Cadences (30/35 + epilogue)

[shandyall]

Word Count: ~2400

Summary: Life doesn’t get much better than when you get to spend it with your favorite fella. Follow the boys as they navigate from young love to newlyweds to fatherhood and beyond.
Author’s Note: Thanks to the betas, Becca and Kerry.


April, 2040

Kurt is 46, Blaine is 45, Addie is 15, and Declan is 13.

It’s Declan’s first game of the season, first game of his life really. And as it turns out, he has a bit of a knack for baseball. When he came home after his first practice, his cheeks were rosy and his eyes were excited, talking about pitching and batting, and how much he likes his coach. Blaine and Kurt were thrilled for him, if not a little sad that it took him all this time to finally decide to join. He could have had baseball in his life for years. He wouldn’t have needed perfect speech and hearing to play baseball.

They sit in the stands on a chilly early April evening. Addie’s there too, but she’s hanging around by the snack stand. Apparently a boy she likes works there sometimes and she’s hoping he’ll show up. Or at least that’s what her fathers have extrapolated from what little she’s told them, and what they could glean from a few accidentally overheard conversations.

Blaine blows into his hands, trying to warm his fingers.

“Want me to go get us hot chocolate from the stand?” Kurt offers.

“What, and run the r-r-r-risk of Addie shunning you for mmm-months to come?” Blaine retorts.

“She can’t keep us from being warm!” Kurt exclaims as he hops down the bleachers. “I’ll be right back.”

Blaine watches him walk over. He smiles at how Kurt completely ignores Addie and yet Blaine is sure that she’s going to think the only reason he’s over there is to annoy her. Blaine knows they’ll hear about it later. He focuses his attention to Declan’s team warming up during batting practice.

Declan was nervous on the way here, and adamant that his fathers at least try to be cool. To keep an eye on how the other parents behaved and to act like them. They both promised to do their best.

Kurt returns just before the game starts with their hot chocolates.

“I’m pretty sure Addie’s going to give me a stern talking to later,” Kurt says, holding the watery cocoa up to his face and at least enjoying the way the steam warms his nose.

“I’m pretty sure we give her too mmm-power,” Blaine says.

“Well, yeah,” Kurt agrees. “But where would we be without her?”

Blaine chuckles. Addie really is an integral part of the household. He’s not sure what they’re going to do in a couple years when she leaves for college. It’s not that she holds up more than her fair share of household duties, because she certainly doesn’t. Addie is most often found glued to her cell phone or out with friends. But when she is around and more importantly when they really need her, she’s there. She’s got a lot of common sense and she’s great with Declan. She’s willing to give her opinion, even though they don’t always appreciate it, sometimes they need to hear it.

The first inning starts. Declan sits on the bench as most of the other kids take the field.

“Why does he have to stay on the bench?” Kurt whispers. He’s trying to exercise the discretion that Declan asked for and he doesn’t want all the other parents on the bleachers to hear him.  “I thought he said he was going to play.”

“He did. Maybe later?” Blaine answers.

Kurt squints at the field. Declan was really excited about playing their first game “under the lights” but there are a lot of shadows and Kurt feels like he can’t even see everything that’s going on.

“Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike baseball?” Kurt mutters.

“You have, once or twice.”

When it’s time for Declan’s team to bat, they watch several boys get up to bat, but not Declan.

This pattern continues until the bottom of the third when Declan finally gets up to hit. He hits a nice line drive that goes almost directly into the shortstop’s glove.

“It’s okay, Dec,” Blaine calls out. He can’t help himself, his instinct is to comfort. Declan gives him an embarrassed half wave.

Addie shows up a few innings later, squeezing in between her fathers for warmth, and bringing them more hot chocolate, which they gratefully accept.

“I take it flirting time is over?” Kurt asks.

She punches him lightly in the knee.

“Did it go well? Are you in looooooove?” Kurt teases.

“You’re the meanest father on earth,” she tells him.

“No way! Not even close,” Kurt protests.

Addie moves closer to Blaine. “Poop would never say such a thing.”

“Poop would never say such a thing,” Kurt mimics.

