around Jeff’s back and another wrapped around Trent’s shoulders as the sky lit up in the distance and the muffled noises of fireworks cut through the chilly Ohio night’s air.

“Happy New Year, Jeff.” In all the chaos of some darting off to see the show while others didn’t seem too ready to let the person they were holding onto go just yet, Blaine’s attention turned back to the tall blond beside him. Heels lifted off the ground and a kiss was pressed to his cheek and then Blaine was gone, pulled away by Trent to ‘Catch something he didn’t want to miss!’.

Send me ☼ for a morning text

text meme.

( mssg » nick | sent ) Hello, Nick. This is Blaine Anderson. The new kid you probably are regretting being assigned to show around?
( mssg » nick | sent ) If I could ask for your help one more time? I’d owe you a coffee for a thank you.
( mssg » nick | sent ) I’m supposed to watch the orchestra perform during their lunch time rehearsal today. Would you mind meeting near the cafe and walking there with me?
( mssg » nick | sent ) Dalton is huge and I don’t want to risk getting lost again.

cooper.

THE WESTERVILLE HOUSE HADN’T FELT LIKE HOME FOR YEARS. the sunshine of los angeles had called cooper away as soon as he could. he never once regretted abandoning his father’s hopes that he would go to college. he never once regretted leaving ohio behind and never looking back. not until he’d had his mother crying down the phone telling him that his little brother had fallen victim to some disgusting attack. as strained as his relationship with blaine was – mostly completely oblivious on cooper’s side, admittedly – he never wanted to hear that his pesky little brother was hurt in any way. it was how he found himself home after filming a new cut away for his credit rating commercial – he would be lying if he didn’t use the emotion from his home situation as excellent fuel to channel someone with a truly awful credit score. his relationship with his family wasn’t excellent but it also wasn’t horrific. he loved his mother dearly and blaine had become less of an annoying wobbling and infuriating shadow that followed him around. but their father was an utter enigma to cooper. one moment, the man was happy and proud of him – but who wouldn’t be given his commercial success across the entire country? – and the next he was as cold hearted and disappointed as ever.

typically, cooper would have never overstepped his boundaries, but considering he was making his own money and relied on his father for nothing? he’d given him quite the piece of his mind for even thinking about leaving while blaine had gone through something so traumatic. his blood had been boiling at how the man could just shrug off his youngest son like he meant very little, that him being hurt and attacked by pathetic individuals was somehow blaine’s fault. as he left the study, having gotten nowhere with the stubborn old man, he was still fuming. only upon seeing blaine’s face over the back of the couch did his expression soften to something more akin to fondness while he took a deep breath to let go of his frustration. pocketing that extreme anger for a later audition would come in handy and using it all up now on a fruitless mission was a ridiculous notion.

❝ me? i’m fine, squirt. i was playing bad cop in there, ❞ he joked, hopping over the arm of the couch to perch at blaine’s feet while fixing a warm smile on his face. ❝ gave the old man a piece of my mind about how his son is way more important than sitting in a bar and having business meetings. if he can’t see that, then he’s the one you should feel sorry for. ❞ reaching over, cooper lightly ruffled blaine’s hair – always cautious of the injuries his brother had sustained. ❝ i didn’t think you’d be awake. those painkillers? i heard they sell them as sleeping pills on the hollywood black market. ❞ changing the subject for cooper had never been a difficult task. he was a master of improvisation and making anything seem believable, especially after spending a few months twirling a quiznos sign like it read ‘entrance to heaven’ on it at the beginning of his los angeles stint. ❝ did mom go lay down? ❞ cooper asked after a moment of silence. he hadn’t thought of dear pam anderson when he’d went to town arguing with their old man. it probably did nothing for her nerves and cooper really did feel rather bad if she’d had to hear it. ❝ i guess that means we can bust out the old wii. see if you’re still terrible at mario kart, hm? ❞

Worried eyes (one still shadowed by lovely shades of black, purple and green in a crescent shape underneath) watched as Cooper approached the couch. Through the fog of the medicine running through his veins, he hadn’t missed catching a glimpse of anger etched on his brother’s face. Cooper’s eyes were too expressive for that. Too blue and too bright not to miss when they were darker and angrier. Since they were rarely like that. As far as Blaine knew Cooper rarely got mad. Unless he followed him around too much or refused to leave his things alone when they were younger. Other than that? Catching a tiny glimpse of Cooper infuriated? Blaine couldn’t help but feel sorry for anyone on the receiving end of that stare. His expression faltered from curious to a thoughtful pout hidden by the back of the sofa. Then like magic, Cooper was smiling and Blaine made himself comfortable in the position he’d flopped in. Just in time for his brother to land at his feet.

