Lights Will Guide You Home

3; THE ONE IN WHICH COOPER BREAKS INTO HIS OWN HOUSE

The street is practically dark and it is raining that Cooper can feel the wetness of his hood on his head, wet black hair being stuck on his eyes. He tells himself that it is the worst idea ever, yet he keep walking to the stairs, followed by a not less wet figure.
J.C. Hunter, acronim created by himself in order to hide his awful names, was tall, well builded. Looking at him seemed almost like looking at the great Bobbi Morse - then he usually opened his mouth, and here it was Lance Hunter's hothead and sarcasm.
Cooper trusts him enough to bring him where neither Natasha had been (he is his bestfriend, and he has probably been there before, but who cares to be honest).
He doesn't even remember what floor the apartment is, he just remembers it is number 616, and that the door was purple - only God knows why his mother let his father paint it purple.
"Look, this is insane." J.C.'s voice sounded bitter while he was looking windows he'd rather not look into. "Why can't you just ask your dad to give you the keys?" He quickly asks brushing a hand into his blonde hair.
Cooper doesn't answer, tries to gain time and damnit, why the hell he sucks so much at telling lies? "He was busy, you know."
J.C.'s eyes narrows, and Cooper can tell he perfectly know it has not worked. "You still don't talk, don't you?"
Cooper sighs a little, he is 6 feet and 2 inches tall, yet he stands on his toes to see something - he doesn't know what, maybe some alien to come take him away from that awkward situation.
"What does Lils think about that?"
"She made me promise."
J.C. gives him a bad look. "You are a jerk. Yeah, that is what you are - don't you feel sorry?"
"If eyes don't see, heart doesn't hurt." He simply says, shrugging. "It's that." He finally states.
"How do we open that, evil brother?"
Cooper turns to look at his best friend, eyebrows raised. "Well this is your job, Englishman."
"I shouldn't even be there you know that right?" He asks, then he kneels to see better the lock wrapped on the door.
"I know." Cooper mumbles - he shouldn't either. Then he realizes his words. "How's your grandparents?"
"Are you serious? Is that the moment?" He asks and his voice his shaking a little. "That college sucks, but I have developed a good british accent to be honest. Grandma is crazy worried about me joining S.H.I.E.L.D. just like those two and well, I think grandpa is going to die soon, so..."
"I'm sorry Jason." Cooper manages to say, and yet he knows it is not enough. J.C. shrugs, muttering something about life, and Cooper actually thinks for the first time about how lucky he is to have his family still together and mostly that he doesn't have to live in another country because it is the only way to stay away from his parent's toxic relationship.
"You know, you can come to the farm - Lila would be happy to see you. Last time we met your hair were dyed brown." He states.
"And you know I can't break in all your damn houses, right?" A smirk appears on his face as the lock opens and the chain falls on the ground. "Welcome home!" He says sarcastically, gesturing to Cooper to enter first, since it was his place.
"It's empty." Cooper yells ones he is in there, causing J.C. to jump and some other door to open. They are so not ready to fight in all honesty, and when an old woman with a fat cat tangled in her arms shows up, they are pretty relieved.
"Clinton?" She asks, her voice is low.
"Not really, ma'am." Cooper says showing himself from the shadows. "I am his son." He explains and for a moment he feels his heart skip a beat.
The woman looks deeply at him, then the confused expression rested on J.C.'s face.
"I think I remember... You broke one of my plant with your bike."
"Yeah, it is pretty possible." He doesn't remember, so it doesn't change much.
"You had a sister, too. Right?" Cooper nods. "Lydia."
He frowns, then shakes his head. "It is Lila actually."
The woman smiles a little, petting her cat. "I know - I just needed to be sure it was you." She explains. "Your dad told you'd probably come here to see if it's still the same as you left. And he also asked me to give you these." The woman's arm tends and her hand opens, showing a key.
"This is just in case you wanna settle here - he told me you are going to attend university."
Cooper looks at his friend, then at the cat and suddenly everything seems clear: it is a cover. Taking the key, he gives her a warm smile.
"Thanks." He says, and then he closes the door like any normal person on Earth. He's ready to leave, J.C. is already downstairs and gesturing to make it quick. The old lady is already at her door, looking for the right key, so he signs J.C. to wait a damn minute and goes after her.
"Excuse me... Did he say something else?" He asks and he sounds awfully hopeful. She smiles like she knows more than what she actually says.
"He said that is fine."
She enters in her house and shuts the door, and Cooper just stays there until J.C. come upstairs picking him up and yelling something he doesn't care about, because it is fine. He is fine.