Title: Friends and Brothers
Summary: Prompted with a first day and Cooper putting Oop in Blaine's backpack. Fluff and a little bit of angsty foreshadowing.
Rating: G
Category: Glee, Anderbros
Disclaimer: Not mine.

...

"Hey, squirt," Cooper greeted as he entered the kitchen, setting his backpack by the door. Blaine's sad eyes flickered to Cooper before returning to his now soggy cereal. He swirled his little plastic spoon idly around in the mush. Cooper sat down next to him.

"Hey, what's up? I thought you were excited for your first day of school?"

"It's not school," Blaine countered quietly, still looking at his cereal bowl.

"School. Daycare. Whatever. You get to play with kids all day. Sounds fun to me."

"Daddy says I can't bring Oop," Blaine explained quietly.

"Oh," Cooper said quietly. He glanced at Blaine's new Superman backpack sitting on an empty chair, unzipped and opened wide, the flap wrinkled by a too large hand being too careless.

"He says I have to make real friends."

"It is good to make new friends," Cooper agreed, though hoping Blaine noticed the change in wording.

Blaine looked up at Cooper, hurt painted across his expression. Cooper scooted to the edge of his chair, leaning close to Blaine.

"But Oop is like me," Cooper said conspiratorially.

"How?" Blaine asked cautiously, though he leaned in too.

"I can't always be around right? I have school and homework and stuff."

Blaine nodded and Cooper continued, "Oop can't always be around either. But even if we can't always be around, we love you. And we'll be around if you really need us. Okay?"

Blaine's eyes watered and he bit his lip, but a moment later, he nodded solemnly. Cooper tugged playfully at a curl falling over Blaine's forehead, and laughed when Blaine tried to bat his hand away. When Cooper leaned back, the sadness was almost gone from Blaine's face.

"Now, go potty before we get in the car. Mom's going to be ready soon."

Blaine scrambled off his booster seat and climbed off the chair, darting off to the bathroom. Cooper grabbed Blaine's bag and was halfway up the stairs before he heard the scrape of Blaine's stepstool on the bathroom floor. As soon as he stepped into Blaine's room, he spotted Oop lying on the floor. With a shake of his head, he picked it up and carefully placed it in Blaine's backpack, tucking the head in with a gentle pat. Zipped and ready, Cooper hiked the small bag onto his shoulder and went back downstairs, reaching his own backpack just as Blaine returned.

"Did you wash your hands?"

Blaine held up his hands toward Cooper, fingers splayed out. Cooper knelt down and pretended to inspect the offering, eliciting a giggle when he tickled Blaine's slightly damp palms. He helped Blaine put his backpack on, the one that Blaine had begged their mom for at the store even though daycare did not require a schoolbag. The daycare did require the parents bring some basics to the first day and Blaine had insisted on carrying his own things-a blanket for naptime, a change of clothes just in case, and his own sippy cup. He nearly toppled over with the too-big bag, but Cooper held him upright. And when their mother came down the stairs in a hurry, Cooper held Blaine's hand as they headed out the door and into the car.

When they arrived at Cooper's school, he got out of the car with a wave and a smile. Just before shutting the door, he ducked back in and held his hand up.

"Have fun, B."

Blaine smiled and high-fived him, putting his whole upper body into it and straining against the carseat. Cooper laughed and with a last wave, he shut the door. Ignoring the other teenagers milling about, he watched the car pull away with a sad smile, his own words echoing in his ears. We'll be around if you really need us. He hoped that was true.