Author notes: I am not sure where this came from but I made a bash-centric Klaine video a few days ago and I think that probably planted the idea.
Blaine wasn't sleeping.
If there was one thing Kurt was absolutely sure about, it was that. His fiance had not had a full night's sleep in way too long. He had just...stopped. To be more exact, he'd stopped sleeping the day Kurt was let out of the hospital after his unfortunate and rather painful run-in with some homophobes in an alley. In fact, the last time Kurt remembered watching Blaine sleep was in the hospital bed. When Kurt had finally resurfaced from the heavy dose of morphine, he had woken up to Blaine snoring lightly in his ear while wrapped around him like a human cocoon. That was three days ago now and even their friends were starting to notice. Sam being here right now with Blaine at work was proof of that.
"Dude, you gotta do something, he's..."
"I have a real name, you know." Kurt said, trying to steer Sam away from the current topic, he'd rather not talk about it. "And 'dude' is not it, Sam." He put emphasis on the last word. Sam rolled his eyes, but complied.
"Kurt."
"Thank you." Kurt walked to the mirror on his desk to put some ointment on a stubborn bruise that refused to fade as fast as the others. The one above his left eye.
"Does it still hurt?"
Kurt looked at the blond in the reflection of the mirror as he gingely tended to his eye and was touched to see genuine concern. "Not a lot, no." He sighed and figured he might as well get this over it. "Now, what can I do for you, Sam?"
"Something is wrong with Blaine." He said it like Kurt didn't know that already and it annoyed him. He spent most of his time with Blaine, for God's sake. Of course he knew. That Sam had noticed too said a lot though, he wasn't normally the sharpest tool in the shed. "He tried showing me fanfiction about polygamous wookies and then he just sort of spaced out."
"Polygamous wookies, really?" Kurt snorted. He knew Blaine and Sam were into some strange things, but this was a new level of adorably dorky.
"Don't mock it until you've read it. In theory, it actually makes a lot of sense."
"I would't know." Kurt said and couldn't help himself. "I'm not into Star Trek."
"It's Star WARS! God, Kurt!" Sam squeaked. Kurt already knew that, of course. One of his favorite hobbies was to pretend to be completely ignorant about this stuff just to rile Blaine up. So sue him, messing with the nerd duo was fun and they absolutely hated when someone mixed the two up.
"Really?" Sam rolled his eyes like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Stop deflecting, Kurt. I know you better than you think I do." He crossed his arms and Kurt turned around to face him, copying his pose. "And I know you're worried about him too."
"Then why are you here?" Kurt challenged.
"Because I want to know why you are not doing anything about it?"
"Sam." Kurt sighed. "Of course I know something's up. I know him better than he knows himself. But there is not much I can do when he won't talk to me about it. I've tried all week but he just doesn't open up about whatever's bothering him. And I am pretty sure he's not sleeping."
"Are you really that dumb?" Sam asked.
"Excuse me?!" Kurt barked, taking a step towards the blond, eyes flashing, who wisely took a quick step back. Angry Kurt scared Sam even though he was both taller and more muscled.
"I didn't mean that the way it came out." He said apologetically, hands raised up in a placating manner. "It's just that...even I know whats bothering him."
"Well, then by all means, enlighten me." Kurt raised a eyebrow.
"It's you." Sam stated. "It's always been about you. Ever since I met him, Blaine has been all about you. To an extent that it's actually a little disc...discon...eh..."
"Disconcerting?"
"Yeah, that." Sam admitted and Kurt hummed. "I didn't know him before he met you, but sometimes I wonder if he even knows who he is without you, Kurt." Wow, the blond was way more perceptive than Kurt gave him credit for.
"I admit, I have wondered that myself." Kurt nodded, he knew Blaine tended to be a little clingy. Or...a lot. "But we talked about it and that's why he moved out. I needed space and he needed to discover the city on his own. Separate from me."
"I admit, that might have worked. If you hadn't been attacked."
"What do you mean?"
"It really shook him. You didn't see him the first time you guys broke up, Kurt. When he thought he had lost you for good. He was a shadow of who he was, hated himself. I have never seen anyone that depressed before. But at least he was talking about how he felt. To me, and to you too. Even during the time you were apart."
"Yeah, I know exactly what shape he was in..." Kurt sighed. "He told me in every way possible how sorry he was, even if I never responded to his messages."
