finding an early draft of the script for plato's stepchildren is making me insane.
there's a few cut lines in this scene that I find very interesting. the confirmation that kirk was in fact forced to beat himself unconscious in the commercial break and is only regaining consciousness now. the implication that he and spock have been communicating somehow in a way the audience doesn't see. spock's "I've been thinking of nothing else" is so brutal -- he can't allow himself to act on anyone's terms but his own. I always felt it was another kind of indignity for the platonians to treat them like dress-up dolls, and I like the choice here to draw attention to it in the script.
I am fascinated by the crossed out paragraph. who edited this? why is it such an absolute no to see them patching up their injuries?
interesting that the women should "enter" rather than beam in. and very interesting that scotty should come too! he gets paired with uhura in the later performance scene, while the character of yeoman lennox is paired with kirk. my dad always told me there was a fandom rumour that spock was the one who was supposed to kiss uhura but shatner wanted more screen time and took the scene himself, so it's very interesting to me that it's scotty here. notably, scotty and uhura don't kiss in this scene. they sit together and he scratches her back, which is an odd choice to substitute a kiss, but I guess they were trying to play it safe for censors at first.
and I don't remember the kironide affecting spock in the episode, but in this version, he, kirk, and scotty beat parmen together.
and in the end, they do show the crew beam alexander aboard! unfortunately he doesn't get to say anything because it jumps straight into another violation of consent, this time from chapel and scotty, whose name is crossed out and then changed to kirk. I honestly can't imagine any of them forcing spock and chapel to kiss after what they've all been through there, and I'm grateful to whoever drew that giant question mark over the whole scene and eventually cut it.
I'm currently losing it over majel barrett's script to journey to babel, found here.
here's the infamous opening scene! complete with sarek pointedly ignoring spock. I'm not sure what they were trying to communicate with kirk looking at sarek before asking spock if he wants to visit his parents, but it played marvelously awkwardly, so it seems to have worked.
I love this costume note. I noticed it in ths episode and I'm thrilled it was intentional. spock has taken off the dress uniform to indicate that he is done entertaining diplomats today!!
quickly, to bypass the awkwardness of having to explain spock and sarek. it's a lot more obvious in the script how eager she is not to answer that question.
spock is near amanda in the party scene "because it is his duty", and completely ignored by sarek.
mccoy just can't resist needling spock!! and the rest of the scene is marked with (MORE), which I assume means they didn't have the scene written out but they knew they wanted to extend this conversation.
spock saying "I did not cry" wasn't in the episode! there's some slight variations on these lines that hit hard. "I kept praying that you'd cry and be human" is utterly heartbreaking. amanda really could not and still cannot relate to her son. and the bit where spock puts his hand on the door after it closes isn't there, but in the moment before she slaps him, this script has him reaching out to her.
ugh this hurts after having watched the final frontier and knowing mccoy's backstory with his own father
as far aa I can tell, the bit with the giant x over it did not make it into the episode, but they did include a couple of edited lines. sarek's heart stops, and here, mccoy tells spock to shut up. on a lighter note, the direction (APPROPRIATE SOUND EFFECT) is hilarious. I guess you know it when you hear it.
and spock is letting out the classic fanfiction breath-he-didn't-realise-he-was-holding. this episode really has everything.
most of it plays out as we see in the episode, but these small edits are really fun to pay attention to!
He wasn't really sure what he was thinking, going over to Blaine and Sebastian's dorm, especially without clearing it with either of them first. Kurt didn't even know if Sebastian would be home, and although he very much hoped against it, he was smart enough to bring a revised copy of the script just in case he had to make up an excuse. When really, all Kurt wanted to do was to see for himself that Blaine was actually okay and maybe invite himself in to watch a movie or just talk.
It was probably a stupid idea, and Kurt was undoubtedly only inviting trouble for himself and for Blaine, as well, which was even worse, but Kurt couldn't seem to help himself. He knew he should keep his distance and yet Blaine was like the other end of the magnet and Kurt was almost helplessly drawn to him.
He tried his best to calm his nerves - they were friends and co-workers after all, this shouldn't be a big deal, even if Sebastian was there. And Kurt could be tactful if he had to, professional, hand over the script and be on his way. He would just rather spend the afternoon with Blaine.