Addie holds up a finger threateningly, though Kurt can see her smile is genuine and she’s on the verge of laughter. Then she shivers as the breeze picks up.

“You should have a hat,” Kurt tells her.

Blaine pulls the hat off his head and hands it to her.

“Thank you, Daddy,” she says sincerely to Blaine, before turning to Kurt and sticking her tongue.

“You’re a brat,” Kurt says.

“You’re a brat,” Addie says back.

“If you two could sssss-top it, you might be interested to find out that Declan is about to take the pitcher’s mm-mound,” Blaine interjects.

Kurt and Addie whip their heads towards the field, and when Addie sees Declan on the mound warming up she lets out a “whoop!” He turns to stare at her. She’s pretty sure he’s trying to give her a meaningful look of indignation but it’s impossible to tell from this distance.

“I’m so nervous!” Kurt says, smiling. And he is. He feels it in his chest. He just wants everything to go well for Declan. Always, obviously, but particularly tonight.

“He looks nervous. Does he s-s-s-seem too nervous?” Blaine asks, turning towards Addie and Kurt.

“He does look nervous,” Kurt agrees, chewing on his bottom lip.

“Suddenly I’m so anxious it doesn’t even mmmm-matter that I’m cold,” Blaine says.

“If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times,” Addie says. “You’re both gigantic dorks.”

They don’t disagree.

Declan throws his first pitch and it’s a little wild. But the second and the third are clean strikes.

“He’s good,” Blaine says eyes wide.

The batter takes a decent swing at the next one and pops it up to the third baseman. But now it’s like Declan’s in the zone. He squints at the next batter and winds up. He throws three nice strikes in a row.

In the bleachers, his fathers are just about falling out of their seats.

“You two need to chill out. You’re acting like this is the extra innings during the World Series. When in reality it’s the 7th inning of game one of a very long little league season.”

The inning ends and Declan gets up again, getting on base this time. The game continues, and it’s definitely a lot more exciting now that Declan’s involved. And eventually Kurt and Blaine do relax.

When the game is over, Declan’s team wins 4 to 2, Kurt, Blaine, and Addie signal to him that they’ll be waiting for him in the car.

Kurt slides into the driver’s seat and turns the heat on full blast. “That was fun,” he says and he means it.

“It r-r-r-really was,” Blaine agrees.

Declan gets into the car, sliding into the backseat.

“That was awesome!” he says.

The family agrees. They get onto the end of a line of cars trying to exit the town sports complex.

“There’s gotta be a better way,” Kurt mutters. The traffic flow in their town leaves something to be desired even on the best days. “How is it that we’re sitting in traffic at 8:38 at night?”

“Um.” Declan clears his throat and his parents both look at him. He rubs his neck nervously.

“What’s up, Dec?” Blaine asks.

“Well. It’s just that.” Declan looks at Addie.

“Tell them,” she says. “It’s okay.”

He takes a deep breath. “You guys don’t need to sign anymore.”

Kurt and Blaine stare at their son for a minute, trying to understand where this came from. The car behind them honks. It’s their turn to merge out of the parking lot. Kurt pulls forward.

“Why would we stop s-s-signing?” Blaine asks.

Declan shrugs. “I don’t need it anymore. I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I talked to Addie about it.”

Kurt glances at Addie in the rearview mirror and she nods.

“I hear everything,” Declan says. “It was even more apparent tonight at the game. I could hear you guys in the stands. I understood everything my coach said. He didn’t sign at all really. Just a little bit here and there.”

“But why would we stop?” Kurt asks.

“Because I can hear.”

“But it’s how we talk,” Blaine says, confused.

“That’s what Addie said too. It seems to me like it’s got to get annoying for everybody though. And it’s unnecessary and I feel like it burdens you guys. I don’t even pay that much attention to it. I mean, I see it, but I don’t need it.”

“For starters, it’s definitely not a burden. Nothing about you or your hearing is a burden to us,” Kurt tells him matter-of-factly.

“Okay,” Declan whispers. “Please don’t be mad.”

“We’re not mm-mad, Dec. We’re just a little s-s-s-surprised that you feel this way,” Blaine says.

“I have a question,” Addie pipes in. “I should have asked it when I talked to you about it originally.”

