Blaine hated the impact everyone had on him. He cared too much about what everyone thought and he wished more than anything that he didn’t. It was getting to be too much for him. He was barely aware of the fact that every eye in the room was on him as he raised his hand. Mr. Schuester raised his brows and called on Blaine. “Can I sing a song?” he heard himself ask distantly, though he was already getting up. Mr. Schue nodded his head curiously and moved aside to let Blaine take over the floor. He walked over to Brad at the piano and whispered low in his ear before standing in front of the class and closing his eyes.

It’s 8 AM, this hell I’m in
Seems I’ve crossed a line again
For being nothing more than who I am
So break my bones and throw your stones
We all know that life ain’t fair
But there’s more of us we’re everywhere

Blaine let the words pour from his heart and he imagined his father standing before him. Was it so much to ask for acceptance? Blaine didn’t think so. That man with the scowl and glaring eyes was supposed to love him unconditionally. It’s all Blaine had ever wanted.

We don’t have to take this back against the wall
We don’t have to take this we can end it all

All you’ll ever be is a faded memory of a bully
Make another joke while they hang another rope so lonely
Push them to the dirt till the words don’t hurt can you hear me
No one’s going to cry on the very day you die you’re a bully

Because that’s all he really was, wasn’t it? Sure, his father showed that he could be compassionate to his wife and to Rachel, but when it came to Blaine, all the man ever did was put him down and make him feel worthless for being himself.

Blaine continued to fantasize about singing this song to his father. He let himself imagine what it would look like if his father actually listened to the words. If he saw how Blaine felt. If he knew. If he cared.

Think it through you can’t undo
Whenever I see black and blue I feel the past, I share the bruise
With everyone who’s come and gone
My head is clear my voice is strong, now I’m right here to write the wrong

We don’t have to take this back against the wall
We don’t have to take this was can end it all

All you’ll ever be is a faded memory of a bully
Make another joke while they hang another rope so lonely
Push them to the dirt till the words don’t hurt can you hear me
No one’s going to cry on the very day you die you’re a bully

Kurt watched with misty eyes as Blaine sang. He knew who he was singing to, most of the Glee Club did, and it broke his heart. Kurt wanted nothing more than to jump up and wrap his arms around the man he loved, to stop the hurting and aching, but he knew he had to stay put. Blaine needed to get this out. He needed to say his peace, even if his father wasn’t around to hear it.

Kurt heard a slight buzz from behind him and he broke his gaze from Blaine to see Rachel on her phone. He scowled at her before turning back to look at Blaine.

Rachel glanced down at her cell phone to see that she had a text message. Is Blaine in the choir room with you? She quickly responded before sitting back and continuing watching her brother. It was heartbreaking to see the anguish on his face as he sang; the song seemed to fuel all his emotions and they were practically spelled out above him in neon lights.

It’s 8 AM, this hell I’m in
You’re voice is strong now right the wrong

All you’ll ever be is a faded memory of a bully
Make another joke while they hang another rope so lonely
Push them to the dirt till the words don’t hurt can you hear me
No one’s going to cry on the very day you die you’re a bully

We don’t have to take this backs against the wall
We don’t have to take this we can end it all

When Blaine opened his eyes the room was very quiet. He wavered slightly on his feet and glanced around at all the faces of his friends, the people who were more of a family to him than his actual family. Blaine attempted a smile, but he wasn’t sure how well he managed in his state. He took a step forward to walk back to his seat, but an arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. Blaine froze for a second and blinked, unable to see the person but knew it was a man by their build. His face was buried in the man’s chest, and when Blaine tried to breathe, he inhaled a familiar scent that instantly brought back memories of home.

Blaine quickly wrapped his arms around the man and clung to him like a lifeline. He man began to rub his back softly and let out a very deep breath. After a moment the man pulled back just enough to look at Blaine’s face and Blaine looked back into his kind blue eyes and felt the tears pooling over in his eyes. “Is it cool if we talk for a minute?” he asked and Blaine nodded his head, unable to formulate sentences but wanting nothing more than to be with him. He looked up toward the other club members and motioned for Rachel to join them before walking out into the hall with Blaine still attached to his middle.

