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okayitsblaine-blog · 7 years

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Doubletake || An Anderson Brothers (sort of) Para

Who: Blaine Anderson and Carter Whittaker ( @princecarterw ) What: A run-in by the egg nog and a misunderstanding When: This evening, 12/09/2017 Where: Blaine’s Christmas party Notes: nah.

Blaine’s Christmas party was going off without a hitch- even though he’d thought he might have to cancel it. It turned out that Van had only wanted to make sure that other holidays weren’t forgotten in the mess of Christmas, and Blaine understood that. He even brought in a menorah for her and Rachel and anyone else that might be Jewish. The truth was, he didn’t know how to throw a Hanukkah party, and he’d admitted to that. Plus, he didn’t know the first thing about the holiday. And besides, this party wasn’t about church or actual religion anyway. It was about hanging out, dancing, talking, and having some drinks with friends- the latter of the bunch, Blaine was already quite started on. He was known to get a little… drunk when it came to his own parties. He was good at handling his liquor (unless it was tequila) and was lucky enough to not end up hungover the next day. It was for that reason he was maybe a slightly overindulging in some boozy eggnog. His hair was messy and his Christmas bowtie was crooked as he chatted up anyone he could find. These parties, and of course the booze, were always a good reason for him the break out of his shell. Especially now that he had people that would make sure everything was okay. His friends and also his sister were all so truly amazing. Breaking into a little jig, he danced over to the eggnog for another cupful.

Carter had been confused when a random classmate of his invited him out to some Christmas party being put on by someone he didn’t really know, but then again, most people were more than happy to invite the prince to parties, if only for notoriety’s sake. He usually knew the person throwing the party, though, but he showed up anyway. Carter never was one to turn down an invitation to be social. He showed up where he he had been told to go with a deep purple button up shirt on (that screamed royalty) and his hair immaculately in place. It seemed like a decent group, he noticed. Everyone was having a good time, and he fit right in, grinning and talking and, of course, drinking. The eggnog was amazing, and as he made his way over for a refill, he noticed who he was pretty sure was the host there too. Straightening the tie he was wearing, he fixed his most charming smile on his face. “Hey there,” he said, his voice accented from his childhood growing up in Europe.

Blaine poured some eggnog into his cop, already emptied several times. He just couldn’t help it. He was really proud of how this recipe had turned out. Maybe desserts weren’t the only thing he was really good at. Maybe boozy drinks were his calling. He chuckled to himself at the thought and glanced up at a vaguely British accent greeted him. He started to say hello back, looking back down at his cup and the punch bowl as he put the ladle back, but he froze and shot his eyes back up. Cooper. Blaine felt his heart stop. He hadn’t heard from Cooper since finding out that he’d made good friends with their former uncle. The one that Blaine didn’t like thinking about, regardless of how few people actually knew about the incident in his childhood. He hadn’t even seen Cooper in person when that whole thing had happened- it had all been via text message. He didn’t even know what Cooper was in town. Actually, no one knew where Cooper was nowadays. Blaine swallowed hard, realizing how absolutely dry his throat was. “What are you doing here?” he asked, feeling suddenly cold as the color drained from his face.

Carter was used to people being surprised to see him. It was a side effect of him being a prince, after all. What he wasn’t used to, though, was people looking at him as though they had seen a ghost. That was how he was being looked at right now, and Carter didn’t like it one bit. When the other guy spoke, he grew even more confused, blinking a few times. “Someone invited me.” He glanced out into the crowd, and spied the top of the person’s head. “Them,” he said, pointing. “I’m sorry, should I not have been invited?”

Blaine followed the other’s pointed finger for half a second before he realized that he didn’t care. That he was looking into the face of his older brother for the first time in, he wasn’t sure how long. He didn’t care who had invited Cooper or why they would have done that- who even knew the older Anderson? Blaine had no idea. “I haven’t seen you… in- in years and you show up with some fake British accent on- I’ve never understood why you do those accents. This isn’t Hollywood. It’s real life…” he said, not really knowing where to start or even if he wanted to have this conversation.

Carter blinked once again. So it appeared this person thought he was someone else. That was new. He frowned and set his cup down on the table before crossing his arms. “I’m sorry, but I’ve never met you before in my life. I don’t know who you think I am, but that’s not me. This is my real accent,” he insisted. The fact that the accent was only half real didn’t matter. At this point, it was an approximation of his childhood accent, adjusted to sound how he believed princes usually spoke. Carter stared at the younger boy trying to think if he had in fact seen him before. It was no use. He was completely a mystery. “You have me confused with someone else, I’m sure.”

Blaine was astounded that Cooper was doing this. It was just like him, trying to be better than his younger brother, trying to prove he was something amazing and different than the rest of the family. He rolled his eyes and set his own cup down, folding his arms just like the other. “Now you’ve never met me before in your life. Great. You know, I don’t hate anyone. There’s no point in it. But pretending that I don’t exist? Are you pretending that Wendy doesn’t exist too? You’re being a jerk. I didn’t invite you to this party, it’s just for people who who to school here. Go back to L.A., Cooper,” he said, trying to prevent the sad feeling from spreading through his chest and up to his eyes, and failing to do so.

Carter watched the other boy as he spoke, frowning deeply. Whoever he was being mistaken for clearly had issues if this was how he would be greeted. He was really starting to feel uncomfortable, and thinking he probably shouldn’t have come to the party. Then again, how could he have known he apparently looked very similar to whoever the host had a problem with. “I do go to school here,” he protested weakly, absentmindedly wonder why the name Cooper sounded so familiar. Vague memories surfaced, from the time before Europe, and he pushed them back. “Look, I’m not pretending anything. My name’s not Cooper. I’ve never met him before in my life, and I certainly haven’t met you, or Wendy. My name is Carter Whittaker.” A thought occurred to him and he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and slipped out his student ID. “Look.” He held it out for the boy, for once in his life glad that he had chosen not to get a new photo taken in September. “I’m sorry, but I really am not the man you think I am.”