A drugged laugh made his cheek hurt but he couldn’t help it. For some reason, Cooper airborne then knelt in front of him was enough comedic material to make him smile at least. More importantly? More agreeable not to argue that he didn’t look okay like a sober Blaine might have. Instead, he nodded then pulled his shoulders up in a lazy shrug at the news of their father deciding he’d put off his clients long enough. “Probably better he’s not here, Coop. I got you and mom and that’s enough. I stopped disappointed a long time ago,” that last part was a lie. An obvious one at that. Blaine’s smile fading to barely visible, the shift of his posture, and change in the tone of his voice were all dead giveaways.

“They do? M’good for now. I think. I’ve been sleeping way too much.” Tugging the pillow he’d been hugging earlier back onto his lap, Blaine wrapped both arms around it and hugged it gently. The feathery soft weight against the sorest spots offered support and relief until it got too bothersome and he tossed it aside. Cracking another sheepish, cheeky grin as his curls were ruffled–Blaine reached out and rested his palm against his brother’s cheek studying him for a beat like he was the most fascinating thing on the planet (also thanking him with the gesture because words weren’t enough to show Cooper how much staying meant to him and how badly he needed him to just be here) before pulling his hand away and nodding. “Yeah, she did.” The heaviness felt like it was sucked out of the air by a massive vacuum with two words: Mario Kart. “Terrible! I’m only terrible cause you cheat,” huge eyes blazed with sudden accusation. “I’m gonna show you. Also,” insert a breakneck change of direction yet again, “If it isn’t too much trouble? Can you get more orange juice? My mouth feels like a desert most of the time.”

Blaine sat curled into the corner of the sofa. In the background–he could hear his father and Cooper ‘talking’. His foggy brain couldn’t keep up with their conversation–muffled and far off as it was by distance alone–the warm numb moving through his veins kept his attention moving from the fire dancing inside the fireplace to the television he’d turned down to the point of muting it all together and back towards the sound of their conversation. Barely picking up words now and then, he’d gone to the end closest to the hallway to try and hear better. In spite of his efforts, he had no such luck. Judging by the way his mother abruptly excused herself a half an hour ago? No doubt it was about him and what happened.

A couple of days earlier was still in the hospital and–his father was home for less than that before business called and he planned to leave again. Blaine would be hard pressed to say it was all that bad that his father was leaving in the first place. Because Cooper was suddenly there–out of the blue to Blaine because he had no idea he was coming–to take his place. A much better option considering how his father was taking the entire situation. Unable to tell if he was more angry at the kids who did what they did. Or that Blaine went against his wishes and had asked the boy to make a statement with him that couldn’t be ignored. That they should be proud of who they are. Have the courage to stand up to the stares, face the school together. To say his father was opposed was an understatement.

They went anyway. The end result was…this.

He waited until there was silence until he heard the clicking of the door to his father’s office and footsteps coming toward the living room. Blaine lift his head and peered over the top of the couch from underneath a mop of loose curls that shadowed some of the cuts and bruises on their way to healing but the worst over his bottom lip and by his eye were the worse when he screwed his face up and pouted thoughtfully trying to ready himself for whatever happened. Seeing his brother–he slumped back down into his spot and his breath left him in one full woosh of deflating air. “I’m sorry, Coop. Are you okay? What did he say to you?”

jeff.

Jeff enjoyed the crisp air and the dawning new year. He was looking forward to so much. To the fact that he had a new roommate who was nice and didn’t think he was quite ditzy. He kept himself close to Blaine as the boy spoke he listened to him talk about his wish and the resolutions he spoke about. He smiled gently and whispered “I think, honestly that is a shoe in but it’s a good resolution at least I know you’ll definitely be singing with us.” He told him happy that Blaine was happy.

“My wish or rather hope is that this year will be the start of something new and great adventures” He smiled and wagged his brow at his new friend. “So, for resolution it’s always the same as every year that I’ve been a warbler. I want the warblers to win, so I’m going to try my hardest to help make us great. More than that though I’m going to keep my grades up and make sure that my parents are happy with my work.” He told him “Oh and that I don’t over do it on candy.” He blushed at the last statement as he knew there was still a big box under his bed full of sweets.

Once he finished his thoughts out loud to Blaine he looked back as he heard someone say ‘one minute’ he looked to Blaine ‘you warm?’ he asked quickly not wanting to miss the countdown.

Blaine gave Jeff a hopeful, ear to ear sort of smile. One that was sprung not only from his new friend’s answer but also the building anticipation for a new year to start. A fresh out-of-the-gate. Not only for the Warblers but for him, too. One that he wanted to use to put his past (namely the reason for being the new kid among them) behind him. They would sing, they would win. He felt it deep down in his bones. But the most important thing was? He now had the chance to be a part of something bigger and better than he was before. Home was at Dalton now. There was no other place he would even consider being to ring in the New Year than right here, right now.

