Kurt Hummel's so bright I gotta wear shades

Title: Slow Dissolve
Characters/Fandom: Kurt, Blaine, Rachel, Finn, Santana, Brittany, Burt, Carole (in canon pairings)
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~5,000
Spoilers: 4.01, “The New Rachel”
Warnings: possible physical and/or mental health issues, dieting, helplessness
Summary: Kurt changes the summer after he graduates. No one fully understands what it means – not even Kurt.
A/N: The entire fic takes place before Season 4 begins, but it’s essentially a reaction fic to the first episode of Season 4 and how I saw Kurt and his relationships portrayed in it. Title from the song “Slow Motion” by David Gray. Thanks to lavender_love00 and punkkitten2113 for being great betas!

Also on here on tumblr.

Extended author's note/warning: This narrative isn’t what I would consider an angst genre piece. But it’s not a satisfying narrative in which everything gets tied up neatly at the end. I don’t recommend reading this if you have been looking for the meaning of life and are frustrated that you haven’t found it yet, or if you have untreated clinical depression, or if you have a disposition toward hopelessness. I’m being completely sincere here. I’ve read things that lack resolution when I’ve been in those mental states, and I’ve regretted it every time. Come back when you’re in a different space.