We Compare Our Hearts [6/7]
Kurt woke up feeling horrible.
Not only because of the nausea sweeping through him, but because of how he left things with Blaine.
He didn’t mean to walk out on him, but he couldn’t stay.
His whole life he was talked down to and told he was worthless, so to get a boyfriend was a shock enough, let alone the circumstances of how it came to be in the first place.
But for Blaine to love him? He still couldn’t wrap his head around it.
It just… It had to be because of the bond. Right?
It was all so utterly confusing, but one thing was still sure. He needed Blaine.
Kurt groaned as he sat up and got dressed for school. He was finishing up lacing his boots when he heard glass shattering in the kitchen.
“Dad?” Kurt called. When he got no answer, he stood up in confusion.
He then heard Carole scream and Kurt bolted, flinging his door open and running down the hall, shouting out his stepbrother’s name and banging on his door on the way. His phone left completely forgotten on his bed.
Kurt stopped dead when he saw his father lying on the floor and Carole kneeling next to him crying.
Finn came barreling in after Kurt moments later. “What’s going-Oh my god.”
“Call 911, now!” Carole yelled, making Finn jump.
Kurt couldn’t move, his body was frozen in shock as he stared down at his father’s prone form on the ground. From the angle, Kurt couldn’t even tell if he was still breathing.
Finn must have made the call because a few minutes later, there was a hand on Kurt’s shoulder and comforting words being mumbled next to his ear that had no meaning to him.
He suddenly couldn’t think about the pain shooting through his body or Blaine’s hurt face when he walked out the door.
He couldn’t hear anything other than the rushing of blood to his ears and couldn’t see anything other than his father’s motionless body a few feet away from him.
**
Kurt didn’t remember the ambulance ride.
He didn’t remember Carole holding his hand or Finn’s guiding hand on his shoulder as they went to the waiting room and then an ICU room.
He certainly didn’t remember the pain ratcheting through him, getting worse by the minute.
He remembered the smell, though. Remembered the sharp antiseptic and the way it burned in his lungs.
He remembered the sounds, the inconsistent beepings and the artificial breathing.
He remembered swearing to himself that he would never walk into the hospital again, never wanting to be in the building that changed his life forever. And yet here he was.
He was having a hard time differentiating the so-similar memories of eight years ago with what was going on in the present.
They sat there for hours. Kurt staying silent as his body rebelled against him.
It hurt to blink and to breathe; to simply turn his head was excruciating, so Kurt stayed still, taking regulated breaths every ten seconds and blinking every five, like a robot. The counting helped him stay sane as he watched his father, willing even his finger to move.
Carole and Finn left for a few minutes, Finn deciding to get them both some coffee, Kurt declining the offer to move.
There was a knock on the door and Kurt tensed, his hand tightening on his father’s. He was not going to move, doctors be damned.
“Come in,” Kurt called warily, eyes focused on his dad.
“Kurt.”
Kurt gasped, turning his head so fast he was surprised he didn’t get whiplash.
Blaine was standing in the doorway, looking pale and exhausted, worry and relief battling in his eyes.
He crossed the room in five steps before stopping in front of Kurt, looking down at him sadly.
“Blaine…” Kurt said quietly before reaching up to fist the material of Blaine’s shirt tightly in his grasp and pulling.
Blaine went down easily, dropping to his knees and wrapping his arms tightly around Kurt as the younger boy cried harshly into his shirt.
The pain from being separated drained away but Kurt cried harder, his own pain and fear for his father replacing them and shaking him to his core.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, Blaine holding Kurt tightly against him and rocking slightly while Kurt clung back just as hard, trying in vain to stop crying.
When Finn and Carole returned, Blaine was still wrapped around Kurt, who had his face burrowed into his boyfriend’s chest, arms trapped between them.
They said nothing, Finn leaving the room for a moment only to come back with a fourth chair that he placed as close to Kurt’s as he could. Blaine looked at him appreciatively, staying on the ground for a few more minutes before Kurt let go of him and sniffed, nodding minutely.
Blaine kissed his temple before moving to sit next to him, moving his hand down to hold Kurt’s firmly in his. Kurt’s other hand immediately crept onto the bed and held his father’s.
He felt Blaine squeeze his hand and he squeezed back, wanting nothing more than for his other hand to be squeezed as well.
**
It was an hour later before anyone spoke, Carole’s quiet voice shattering Kurt’s concentration on the steady rise and fall of Burt’s chest.
“Kurt, honey, why don’t you stretch your legs? Maybe get something to eat?” She asked him, looking at her stepson concernedly.