Blaine stared at his brother incredulously. He was apparently mad that Blaine had stopped talking to him, or at least that was as much as the younger of the two could tell. What other reason would there be for pretending like you didn’t know your own brother? Blaine didn’t like Cooper, but he still wouldn’t have done anything like that. Even if Cooper was friends with their uncle Jerry. He was about to roll his eyes and come up with some smart, brothery comment when the other got out his school ID. Blaine had one that was exactly the same with his own information on it. He looked up suspiciously. “This is going too far,” he said, keeping his voice low. “You can’t just make up a fake name and accent to go to school here. I’m pretty sure that’s like, completely illegal. And Mom and Dad would be really angry if they found out.”

Carter felt his heart leap into his throat. Even though the other still clearly believed him to be this Cooper guy (the name still called to him, for some reason), he had hit a bit too close to home. Clearing his throat, he put his ID away. “My parents are in Europe. In Aladonia. I’m sorry if I look like Cooper, but I’m not him. I’m here, studying Business Management, and then I’ll be going back home.” He hoped that the boy had at least heard the rumours about the Aladonian prince studying at Ashwood. “I don’t know what else to say. I honestly have no idea who you are.” Vague memories started to tug at him again.

Blaine actually rolled his eyes this time, settling his arms folded tighter to his chest. He clenched his jaw for a second. “No, your parents are in Albany, wondering why you never call them. Seriously, Cooper, what did I ever do to you? Why in the world would you study Business Management instead of like, whatever acting degree for your big acting career? As much as you are really not my favorite person right now, I’m gonna call you on that. Aladonia? Did you make that up too? Stop pretending you don’t know me. I get it. You don’t like me, but I’m still your brother, and this isn’t fair! I’d rather have you be mean than pretend I don’t exist!” Blaine was clearly agitated at this point, and clearly hadn’t heard about the prince on campus.

Carter wasn’t getting anywhere, he was quickly realizing. He had to think fast, since if he didn’t, it was very likely that the situation would escalate even further than it already had. “I don’t know what you did to Cooper, or what he did to you. You have to believe me. I’m no actor, there’s no chance I would last through a theatre degree.” A thought occurred to him, and despite thinking it would probably never work given the other’s current emotional state, he decided to run with it. “Here, let me show you something.” He dug his phone out and scrolled through the photos until he found the one he was looking for. “Look. This is me, and these are my parents.” It was an old photo from when he was a child, and luckily for his story, everyone was dressed quite formally for a business party. “This photo was taken in Switzerland, when I was ten.”

Blaine listened to the other’s explanation, not able to shake the feeling that he was absolutely telling the truth. Either Cooper has gotten really good at acting, or he had an exact doppleganger that was the prince of a country Blaine had never heard of before. He looked at the picture that was being held out and pressed his lips together, frowning. That was definitely what his older brother looked like. There were pictures of him alongside pictures of Blaine and Wendy all over the Anderson home. He pulled out his own phone and dug through his albums. “Okay… what about this picture then?” he questioned, holding the screen up to show his own proof that Cooper was his brother. “That trip to Connecticut when I was like five. You look like, exactly the same. I’ve never been to Switzerland, so I’m not sure why Mom and Dad would have let you go. Without them even.”

Carter pressed his lips together, looking at the photo being shown to him. He had no memories of a trip to Connecticut, but there was no denying that the older boy in the picture looked exactly like he had at that age. The father looked familiar to him, too, but he pushed that thought aside. “I was born in Aladonia, it’s a tiny microstate near Switzerland. I had never been to America until a few years ago when I first toured this college. I don’t know why I look like your… brother…? You have to believe me, I honestly have no idea who you are, or who that is in the photograph with you.” He lingered, though, looking down at the phone and trying to piece together why the father and older son seemed so familiar.

Blaine felt his heart crush like someone was squeezing it in their bare hand. He didn’t get along with Cooper very well, considering the age difference between them and then the more recent fact of who his brother had decided to be friends with, but something about how he was completely wiping him out of his life and making up a persona just to counter Blaine’s lack of enthusiasm toward him was making Blaine’s throat get tight. He knew Cooper was an actor, but this was going too far. His eyebrows scrunched a little and his eyes started to get a little wet. “Okay. You win,” he said, sounding defeated. “You were born in Aladonia and you’re not my brother. I get it.” He wished this didn’t hurt so much. He wanted to get away from here. Just find Wendy and tell her about Cooper’s pretending they don’t exist. Or drink tequila until it didn’t matter. “Excuse me,” he said, turning to leave the table.

Carter watched the younger boy closely, trying to get a read on him. He was clearly upset, and honestly, he didn’t blame him. Whoever this Cooper was, he clearly had done something very bad. “I truly am sorry,” he said, softly and apologetically. Now he felt bad, and was doubting his decision to come to the party in the first place. Crossing his arms in front of him, he bit the inside of his cheek. When the other made to leave, Carter sighed. Part of him wanted to ask for the boy’s name, but the other part of him knew that it would only make things worse. “See you around,” he murmured, turning back to the eggnog and topping up his cup.

#para #para: carter #a:carter #ashusocial #//bc this would have been able to be seen by anyone nearby #ashucarter

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