Declan nods.

“Even though you say you don’t need it, do you want it? Don’t you like it?”

Declan thinks about this but doesn’t say anything right away.

“I mean, I like it. Ever since I was a kid I felt like we had a secret language in our family. It just made me feel special,” Addie continues.

“Maybe we don’t have to be special anymore,” Declan says.

“Oh, Dec. We’ll always be special,” Addie tells him with a grin. “Poop and DumDum will make sure of that.”

“I don’t really see myself ssss-topping,” Blaine says. “I think you forget that I liked to sign way b-b-b-before you came into the picture.”

They’re pulling into the driveway and everyone stays in the car even when Kurt turns the engine off.

“I don’t think we need to stop,” Kurt says.

“You can. That’s all I’m saying,” Declan said.

“Are you going to stop?” Addie asks Declan.

“Not really. I mean, there are still interpreters at school. And it does help with some things. Like if it’s really loud in a room.”

They go inside, everyone quiet and lost in their own thoughts. The family stands in the kitchen for a minute looking at each other.

“I guess I just don’t want anyone to do anything they don’t want to do,” Declan concludes.

“Well, you’re in luck, because this is something we really, really want to do. Particularly if it helps even a tiny bit.” Kurt puts his arm around Declan’s shoulders. “Now, go take a shower. You stink of boy and outside.”

Declan smiles and heads towards the stairs. “Oh, one other thing. I definitely don’t need the lights to flash anymore to signal the doorbell.”

“Alright, that we’ll stop,” Blaine concedes.

Declan says thank you and heads up the stairs.

Addie’s eating a spoonful of peanut butter and both of her dads turn around to look at her.

“When did he bring this up?” Blaine asks.

Addie shrugs. “About a month ago?”

Blaine and Kurt are quiet for a minute.

“And before you ask, no, I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t think it was my place. Declan told me he was going to talk to you about it when he was ready, but that he was nervous about it.”

“It’s okay, Addie.”

“Of course it is,” she says.

“Go do your homework,” Blaine says.

“I finished it before the game.”

“Go talk to Lydia,” Kurt says.

“We’re in a fight.”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you Addie. Go find something to do with yourself so your father and I can talk about our children in private.”

“You do realize you could go to your room. Seeing as how this,” she pauses and makes circular motions with her hands, “is a common, family area of our home.”

“Fine,” Kurt says, smirking. “Dad and I are going upstairs to talk about you guys.”

“Fine.” She kisses them both on the cheek and then flounces into the family room, throwing herself down on the couch and turning on the TV.

“Don’t stay up too late,” Blaine calls over his shoulder.

Addie gives him a thumbs up.

When Kurt and Blaine get upstairs, they close their bedroom door and are quiet for a minute.

“How did they get so old?” Kurt asks, breaking the silence.

Blaine shakes his head. “I feel like that’s the moral of the story. They’re both so old.”

They sit down on the edge of the bed next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, before thumping back onto the mattress.

“We’re old too, you know,” Kurt says.

“Nah, we’re just perfect,” Blaine tells him, rolling onto his side and poking Kurt’s stomach, flat and firm even in middle age. Blaine chews on his bottom lip for a moment. “What do you think about this? About Declan not wanting us to sign anymore?”

“I think it’s not his choice. It doesn’t sound like he doesn’t want us to sign, but that he thinks because he doesn’t need it as much that we don’t have to. So I say we keep doing it.”

“I agree,” Blaine says.

“I fought long and hard to be the mediocre signer I am today!” Kurt says, pumping his fist lazily as Blaine laughs.

“You’re a wonderful ssss-signer,” Blaine says, kissing Kurt.

“I am mediocre at best and you know it,” Kurt retorts. “But this is one of those topics where I don’t mind if you patronize me.”

Blaine smiles as he rolls onto his back and they stay next to each other on the bed for a few more minutes, staring at the ceiling.

Kurt yawns.

“I’m not ready to go to sleep yet,” Blaine says, glancing at the clock.

“Me neither. Want to go bug Addie for a little while?” Kurt suggests. “Find out why she’s fighting with Lydia?”

Blaine’s eyes light up at the prospect.

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