When he didn’t answer, Carole moved her gaze to Blaine’s pleadingly. He nodded minutely before tugging gently on Kurt’s hand. “Come on babe, we’ll just be ten minutes, I promise. We both have our phones on us if needed, okay?” he said gently, as if talking to a scared animal.
Again, Kurt stayed quiet, but after a few seconds he stood, grip becoming impossibly tight on Blaine’s as the older boy led them out of the room.
Blaine walked them down the hallway, past the doctors and the nurses and past the rooms full of patients, past the beeping of machines and past the despairing looks of the people in the waiting room.
He led Kurt to the cafeteria and sat him down in one of the farthest booths before going up to the registers to buy something. He came back a few minutes later with two bottles of water and a sandwich, pushing them over towards Kurt, who didn’t make a move for them.
They sat in silence for a while before Kurt finally spoke up, his eyes still on the table. “How did you know?”
The question came as a surprise, Blaine needing a moment to process the words before speaking just as quietly. “I, uh… I didn’t. Not really.”
Kurt finally glanced up at him to see guilt on Blaine’s face as he scratched the back of his neck. “I… I almost passed out by third period, so someone took me to the nurse. We were lucky enough to pass Rachel on the way and when I begged her to tell me where you were she just said, 'You don’t know?!’ and then proceeded to tell me that you and Finn were here in the hospital and why.
“After that I made the guy that was helping me go back to class and I just left the building and came straight here.”
He ended with a shrug, fingers picking at the label on the water bottle to give his hands something to do.
“I’m sorry.”
Blaine looked up into Kurt’s eyes to see remorse there, making him take his hands away from the bottle and reach over to grab one of Kurt’s.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Kurt.”
“But I do!” he argued, pulling his hand away. “I mean, I ran out on you like a total asshole and left you alone all night and then I didn’t go to school so I let you get hurt. And I didn’t even call you to let you know! And you drove here. Blaine, are you crazy?! You could’ve been killed and then I would’ve been left-” Kurt’s voice was getting higher and higher with each word, the words beginning to slur together until Kurt’s rant turned into sobs, making Blaine get up and sit next to him quickly, gathering Kurt into his arms.
“I can’t lose you. And. And I can’t lose him, and dammit, Blaine, why is this happening?!” Kurt all but yelled into his shirt, causing people a few tables away to look at the two warily.
“Shh, shh, Kurt, it’s okay, I’m okay. And everything with your dad will be okay. None of this is your fault, you have to believe that.”
Kurt hiccupped a sob as he clung harder to Blaine’s shirt. Part of him should’ve been embarrassed that this was the second time in less than an hour that he was crying into his boyfriend’s shirt, but the other part of him just didn’t even care.
“And I’m never leaving you, Kurt. So please stop thinking that.”
Kurt closed his eyes against Blaine’s words, wanting so badly to believe them, to believe that this boy would always be by his side, whether or not he was forced to because of some bond that was beyond either of their comprehensions.
“Just,” Blaine continued, rubbing soothing circles onto his back, breath warm against his neck, “try to believe that everything will be better. It will get better, Kurt, I promise.”
After a few beats Kurt nodded, pulling away and sniffling.
Blaine reached up and wiped away the tear tracks on Kurt’s cheeks with his thumbs, giving him a small reassuring smile before leaning in and kissing him gently.
Blaine loved this boy with his whole heart, and he would do absolutely anything he had to do for him.
**
The hours passed slowly, the hands on the clock almost mocking them as they moved at a sluggish pace.
Blaine had texted his mother to inform her on what was going on before he shut off his phone, sighing as he dropped it into his pocket. Carole called a few family members while Finn mass-texted the New Directions.
Kurt simply sat and watched his dad.
He had never stared at anything so intently in his life as he did his father. Kurt would look at his eyes, hoping for maybe a flutter of his eyelashes. He looked at his hands, hoping for a twitch of his fingers. But nothing ever happened and with each passing hour, Blaine could almost feel the hopelessness as it slowly consumed the boy next to him.
When nighttime came Finn went home, promising to bring them all back actual food. Carole decided to stay with her husband but left the room to walk her son out.
Kurt wanted to stay. He wanted to stay badly, but then he looked over at Blaine, who was slumped over in his chair, light purple bags beginning to form under his eyes, and Kurt knew that they should go home so Blaine could sleep.
“We should go.”
“What?” Blaine asked, sitting up straight, eyes widening.