"I know. But this is worse. I was with him when he got that call from the hospital and he just completely went catatonic for a while. He looked so scared, I knew right away something had happened to you. He would not make that face for anyone else. I think he loves you more than I have ever loved anyone."
"Once he lets himself fall, Blaine feels more than probably any of us." Kurt admitted. "He has an encredibly big heart. And he wears his emotions on his sleeve too."
"Exactly. But that's what's so weird about it, because this time, he doesn't. It's like he's shut it off. Can't you tell? He won't talk about the attack with me, when I try he changes the subject, like he is detached from it. And I never thought that would be a word I would use to describe Blaine. He is so not the detached type, he is always deeply involved in everything."
"I get what you're saying, Sam." Kurt agreed. "He's been walking around here like a robot and surviving on coffee and no matter what I do, he doesn't let me in. I'm afraid he will hurt himself if he doesn't get some rest."
"I think he went into shock when he thought you were dead and never found a way out of it."
"It's likely, all I know is that he hasn't been the same since I woke up in the hospital. It's like he's hovering constantly, watching me...with this worried look...it's even worse than before. And he just looks so worn out. But when I ask about it, he retreats and I don't think there is any reasoning to be done here before he sleeps." Kurt confessed.
"What are you gonna do?"
"He's staying here tonight, when he gets here I am gonna try to get through to him again. And if I can't, then I am drugging him for his own safety."
"You are not gonna like...give him steroids or anything, right? Because we all know how that worked out for the Warblers."
"For crying out loud, Sam. No!" Sometimes Sam was precisely as stupid as he seemed. "I have a secret weapon." Kurt walked to the kitchen cabinet and took out the bottle of Nyquil. "A little bit of this will knock him right out for ten hours at least and he has nowhere to be tomorrow so it won't affect his schedule."
"Yeah, you know. That is not really a secret. Tina told me he was totally out cold from that when she vapo-rape..."
"Don't!" Kurt put up a finger. "Mention that word in this house, Sam." He warned. "I am still pissed off about that." The thought of Tina's hands all over Blaine's chest just irked him. MINE.
"Sorry." Sam at least looked sheepish. There was a small pause. Then Kurt had to ask.
"Hey Sam. Is it wrong? Like morally?" He said fiddling with the bottle in his hands. "I wouldn't normally do this and I have never done it before, only contemplated it the last few days, but you coming here gave me the last push I needed to take action."
"You just wanna help him, right?"
"Yeah. I do."
"Then no. I don't think it's wrong, Kurt. I see the bags under his eyes too. He's not looking good, he's definitely getting sick."
"I just feel like maybe this is a breach of trust."
"It's cold medicine you're giving him. Not heroin."
"I know, but still..."
"Don't overthink this. I am sure he will understand why you did it. You could probably get away with murder when it comes to Blaine."
"Yeah, that's the problem, isn't it?" Kurt looked away. "He loves me so much that he will probably forgive me anything. I'm pretty sure I could break up with him out of the blue and leave him today and basically dump him at the altar and still be able to win him back if I wanted to."
"Do you plan on doing that?" Sam asked. "Because Blaine might forgive you, but I am not sure I could."
"You have nothing to worry about in that department, I can assure you. I'm in this for the long haul."
"Good. Listen, Kurt. The kind of devotion Blaine has for you is not a bad thing. It is something rare and precious. The way he looks at you sometimes. It's so damn tender. It's the kind of love that lasts a lifetime and you're so lucky to have found that. Most of us don't." Holy hell, that was deep. "And you know, Blaine wasn't the only one having a hard time watching you in that hospital bed." Kurt got a little misty-eyed at that confession, his friends really cared about him.
"I know all of that, Sam." Kurt smiled and leaned in to give him a hug. "I do. But thank you for reminding me and for caring enough about Blaine to come talk to me."
"No problem." He smiled back and looked at the clock, Kurt followed his gaze. "I better go."
"Yeah, if he finds you here he will know something is going on." They walked to the door.
"Good luck with everything." Sam stepped outside. "Text me when it's done."
"Thanks. I will. Take care of yourself." His friend turned around, disappearing down the hall and Kurt slid the door closed with a clang. Now all there was left to do was wait.