Hands now stuffed into his pockets, balled up tightly into fists inside the warm wool lining, Blaine bounced on his heels and nodded in spite of the way his breath was coming out in grey puffs of air with each exhale. “Yeah! I am!” His chin rose from where it was tucked into the soft, thick scarf around his neck to stare up at the sky. They should be able to see the fireworks from the park from here. Another reason why the ones who stayed behind during the holidays to rush to the roof.

He could hear Trent howl out that there were thirty seconds left. Like a light switch, the anticipation tripled and the boys began to cluster together. Blaine latched onto Jeff’s wrist in a rush to be part of the group and practically dragged the much taller blond behind him on the way over. Hazel eyes already had their own fireworks going off when ‘Eleven’ was shouted.

“Ten, nine, eight!” Blaine’s voice joined in with the cacophony of the others. “Seven, six, FIVE!”

jeff.

Jeff had smiled watching how his roommate took in the atmosphere of the night. He enjoyed watching Blaine enjoy each new mystery that he showed the newest boy to Dalton, how his eyes would light up in happiness that seemed to make him more innocent and young in Jeff’s eyes. He kept eyes on him through each drink when he’d admitted that he was lightweight and he wanted no one taking advantage of his curly good looking roommate and he knew that if he let Blaine get close to Thad that might happen so he kept himself close to the boy and away from the older Warbler who at times could be a predator at best.

Once they were chilling and slightly tipsy he’d nodded listening to conversations that had been struck up in their group before Trent had burst into the small group and took his roommates hand and in turn felt a hand on him and away they went. “Yes, were moving” He replied his feet catching up with the action as he reached his free hand out and tugged at Nick to join them and added “Not long I guess if Trent is this hyper” He laughed as they made it up to the roof.

Finally gaining control of his own movement as they all stopped and looked around at the crisp night air. He looked down at his watch and then leaned into Blaine “Ten minutes, I think Trent is cutting it close, but at the same time saving us from being too cold” He admitted his friend was slightly clever. “So, what are you hoping for?” he asked still closer to Blaine, “Are you going to wish or resolute anything?”

Blaine blew out a breath and watched as it came in a puff of gray. Jeff was right. Coming up here with only ten minutes to spare was smart. Otherwise? They’d be freezing by the time midnight rolled around. A bounce on his heels chased away the chill and and he did it again in hopes of getting rid of some of his bottled up excitement for this being his first New Years in a place that felt more like home than his own house did since Cooper left. Tonight couldn’t be any more perfect. Surrounded by his friends and his brain a bit fuzzy from the wine made everything feel like he was right where he needed to be.

Leaning towards Jeff as the blond drew near and queried what he might be wishing for or what his resolution might, he hummed in thought. Then whispered softly, “I’m hoping that this year ends up being the year where everything just fits together. That whatever happened before this just slips away..” With the exception of something he doesn’t think he’ll ever get the chance to close the chapter on. Their parents wouldn’t allow it. His life before Dalton was already starting to feel like a blotchy spot beating to the tune of his heart in front of his eyes after staring too long at the sun. Fading at the edges and if he waited it out? It’d fade and he’d see clear as day again.

“My resolution,” he grinned keeping his mood just as light as it’s been all night by not thinking too far back to the past he was just talking about, “is us to keep winning and for me to keep singing my heart out with all of you. Might be cheating because that’s a shoe in but..that’s all I really want to be. For now. How about you? What do you hope for? What do you want to do?”

jeff.

Jeff had entered the room his hair still slightly wet as he smiled to Blaine who had come towards him from hanging around with Trent. Standing next to Nicky he nodded at the boy before Blaine told him to fix himself something, “Are you going to drink?” he asked gesturing towards the table Blaine was just talking to him about, “we could always take a bottle for ourselves and share it while up on the roof!” he mentioned looking at the table of drinks and munchies that were there for them.

He had known the Warblers were a mix of rebels and good boys, and the alcohol must’ve come from Thad, and one of the other background boys that lived close to the school and whose parents wouldn’t miss the bottles. “Thank you.” He whispered also to Blaine, because he’d known from the lack of laughing that he hadn’t told anyone and he was grateful to not be embarrassed among the many other talents in this room.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” Blaine shrugged with a glance at the bottles. The last time he drank with the boys was a long weekend where most of them stayed behind due to only an extra day off. But that was the first time Blaine was introduced to their little hideaway in the forgotten upstairs room full of stored furniture, decorations and files long past anyone ever truly needing them. They’d turned it into their own place and Blaine was mystified and with the idea that it existed and he was welcome there.