“Blaine, you’re exhausted and I put you through hell today, so come on, we can sleep tonight and I’ll just come back tomorrow once you’re rested.”
Blaine shook his head adamantly, crossing his arms over his chest. “No.”
“Blaine,” Kurt sighed, rubbing his hand down his face.
“No,” Blaine said again, reaching over to grab Kurt’s hand off his face. “Listen to me, Kurt. We are not leaving. You are not leaving your father’s side. You’re staying right where you are.”
“But what about-”
“I’m staying too.”
Kurt sighed his name again, his face falling.
“Kurt, you need to stay with your father and you need to stay with me, so I’m staying also. I’m not going to leave you just for sleep. Please don’t worry about me. And besides, I’d want to stay with you even if we weren’t connected.”
Kurt looked him in the eyes for a long moment, brows furrowed.
“I’m not leaving you, Kurt. We’re staying here. Together.” Blaine said again quietly but in an absolute tone, squeezing his hand before letting go and settling back into his chair, tipping his head against the wall and closing his eyes.
Kurt continued to stare at him, confusion swirling through him.
Blaine… Blaine wanted to stay. He was willing to spend the night (after already spending the entire day) in a small hospital room with Kurt because Kurt wanted to stay, not because they had to stay together.
Why?
“Why?” Kurt asked allowed, voice small, almost afraid of the answer.
“Because I love you,” Blaine said simply, keeping his eyes closed.
Kurt was struck with the answer, everything around him seeming to freeze.
Blaine loved him.
Blaine loved him.
The realization was like a punch to the gut the way it hit him because Blaine… Blaine loved him.
And he was pretty sure he was starting to love him back.
**
It took a while to convince the hospital staff to not only let Kurt stay but Blaine as well, but with some persuasion from Carole, both boys were allowed to stay.
Carole and Blaine fell asleep a short time later, a glance at the clock ticking on the wall showed Kurt that it was a little past one am.
But he couldn’t sleep.
Actually, he refused to.
The last time he fell asleep in a hospital he lost his mother and he was not about to let the same thing happen again.
So instead, Kurt continued doing what he had been for hours.
Staring.
But this time he changed it up, looking at his father every few minutes before turning his head to look at the boy next to him, asleep but still gripping Kurt’s hand tightly in his lap.
Blaine’s words kept echoing in Kurt’s head,IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou repeating like a mantra.
It was a little past four when movement across the bed made Kurt look up, Carole’s eyes blinking open slowly before connecting with Kurt’s as she gave him a small, sad smile.
“Have you slept any, sweetie?”
Carole took Kurt’s silence as a no and sighed quietly as she glanced over at Blaine, her eyes landing on the way he held onto Kurt’s hand even in his sleep.
“That boy really cares about you, you know.”
She said it matter-of-factly, like it was the most obvious thing on the planet and Kurt’s eyes widened minutely at her before glancing over at Blaine, squeezing his hand gently. “Yeah. I know,” he breathed out, smilingly slightly despite himself.
She nodded. “He’s really good for you too. I’m happy for you, Kurt. I’m really happy.”
Kurt looked up at her again, seeing the genuine expression on her face. He smiled, a real actual smile, for the first time in days.
“Thank you, Carole.”
**
Kurt and Blaine skipped school for the rest of the week (which kind of upset Kurt, since he didn’t feel right having Blaine miss school for him. But Blaine shut him up quickly, saying there was no way he was leaving Kurt’s side unless absolutely necessary.)
They all took turns going home (Finn was nice enough to drop by Blaine’s house to pick up some clothes for him to have at the Hummel’s house since it was closer to the hospital) and would sleep in shifts at the house.
It was Sunday, six days later, when Burt finally woke up.
It was close to 10PM, and once again Kurt, Blaine, and Carole were in the room (they had gone home the night before with Finn keeping vigil in the hospital).
Carole was watching the news on the TV mounted on the wall quietly while Kurt and Blaine sat together, slumped in their chairs next to the bed.
As always, Kurt held one of his father’s hands and Blaine held the other, the later drawing nonsensical patterns on his palm while Kurt tried to stay awake, eyelids growing heavy.
That was when he felt it. Something so faint he was probably imagining it but it still made him snap upright, startling Blaine.
“Ku-”
Kurt shushed him, staring down intently at his father. Carole hit the mute button on the tv and looked over, confusion and anxiety warring in her expression.
“D-Dad?” Kurt asked quietly, voice shaking, hand trembling in Blaine’s grasp.
“Dad? C-can you hear me? It’s me… Kurt. Dad? Please?” He asked again, staring hard down at the hand in his.