He had only been on the couch for twenty minutes when there was a knock on the door and Kurt rolled his eyes. Blaine still had a key but no matter how many times Kurt told him to just let himself in, he never did. The view meeting him when he opened the door was even worse than this morning. Blaine's clothes were rumpled, his eyes were bloodshot and the bags under them were even more pronounced. He looked like a zombie. He also kind of walked like the Walking Dead as he stumpled through the door like he was drunk, but Kurt knew he wasn't. There was not a trace of alcohol on his lips when he leaned in to kiss Kurt. It had to be pure exhaustion and that scared Kurt.
"Hi honey." Blaine said. Even his words slurred together now.
"Sweetie. You look dead on your feet. Come in and let me take care of you."
"Mkay, but first I need a coffee." Blaine said and headed for the coffee maker, but Kurt quickly steered him away.
"Good God, no more coffee."
"But..."
"It's too late for coffee, Blaine." Kurt dismissed and Blaine looked so adorably pouty that he just had to kiss him again. "Lets sit on the couch for a while and talk."
"Okay." Blaine agreed, following Kurt's lead blindly and Kurt was hopeful that maybe this was going to be easier than he first thought. They laid down on the couch and Kurt cuddled his fiance up next to his chest instantly, knowing how much Blaine loved that position. He started running his fingers through his hair, loosening the gel and hoping to make Blaine relaxed enough to fall asleep the natural way.
"So, how are you feeling?" Kurt prodded and Blaine giggled tiredly.
"You ask me that every day." Only the last three days and I wouldn't have to keep asking if you would just be honest with me, Kurt thought. "I'm fine." You are not.
"You sure?" Kurt pushed. "Nothing's bothering you? You know, we haven't really talked about the attack." That was the wrong thing to say because Blaine jumped up right away with a manic look on his face. It happened so fast that he swayed a little on the spot and Kurt was afraid he would fall over. Luckily, he didn't.
"Look, babe. I need to finish some school work tonight." Blaine said avoiding eye contact.
"It's the weekend tomorrow, can't you do it then?" Kurt asked, not believing a word.
"No, I really need to get this done right away." You're lying to me, Blaine. I see right through you.
"Okay, but don't stay up too long." Kurt tried. "I miss you in bed with me."
"Actually, it will probably take all night. But you go sleep." Kurt watched as Blaine walked to the table and began filling it with books that Kurt knew he wasn't actually going to use and the last patience he had seeped right out of him. Oh, that's it. You are sleeping tonight, mister.
"Okay." Kurt played along and went to the fridge while keeping an eye on Blaine who was now sitting at the table, trying to hide a yawn behind his hand. This is silly, why won't he just rest?! "Hey B." He called, making Blaine look up at him. "You want a beer?"
"Sure." Blaine shrugged.
"One beer coming right up." Kurt said as he quickly opened a can. He stared hard a the Nyquil bottle for a second, then back at Blaine, then back at the bottle before swiftly measuring a fair amount of the liquid and adding it to the beer. Greater good, Kurt. Greater good. Then he went to Blaine and put it on the table. "Here you go, honey. "
"Thank you, love." Blaine looked up at him and smiled, but his careful mask slipped a bit, making Kurt see exactly how tired he was. Kurt knew he was making the right choice then. Blaine was going to pull one more all-nighter and he couldn't go four days without sleep. That was insane. Kurt watched him take a sip and held his breath hoping Blaine couldn't taste anything wrong. He obviously didn't since he finished half of it in a few gulps. Thank Gaga.
"I am going to go to bed." Kurt said, giving Blaine a kiss on the cheek and got a hum in response. He had no intention of doing that though, it was all pretend. He changed into his night clothes and took way longer with his skin care routine than usual. All the while watching Blaine as he finished the beer and began to slip more and more. First he started rubbing his eyes, then he put his face in his palms, before he slid further down to rest his arms on the table and soon enough his head followed resting on them. That's when Kurt pounced.
"Blaine?"
"Mmm." Blaine didn't lift his head.
"Blaine, hey."
"Kurrr?" Blaine slurred and Kurt knew he had precious little time to get him moved.
"Yes, it's me. Baby, come to bed."
"Don' wanna sleep."
"Why? Why don't you wanna sleep?"
"Have to...watch...over...you." Blaine mumbled. "Wan protect you." Awh baby.
"You can protect me in bed, how does that sound?"
"No." Blaine rubbed his eyes hard and tried to sit up straight but needed help even doing that. "Scared." Scared?
