Fic: Overtures (1a/14)
Rating: PG-13 (for now.)
Word Count: Parts A & B ~3600
Summary: After months of online flirtation, Kurt and Blaine have finally managed to get together in “real life.” But will Blaine’s lingering insecurities and Kurt’s plans to study abroad jeopardize their relationship before it even has a chance to begin? Sequel to Interludes.
Author’s Note: I would highly recommend reading Interludes before starting Overtures. It would make more sense that way. Particularly considering that Overtures starts only about an hour after Interludes ends.
Disclaimer: I am not a speech language pathologist nor do I stutter. Please forgive any inaccuracies.
Sept 5
@ 10:17 pm
Kurt: My dad’s flight got delayed
Kurt: what is about airport baggage claim that makes me feel philosophical?
10:23 pm
Blaine: The way everything feels so... transitional. That it’s where people go to come and go.
Blaine: but it’s more than that too. It’s not necessarily that simple
10:24 pm
Kurt: It is and isn’t that simple
Kurt: Simple can be beautiful
10:36 pm
Blaine: Thank you for tonight
Blaine: It was nice to just talk
Blaine: or write really
Blaine: Oh God, I’m so embarrassed
10:38 pm
Kurt: Don’t be
Kurt: I had fun.
10:39 pm
Blaine: Me too. It’s not always easy for me to just
Blaine: I don’t know where that sentence was going
10:42 pm
Kurt: You’ll get better at it. We’ll get better at it.
Kurt: This. Whatever it is.
Kurt: My dad should be here in a second.
Kurt: I’ll talk to you soon, ok?
10:43 pm
Blaine: Yes. Soon. Have fun with your dad. :)
10:45 pm
Kurt: Thanks.
~~~~~
To: mishanderson@gmail.com
From: b.anderson6@nyu.edu
Date: Wed, Sept 3, 4:17 pm
Subject: Question
Hi Mom-
I’ve been thinking lately that maybe it’s time for me to go back to speech therapy. It’s something that I’ve been sort of wanting to do and I talked to Paula about it a little this summer and she thinks maybe I’m ready for concentrated therapy again, for something more rigorous than she (or another therapist like her) can offer. I know I haven’t gone in years, but do you think I could?
I don’t know if you noticed (you probably did) but I’ve been craning and jerking my neck a lot when I block lately and I think therapy will help that at least.
Love you-
Blaine
~~~~~
To: b.anderson6@nyu.edu
From: mishanderson@gmail.com
Date: Fri, Sept 5, 5:58pm
Subject: Re: Question
Hey Bud,
I’m surprised that you want to go back to speech therapy, but I can’t say that I don’t think it’s a good idea. I think it’s a fantastic idea, really. Not because you’re doing a bad job on your own, but because when you were in regular speech therapy you were always improving. I have noticed that you’ve been rolling your neck more when you block and I do think that this could be helped. I agree with you on those counts for sure. I’m just impressed that you’re brave enough to ask for help, Blaine.
I’m sorry it took a few days to get back to you, I wanted to research a bit before I answered. You’ll find a short list attached of speech pathologists in your area. I talked to Paula about it too, and she agreed that these should work. I also contacted our insurance and these SLPs are all covered.
There is another option. I understand if you’re not interested. But NYU has a speech pathology program and they take people into their clinics. You would be helping people learn to become speech pathologists just by asking for help. I know that interacting like that with peers might make you extremely uncomfortable though, so don’t feel like you have to. Just an option that I thought I’d put out there for you.
I’d love to know where this change of heart came from. I must admit, I’ve wanted to suggest going back to speech therapy to you. I really didn’t want you to feel pressured about it and I know that now that you’re an adult, you need to come to these decisions on your own.
Miss you bud! I love you!
Mom
PS Dad says hi. :)
~~~~~
To: mishanderson@gmail.com
From: b.anderson6@nyu.edu
Date: Fri, Sept 5, 11:17 pm
Subject: Re: Question
Hola Mamacita :)
My change of heart comes from the fact that I just really want to try. I want to try again. I think this time I have more that I want in my life and well, I want to be able to talk to people. And not feel so nervous about my voice betraying me. I want to be ok. Not great, not perfect, but ok.
I want to make more friends. I want to not be scared. I want to be a teacher and I want people to listen to me. (I can’t believe I’m about to say this to my mom, but.) Someday I want to have a boyfriend and I don’t think I can do that right now when I can’t really talk. (So embarrassing.) Maybe even just going back to speech therapy will make me more confident. The idea of trying, even just looking into it, makes me feel like I have more control.
And quite frankly, my neck is sore a lot because of that damn twitch.
If you don’t mind, I don’t want to go to the NYU program. I think it’ll be hard enough without potentially running into someone I know or feeling like … I don’t know. I don’t know why I don’t want to do that, but it makes me nervous. I don’t have a good excuse.