“Coop, what are you doing here?” Blaine asked as he dried his eyes on his sleeve.

“I called him,” Rachel said as she joined her brothers. Blaine looked over at Rachel curiously. “After you left last night.”

“I hear Dad’s being…Dad.” Blaine stared at the ground and nodded his head. Blaine didn’t want to tell him everything. Not here. Not in a hallway where he knew the whole Glee Club was nosily listening in from a few doors down. Cooper watched him for a moment before putting a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t we go get something to eat,” he suggested. “I’ll go get your stuff.” Blaine looked up and sighed, grateful for how well Cooper knew him.

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

“You coming too, Rach?” Rachel looked at Blaine sadly before facing Coop and smiling.

“No, I think it’d be better if you and Blaine talked alone.” She closed the distance between them and gave her big brother a hug. “Thanks for coming on such short notice,” she whispered in his ear low enough so Blaine wouldn’t hear. “I know it means a lot to him.” Cooper hugged her back tightly.

“You’re a good sister, you know. He may not admit it, but I know he appreciates you.” Rachel gave him one last squeeze before pulling back.

“Please come with us,” Blaine said and Rachel looked taken aback.

“No, no, you two should spend some time together. I know it’s been a while.”

“I was only asking out of formality. Either you come willingly, or we bring you by force.” Rachel snorted at Blaine’s “business face” and nodded her head.

“Alright, I’ll come,” she said with a laugh and Cooper left to grab their things from the choir room.

The trio went out to a local diner and ended up sitting in a booth by one of the front windows for hours as they caught each other up on everything. Blaine wanted to hear what was going on with Cooper before he started talking about his father and found out that Cooper had started getting in touch with his birth father. Blaine was happy for him, and asked if he’d met the man, but Cooper said he hadn’t yet, though they were currently planning a day.

Eventually, the conversation went to the pressing matter at hand and Blaine told Cooper everything. The older brother sat still and listened the whole way through, only interrupting to add little comments and sighs or applause and a whoop at Blaine’s retort about cocks.

When they finally left the diner, Cooper drove Rachel home and offered Blaine a place in his hotel room for the night since he’d planned on staying in Lima. Blaine accepted gratefully and the boys promised Rachel they’d be back in the morning to get breakfast as a group. It wasn’t until they were safely in the confines of Cooper’s hotel room that the older brother proposed a very enticing offer to Blaine.

“Cooper, I couldn’t ask you to-”

“You’re not, it was my idea. I want to do it.”

“But Coop,”

“Just, promise me you’ll think about it?” Blaine sighed. He knew he would think about it. He knew the moment the words left Cooper’s lips it would be all he thought about.

“I promise,” Blaine said and grabbed his phone off the small desk in the corner of the room. “I’m going to call Kurt real quick,” he said and snuck out the door, listening to its definitive click behind him. Blaine walked down the hall and stepped into the elevator, riding it down to the lobby before steeping out front and walking a little away from the valet parking before calling up his boyfriend.

“Hey,” Kurt said, answering on the third ring. “How are you?”

“Good,” Blaine said and let out a slow breath.

“What is it, sweetie?” Blaine hesitated, knowing once he said it out loud the offer would become more real.

“Cooper wants to move back to Lima.”

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?”

“It would be if he wasn’t just doing it for me. I can’t ask him to drop everything he has in Westerville.”

“Blaine, your brother loves you. Is it so bad that he wants to take care of you? Maybe he needs you just as much as you need him.” Blaine bit the inside of his cheek and watched as a van pulled up in front of the hotel and man got out of the driver’s side before opening the back seat and helping out a little boy. That’s when Blaine remembered the other half of the offer.

“That’s not all,” he said slowly, watching the family disappear into the building before continuing. “Cooper wants to become my legal guardian.”