And then it happened again.
He felt the slightest amount of pressure on his hand and heard Carole gasp, which meant she saw it too.
Which meant it was real.
Which meant Burt was conscious.
Blaine stood up suddenly and went to the door, sticking his head out and calling for a nurse quickly, one appearing a few moments later.
“What’s going-oh!” The nurse said in surprise, seeing the hand Kurt was holding curled slightly, Burt's eyelids beginning to flutter.
The nurse ran out to get a doctor and when two returned along with the nurse, Kurt was moved away from the bed.
He didn’t realize he was crying until he felt Blaine’s hands once again on his face, his thumbs wiping away his tears.
“Oh god,” Kurt mumbled before burrowing his face into Blaine’s shirt, the older boy’s arms instantly coming up to wrap themselves around Kurt.
Carole moved next to them and put a hand on Blaine’s shoulder to lead them out of the room to let the doctors work.
The three of them stood outside for a few minutes, Carole calling Finn to let him know Burt was awake, before one of the doctors came out to say he was stable but would probably fall asleep soon.
Carole rushed in immediately, her eyes shining with tears as she smoothed her hand over Burt’s head, leaning down to kiss his forehead gently and whispering to him quietly.
Kurt still clung to Blaine and watched from the doorway, unable to move.
After a few moments Burt moved his gaze away from Carole and looked at Kurt, giving him a look that was equal parts loving and apologetic.
“Kurt…” Burt called out quietly, making him sob before he tore out of Blaine’s grasp and raced the short distance across the room. He collapsed onto his knees by the bed and dropped his head to his father’s chest, his eyes burning with tears.
“I’m so sorry, buddy,” Burt said quietly, running one hand through Kurt’s hair and the other over his back.
Kurt sniffed loudly but nodded before looking up, his eyes red and puffy.
Burt ran his hand gently down the side of Kurt’s face and neck before gripping his shoulder and tugging until he was hugging Kurt as best as he could, Kurt’s arms gently winding around his neck.
“I love you,” Kurt said quietly, breathing in his father’s scent, never wanting to take it for granted ever again.
“I love you too, Kurt.”
**
Kurt doesn’t let go of his dad’s hand the entire time the doctor in the room rattles things off to Burt and Carole.
He doesn’t even move when the nurses come in, he just pulls his chair in closer and makes them work around him.
It’s difficult, but it works.
When Finn comes back Kurt is somewhat surprised to see the utter relief and happiness on his stepbrother’s face. He knew that Finn loved him in some weird way, but this was the first time Kurt saw just how much Finn loved his father.
It brought a small smile to his lips.
He felt a tug on his hand and looked over at Burt. “Yeah?”
His dad smiled tired at him before nodding to the door. “Bud, why don’t you go home and get some actual sleep?”
“But Dad-”
“Kurt. I promise you, I’m okay. And it would make me feel so much better to know that you got a good night’s sleep at home for once this week. Please?”
Kurt stayed silent and Burt then flicked his gaze over to the boy next to him. “Thank you, by the way.”
Blaine’s eyes widened minutely before his face scrunched in confusion. “Sir?”
Burt shook his head, taking in a deep breath. “It’s Burt, Blaine. And I know you’ve been here the whole time for my son and just… thank you, for that. It’s nice to know that someone will be there to take care of him when I’m not able to.”
Kurt didn’t hear Blaine’s reply through the sudden rush of blood pounding through his ears, his dad’s words buzzing in his head as a memory from eight years ago filled his mind,
“When that time comes, he’ll have someone who will stay with him and take care of him. Whether he’s sick or sad and lonely or just needs someone to hold him and talk to him, he’ll have someone, no matter what.”
“Who will that be mommy?”
Elizabeth smiled down at him, caressing his cheek before leaning down to kiss his forehead, “Your soulmate.”
“-urt? Kurt?”
Kurt sucked in a small breath, shaking his head a bit before looking up. “S-Sorry,” he mumbled sheepishly.
“Kurt, I really want you to go home for the night, okay? Blaine will go with you so you’re not alone and you can come back here first thing, all right?”
Kurt looked at Blaine before looking at his father. He bit his lip before giving a small nod of his head. “Okay, Dad.”
Burt smiled and tugged Kurt’s hand, making him move closer towards the bed so he could kiss Kurt’s temple.
“Love you, Dad.”
“Love you, too. You kids be safe driving home.”
“We will Mr. Hu-Burt,” Blaine answered, smiling gratefully at the man before tangling his fingers with Kurt’s and leading them out of the room and out of the hospital.
