Blaine wasn't too surprised when that night it was Finn, not Kurt who called him. The quarterback had had to deal with a decidedly groggy and churlish Kurt that afternoon. By the time Finn had arrived, Kurt had made it abundantly clear to Blaine that he thought that he was the worst person on the planet who deserved nothing but broccoli for dinner for a year for being so mean to his poor, helpless self. Blaine had to admit that he had had to resist chuckling a few times as Kurt's eyes became increasingly glassy and his insults increasingly nonsensical. He did not hold it against him; he knew that it had been a combination of Kurt's disdain for medicine mixed in with his annoyance for Blaine forcing it on him that had caused it.
"Sup dude," Finn greeted, once he responded. "The little dude's down for the count. Just thought I'd let you know."
"Thanks Finn," Blaine responded. "I expected that. I know you said those tablets hit him hard. It did stop the pain right?"
There was a brief pause before Finn sighed. "It dulled the worst of it, but I could tell he still was in some pain. I honestly think this is the worst episode he's had so far. Might not have been as bad if he had taken it from the onset but…he's a stubborn one."
"That he is," Blaine agreed with a rueful chuckle. "He won't be in school tomorrow, huh?"
"Yeah. Burt's already got an appointment booked for him just to check things out. They said this would happen, but it's supposed to be like a gradual build up to this? Not these random bursts. Got to make sure nothing's going wrong…but…"
"But?" Blaine pressed, swinging his legs up onto his table before snuggling down further into his chair for what was quickly becoming a long conversation.
"The alternative isn't much better, you know?" Finn said, his voice lowering slightly. "Kurt's got stage two paralysis. Or is it three? Whatever, all I can remember is that four and five are the worst. The tremors meant there's a possibility for recovery…the pain means that things are reconnecting but…it's not going to be easy. Blaine, do you know how it's supposed to be? Some patients suffer from chronic pain that lasts for days, sometimes weeks. So Burt's going to try to find out why Kurt isn't in constant pain and well, that's not a good thing right? I don't know which is better…well neither option is and it isn't fair you know.
"None of this is fair to Kurt. He's got to be in pain to get better, but for how long? He didn't ask for this. He didn't deserve it, none of it, and if this is what he has to go through to be better…Blaine, I can't say if it's worth it. He-He actually was getting happier you know? Those few months before July when this all started…he was happier. He'd started mastering things. Burt found a way to alter the Nav so he could drive again…he had you, things were looking up. And now this is happening and everything is in the air again. Can he get back use of it? Or is this going to be it? Him suffering from pain for the rest of his life.
"It's not fair to him dude, none of this is. He didn't ask for it, he doesn't deserve it. And this is all because stupid Karofsky decided that my lil bro couldn't be the person he was born to be. That it wasn't right. Kurt's got to suffer because of it, and in a few years that bastard's going to get to move on and live his life however he chooses and what does Kurt have, huh? Nothing."
Finn's voice by the end had grown shaky with both rage and sadness, something that Blaine could not fault him for. Kurt's situation was tragic on all levels, and the gentle giant was right; it was not at all fair to Kurt.
"I know Finn," Blaine responded, running a hand through his now, gel free hair. "It's not at all right that Kurt has to go through all of this. But you know what? I know he's strong enough to deal with it, no matter what comes. I mean he's persevered through it all so far. There are so many times when he could have quit, could have decided that fighting would not be worth it, but he does, he continues to do so every day. And you're right; he's come so far from before. I don't know the Kurt you knew Finn. I can only speak of the Kurt I finally talked to under the trees. But that Kurt had strength about him even then, and it's a strength I still see in him now – a lot more than before. Kurt can do this Finn. He can handle whatever the future has, good or bad. We just need to stand by him.
"And," he continued, "it's not like it is all bad. Remember the doctor said that surgery is still going to be an option for him if it seems that nothing more can come of it? The point is we know that his nerves are trying to fix themselves and that's good. If they can't do it on their own, the surgery should help. We just got to keep having faith, faith in Kurt, faith in his body, faith in the doctors who I really do hope know what they're doing. I believe that Kurt can make it through this Finn; he's the bravest person I know and no matter what lies ahead, I know he can brave through it. We just got to stand by him through it all."
"You are very wise," Finn said with a watery chuckle. "And to think I gave you the option to leave months ago. I don't think any of this would have been possible without you. You've made a difference for him, Blaine, I can't even begin to quantify how much."
"I love him," Blaine replied simply, the words laced with his emotions. "I think I loved him from the moment I first laid eyes on him, and nothing is going to change that."
"I believe that," Finn responded sincerely, "I don't think there's getting you out of his – out of our lives at this point. Not that I think I want that anyway."
It was nice talking to Blaine, Finn thought, minutes after ending his conversation with him. He had admitted things to the older teenager he had not even realised he was feeling, but he was glad for it. He felt lighter now, more in control. Seeing Kurt like that, a whimpering mass in the back seat of his car after Blaine had left them and he felt safe enough to let all his guards down had been a task for him. It was only the knowledge that Kurt needed him to be strong and in control that had given him the strength to maintain composed. But with him safely tucked into bed and his parents in the family room doing domestic bliss things that Finn had been able to let go a bit, and thankfully Blaine was a good listener.
Kurt really was lucky to have found someone like him and at such a time in his life. Somehow, Finn was certain that, much like he had told Blaine, the Dalton teen would be with them for the considerable future, if not forever. It was becoming increasingly hard to envision Kurt without Blaine and vice versa. Finn felt a brief twinge at that thought, slightly envious that he could not say that he had the same thing. But then again, not everyone was lucky enough to find what he believed to be true love as a teenager; he was just content that it was Kurt, a person in desperate need of some happiness in his life, who had been given this gift.