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Chapter 8: Flirty Strangers, and A Really Bad Penny
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In the morning, Adam was up and perky and was making breakfast for everyone and Kurt pulled on a pair of pajamas and went into the kitchen with Sebastian wearing only a pair of boxers following behind. He wanted to stay in bed with Kurt but he felt like a bad host (even though he hadn't invited Adam home) to let him stay out there on his own.
Adam was full of compliments and praise and was so damn bloody nice. Sebastian grumbled and went to go put on some of the clothes he'd left here last time, a pair of sweats and a simple white T-shirt. He came back to hear Adam compliment Kurt once more and his eyes full of hearts as he looked at Kurt and listened to him.
Kurt reluctantly got dressed after they ate. The girls all slept in and nobody saw hide or hair of Blaine while the three were in the kitchen eating.
Adam left when Kurt did and Sebastian had given Kurt a final kiss before he left. By the time he got back from work, Sebastian would be gone. He hoped he wasn't imagining Kurt clinging onto him just a little bit harder, not wanting him to leave, not wanting to go to work, but both had to be done.
"Five days." Sebastian whispered down to Kurt who nodded but didn't look Sebastian in the eye, he knew that if he did, he'd start crying. Sebastian knew that much about his boyfriend and so he didn't push him, he was heading to work and he would have to be strong for the rest of the week.
Still, he was glad the nightmares hadn't returned last night.
He didn't hear about the nightmares for the rest of the week, even when he checked in with Santana. She said that he was either not crying out like he had or he'd powered through it in the end, like always.
"Not like always, if he's having nightmares years later because something triggered it." Sebastian ran his fingers through his hair. Kurt needed real help to deal with his past, he always seemed so fine until something really shook him up and released the past's horrors. Sebastian supposed he should have kept his mouth shut because Kurt threw a wobbler at the next visit about how Sebastian had faced real violence himself, how he'd been hurt even more than Kurt ever had and yet he had the gall to suggest that Kurt needed therapy.
He'd been kicked out after that by Rachel with Kurt not arguing with her demands that he leave if he was just going to upset her roommate.
He was determined to come the following weekend and make things up with Kurt. It was a cold week that Kurt did not speak to him, wouldn't take his calls and made waspish comebacks when Sebastian reached out via text. He showed up at Kurt's door, opening the sliding door, knowing that it wouldn't be locked, couldn't be. He pulled Kurt into his arms and kissed him senseless.
Kurt had fought him at first and then gave in and kissed him back. When Sebastian released him, he pulled away and put space between them before he started throwing things at him. Sebastian tried to block most of them, and it was mostly all pillows. "I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry! I was an idiot to suggest it. I've missed you terribly though, even hearing about how great Adam is, is better than the silence!"
That made Kurt pause. "How great Adam is?" Kurt looked at Sebastian oddly. "Are you jealous of my friendship with Adam?"
"No?" But he'd been complimenting Kurt's singing, his dancing, making Kurt see how good he was, trying to change the way he thought about himself, thinking more positively to start with and then not to compare himself to others, especially those in the past. Those were all things that Sebastian had tried to do and failed but Adam just came in and did it so gently and kindly and with his own motivations behind it, but so far it seemed he was content to stay friends.
"You're crazy, 'Stien. All we have is a friendship." Sebastian knew he wasn't crazy, if Kurt was a free agent, Adam would be all over him. He wasn't that good of an actor, he couldn't hide his attraction to Kurt. He knew Kurt wasn't mad at him anymore with the slip of his nickname but he didn't press his luck just yet. "I'm with you, you're the one I want to be with, even when you say stupid things." He beckoned Sebastian forward who went into his arms gratefully and hugged Kurt close with his head on Kurt's shoulder. "I love you and I missed you too."
"I am sorry for being foolish enough to suggest something like that. I was just concerned about your nightmares, about some of the men in your life."
Kurt stroked Sebastian's hair. "I only have good in my life now, Sebastian, you ensured that."
Still, Sebastian wished he could have done something about Rachel Berry. "It's what you deserve, no stress, no pain, only good."