**
part 7
Not only because of the nausea sweeping through him, but because of how he left things with Blaine.
He didn’t mean to walk out on him, but he couldn’t stay.
His whole life he was talked down to and told he was worthless, so to get a boyfriend was a shock enough, let alone the circumstances of how it came to be in the first place.
But for Blaine to love him? He still couldn’t wrap his head around it.
It just… It had to be because of the bond. Right?
It was all so utterly confusing, but one thing was still sure. He needed Blaine.
Kurt groaned as he sat up and got dressed for school. He was finishing up lacing his boots when he heard glass shattering in the kitchen.
“Dad?” Kurt called. When he got no answer, he stood up in confusion.
He then heard Carole scream and Kurt bolted, flinging his door open and running down the hall, shouting out his stepbrother’s name and banging on his door on the way. His phone left completely forgotten on his bed.
Kurt stopped dead when he saw his father lying on the floor and Carole kneeling next to him crying.
Finn came barreling in after Kurt moments later. “What’s going-Oh my god.”
“Call 911, now!” Carole yelled, making Finn jump.
Kurt couldn’t move, his body was frozen in shock as he stared down at his father’s prone form on the ground. From the angle, Kurt couldn’t even tell if he was still breathing.
Finn must have made the call because a few minutes later, there was a hand on Kurt’s shoulder and comforting words being mumbled next to his ear that had no meaning to him.
He suddenly couldn’t think about the pain shooting through his body or Blaine’s hurt face when he walked out the door.
He couldn’t hear anything other than the rushing of blood to his ears and couldn’t see anything other than his father’s motionless body a few feet away from him.
**
Kurt didn’t remember the ambulance ride.
He didn’t remember Carole holding his hand or Finn’s guiding hand on his shoulder as they went to the waiting room and then an ICU room.
He certainly didn’t remember the pain ratcheting through him, getting worse by the minute.
He remembered the smell, though. Remembered the sharp antiseptic and the way it burned in his lungs.
He remembered the sounds, the inconsistent beepings and the artificial breathing.
He remembered swearing to himself that he would never walk into the hospital again, never wanting to be in the building that changed his life forever. And yet here he was.
He was having a hard time differentiating the so-similar memories of eight years ago with what was going on in the present.
They sat there for hours. Kurt staying silent as his body rebelled against him.
It hurt to blink and to breathe; to simply turn his head was excruciating, so Kurt stayed still, taking regulated breaths every ten seconds and blinking every five, like a robot. The counting helped him stay sane as he watched his father, willing even his finger to move.
Carole and Finn left for a few minutes, Finn deciding to get them both some coffee, Kurt declining the offer to move.
There was a knock on the door and Kurt tensed, his hand tightening on his father’s. He was not going to move, doctors be damned.
“Come in,” Kurt called warily, eyes focused on his dad.
“Kurt.”
Kurt gasped, turning his head so fast he was surprised he didn’t get whiplash.
Blaine was standing in the doorway, looking pale and exhausted, worry and relief battling in his eyes.
He crossed the room in five steps before stopping in front of Kurt, looking down at him sadly.
“Blaine…” Kurt said quietly before reaching up to fist the material of Blaine’s shirt tightly in his grasp and pulling.
Blaine went down easily, dropping to his knees and wrapping his arms tightly around Kurt as the younger boy cried harshly into his shirt.
The pain from being separated drained away but Kurt cried harder, his own pain and fear for his father replacing them and shaking him to his core.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, Blaine holding Kurt tightly against him and rocking slightly while Kurt clung back just as hard, trying in vain to stop crying.
When Finn and Carole returned, Blaine was still wrapped around Kurt, who had his face burrowed into his boyfriend’s chest, arms trapped between them.
They said nothing, Finn leaving the room for a moment only to come back with a fourth chair that he placed as close to Kurt’s as he could. Blaine looked at him appreciatively, staying on the ground for a few more minutes before Kurt let go of him and sniffed, nodding minutely.
Blaine kissed his temple before moving to sit next to him, moving his hand down to hold Kurt’s firmly in his. Kurt’s other hand immediately crept onto the bed and held his father’s.
He felt Blaine squeeze his hand and he squeezed back, wanting nothing more than for his other hand to be squeezed as well.
**
It was an hour later before anyone spoke, Carole’s quiet voice shattering Kurt’s concentration on the steady rise and fall of Burt’s chest.
“Kurt, honey, why don’t you stretch your legs? Maybe get something to eat?” She asked him, looking at her stepson concernedly.