So after checking and double checking to make sure his appearance was perfect, and straightening his neckerchief, only to decide it was better knotted on the other side, Kurt made his way over to their dorm, squared his shoulders, lifted his head, knocked on the door and prepared to face Sebastian.
Blaine:
Blaine had spent most of his time weighing his options. Sebastian tried to stay away from him as much as possible, was barely home and since he didn't have permission to do anything outside his dorm, he had plenty of time to think about possible outcomes and solutions of his current situation. The right thing would be to do the play but keep his relationship with Kurt strictly professional. Or maybe drop the play as well and try to forget. The problem was that Blaine was scared of that. More scared than he was willing to admit in front of Kurt. Whenever they talked to each other, face to face or even just texting back and forth, Blaine felt the shell he put around himself slowly crumble only to harden it again whenever he was back at home and with his own Dom. He was trying his best to be good. He didn't want to be frustrated or angry or resentful. The alternative was to just shut down and Blaine did that, day by day. Unless he talked to Kurt. It had always been such a cliché phrase when someone said that the felt alive when they were with another person, but Blaine slowly started to understand what it meant. He was falling, hard and fast. That he was letting down his own Dom in the process only made it worse. So Blaine spent his days thinking and kneeling, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't imagine getting through this without a friend by his side. How true that was became visible when someone knocked on the door and Blaine flinched, squeezing his eyes shut. He hurried to the door, convinced that Sebastian had gone out without his keys and was back to get them."Sir," he mumbled as he opened the door, his eyes on the ground as he stepped aside to let his Dom in when he saw a pair of boots that absolutely didn't go with Sebastian's fashion sense. Blaine's head shot up and his eyes widened. "Kurt. What are you doing here?"
Kurt:
Kurt was almost afraid to breathe a sigh of relief. Just because Sebastian hadn't answered the door himself, didn't mean it wasn't one of Blaine's obligations and maybe Sebastian was still inside. Resisting the urge to look over Blaine's shoulder wasn't that hard either, since Blaine was looking Kurt directly and it was a little bit amazing how easy it was to get lost in those eyes.He found his lips curving up in a natural, easy smile, "That depends," Kurt whispered a bit conspiratorially, "If Sebastian is here, I'm going to hand you this revised copy of our script and say goodbye. If not, and if he hasn't strictly forbidden company, I'd like to come in and spend some time with you. I brought a pirated copy of Maleficent we could watch and we could talk, face to face, and figure out what we should do about...everything."Kurt knew he was rambling, but it was a hard habit for him to break, and so, still keeping his voice down low, he continued to talk, "Unless, of course, you've already made your decision and it involves spending the least amount of time with me as possible, in which case, I respect your decision and I can still give you the script and leave. But in the off chance that you'd enjoy some company, I should also tell you that I brought cupcakes. From Magnolia. July's flavor was lemon blueberry. And they're delicious."
Blaine:
Blaine could just stand there for a moment, his lips slightly parted before he couldn't help himself but laugh. Kurt was usually so careful with his words and his tone and it was both heartwarming and refreshing to hear him ramble. "You're unbelievable," Blaine said, reaching forward to grab Kurt's sleeve and pull him into the dorm room, suddenly scared that someone would see them. "Come in, he's not here." As soon as the door closed behind them Blaine had several realizations at once. First of all he knew that he couldn't draw a line with Kurt. He was too glad the other Dom was here and too relieved that Sebastian had never directly forbidden him company. The second thing he noticed was that he had started to smile and he started to wonder if he was in deeper than he thought he was. And last but not least Blaine remembered that Kurt was a Dom and he had brought a movie and cupcakes just because he was nice and a good friend. The urge to give something back, to please, hit Blaine like a train and he folded his arms behind his back as he turned around."Can I offer you something to drink, Sir? Coffee or tea, soda, water… Or anything else I can do for you?" Blaine blinked slowly and lowered his voice. "I know that we have to talk and I know it's not ideal here, but that doesn't mean I can't make it more comfortable for you."