"What are you scared of?" Blaine didn't answer and Kurt tried again. "Blaine, tell me. What are you afraid of?"
"You." Me?! "Getting...hurt."
"But love, I am not going to get hurt. I am not going anywhere." He pulled Blaine to his feet and more or less dragged him to the bed. "Why haven't you told me you felt like this?"
"Too...needy." Blaine sighed as his fell down on the bed and Kurt felt awful. He did this, Blaine tried to deal with this alone because he didn't want Kurt to think he was too needy and how could he blame him with the way things had been between them when they lived together.
"It's okay. It's okay." Kurt said as he got Blaine out of his clothes, but he didn't know if he was saying it to himself or to Blaine. When he was done he laid down next to his fiance and pulled the covers over both of them.
"Don' go. Please." Blaine begged and Kurt cuddled him close, taking Blaine's face and tenderly stroking his cheek with his thumb. "I am not going anywhere, you hear me, honey." He stared into Blaine's sleepy eyes and his fiance leaned into the touch. "So...tired." It broke Kurt's heart. "You can sleep, B. Nothing will happen to me." Blaine closed his eyes. "Promise?" Kurt pressed a kiss to his lips. "I promise. Now sleep. I want you to sleep. Do that for me?"
"Mmkay. I love you." Blaine sighed and his head went heavy and slipped out of Kurt's hand. He was instantly in a deep sleep, features smooth and lips slightly parted, Kurt smiled at the tiny snore he heard.
"I love you too." He whispered, knowing Blaine couldn't hear him. "I'm so sorry I had to do this to you, but it was for your own good." Then he reached for his phone.
To Sam:
It's done. He's out for the night. I feel awful about it though.
From Sam:
Glad to hear it. You did the right thing. Night, Kurt.
To Sam:
Thanks, Sam. I really needed to hear that. Goodnight.
He put the phone back on the nightstand and checked the clock. It was almost midnight. Blaine would probably stay asleep well into the morning and Kurt settled in for a nice long sleep in his fiance's arms for the first time in what felt like forever.
When he woke up at 10 am, Blaine was still asleep next to him. He looked adorable cuddled into Kurt's side like a baby koala. "I love you so much, Blaine, I just hope you forgive me for doing this." Kurt sighed, kissing his forehead and then stretched like a cat. Blaine didn't stir at all and just rolled off Kurt like a ragdoll. Okay, so still affected by the meds. He decided to make breakfast. If Blaine wasn't awake by noon, he would try to wake him up. Turned out he did have to do exactly that. Whether it was because of the drugs or because Blaine needed the rest, he wasn't sure. But he jumped back into bed a few minutes past noon and gently roused his fiance.
"Blaine? Baby? I would really love for you do wake up now. Can you do that?" Blaine did start to stir then, making little cute snuffle noises and Kurt absolutely swooned. "Blaine, are you awake?" Slowly his fiance did blink his eyes open. "There you are."
"Kurt?" He yawned.
"Hi. How are you feeling?" Blaine looked confused for some seconds looking around.
"Like I've slept for a century." He hesitated. "I...um...I don't remember getting here?"
"I'm not surprised. You very pretty doped." Kurt said guiltily.
"Doped?" Blaine questioned, sitting up now.
"Yeah, I...um...I kinda..." Kurt couldn't say it.
"Kurt, what did you do?"
"I drugged you, okay!? You wouldn't sleep and we were worried and I couldn't let it go on."
"What?"
"I slipped you Nyquil."
There was a pregnant pause where Blaine seemed to wrack his brain for the events of last night.
"The beer." He stated. "You drugged my beer."
"Yes." Kurt couldn't read his voice and didn't dare look at him.
"Wait, who is 'we?'"
"Huh?"
"You said 'we' were worried."
"Oh...um...Sam, he came to talk to me last night. He was worried sick about you. We both were."
"Sam was in on this?"
"Please don't be mad at him. It was my idea."
"Kurt. I'm not mad, I think." That finally made him look up at Blaine who just sat there looking back at him with an unreadable expression on his face.
"You're not? But...I...what I did...had you done that to me, I would have been pissed!" Kurt exclaimed outraged.
"I know, but we're different people, Kurt."
"You don't say." Kurt deadpanned. "For the record, I promise to never do it again." Unless I need to. Blaine chuckled and Kurt raised an eyebrow.