"Being who I am, I'm going to have stress." Kurt laughed. "There's no avoiding that."
"And being who I am, there's probably going to be cause." Sebastian agreed but he just dragged Kurt closer. "Though I am going to try hard to make sure there's no unnecessary stress from external sources that can be dealt with."
"By the way, thanks for the meals." Kurt shook his head, but he wasn't angry. "That was very thoughtful and caring of you. You're too good to me."
"You only deserve the best, I keep telling you this." He didn't feel quite as rail thin as he had even a couple of weeks ago and Sebastian released that knot of worry. He had just been too busy to eat, to remember to eat, to have time to make food; it was nothing more than that. Still he was thinner than he had before he left Lima, but he was not losing weight, so there was that.
That weekend, they didn't have to share Kurt with his job as much, he had a shift on Sunday but Saturday was completely free.
They had lunch with Adam and Sebastian begrudgingly admitted that he liked him. He was a genuinely nice guy. He was also British so he and Sebastian had a lot to talk about and started using slang together that Kurt was completely lost with other than a few more common ones or some that he had picked up from British Telli but there was a lot that was too 'street' for him to know. It impressed Sebastian that Adam despite living in the US for 3+ years and being as posh as he was, would know some of the slang Sebastian picked up from some of the more seedy parts of Paris from his British shags.
Adam had picked a French restaurant and Sebastian was going to show off and order for all of them in French once he heard the waiter's thick accent. He spoke English but was obviously having trouble with it.
Kurt glanced at the menu, also mostly in French and closed it fairly quickly. Sebastian was going to translate things for him and see what he wanted to eat but Kurt spoke before Sebastian could. Sebastian's jaw dropped open and was not able to be closed again as French poured out of Kurt's mouth like a naturalized citizen. He chatted and laughed and joked with the waiter while Adam looked on besotted not knowing what they were saying. His study abroad had been Australia and New Zealand, he had not needed to learn a new language. Then he came to America, some change in words but overall the same.
The waiter had seemed dubious at first when Kurt first started speaking, thinking he was just going to be practicing his faulty French with him, trying to seem cool or sophisticated but Kurt was too smooth and well-practiced already. Then the waiter got into it, excited to be able to speak French for the first time in forever in person rather than just on the phone with his family and friends back home.
The excitement morphed slowly into appreciation of the designer labels and obviously expensive, good products in his hair and on his skin. The appreciate made his smiles easier, more suave. He started touching Kurt on the shoulder or caressing the lapel and when he touched Kurt's hair, Sebastian cut in.
He did it smoothly, but in French. Eyes swung over to him and Kurt's were amused. He obviously knew that Sebastian spoke flawless French since he was living there for so long and was a citizen by birth, or at least partially. The waiter's were weary and then took in how Sebastian had his hand over Kurt's and his thumb was running against Kurt's palm. He made a knowing face and embarrassment crept up his neck as he realized he was flirting with a patron while his boyfriend was right there. He'd thought they were all just friends.
The waiter retorted to Sebastian in French, it was not overly friendly or polite. He seemed annoyed that Sebastian had allowed him to go on for so long and make a fool of himself. Sebastian dropped a comment about how the two were enjoying themselves and he hadn't wanted to interrupt, but would they be able to order now? He cleanly put the other man in his place.
Kurt turned bright red as he realized they'd been excluding Adam. "I'm sorry-"
"No worries. I caught a few words here and there, you're pretty darn amazing, you know that? I had no idea you could speak French like that."
"I once had a competition where I had to sing only in French. It was 3 hours long."
"Did you win?" Adam asked, feeling like he already knew the answer.
"Naturally." Sebastian didn't know but he also felt like he knew the answer. Kurt's blush only confirmed it for the both of them.
Sebastian spoke silkily in Kurt's ear, in French. "That's so hot." His blush only got stronger. "We'll talk about the French thing later on." He brought their hands up to his mouth and kissed the back of Kurt's.
Kurt gave a small, helpless shrug and Sebastian's lips tugged at him, wanting to smirk. Adam shifted the conversation and Sebastian and Kurt joined in equally.