When he didn’t answer, Carole moved her gaze to Blaine’s pleadingly. He nodded minutely before tugging gently on Kurt’s hand. “Come on babe, we’ll just be ten minutes, I promise. We both have our phones on us if needed, okay?” he said gently, as if talking to a scared animal.
Again, Kurt stayed quiet, but after a few seconds he stood, grip becoming impossibly tight on Blaine’s as the older boy led them out of the room.
Blaine walked them down the hallway, past the doctors and the nurses and past the rooms full of patients, past the beeping of machines and past the despairing looks of the people in the waiting room.
He led Kurt to the cafeteria and sat him down in one of the farthest booths before going up to the registers to buy something. He came back a few minutes later with two bottles of water and a sandwich, pushing them over towards Kurt, who didn’t make a move for them.
They sat in silence for a while before Kurt finally spoke up, his eyes still on the table. “How did you know?”
The question came as a surprise, Blaine needing a moment to process the words before speaking just as quietly. “I, uh… I didn’t. Not really.”
Kurt finally glanced up at him to see guilt on Blaine’s face as he scratched the back of his neck. “I… I almost passed out by third period, so someone took me to the nurse. We were lucky enough to pass Rachel on the way and when I begged her to tell me where you were she just said, 'You don’t know?!’ and then proceeded to tell me that you and Finn were here in the hospital and why.
“After that I made the guy that was helping me go back to class and I just left the building and came straight here.”
He ended with a shrug, fingers picking at the label on the water bottle to give his hands something to do.
“I’m sorry.”
Blaine looked up into Kurt’s eyes to see remorse there, making him take his hands away from the bottle and reach over to grab one of Kurt’s.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Kurt.”
“But I do!” he argued, pulling his hand away. “I mean, I ran out on you like a total asshole and left you alone all night and then I didn’t go to school so I let you get hurt. And I didn’t even call you to let you know! And you drove here. Blaine, are you crazy?! You could’ve been killed and then I would’ve been left-” Kurt’s voice was getting higher and higher with each word, the words beginning to slur together until Kurt’s rant turned into sobs, making Blaine get up and sit next to him quickly, gathering Kurt into his arms.
“I can’t lose you. And. And I can’t lose him, and dammit, Blaine, why is this happening?!” Kurt all but yelled into his shirt, causing people a few tables away to look at the two warily.
“Shh, shh, Kurt, it’s okay, I’m okay. And everything with your dad will be okay. None of this is your fault, you have to believe that.”
Kurt hiccupped a sob as he clung harder to Blaine’s shirt. Part of him should’ve been embarrassed that this was the second time in less than an hour that he was crying into his boyfriend’s shirt, but the other part of him just didn’t even care.
“And I’m never leaving you, Kurt. So please stop thinking that.”
Kurt closed his eyes against Blaine’s words, wanting so badly to believe them, to believe that this boy would always be by his side, whether or not he was forced to because of some bond that was beyond either of their comprehensions.
“Just,” Blaine continued, rubbing soothing circles onto his back, breath warm against his neck, “try to believe that everything will be better. It will get better, Kurt, I promise.”
After a few beats Kurt nodded, pulling away and sniffling.
Blaine reached up and wiped away the tear tracks on Kurt’s cheeks with his thumbs, giving him a small reassuring smile before leaning in and kissing him gently.
Blaine loved this boy with his whole heart, and he would do absolutely anything he had to do for him.
**
The hours passed slowly, the hands on the clock almost mocking them as they moved at a sluggish pace.
Blaine had texted his mother to inform her on what was going on before he shut off his phone, sighing as he dropped it into his pocket. Carole called a few family members while Finn mass-texted the New Directions.
Kurt simply sat and watched his dad.
He had never stared at anything so intently in his life as he did his father. Kurt would look at his eyes, hoping for maybe a flutter of his eyelashes. He looked at his hands, hoping for a twitch of his fingers. But nothing ever happened and with each passing hour, Blaine could almost feel the hopelessness as it slowly consumed the boy next to him.
When nighttime came Finn went home, promising to bring them all back actual food. Carole decided to stay with her husband but left the room to walk her son out.
Kurt wanted to stay. He wanted to stay badly, but then he looked over at Blaine, who was slumped over in his chair, light purple bags beginning to form under his eyes, and Kurt knew that they should go home so Blaine could sleep.
“We should go.”
“What?” Blaine asked, sitting up straight, eyes widening.
“Blaine, you’re exhausted and I put you through hell today, so come on, we can sleep tonight and I’ll just come back tomorrow once you’re rested.”