Kurt:
"Coffee would be great, thank you." Kurt said, stepping inside and taking a minute to look around at a dorm room that while for the most part, resembled Kurt's own, was also very different. He followed Blaine to the kitchen and watched as he started the coffee maker, silently approving of his choice in coffee, and then wondering if it was Blaine's decision or Sebastian's. He hoped it was Blaine's."It honestly doesn't matter where we talk, Blaine." Kurt said, pulling out the DVD and the carefully wrapped package of cupcakes and setting them on the counter. "I'm sure wherever we are, the outcome is still going to be the same regardless. I do appreciate your efforts, though and that coffee smells fantastic."He made himself at home on the couch, while Blaine brought in the cups of coffee and Kurt even went as far as pulling his feet up underneath him. It shouldn't have been so easy for him to relax - this was still Sebastian's dorm, after all, and for all Kurt knew, Blaine was about to tell him they shouldn't spend any time together outside of the play. It would be the easiest solution. And at the same time it would also be the hardest. At least for Kurt, who obviously felt some sort of weird, unexplained connection, and one that he wasn't ready to sever, despite the awkwardness it created for everyone else."If you're not comfortable with me being here, Blaine, I'd understand. You don't have to invite me in and make me coffee, even though I've already let you do just that. But you're always welcome to speak freely with me, and so if you'd like me to leave, you can ask me to, and I will. No hard feelings. I understand completely."
Blaine:
It was nice to have Kurt there – in a lot of ways – but when Blaine put two coffee cups on the table in front of the couch, one for Kurt and one for himself, the tone was suddenly more serious and Blaine's smile fell. He sat down on the couch, his back straight and his hands folded in his lap. In here he was used to make himself as small as possible, but he'd never been aware of it until now and it made him sad. Blaine shook his head and started to trace his own knuckles with his thumb to keep his hands occupied. "It would be so sad. I enjoy your company, I love spending time with you. The play means everything to me. I've always loved it but now it has become my world, the only time I can be myself." The silence between them was heavy, but not uncomfortable. Blaine almost expected Sebastian to storm in and make this decision for him and it filled him with a weird satisfaction to know that his Dom would never approve of this friendship he was clinging to. "When I was about twelve, maybe thirteen, when we all started to know what it means to be a sub or a Dom, you know? We started to trade horror stories about subs who wouldn't get claimed." Blaine smiled and rolled his eyes. Everyone was a bit stupid that age and he had been no exception. "Of course it's not that bad. You just get an appointment and you get treatment and you get by. But it was still a horrible thought back then and I promised myself never to end up being alone." He had no idea why he was explaining all this, but Blaine felt like Kurt had to understand. His eyes fell on Sebastian's bed and his teeth hurt from clenching his jaw. "I've never felt more isolated than when he tied me up. There was no way out. No matter how hard I panicked, I couldn't get out of it." Blaine swallowed hard and picked up his coffee to sip from it, even if just to get the weird taste out of his mouth. "I have a Dom and the only times I don't feel alone is when I'm with you. So the way I see it is… I can either stop caring what he thinks about our friendship and stay sane, or I stop talking to you and end up breaking the promise I gave myself. He's not worth that."
Kurt:
Kurt hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until he let it out shakily, and even then things still seemed so uncertain. His heart was breaking for Blaine, and the anger and hatred for Sebastian flared hotly in his stomach.Instinctively, Kurt reached for Blaine's hand, the one that wasn't holding the coffee cup, and squeezed it between both of his. "He took away your option to safeword? Or he just didn't listen? Either way, that..."He had to stop for a minute, breathing deeply through his nose while he tried to reign in his anger. It had no place here, between him and Blaine, and Kurt wanted to make sure Blaine knew and understood that."You don't have to be alone. We're all still so young and this is just an assigned partnership. Even if you asked to be released from it, that doesn't guarantee you'll be forever alone. You're too good for that, Blaine."More than anything, Kurt wanted to pull Blaine into his arms, to touch him and reassure him and offer him words of comfort and praise. He stopped himself, though. It would probably only mean crossing more lines, and already they were walking on dangerous ground."I admire your bravery," he said finally, still holding onto Blaine's hand, not willing to let go quite yet. "And I can only promise you that as long as you want to be friends, I'll be there. If you find it gets to be too much and you can't...well, I'd understand that, too. But - and maybe it's just my selfish pride talking - I think you're making the right decision. He already demands so much of you, and that without ever clearly defining his expectations - don't give him everything."