Damn it, he liked Adam. Adam was good for Kurt. Sebastian restrained from scowling at the other man and settled into an acceptance that Adam wasn't going anywhere, nor did he want to scare the other man away completely. He just wanted Adam to know that Kurt was taken and that he shouldn't even make a play for him.
He never did, respecting what the two of them had together, which only made Sebastian like him more.
–
Sebastian was muttering sweet nothings and praising every part of Kurt's body with his tongue and in his native tongue. Kurt's body glowed a bright pink with the wicked things he understand Sebastian to be saying.
"Why have we never spoken French together before now?"
"I thought you knew but preferred to speak in English." Kurt answered honestly, also all in French. "I had my French textbooks out all the time."
"Yeah but a lot of people 'study' French. You speak it like you were made for it." Sebastian complained but was also so incredibly happy about. "I knew there was something French about you the day I met you."
"I'm not French." Kurt countered and groaned loudly when Sebastian found a particularly sensitive spot. "I just like the language and have picked it up, I don't know, I was drawn to it."
"We will speak French from now on." Sebastian's words weren't a command, demand or even a question, he just assumed that would be the case. Kurt didn't argue, he liked the language and it was so incredibly sexy when they spoke it together. It was the language of love, after all, and a lot of it was easy to use everywhere in every situation, especially in the bedroom.
"Except when people can feel excluded. That's the worst." Kurt put in a clause to their agreement and Sebastian hummed his approval and went searching for another sensitive area, one he knew would definitely get him a reaction.
Kurt's toes curled and he let out a scream of pleasure. Thankfully they had the entire apartment to themselves that afternoon while the others were at the restaurant, taking care of their shifts.
Club Red, as Kurt predicted became old news since the last time they went out and there was a new club that Santana mentioned when Rachel was in the shower, Ox-En.
Sebastian had eyed her dubiously when he thought she was talking about livestock. She'd laughed and called him Frenchie and patted him on the head as if he barely spoke a word of English and couldn't begin to understand what she was really saying.
Ox-En was just the name people gave the club, the real name was Oxygen. Sebastian complained to Kurt about Americans' need to shorten everything to the point of utter confusion. Kurt had lifted a brow and pulled out several examples of other languages doing the exact same thing, even their beloved French.
Oxygen was fun, but Sebastian didn't keep his hopes up that the club would stick around longer than a month. It was already a week in. He wondered if they'd ever go to a club the weekend it opened, be the first ones through the door.
He didn't doubt that they would. They probably would have gone last week if he hadn't royally pissed Kurt off and gave Rachel an excuse to run him out.
Santana and Sebastian went to get drinks while Dani and Kurt stayed on the dance floor. Dani was at his side, tugging on his arm before he could even order and he and Santana went with her to see what the problem was. He couldn't hear Dani over the noise but her determination to get him to go with her was palpable and he hadn't needed words. He didn't even let her lead him back, he knew where they had left Kurt.
A huge guy was bothering Kurt. He had one hand up and under Kurt's shirt, pinning Kurt's back to his front. He wasn't even attempting to dance, his other hand was on Kurt's hip, trying to drag him back and against him and Kurt was fighting to get free. "Let go!" Kurt tried to shout over the music.
"Babe, you're just too hot." His hand under the shirt stroked along Kurt's chest. "Your jeans- oh you're just asking for trouble and fun, aren't you?" His words were slurred, he was incredibly drunk, not having heard Kurt at all, just assuming. Sebastian hadn't even let him speak before he was right in front of them, his own hands gripping the wrists of the offending hands. He had taken one look at the two and had sprung into action.
"He said, let go." Sebastian repeated for Kurt and the man rose an eyebrow.
"I didn't hear him say that."
"Well, I am now. Hands off of my boyfriend. He didn't give you permission to touch, he was just dancing here, enjoying time with one of our friends. You should know better than to just grope!" Sebastian was livid but he wasn't going to start a physical fight, especially not with Kurt in the middle of it.
"Boyfriend, huh? Better put a leash on him or someone else will." The man looked over Sebastian. "Want to have a threesome?"
