When Dave opened his eyes, there was something warm pressed against the left side of his body, the most un-damaged part. Faintly he could hear sweet melodic humming reverberating through his rib cage, and instantly he knew it was Kurt.
"Hey there you." He whispered, slowly raising his good arm to rub Kurt's back. The humming ceased abruptly and he heard Kurt gasp,
"David!" Kurt's head lifted from Dave's chest and he pulled himself up with remarkable speed to kiss Dave on the mouth. "You're awake!" He started to clamber off the bed,
"I'll go get your parents! And Azimo and-"Dave snagged him backwards with an arm so that he sat back on the edge of the bed.
"In a second, stay here with me a moment. I was rather enjoying that."
"Enjoying what?" Dave smiled slightly
"Getting to cuddle with you." Kurt flushed and said,
"Oh. Ok." Before lying back down as he had been, resting his head on Dave's chest and curling his fingers in the hospital gown. Dave wrapped an arm around Kurt's back. They lay there for several minutes before Dave heard the sniffle, felt a dampness on his chest.
"Kurt?"
"You've gotten so much crap for trying to be with me over the past few weeks, the fight, the slushieing, and now you got put in the hospital! But you never stop smiling about it!" Kurt wailed pathetically. Dave laughed, rubbing Kurt's back as he sniffled into Dave's chest.
"Oh Kurt, you are the funniest."
"What are you laughing at?" demanded Kurt looking up indignantly.
"Don't you get it yet? I'd do just about anything for the chance to be with you." He kissed a grumpy Kurt on the head. "The worst is over now, and all told it was well worth it to get to have Kurt Hummel as my boyfriend for as long as he wants me."
"Now that I know you," Kurt began, nuzzling back into Dave's chest "I don't think I could ever not want you."
"Even better." Dave kissed Kurt's head again and settled his own back against the pillows.
After 20 minutes Kurt finally texted Azimo and both he and Dave's parents rushed in immediately. Dave smiled at Kurt, and officially re-introduced him to all parties as his boyfriend. Kurt talked to Dave's parents, letting Azimo talk to Dave. He caught a little of their conversation.
"I think I can get used to it man, just ease me into it all right? Is it any wonder I flipped shit dude? You didn't even try and tell me about it, just saw you and Hummel walken' down the hall gay as two fruitcakes. Gave me a heart attack man! You can start talken' to me about this gay crap little by little, and I'll get used to it. Just no graphic shit man, I couldn't take it!" Kurt heard Dave laugh,
"It's a deal" They fist bumped and Azimo waved goodbye.
"Text when you get home man, I'll come help you out. Make sure you don't shit yourself cause you can't get up or something." Dave rolled his eyes.
"Thanks for the sentiment."
After Dave's parents left to make the arrangements at home Kurt sat down on the edge of his seat with a serious expression.
"Now Dave, let's talk about school."
"What about it?"
"I've arranged with the Bully Whips to have your stuff dropped off and picked up from each class. In addition to that I've been making Puck and Lauren teach me how to defend myself, and I'll be walking you between classes." Dave gave a startled laugh.
"Kurt!"
"I won't let you get hurt again! I'll protect you until your better and after that you'll stand more of a chance against potential attackers if you don't have to worry about me." Dave was laughing again which seemed to push Kurt's buttons.
"Why do you keep laughing at me?"
"It's the expression on your face! You look so serious!" Dave chortled.
"I AM serious!" Kurt snapped. Dave only laughed harder.
"Just the mental image of you wrestling with Lauren is so-"He was consumed by mirth. Kurt smacked the good side of his chest with an open palm, but Dave snagged his wrist afterwards and kissed his hand, not laughing anymore but still smiling.
"You are so adorable"
"You are a butthead." Kurt responded scowling.
"Considering how I used to be I think this is progress." Dave said dryly. Kurt lay back down next to him,
"All right, I'll give you that." This time it was Dave who started humming, a low rumble that Kurt could hear very oddly through his chest. It took a second for Kurt to realize what exactly he was humming. I See the Light.
"Dave Karofsky, if I didn't know better I'd say you were trying to charm me."Kurt accused. Dave smiled lightly,
"And if I was? I herby decide that that is our song." He nodded, and grinned down at Kurt, who took a deep breath, chuckling into Dave's chest.
"How on earth did I get so lucky as to have a boyfriend who would decide our song would be from Disney?"
"Just fate I guess. I think Fate's played a big part in this one way or another. All the attacks, me being around to save you, Blaine helping me out to get you, and with the exception of two leather heads the school was rather excepting." Kurt's face shifted almost imperceptibly into a frown.
"You have no idea how much it was killing me to be trapped, and hearing them doing that to you." Dave started running his fingertips through Kurt's hair methodically.
'Probably about how I felt knowing they'd locked you up and wondering if they'd hurt you. But it's ok, they didn't do that much actual damage."
"They hit you with BATS."
"Yeah, but those stupid meatheads have no concept of how to actually swing a bat. They're footballers Kurt, unlike puck heads or the baseball guys they have absolutely no concept of how to wield a stick. Give one of those baseball guys that same bat and they could have flat out killed me. Which thankfully they wouldn't because they like me. Now would you stop worrying your pretty little head about this and bring me my book?" Kurt 'hmphed' under his breath but slid out of bed and went to the bag that Dave's parents had left.
"What is it this time?"
"Anne of Green Gables, and don't forget my glasses." Kurt rolled his eyes and opened the bag, fishing for the promised book and glasses. A few seconds later he turned bright red and felt himself heating up; his hands shaking he tried to pull them away from where they had very successfully been drawn to a pair of Dave's black boxers. He managed to pry his fingers open, and reach trembling and flustered for the book instead, also grabbing Dave's glasses.
"You all right?"
"Fine!" Kurt squeaked, although his hand was still tingling. He tried to wipe his mind of the past minute.
"Then come over here and lay with me. I'm going to read to you." Kurt did as he was told, his head still whirling. Then, Dave's deep voice started to read.
"Chapter one, Mrs. Rachel Lynde is surprised. Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies' eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source way back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place-"Kurt lost himself in the sound of Dave's voice, falling into a realm where a little red haired girl got up to all sorts of adventures, and talked just a little too much.
-:-
Eventually Dave went back to school, and Kurt, just as adamant as he had been when he had first proposed the idea, was escorting Dave from class to class, having stolen Dave's Bully Whips jacket. He carried Dave's things, and made sure he was comfortable and well fed in and out of school. Sometimes Dave teased Kurt about his protectiveness, but Kurt would only give him that stubborn face, and get angry if he dared to laugh. Azimo, too, seemed more protective. In school he always kept one eagle eye on Dave, and spent some time glaring dangerously at anyone he even suspected of having negative intentions toward his best friend. In the process he ended up permanently scaring a few poor little freshmen, and Kurt had insisted he apologize.
Every night Kurt would come over to the Karofsky household and help his boyfriend get ready for bed. His parents smiled at him fondly, knowing that their son was in good hands. Kurt would help Dave up the short flight of steps, make sure he got into his pj's, brushed his teeth and set his alarm. Then he would take advantage of Dave's injured state to give his face a dose of Kurt's nightly skin care regiment.
And, every night when Kurt had tucked Dave into his bed and lain down with him to hold him until he slept, Dave would lean over and whisper,
"I love you." and kiss the top of Kurt's head. And Kurt would snuggle deeper under his arm with a happy smile and whisper back,
"I love you too."
The End