Blaine:
Blaine felt his heart beat a little faster from Kurt's words. It wasn't his intention to fuel the hate between the two Doms, so he left the question about his punishment standing. He was angry himself that Sebastian had left him no chance to get out of his situation and it was something he would discuss with his Dom as soon as the time was right. He didn't comment on Kurt's reassurance either. He had gone to one of the best schools in Illinois, had received better training than most other subs in his counseling group. On one hand that had sent him into this whole thing with a lot of confidence in himself and his abilities, on the other hand he wasn't used to substandard treatment and more importantly he had weirdly high expectations of Doms. Those who were probably able to meet his needs wouldn't bother with a sub who hadn't gotten through his orientation phase. Blaine didn't allow himself to think further about what was actually on his mind – the question whether or not Kurt would stick to his sub, just the way a lot of assigned Doms did in the beginning. Sam seemed to be a kind boy, calm and sweet. Handsome too. And very submissive. The kind of guy who didn't make any problems. It was easy to talk for Kurt who was with a sub like that, who wouldn't have to worry about a stained reputation. But then there was this very last comment and it was what had hit Blaine the most. He was staring down at his own hand, held by Kurt's as if it was a physical representation of their mental connection and maybe that comparison wasn't too far off. It was just a gentle touch but it made Blaine want to curl up next to Kurt and never leave the safety of his arms again. It was bittersweet and Blaine smiled even when he didn't feel like it at all. Kurt admired his bravery. And Kurt thought Blaine shouldn't give Sebastian everything. Only that submissives weren't supposed to be brave, they were supposed to follow. And more than anything Blaine wanted to give his everything. That he couldn't with Sebastian was part of the problem. "For real, you have to stop worrying about me." Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand back and for a moment not even he himself was sure who was comforting whom. "I won't give him all of me. Not by far. But thank you for not leaving me alone in this." To lighten the mood Blaine nodded towards the TV and winked at Kurt. "And now, I think you've mentioned Maleficent… I'd die for this movie."
Kurt:
Blaine had told Kurt not to worry about him, but Kurt knew it was already too late for that. But then Blaine clearly wanted to change the subject and Kurt would allow that. He ignored the stupid flip his heart did when Blaine winked at him, although Kurt couldn't stop himself from dropping his eyes to Blaine's lips. The glance was fleeting, however, and then Kurt forced himself to smile and reached for the DVD.The mood changed as the movie played. Where things had started out uncertain and more than a little tense, they slowly dissolved into something a lot more comfortable than Kurt had ever thought possible. In fact, the easy, lighthearted mood made it difficult not to give into the growing urge to touch.They'd been sitting beside each other on the couch with enough distance between them that they weren't touching, but not enough that it had seemed awkward. Kurt had let go of Blaine's hand while he started the movie and stole the occasional glance towards where he'd kept them folded in his lap, wondering if Blaine would welcome his touch.Kurt wasn't sure if it was he who moved, or whether it had been Blaine, or maybe it had been both of them, but they soon found themselves closer, thighs pressed against each other and then Kurt had to touch. It was impossible not to. Reaching out, he gently stroked his fingertips over Blaine's temples, following his hairline, holding his breath again and remembering all too vividly how it had felt to hold Blaine in his arms.He dropped his hand to Blaine's shoulder and squeezed lightly, Blaine looking at him, frozen and Kurt chewed at his lower lip, offering an apologetic look in return, but not removing his hand."I thought you might need..." He stammered, uncharacteristically nervous, "You said he doesn't touch you..."