"Neither of us are interested in anyone else but each other." Sebastian held his gaze and his hands didn't falter nor tighten around the wrists within his grasp.
The man scowled and looked down at Kurt, taking in his face for the first time. "Woah, sorry, I thought you were on the menu, offering yourself up for the taking. My bad, misread the signs." The man tugged at his hands and Sebastian let go, watching to make sure that he didn't grope or caress Kurt again. He was oddly respectful as he removed his hands from Kurt's body. "Next time, maybe don't look so tempting? There are subtle clues that we drop around here when we want to let others know what we're into." He looked over Kurt once more. "Damn, it would have been fun."
Kurt fell into Sebastian's arms and Sebastian held him close even as the crowd swarmed around them, giving them very little space. "Let's get out of here." Sebastian said roughly but Kurt shook his head and straightened up, determined to enjoy the rest of the night.
They did, and Santana and Dani took turns getting them drinks, Sebastian didn't leave Kurt's side for the rest of the night. It was still a lot of fun and while he'd liked the crowd from Club Red better, this was different and good all on it's own. Still though, Sebastian looked over Kurt, trying to figure out what he'd worn or done that would make someone think they could just grope him like that?
Sebastian decided that the man was just making up excuses for his drunken behavior. Sebastian hadn't seen him do that to anyone else for the rest of the night nor anyone else in the club do anything similar. But maybe they were naïve and were missing out on a new trend or something. Sebastian had a really hard time leaving that Sunday but Kurt kissed him and promised him that it would all be all right.
And it was.
Adam was still around and he was the perfect gentleman, they went out dancing some weekends too while Sebastian was in Lima but never got handsy and Santana reported that nobody else had tried to either. She'd broken her own promise to herself not to report in to Sebastian, but this was a matter of Kurt's safety, after all.
Then, Adam started seeing another guy too but he was always supportive of Kurt and offered him compliments and praise and raised up his spirits, especially when Rachel called for another Diva-Off with her new pal Brody as MC. Kurt won and Sebastian showered him with love and affection from afar and told him that it was probably the easiest decision because Kurt was a clear winner.
People tried to become friends with Kurt after that but he was careful in who he chose, ignoring or putting those in place who had been hanging off of Rachel or putting down Kurt's other friends. Some people just hadn't had a chance to meet Kurt yet and that was the first time they'd met either of them. Kurt gained a handful of new friends from that Diva-Off too.
Sebastian came out a few weeks later and they went out to eat, went to a coffee shop, went shopping, and Sebastian got hit on. Sebastian got brushed up against in the subway. Sebastian got a number written on his coffee cup with a heart after it. It was a female barista, but still. Kurt just looked upon it all with a raised brow and Sebastian kissed him senseless every time, right in front of whoever had made the pass at him.
Kurt had laughed after the first time, the first time he was so surprised and taken off guard that he couldn't say or do anything until the moment to say or do anything had passed.
Sebastian even met Adam's new boyfriend. He was a nice enough guy, a little bland for Sebastian's tastes but nobody was as exciting as Kurt.
He did have an answer though for why Kurt had been mauled on the dance floor at Oxygen. Apparently black leather wrist-bands were now a sign for those who were kind of kinky and were up for bathroom hookups or even being felt up on the dance floor if it was crowded enough. It hadn't explained why the guy hadn't listened to either Dani or Kurt, but maybe he thought it was part of the kink or they weren't loud enough or deep enough to be heard.
Kurt donated all of his black leather wrist-bands that day. You would think he would have 1 but no... not Kurt, he had a whole pile of them of different sizes, shapes and styles. They all went to those more needy and made sure Vogue didn't advertise anything like that as well, or at least in his department.
He was now one of Isabelle's go-to consultants and right-hand man who went with her to parties of the elite and helped her remember names and important details about each person she met with. He gave her feedback and suggestions when she asked. She didn't always ask, and she always put his name on the byline if she went with one of his ideas.
And he still didn't know that his favorite boss of all time other than his own father, was Sebastian's aunt. Neither did Isabelle know that Sebastian's boyfriend was Kurt. Sebastian was very careful about what he said to Isabelle when they spoke. They even met up for lunch one week when he was visiting and Kurt was working.