It was enchanting a way. Exploring what he could find there. Drinking was more of an afterthought. Something mostly the upperclassmen did. Two glasses of wine and Blaine was past his usual with dinner amount and beyond buzzed for the rest of the night. “I’m sort of a lightweight and I don’t want to end up falling asleep before the show,” heat splashed over his cheeks before he clasped Jeff’s shoulder with a smiled you’re welcome. His other hand was taken by a happy faced Trent and he grabbed at Jeff’s wrist in turn as they were pulled out towards the corridor that lead to one of the roof doors. “Looks like the party’s moving. Just how close to midnight is it??”

jeff.

Jeff sat there listening to Blaine’s stumbled words as the water rained down on him. “Blaine, it’s fine I’m okay” He called out as he felt his ass throb, and not in the best way. He closed his eyes and let the warm water roll down his face feeling as if he was suffocating under the stream of water. He let his head fall back against the stall of the shower and felt free from the drowning of water.

Once he finally felt remotely ready to stand he grabbed for the bar in the stall and hoisted himself up. He quickly washed and rinsed and turned off the water and reached out of the stall and grabbed his towel and wrapped it around him. He stood there for a moment and wondered if his roommate was out of the room he was not ready to face the slick gelled boy.

Rubbing his toweled ass he grumbled to himself about the pain that seared through him at the touch. He won’t ever get caught doing that again, he’d promised himself that Blaine wouldn’t hear that again. Quickly dressing he checked himself over and headed out of the room towards where Blaine said they were converging to have that party.

Once he entered the room they were in he spotted his roommate and felt his cheeks flare in embarrassment and wondered if Blaine had laughed as he had come in the room and told the boys about Jeff’s moment in the shower. He bit his lip and walked towards Nicky and nudged him and nodded.

Not a word was breathed to the other boys about Jeff’s shower mishap. Willfully embarrassing someone else wasn’t something Blaine ever enjoyed and couldn’t understand why people who liked it–did. Giving a friend a hard time was one thing? Jeff literally bouncing off the floor of the shower when he busted him singing at the top of his lungs? Yeah. That could be kept between the two roommates.

Laughter bubbled out of the boy who was sitting in the corner of a leather couch with both legs resting sidelong over top of Trent’s. Thad and Wes chatted away on the floor in front of the pair. Blaine grinned along happy to be with so many friends. Some returning back just for tonight before they finished the last of their break with their families. But it was the perfect way to spend the best New Years he’s

Noticing Jeff joined them at last, Blaine’s legs lifted up off Trent’s lap as he scurried over the arm of the couch and hurried over to greet the blond. “Hey! I’m glad you decided to join us,” he smiled warmly and came to a stop on Jeff’s opposite side. Giving Nick a nod–Blaine leaned back against the wall and motioned towards a table set up with drinks (some that shouldn’t be there but were thanks to an unmentioned Warbler (or two) raiding their parents cabinets.

“You can make yourself anything you want. I think Thad mentioned once you were here, we were all going up to the roof. Better get something to take up with you on the way. I guess you can see the fireworks from up there. Pretty neat, huh?” And there came the few bounces on his heels and upturned brows that hinted at just how excited Blaine truly was to go and find out.

jeff.

Jeff had been mid chorus when he heard the voice and he felt his face heat up before his ass hit the ground “OH HOLY FUCK” the words were loud and over the music could probably be heard by the next room over. He hoped to hell that Blaine had vanished he didn’t need this getting out to the other Warblers that Jeff had lost his cool and got scared at someone talking to him while he was in the shower.

He sat there for a moment under the hot water and tried to collect himself it was nothing embarrassing right. Blaine, the cute roommate guy whose new to the school happens to come home early to campus from the holidays, and call out that he was back and that his voice was A Plus worthy. He worried his lip and furrowed his brows in a way that Nicky would say made steam come out of his ears. He tried to not over think it, but his brain was working a mile a minute at everything that wasn’t what it really was, because it wasn’t anything Jeff knew this.

Blaine slapped a hand over his mouth as he heard Jeff go down with a smack of bare skin against the tiles and a scream. Wide eyes stared at the empty room ahead. Nothing short of a miracle kept Blaine where he was frozen in time rather than going with his gut instinct and dashing in to help the other boy. That would’ve added a whole new layer of awkward to this entire embarrassing situation. “I’m so sorry,” came out as a muffled blend of the words into Blaine’s palm. Snapping it away–he repeated the words louder this time and took a few steps backwards away from the doorframe.

“I’ll–uh–grab my things and–,” Blaine’s limbs finally remembered how to move better than the few jerky steps that created some distance between him and the bathroom wall. “You can meet me downstairs–I mean–if you want. The few of us that were here early decided to throw a small New Years celebration! You can join us? I’m–sorry again. I’m really sorry!” The longer he spoke–the higher and more rushed his voice got. Barely letting Jeff have a minute to answer–Blaine grabbed his iPod off his desk and stuffed it in his pocket eyeing the door over his shoulder like it was a living, breathing thing ready to bite him in the rear end should he take his sweet time getting the heck out of Dodge.