Blaine shook his head adamantly, crossing his arms over his chest. “No.”
“Blaine,” Kurt sighed, rubbing his hand down his face.
“No,” Blaine said again, reaching over to grab Kurt’s hand off his face. “Listen to me, Kurt. We are not leaving. You are not leaving your father’s side. You’re staying right where you are.”
“But what about-”
“I’m staying too.”
Kurt sighed his name again, his face falling.
“Kurt, you need to stay with your father and you need to stay with me, so I’m staying also. I’m not going to leave you just for sleep. Please don’t worry about me. And besides, I’d want to stay with you even if we weren’t connected.”
Kurt looked him in the eyes for a long moment, brows furrowed.
“I’m not leaving you, Kurt. We’re staying here. Together.” Blaine said again quietly but in an absolute tone, squeezing his hand before letting go and settling back into his chair, tipping his head against the wall and closing his eyes.
Kurt continued to stare at him, confusion swirling through him.
Blaine… Blaine wanted to stay. He was willing to spend the night (after already spending the entire day) in a small hospital room with Kurt because Kurt wanted to stay, not because they had to stay together.
Why?
“Why?” Kurt asked allowed, voice small, almost afraid of the answer.
“Because I love you,” Blaine said simply, keeping his eyes closed.
Kurt was struck with the answer, everything around him seeming to freeze.
Blaine loved him.
Blaine loved him.
The realization was like a punch to the gut the way it hit him because Blaine… Blaine loved him.
And he was pretty sure he was starting to love him back.
**
It took a while to convince the hospital staff to not only let Kurt stay but Blaine as well, but with some persuasion from Carole, both boys were allowed to stay.
Carole and Blaine fell asleep a short time later, a glance at the clock ticking on the wall showed Kurt that it was a little past one am.
But he couldn’t sleep.
Actually, he refused to.
The last time he fell asleep in a hospital he lost his mother and he was not about to let the same thing happen again.
So instead, Kurt continued doing what he had been for hours.
Staring.
But this time he changed it up, looking at his father every few minutes before turning his head to look at the boy next to him, asleep but still gripping Kurt’s hand tightly in his lap.
Blaine’s words kept echoing in Kurt’s head,IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou repeating like a mantra.
It was a little past four when movement across the bed made Kurt look up, Carole’s eyes blinking open slowly before connecting with Kurt’s as she gave him a small, sad smile.
“Have you slept any, sweetie?”
Carole took Kurt’s silence as a no and sighed quietly as she glanced over at Blaine, her eyes landing on the way he held onto Kurt’s hand even in his sleep.
“That boy really cares about you, you know.”
She said it matter-of-factly, like it was the most obvious thing on the planet and Kurt’s eyes widened minutely at her before glancing over at Blaine, squeezing his hand gently. “Yeah. I know,” he breathed out, smilingly slightly despite himself.
She nodded. “He’s really good for you too. I’m happy for you, Kurt. I’m really happy.”
Kurt looked up at her again, seeing the genuine expression on her face. He smiled, a real actual smile, for the first time in days.
“Thank you, Carole.”
**
Kurt and Blaine skipped school for the rest of the week (which kind of upset Kurt, since he didn’t feel right having Blaine miss school for him. But Blaine shut him up quickly, saying there was no way he was leaving Kurt’s side unless absolutely necessary.)
They all took turns going home (Finn was nice enough to drop by Blaine’s house to pick up some clothes for him to have at the Hummel’s house since it was closer to the hospital) and would sleep in shifts at the house.
It was Sunday, six days later, when Burt finally woke up.
It was close to 10PM, and once again Kurt, Blaine, and Carole were in the room (they had gone home the night before with Finn keeping vigil in the hospital).
Carole was watching the news on the TV mounted on the wall quietly while Kurt and Blaine sat together, slumped in their chairs next to the bed.
As always, Kurt held one of his father’s hands and Blaine held the other, the later drawing nonsensical patterns on his palm while Kurt tried to stay awake, eyelids growing heavy.
That was when he felt it. Something so faint he was probably imagining it but it still made him snap upright, startling Blaine.
“Ku-”
Kurt shushed him, staring down intently at his father. Carole hit the mute button on the tv and looked over, confusion and anxiety warring in her expression.
“D-Dad?” Kurt asked quietly, voice shaking, hand trembling in Blaine’s grasp.
“Dad? C-can you hear me? It’s me… Kurt. Dad? Please?” He asked again, staring hard down at the hand in his.
And then it happened again.