"You've been here, how often, meeting up with your boyfriend?" She asked scandalized but not because of that, but because he hadn't called her up before now. "I'm hurt, I thought I was your favorite aunt!"
"You are!" Sebastian laughed. "You really are, but this is a precious relationship and it's pretty new and it's been complicated and I'm just waiting for it to become less complicated before I introduce you to him."
"Can I at least know his name?" Isabelle pressed and Sebastian shook his head.
"Nope, he's off-limits until I tell him about you."
"Why? Will he be angling for a job?" She asked skeptically and Sebastian laughed.
"No way, he'd kill me if he knew that either of us even breathed a word of it, he's very proud and very determined to do things the right way."
"Hmm... sounds like a young man I have working for me." Isabelle shook her head and then flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Did you know his boyfriend sent him the biggest display of flowers and a card with a guy in a dog house, asking for forgiveness and wanting to come back inside?"
"I- what?" In her world, of course he didn't know, but in the real world, he would have been the one sending those flowers, but he hadn't. Either way, he was confused.
"Yeah, but he dumped the card and then gave them to whoever wanted them, saying they could break up the arrangement if they needed to. His boyfriend must have done something really wrong."
Blaine, Sebastian's thoughts hissed suddenly, furious that Blaine even knew that Kurt worked at Vogue to be able to send him flowers. That boy was seriously becoming a crazed stalker! Why hadn't Kurt told him about this?
"He said that there were some wrongs that couldn't be undone. It didn't matter the apology, it was just over." Isabelle stroked her hair. "I think that's very commendable, the boyfriend seemed incredibly sorry and genuine. I don't think I would have held strong in the face of all that."
"I'm sure he did. Most consummate liars seem genuine and sincere." It was dry and knowing but it could also just be in commiseration and he tried to play it off like that.
Isabelle sent him a questioning look but changed the topic to something a little more upbeat. Sebastian wondered how she would feel once she learned who Kurt was to him. He hoped it didn't color any of their relationships.
It didn't matter though, his internship was over by Thanksgiving and she said that once he graduated from NYADA and if he wanted a steady job while he sought out his break on stage, she was more than happy to supply him one. He thanked her and they kept in touch the weeks leading up to the holidays (and after).
Kurt came home for Thanksgiving. He had the entire week off verses their few days and he came home the weekend prior. He and Sebastian hung out at Burt's house with the rest of the family that weekend. Finn also had the entire week off and he was home. Rachel wasn't due back until Tuesday, she had another shift at the restaurant on Sunday and then she had an audition for a small part in a small theater way, way off Broadway but she was trying.
It was more than Kurt could say for himself.
Sebastian had flicked him on the head when he'd said that, he was working 2 jobs, going to school and wearing himself thin, he didn't have time to audition. Next semester if he didn't pick up another job, he could as well since the Vogue internship had now ended.
Finn meanwhile had decided to start attending Lima Community College in preparation for a transfer to another school. He was waiting to hear back about second semester transfers to a small state university just outside New York City. It took Kurt being home for anyone to actually tell him that.
Sebastian meanwhile was excelling in school, his splintered off Glee Club had found it's footing and enough members and was a real contender for the year's competitions. They'd flown through invitationals and Regionals whereas the Warblers had faltered a little when Blaine 'cheated' and he'd had a meltdown after Kurt's song and ignoring his texts, calls and flower arrangements.
If Blaine was going to be so emotional about a nonexistent relationship, Sebastian wouldn't get in his way if it pressed forward his own advantage.
Sebastian had to go back to Dalton though Sunday night, but Kurt promised he'd come up and see him on Tuesday. He would need to be out of the house anyway when Rachel and Finn reunited, he couldn't think of anything more gag worthy than seeing those two mack on each other.
–
During dinner on Tuesday, Blaine got a phone call and he flew out of the cafeteria. Sebastian watched him go with hardly a flicker of his lashes, he had no idea what that was about and he didn't really care. If it kept Blaine off kilter, then great.
