"Dude, I'm starting to get worried about Kurt." Finn announced as they stood up to do the wave with the rest of the fans in Ohio Stadium.
"What?" Matt asked, convinced he hadn't actually heard Finn correctly. Finn had come up with several of his frat brothers to see the Ohio University-Ohio State game and his friend had consumed more than a few beers since the start of it. Yes they were both still technically underage, but there were ways around that for frat brothers.
Besides if Finn was actually worried about something to do with Kurt, surely Finn would have better sense than to blurt it out while the OSU band started in on their signature rendition of "Hang On Sloopy." There were concepts like appropriate time and place that generally Finn understood. People did not just blurt out they were worried about someone when said person's name hadn't been brought up in conversation all day. For a reason. There was generally some lead up to it. Some conversational cue at least.
Oh wait. Matt leaned his head back and rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh of exasperation. There was a cue. "Hang On Sloopy". Senior year, Mr. Schue had tried to suggest the song as a number for nationals, a tribute to their home state as it was. Matt still had to laugh whenever he heard the song and flashbacked to looks of absolute shock on the faces of his fellow glee club members. Kurt had very seriously asked Mr. Schue if he was on the edge of a break down since Miss Pillsbury had accepted a position at a new school. Kurt had sworn for weeks afterwards it was worth the detention and lecture from his dad since that seemed to have the desired effect of snapping Mr. Schue back into reality.
An inebriated Finn totally would think discussing his worry about Kurt in the middle of a packed football stadium was appropriate after hearing that particular song.
"There's something going on with him." Finn continued. "He keeps saying everything is fine but it's just not. I know it's not."
"Maybe he's just distracted with school." Matt offered. After all Kurt was pursuing a field that was notoriously competitive and fickle. And Kurt was as competitive as they came. He had to make a name for himself. There was no waiting around to be discovered in fashion. Or at least that was how Kurt had always explained it to him.
"It's been going on longer than just school." Finn argued. "He's been this way since summer. Haven't you noticed it?"
"We've…we've not really talked since he came down with Mike." Matt admitted.
It had been great to actually see Kurt again, if a little jarring at first. The last thing he expected when woke up that morning was to see Kurt standing in his craphole of an apartment that night. It was awkward, a little uncomfortable and even though he pretended not to, Matt had not missed the level of tension that ran between Geoffrey and Kurt. Hell even Brittany could have figured out what was going on there. He hadn't actually thought it was going to get worse but once it became obvious Geoffrey had no intention of going to his own apartment, Matt had braced himself for someone to start the name calling. Thankfully it hadn't come that night.
Oh no, that had waited till after Kurt and Mike went back to Lima. Geoffrey had fairly exploded that night. Well, Matt amended as he remembered that particular night, maybe exploded was a little harsh of a term. But he definitely wasn't happy.
"I appreciate the fact you had no prior knowledge of this ambush but I really wish you would explain to your friends that this match-making kick they are on is out of line." Geoffrey leaned back on his heels, crossing his arms in front of him.
"They are not on some match-making kick" Matt had protested as he went to sit on the couch. "Mike has a really odd sense of humor."
"Matthew, I know they are your friends and you love them. It's great they were supportive of you when all the drama with your family happened." Geoffrey started to move towards him. Not that Matt had told him everything about what went on back then. But it didn't take a genius to figure out something bad had happened for him and Leah to both be completely on their own with the rest of their family in Lima. "But they are not being supportive of you now."
"Look you just don't know them well."
"They don't want to get to know me." Geoffrey corrected. "They seem really nice and they've been nothing but nice to me. But they aren't exactly welcoming."
"I know we tend to close ranks around each other."Matt apologized. "But after seeing Rachel get used by Jesse, and then that chick from California Finn was fooling around with the year we lost at Nationals who got our set list out of him? We're a little overprotective. They like you. They'll come around."
"Not while you're still friends with Kurt they won't."
"Oh come on. Kurt has a boyfriend. He's not looking to get back together. They know that."
"Yeah that's why they've nicknamed me Kurt 2.0" Geoffrey rolled his eyes. "For what it's worth I don't think he is trying to win you back. But it wouldn't kill you to tell them stunts like this are way harsh Tai."
It was never good when Geoffrey started quoting Clueless. It generally meant he was going to watch that movie sometime in the near future. "What are you asking me to do?"
"I just think it would help if you and Kurt weren't so friendly. I am very impressed the two of you actually are friends. But it's not the most comfortable position to be in from where I sit. I'm sure if you asked him Kurt's new boyfriend would probably be feeling the same way."
Geoffrey did have a point. He and Kurt could still be friends, but he had a different life now. Relying on Kurt as a safety net was him clinging to a past he had to let go of. Kurt was making his own life in Toledo. He had to do the same in Columbus. Talking to Kurt about every major decision was a habit. One he had to break. In his effort to do exactly that, Matt hadn't exactly been in close contact with Kurt since that visit. And Kurt seemed to be making the exact same effort. They still chatted on Facebook from time to time, but they were both making efforts to not have the conversation go all night like they did in the past.
Finn shot him a confused look. "You haven't talked to him?"
"Finn, we broke up. Over a year ago. Do you talk to Rachel all the time?"
"Well no but Matt…"
"No. There's no but Matt's here. We broke up. We're both seeing other people. I'll always be his friend but I'm not going to be the first one to know what's going on with him. Or if there's anything to worry about. That's just how it is Finn."
"Fine. But I'm still worried about him." Finn took a sip of his watery beer.
"Ok. Tell me why you're worried about him."
"It's just…he just seems off. You know? He still makes the same jokes and all but it doesn't feel the same. When he's home he plays with JoBeth and that's about it. And he always seems to be dieting. Even when Mom purposely makes his favorites, like on his birthday? Something's wrong. I just can't tell what it is yet."
"It's probably just stress from school." Matt offered up. "He switched majors and we both know he's probably convinced himself he's starting years behind instead of a few months. And I think being on a constant diet is a prerequisite for being in fashion. Have you seen his pictures on Facebook? He's in class with stick figures. "
"Maybe."
"Have you talked with him about this?" Seeing Finn nod, Matt pressed on. "Well what did he say?"
"Same thing you did." Finn shrugged. "It's school. "
"And do you have any reason to think otherwise?"
"No."
"Well then I think you might be over-reacting a little bit. Just keep talking to him. If there is something wrong, I'm sure he'll tell you or Mercedes eventually."
"I figured he'd probably tell you."
"Times change Finn." Matt shrugged his shoulders. "I think he'd tell you if something was really wrong."
Finn let out a sigh. "Maybe. But if he tells you…"
"Then I'll tell you and Cedes immediately. I promise."