Blaine:
It was the nicest thing anyone had done for Blaine in a while. Helping him out when he was sick had been one thing. When a sub was sick he needed attention and they both were aware of that, but to touch him just because he could use it, especially when their situation was so delicate, was something completely different. Blaine blinked rapidly when he felt heat rise into his cheeks, but the fact that Kurt was obviously nervous too made it a lot easier to handle it all. "It's nice. It's the thing I miss the most right now." This couldn't possibly be easy for Kurt. Blaine was pretty convinced that he didn't give a damn about Sebastian anymore, but there was also Sam. And even if they were both without obligations, who said that Kurt didn't just do it because he was selfless. All those last times Blaine had forced Kurt into action without giving him a say in it and after that Kurt had proceeded when Blaine was too out of it to have an opinion. This touch right now didn't really feel like crossing any lines, but if they were Blaine wouldn't let Kurt take the blame for it by himself. Without hesitation he pulled his legs up on the couch and leaned against Kurt, his arms wrapping around the Dom's waist. His head was half resting on Kurt's chest, half on his shoulder and Blaine stared stubbornly at the TV to distract himself from the warmth that was radiating from both their bodies. His heart was beating faster and he let out a deep sigh. "Is this okay for you?"
Kurt:
Kurt's arms found their way around Blaine in return, holding him and pulling him a little bit closer even when they were so close already. He let one of his hands move up and down Blaine's back and let out a quiet, contented sigh. "Perfect," he said, because it was.Blaine was warm, but not hot like before when he was sick and Kurt was almost positive he could feel the rapid beat of Blaine's heart and he had to smile because it seemed to echo his own. He was still scared of crossing lines, but the only because of the repercussions it would have for Blaine. Sam never entered his mind.Despite the slight apprehension, Kurt marveled at the feeling of Blaine in his arms and how he would be perfectly happy to stay like this, maybe even forever.He could rationalize that they weren't crossing lines at all, that this was just one more way Kurt was helping Blaine out. Subs needed physical contact and if Sebastian wasn't willing to provide it, Kurt would be more than happy to step up to the plate. All they were doing now was cuddling anyway, it wasn't as if they were kissing or anything. Even if that was one of the things at the forefront of Kurt's mind."I'd really like to kiss you right now."The words were out before he had a chance to think, and now they hung in the air, too late to take them back. Kurt wasn't even sure if he would take them back.
Blaine:
Blaine was half sitting up, staring at Kurt. Maybe he had dozed off and just imagined those words coming out of Kurt's mouth but the half anxious, half hopeful spark in his eyes made it obvious that Blaine had to make another decision. This was so crossing the line. Or maybe they had already kept on walking when they'd crossed the line for the first time and now there wasn't even a line in sight anymore. "We shouldn't," Blaine mumbled, but his eyes were stuck on Kurt's lips. They had to kiss a lot for the play, but that didn't count and both times they had kissed for real Blaine had been sick and feverish. He had liked the feeling, but he had also been too miserable to really enjoy it. This time it could be different. "We definitely shouldn't." Blaine cupped Kurt's face and he grinned when he realized how weird it was to be the one taking action. He was used to take whatever he was given, not to give all by himself and hope that it would be taken. Their lips connected and Blaine pushed gently before he just opened his mouth to let Kurt in. Their tongues slid together and one of them hummed, Blaine wasn't sure who. It was better than anything. Sweet, but passionate and – at least for Blaine – filled with a longing he couldn't give into. When he pulled away his hand slipped from Kurt's cheek down to rest on the Dom's chest. He grinned when he could feel that their hearts were beating equally fast. The moment was intimate but short because Blaine remembered where they were and who he belonged to. His eyes flickered to Sebastian's bed again and he frowned. "Please tell me that I don't have to tell him about this."
Kurt:
Kurt wondered how each time they kissed could be so different from the last, his head was still swimming slightly, his lips parted and he could still feel the pressure of Blaine's mouth on his, still taste him there. It had been different to let Blaine have that bit of control, take the initiative like that, but if Kurt was being honest with himself, he enjoyed it.Except that it was over far too soon, reality crashing back down on both of them, sobering them quickly. Blaine's hand was still on Kurt's chest and Kurt covered it with his own, anchoring Blaine in place."It's probably better if you don't," he said quietly, "What he doesn't know won't hurt him and in this case, it would only end up hurting you."Kurt sighed, a little sadly this time, and gave Blaine's hand a gentle squeeze before pushing him back slightly. "Cupcakes." He said, and only had to try a little to find a smile. "What we need now is a sugar rush. And maybe to make this a regular occurrence. The movies, I mean. As long as Sebastian doesn't forbid company, I can come over once a week. If you can't get out to see New York, I'll bring the city to you. Next time I'll bring pizza. You haven't lived until you've tried Di Fara."