Dinner ended and he glanced at his own phone as he walked to his dorm room. Kurt said he'd be here sometime this afternoon/evening. Sebastian had thought that meant that Kurt would be around for dinner and he had intended to take them out but 6 o'clock had rolled around and he hadn't heard anything and he was hungry, so he'd ate with the other boys.
Now it was nearing 7:30 and he still hadn't heard anything from Kurt. He'd texted Kurt a couple of times since 2 to just check in and when his messages were left unanswered, he started to get worried. He called Kurt. It rang through to voicemail.
He called him again and the same thing happened. He called a third time and his call was cut short. He called again and it rolled straight into voicemail as if his phone was now off. There was no reason for Kurt to be this mad with him and he knew better than to just let Sebastian fester. He was usually pretty good about just letting Sebastian know he was running behind or calling him from another number if his phone died. He knew the consequences to worrying Sebastian. He should at least have the decency to tell Sebastian he was mad about something.
It had been raining all week, and it hadn't bothered Sebastian yet. He liked the rain. The clap of thunder as he paced his dorm room though had him jumping and spinning toward the window. All of a sudden the day just seemed gloomy and dark and drab. It had seemed so bright and fresh and refreshing earlier when he knew Kurt was coming to visit. Even while he was in Lima with the rain, it hadn't mattered, it just meant that he and Kurt could snuggle together all day watching movies and talking with the family. The family that just opened up like a flower dying of thirst and Kurt was the water that allowed them to bloom and blossom. They chatted with Kurt and Finn and even Sebastian. There was nonstop talk in the house over that weekend, and it wasn't Kurt leading the conversation or talking to fill silence, they were communicating.
They'd watched some football too and even Kurt had sat in the room and didn't comment on it, but he didn't watch, he had other things he was working on while the other men and Carole watched and cheered.
Sebastian paced and paced and then another clap of thunder and the rain came down harder against his window and was that... yes, there was some snow in the mix. It had to be freezing out there. He pulled his phone's contact list up and called Burt.
"Hey Kid, why are you calling?" Burt asked, all friendly, as if he didn't know that Kurt was home and pouting about something Sebastian didn't even know he did.
"Is Kurt there? I've tried calling him but it just goes to voice mail."
"No... Kurt left hours ago. Said he was going straight up to Dalton and not to expect him home until tomorrow. He's not there yet?" Burt's voice took on a steady decline into concern and Sebastian wanted to reassure him that it was probably nothing but with yet another thunderclap, he knew that it would just be empty words.
"We should start calling around to all the hospitals in the area along the route from Lima to Westerville." Sebastian suggested and was already sending an SOS to everyone who knew Kurt that he had a number for.
He would go on foot into every hospital if he had to.
"Kurt's a good driver." Burt's voice now had an edge of panic in it.
"I'm not worried about Kurt's driving." Sebastian responded honestly. "I'll let you know what I find out. Do the same for me?" Burt agreed and they hung up.
Texts flooded in, all worried about Kurt and promises to do whatever they could and doing as Sebastian asked. Sebastian didn't know why, but he swung around and found Trent in the common room. "Where did Blaine go?" He demanded and Trent looked startled. "Where did he go? Tell me now, or I won't care about being expelled because there will be more serious charges being brought against me."
Trent squeaked out his answer. "Westerville Community Hospital. He got an alert that someone he knew was admitted into the hospital there and he was listed as point of contact."
Sebastian nodded and sent off a quick text to Burt to keep him informed that's where he was going first. He broke so many laws getting to the hospital and he was surprised he wasn't in an accident himself with how many times his tires slipped in the deep water that was slowly freezing. Lima had gotten the weather first and it had blown in this way.
He got to the front desk and he was panting, unsure how he could even breath or ask the questions he needed to. "Was there a man admitted here earlier today? 18... gorgeous... probably had an ID on him with the name Kurt Hummel?"
The lady looked at him as if most of that mattered and she typed in the name and guessed at the year. "There is one by that name here." She nodded. "But his boyfriend and best friend are already in with him and he's only allowed two visitors at a time."
"I'm his boyfriend." He had a feeling he knew who the person claiming to be his boyfriend would be, but who was the friend?