He felt the slightest amount of pressure on his hand and heard Carole gasp, which meant she saw it too.
Which meant it was real.
Which meant Burt was conscious.
Blaine stood up suddenly and went to the door, sticking his head out and calling for a nurse quickly, one appearing a few moments later.
“What’s going-oh!” The nurse said in surprise, seeing the hand Kurt was holding curled slightly, Burt's eyelids beginning to flutter.
The nurse ran out to get a doctor and when two returned along with the nurse, Kurt was moved away from the bed.
He didn’t realize he was crying until he felt Blaine’s hands once again on his face, his thumbs wiping away his tears.
“Oh god,” Kurt mumbled before burrowing his face into Blaine’s shirt, the older boy’s arms instantly coming up to wrap themselves around Kurt.
Carole moved next to them and put a hand on Blaine’s shoulder to lead them out of the room to let the doctors work.
The three of them stood outside for a few minutes, Carole calling Finn to let him know Burt was awake, before one of the doctors came out to say he was stable but would probably fall asleep soon.
Carole rushed in immediately, her eyes shining with tears as she smoothed her hand over Burt’s head, leaning down to kiss his forehead gently and whispering to him quietly.
Kurt still clung to Blaine and watched from the doorway, unable to move.
After a few moments Burt moved his gaze away from Carole and looked at Kurt, giving him a look that was equal parts loving and apologetic.
“Kurt…” Burt called out quietly, making him sob before he tore out of Blaine’s grasp and raced the short distance across the room. He collapsed onto his knees by the bed and dropped his head to his father’s chest, his eyes burning with tears.
“I’m so sorry, buddy,” Burt said quietly, running one hand through Kurt’s hair and the other over his back.
Kurt sniffed loudly but nodded before looking up, his eyes red and puffy.
Burt ran his hand gently down the side of Kurt’s face and neck before gripping his shoulder and tugging until he was hugging Kurt as best as he could, Kurt’s arms gently winding around his neck.
“I love you,” Kurt said quietly, breathing in his father’s scent, never wanting to take it for granted ever again.
“I love you too, Kurt.”
**
Kurt doesn’t let go of his dad’s hand the entire time the doctor in the room rattles things off to Burt and Carole.
He doesn’t even move when the nurses come in, he just pulls his chair in closer and makes them work around him.
It’s difficult, but it works.
When Finn comes back Kurt is somewhat surprised to see the utter relief and happiness on his stepbrother’s face. He knew that Finn loved him in some weird way, but this was the first time Kurt saw just how much Finn loved his father.
It brought a small smile to his lips.
He felt a tug on his hand and looked over at Burt. “Yeah?”
His dad smiled tired at him before nodding to the door. “Bud, why don’t you go home and get some actual sleep?”
“But Dad-”
“Kurt. I promise you, I’m okay. And it would make me feel so much better to know that you got a good night’s sleep at home for once this week. Please?”
Kurt stayed silent and Burt then flicked his gaze over to the boy next to him. “Thank you, by the way.”
Blaine’s eyes widened minutely before his face scrunched in confusion. “Sir?”
Burt shook his head, taking in a deep breath. “It’s Burt, Blaine. And I know you’ve been here the whole time for my son and just… thank you, for that. It’s nice to know that someone will be there to take care of him when I’m not able to.”
Kurt didn’t hear Blaine’s reply through the sudden rush of blood pounding through his ears, his dad’s words buzzing in his head as a memory from eight years ago filled his mind,
“When that time comes, he’ll have someone who will stay with him and take care of him. Whether he’s sick or sad and lonely or just needs someone to hold him and talk to him, he’ll have someone, no matter what.”
“Who will that be mommy?”
Elizabeth smiled down at him, caressing his cheek before leaning down to kiss his forehead, “Your soulmate.”
“-urt? Kurt?”
Kurt sucked in a small breath, shaking his head a bit before looking up. “S-Sorry,” he mumbled sheepishly.
“Kurt, I really want you to go home for the night, okay? Blaine will go with you so you’re not alone and you can come back here first thing, all right?”
Kurt looked at Blaine before looking at his father. He bit his lip before giving a small nod of his head. “Okay, Dad.”
Burt smiled and tugged Kurt’s hand, making him move closer towards the bed so he could kiss Kurt’s temple.
“Love you, Dad.”
“Love you, too. You kids be safe driving home.”
“We will Mr. Hu-Burt,” Blaine answered, smiling gratefully at the man before tangling his fingers with Kurt’s and leading them out of the room and out of the hospital.
**
part 7