Blaine sighed and leaned back on the bench as he listened to Cooper talk to a friend he'd made when looking for the third class dining area earlier: a man by the name of David...(he prefered Dave) Karofsky.

They conversed about the ship's build until David took note of the busted violin sitting on Blaine's lap.

"You play?" he asked, sounding vaguely intrigued.

Blaine turned red with embarrassment.

"No, I -- it's been broken for years -- it was our mother's." he said in a small voice.

Cooper laughed and ruffled his little brother's hair.

"If we could afford it, I'd see that he get lessons," he said. "He's got more talent than I'll ever have -- playing and singing."

"Oh really?" Dave grinned and took a drag from his cigarette. "Why don't you sing something, then?"

Blaine opened his mouth to protest, but then his eyes caught sight of someone on the first class decks.

A boy -- a teen who could be the same age -- with light brown hair carefully styled, wearing a neat, pale gray suit.

He was beautiful.

Cooper frowned. Then he looked where his brother was looking.

Blaine's breath caught in his throat; the boy was looking at him.

"Hello, Blaine are you in there?" Cooper sighed exasperatedly and shoved his brother playfully, laughing as the younger boy shot him a dirty look.

Dave snorted, looking briefly at the boy and then at Blaine.

"Keep dreaming kid, no way you've got a shot with him." he saw Blaine's eyes widen, and Cooper take his hand, squeezing it gently. "What? I don't have a problem if you fancy guys instead of girls. Just...keep that to yourself."

"He does." said Cooper evenly.

Blaine looked up at the deck again in time to see another man with the teenager. The boy didn't like the man -- and neither did Blaine -- especially when he grabbed the teen's wrist and backed him against the rail.

"Hey Blaine, come on -- we should go -- get some food ourselves." Cooper stood and held out his hand. "I'm starving."

Blaine snorted and allowed his brother to pull him to his feet.

"That's your own fault -- I told you you didn't have to give me your breakfast too -- we're not that poor."

Cooper said nothing, but pulled Blaine along, toward the stairwell that led to the lower decks.

Blaine looked back toward the upper deck as long as he could before Cooper tugged his arm impatiently, and they made their way down to their cabin.