Then he heard it, the loud sniffle and overly dramatic tears. Rachel Bloody Berry, he was going to wring her neck for not letting them know. His father needed to know if nothing else! How had Finn not known? He was shooting off desperate messages even now, wondering where his stepbrother was.
"Nevermind, I think I know where they are." He followed the over-done sobs and found Rachel sobbing into Blaine's chest as they sat by a very still Kurt with monitors beeping a steady rhythm and tubes hooked up to his arms and in his nose. They hadn't incubated him, but why was he unconscious?
Sebastian's heart stilled in his chest and suddenly the world had one focal point and that was Kurt's face and the rest of the world disappeared into an inky blackness. He felt a jarring sensation somewhere in the vicinity of his knees but he ignored it.
The buzz in his pocket distracted him very briefly but then as another storm cloud rolled over the hospital and shook it, he became aware of the world around him once more. The two beside the bed were looking at him strangely, as well as several medical staff members, wondering if he needed help. He wondered why and then realized he was on his knees, they'd given out on him. He rocked onto his feet quickly and strode forward. "What happened?"
"Car accident!" Rachel sobbed and went back to letting her tears soak Blaine's shirt.
"Why didn't you tell me? Or Burt? Or Finn?" Sebastian roared at the two. "You were sitting right there in the same room when you found out, Blaine. And Rachel, you've had to travel from Lima to get here."
"Actually, I was in the airport here in Columbus when Blaine text me and he picked me up on the way-"
"How were either of you contacted over his family? Even your husband?"
"Kurt had me listed as an emergency contact here in Westerville because I could get here a lot faster than his family could if anything were to happen. He never changed it when he went back to McKinley."
"Santana and I are both listed as his points of contact in New York." Rachel added. "I guess Santana hasn't looked at her phone or something." A shrug, as if it were unimportant came from her shoulders and Sebastian was ready to tear both of their faces off, spit in their eye and kick them; just for starters.
The ones who ought to have known were left in the dark. He pulled out his phone and sent a massive text to all of those who were worrying about Kurt, letting them know that he was found and at Westerville Community Hospital and he was awaiting more information.
Sebastian spun on his heel and headed over to the bed and took Kurt's hand within both of his, the one without any tubes sticking out of it. There were some scratches and bruises on one side of his face and neck and he could see some disappearing down beneath his hospital gown.
A nurse came in once all the commotion settled down. "Unfortunately there are too many of you in here. Someone will have to leave."
"I'm his boyfriend, I'm not going anywhere." Sebastian and Blaine had unfortunately said the same words at the same time and the nurse tutted.
"Well, you don't have to stay, dearie." She spoke with Rachel who broke down sobbing once more.
"But I'm his best friend!"
Around and around they went as time ticked by. It had already been a half hour since he'd called Burt and was sure he was on his way, he'd be there in an hour and a half, if he didn't break his own records first. Sebastian hoped Burt didn't, just because he didn't need another Hummel in the hospital. Eventually, the nurse gave in and just checked on the patient, letting all three stay rather than set someone off in another fit of tears. They all had at some point, even Sebastian.
Sebastian was brought a chair and he sat, never once letting go of Kurt's hand and watching for any movement in his face. "Why is he unconscious?"
"The airbag didn't go off, he slammed into the steering wheel and then with the force of the car's movement his head ended up slamming into the headrest on the back end. He's lucky he didn't break his neck, but he is knocked out. We're monitoring for any signs of brain bleed or swelling, but so far, nothing. His pupils are reacting normally too." The nurse looked at him kindly and then glanced at the other two, who were sitting and waiting for news. Sebastian wasn't doing much else but he was holding Kurt's hand, reassuring him that he was there.
She rolled her shoulders back, making a decision. "He's also broken his collarbone, so he won't have great range of motion for awhile. He's going to be in a lot of pain when he wakes up. We've got drugs pumping into him so it'll make it a little easier for a little while but we're going to ween him off of those too."
