He's used to the silences. Even in his scant amount of experience as a practicing psychiatrist, he's still had far too many people come into his office with misconceptions. They assume the entire point of a session is to talk. Isn't that what counselling is all about? they ask him. Why aren't you telling me how to get better? they demand of him. Kurt talks himself hoarse then, tells them that he is not there to control them - he is a guide. What kind of doctor are you? they spit at him, and often storm out muttering about gay faces and young snips.

He's used to it.

He prefers the silent patients to the ones who fill any space with mindless noise. Because the quiet ones - when they do talk, the words help so much more. But it does get uncomfortable and frustrating at times. And no patient is more frustrating and more interesting than Blaine Anderson.

It might be his youth, but Kurt suspects that it's more because Blaine doesn't want to be helped. He's used to patients barging in and demanding help. He isn't used to the exact opposite.

"I just can't get him to crack," Kurt growls in frustration, two months after first seeing Blaine. Tina Cohen-Chang sits across from him in the cafe, idly stirring her lemon iced tea. Kurt and Tina go way back to high school, and she's one of those old friends he still keeps in touch with. Being a kindergarten teacher, she's well-acquainted with children, and Kurt often runs vague complaints about Blaine by her, bound as he is by confidentiality.

Now she takes a careful sip from her glass and pushes it aside, wiping off the condensation on her napkin. "Kurt, you're treating this kid like a science experiment." Her dark gaze is critical but kind. "It's like he's your new little toy. No wonder he doesn't say anything."

Kurt splutters around his mouthful of iced coffee. "I-I do not!" he protests, glaring at his friend. She rolls her eyes. "I'm doing my best to make him comfortable, I'm trying to get him to talk to me...!"

"How? By being silent and trying to pressure him into telling you?" Tina shakes her head and peruses the menu, her lips pressed together. "I know your methods, Hummel. You did the same thing in high school. Listen, that's just going to stretch out the silence and the awkwardness. You need to be straightforward."

Kurt scowls and stares down at his drink. "I'm trying! I ask him questions, but I've gotten absolutely nothing but the most basic details." As always, he's careful not to elaborate. He knows Tina would never tell if he did let something slip, but Kurt values his own privacy far too much to betray someone else's. Tina sighs and sets the menu down, the corners of her mouth quirking downward.

"Random questions. Do you know how suspicious that probably makes him? You're not being honest. You're trying to pull information out of him without him realizing, but that's not how people work." She gestures for the waiter to come over, and waits patiently as Kurt locates his own order. It's only when the waiter is out of earshot that she continues. "Neither of you is willing to start something. Information is procured through conversations, and someone needs to initiate one. This kid is obviously not in the right state to start, so the initiative needs to come from you."

Kurt clacks his teeth together as he thinks. "But... I mean, he's the only one this doesn't work with. It works fine with everyone else." Tina raises her eyebrows at him, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Because this is the first kid you've dealt with. Adults are... well." She shrugs and leans back in her chair. "We know each other's games, even if we don't want to play. With children? You just need to be to the point. Or they'll never trust you." Kurt nods slowly, pursing his lips thoughtfully.

"I think I see what you mean. It can't hurt to give something else a shot." He perks up as his spaghetti arrives, and files away Tina's advice for his next appointment with the boy.

Blaine never arrives for his ninth session.