"You can say what you're really thinking, Kurt. I know you. And I know that you would probably do it again if you felt you had no choice."
"Dammit. Sometimes I forget that you know me as well as I know you."
"That is the deal with soulmates."
"You are one big corny cheeseball, you know that?" Kurt smiled.
"All part of my charm." Blaine winked.
"Riiiiiiight." Kurt scoffed, but they both knew he was kidding. "So, you are saying you are totally okay with this?"
"Yes. I trust you to only have my best interest at heart." Blaine just shrugged like it was no big deal and Kurt was truly baffled by this man. This was not the reaction he was expecting, he thought he was at least going to get yelled at. He was prepared for yelling, for having to defend his actions, he had all kinds of explantions and apologies ready right on the tip of his tongue and here Blaine was just sitting all calm and unbothered by it all.
"Something is definitely wrong with you." Kurt stated and the lovely bastard across from him had the nerve to grin at him. "No, you don't get to do that. Remove that smirk. You asshole, do you know how much I worried about this!? In all the years we've been together, would it have killed you to say; "Hey Kurt, if for whatever reason you think I should be drugged with cold medicine for my own good, feel free to do that?"
"Yeah, because that is something that just comes up in average conversation." Blaine rolled his eyes. "But honestly Kurt, I am kinda touched you would go to such extremes to keep me safe. And it did help. I feel better than I have in days, it's like a fog has lifted and I can finally think clearly again. So thank you." He is not seriously thanking me!? Kurt gaped at him and Blaine just smiled that genuine smile he reserved only for Kurt. OMG, he is! He's honest to God thanking me for drugging him. Unbelievable. How did I fall in love with this infuriatingly frustrating idiot? Kurt shook his head in disbelief.
"I would do anything to protect you, Blaine - especially from yourself." God knows you need that sometimes. "And you were pretty much delirious from lack of sleep." Kurt leaned in to kiss him now that he knew they were fine. "Speaking of protecting, you said some things last night." Blaine's smile faltered. "Nothing bad. Well, it was kind of bad, but only because you didn't share it with me. We need to talk."
"What did I say?" Blaine asked warily.
"That you wouldn't sleep because you had to watch over me." Blaine looked away. "Is that what you have been doing these last few days you stayed here?"
"Yes."
"You stayed up all night watching me sleep?"
"Yes."
"Not sleeping yourself?"
"No."
"Why Blaine? That is crazy. Can't you see that?"
"I don't know, okay? I just...my head was a mess. Thinking back on it now, it doesn't make much sense. But I was scared something would happen to you if I looked away for even a second."
"Blaine." Kurt sighed and took his hands, stroking his knuckles.
"No, listen to me. I wasn't there to help you, Kurt. In that alley. Do you have any idea how that felt? I swore to myself that I would be there next time and the time after that and any time after that. Whenever you needed me. I just wanted to make sure I was there and didn't let you down again."
"Exactly! You weren't there, Blaine. It wasn't your fault, there was nothing you could have done, so you didn't let me down. I am so glad you weren't there, because then you would have gotten hurt too." Kurt said with a force he hoped would convince his fiance. "And you can't spend all your time watching me."
"Why not?" Blaine asked petulantly and Kurt laughed.
"You asked that exact same thing last time we had this talk."
"So? I like to spend every hour of every day with my fiance! Why is that such a bad thing?" Blaine pouted.
"Baby, personal space. We talked about this."
"I know." Blaine sighed. "You need your alone time."
"And so do you, even if you don't realize it."
"Maybe." Blaine shrugged.
"You know it's the only healthy way, I love how devoted you are to me, but we can't only live for each other."
"Yeah yeah. I may not like it much, but I guess you have a point. I love you." Kurt leaned in and kissed him until he smiled again. "I love you too." Then he pulled Blaine up and they walked hand in hand to the table Kurt had already set. Blaine pulled the chair out for him. Ever the gentleman.
"Okay, so we're good? You sure?" Kurt asked as he handed Blaine a glass of orange juice.
"One hundred percent sure." Blaine smiled mischievously. "But Kurt?"
"Yeah?"
"You didn't spike my juice, did you?" Kurt choked on air.
"BLAINE DEVON ANDERSON! That is NOT funny!"
Blaine cackled loudly and it took all the strength Kurt had to not throw a bagel in his stupidly cute face.