But I’ll look at the list and call (UGGGGHHHH. I hate the phone.) one of them. But I guess speech pathologist’s receptionists are used to getting phone calls from people who aren’t good at talking. Intriguing.
Love you, miss you, hi back to Dad, yada, yada, yada.
Blaine
~~~~~
To: b.anderson6@nyu.edu
From: mishanderson@gmail.com
Date: Sat, Sept 6, 9:32 am
Subject: Re: Question
Oh, Blaine.
I think you need to strive to be more than just ok. Please strive for more than just ok? I think you can be good, great, wonderful, amazing, perfect. I think you’re all of that already, but I know you won’t believe it coming from me. And I don’t think any of it should just be connected to your speech.
Let me know if there’s anything else I can do. But I think you need to make this phone call for yourself. You can do it! Like you said, any speech pathology office is used to people who don’t have perfect speech.
And would you get in touch with your brother? Every time I talk to him, he’s mopey because you haven’t spoken to him since before Labor Day. I told him to text you, but he claims he doesn’t want to “interrupt.” I put quotes around that word because he’s used it at least a dozen times in the past week. I don’t even want to know, but send him smoke signals or a flare, or a simple email.
Love- Mom
~~~~~
To: cooper.anderson@gmail.com
From: b.anderson6@nyu.edu
Date: Sun, Sept 7, 12:57 pm
Subject: sup?
Our mother just nagged me on your behalf. Is there something I can help you with?
Blaine
~~~~~
To: b.anderson6@nyu.edu
From: cooper.anderson@gmail.com
Date: Sun, Sept 7, 3:44pm
Subject: Re: sup?
So lovely to hear from you! It has been far too long since we corresponded, particularly when I consider that last we spoke you were considering meeting a man that you had previously only been acquainted with on the internet. And then YOU FAILED TO TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED.
What.
The.
Hell.
And I think the real question is “Is there something *I* can help *you* with????”
Cooper
~~~~~
To: Cooper, From: Blaine
Date: Sun, Sept 7, 4:18 pm
Subject: Re: sup?
Oh that. yes. Well, it’s all very complicated and like I don’t actually know how to tell it. But I randomly, accidentally met him last Wednesday. And then I asked him to meet me at open mic night on Friday and I sang him a song. Which he seemed to like. He asked me if I wanted to go “talk and eat” after that and I said yes.
When we got the diner though, I actually couldn’t TALK. People say stuff like “I was speechless!” or “It was so overwhelming I couldn’t talk!” and they’re exaggerating? I’m not. My mouth wouldn’t move. Like physically.
He said he had fun and that he wants to hang out again, but he probably just feels bad for me. I’m probably just going to have to move to Siberia and hope he can never find me. That’s how humiliating this was. He was really nice to me about my speech and he was patient, but it might have just been an act. I don’t know! I don’t know how to do this!
Luckily his dad is visiting for the weekend, so he didn’t try to make plans with me. Maybe he’ll forget about me and then everything will just go back to normal and I won’t have to move to Siberia. I’ll just have to avoid Kurt Hummel for the rest of my life.
The whole thing was just really embarrassing and I didn’t really want to tell you about it.
I’m not entirely sure that I’m help-able.
~~~~~
To: Blaine, From: Cooper
Date: Sun, Sept 7, 5:03 pm
Subject: Re: sup?
Blaine, Blaine, Blaine. BLAINE.
Seriously with this bullshit, Blaine?
Don’t agonize like that. You guys have built a friendship over the summer, if nothing else. Maybe he didn’t know about your speech, but it’s not all there is to you. How many times do I have to say it before you’ll get through your thick skull? You’re more than just the way you talk.
Now, do something about this guy. Give him the chance to get to know in real life. Try to let him in a little, any way you can, ok?
Stop being an ass.
~~~~~
To: Cooper, From: Blaine
Date: Sun, Sept 7, 5:48pm
Subject: Re: sup
Fine. I won’t be an ass. Matt told me to stop being an assclown, which is pretty much the same thing, so I guess I should take a hint.
I’ll try, alright Coop?
I promise to try.
~~~~~
To: Blaine, From: Cooper
Date: Sun, Sept 7, 6:38 pm
Subject: Stop being an ass.
Got it?
Good.
Next time, tell me when good stuff is happening in your life. Or when bad stuff is happening. Don’t leave me hanging man.
Stop being a ass. (It seems worth reiterating.)
~~~~~
To: Cooper, From: Blaine
Date: Mon, Sept 8, 11:11 am
Subject: How’s this for trying?
I just got off the phone (YES THE PHONE) with my new speech therapist’s office. I have an assessment tomorrow morning and then I’ll have my first appointment on Friday at noon.
How about THEM apples???
~~~~~
To: Blaine, From: Cooper
Date: Mon, Sept 8, 2:17 pm
Subject: Re: How’s this for trying?
I am highly impressed with those apples, Blaine. Highly impressed.
Good for you.
~~~~~
Part B