Sebastian swallowed and nodded, so happy it wasn't worse but also sad for Kurt, it wasn't nothing, he was still hurt. He was alive, he wasn't seriously injured, he didn't have a brain injury, those were the things he was grateful for and hung onto. He would try to remind Kurt of that too when he was inevitably annoyed by his limitations.
Sebastian raised Kurt's hand and held it against his lips, his eyes never leaving Kurt's face. Please wake up soon, I don't want to have to tell your dad any of this. I want to see those beautiful eyes shining at me with any emotion or thought in them. I want to hear your voice, even if it's strained from disuse and sleep. Please, please, please wake up.
His prayers weren't answered. He didn't know how long he had sat there like that with Kurt's hand couched between his and his lips pressed against his fingers, his eyes looking for any sort of movement or indication that Kurt was still in there other than mechanical breathing.
He had an idea, it was somewhere between an hour to two, as Burt's hand landed on his shoulder, warm and large and oddly reassuring. Sebastian's eyes rose to Burt with unshed tears lining his bottom lids and Burt was looking at Kurt but felt him shift beneath his hand and looked over to Sebastian with kindness and concern for him too.
The tears spilled out then and there and Burt gathered him into his arms and held him tight and close but still, Sebastian didn't let go of Kurt's hand. Sebastian cried hard into Burt's shoulder and Blaine shifted, trying to find a way to get in on the action. Burt pushed him away without ever once letting go of Sebastian. Rachel tried to drape herself around both of them but Burt knocked her off too.
"Go comfort Finn, he's in the hallway, they wouldn't let him in. Said there were already too many people in here. Blaine, go back to Dalton, you're not welcome here."
"But-" Blaine started to protest and then stepped back at the fierce look on Burt's face. "Okay."
A clap of thunder rumbled through the hospital and Sebastian shuddered in Burt's embrace. He would always associate thunderstorms with this, he just knew it. He would always be reaching out for Kurt, whether in person or by phone to reassure himself that Kurt was ok, if he ever woke up from this. If he didn't... if something happened permanently to Kurt... thunderstorms would be deeply dreaded as they would be forever associated with the loss of the meaning of his life. The world would have lost a shining beacon of hope and light. No... he can't think that way, Kurt will pull through this, he will. Kurt was strong, resilient and determined, he'd come out of this on the other end whole.
The thunder seemed to be getting closer and more often and he kept jumping every time he heard the loud booms. Burt kept his arm around Sebastian the whole time, and would squeeze him to his side whenever he jumped. He spoke lowly and his voice was still gruff as he attempted to reassure and comfort Sebastian. He was comforting, more than Sebastian would have ever thought. He was talking down a scared kid, one that didn't even think he was liked by the other man, just tolerated. One that had never viewed himself as a kid and didn't think he could be scared. He was terrified now. He wanted to sink into Burt's embrace and let the larger man just rock him, stroke his head and back and whisper those reassuring words over and over again. He wanted to believe everything Burt said in regards to Kurt's prognosis.
Kurt slept through all of the ruckus and loud noises that were acting like an alarm clock. Yet he slept through it. Sebastian didn't think he would ever sleep again, not while Kurt did.
There was a jerk as if the body was falling or trying to wake up or catch itself, Sebastian didn't know, but all of a sudden the hand within his spasmed and tried to pull away. Sebastian held on tighter and the hand spasmed again, stretching out and curling before repeating the action.
Sebastian pulled out of Burt's arms and leaned forward, over the hand and the body it was attached to and peered with squinted eyes at Kurt's face, trying to discern even the smallest of movements. "Come on Kurt, wake up love." Sebastian urged and Burt put his hand on Kurt's knee and squeezed lightly.
"We're both here, Buddy and Finn and Carole are close. We're waiting for you to open your eyes, come on."
Kurt didn't stir further for a long time. Just as they were going to give up and decide that it was just a physical reaction, Kurt let out a painful little groan. "Kurt?"
Burt squeezed Sebastian's shoulder again and stood to get the nurse.
"Love?" Sebastian begged. "Wake up, please, please, please, please. Open your eyes."
In true Kurt fashion, he didn't, he squeezed them shut further, but he did speak, it was rough and gravely but it was the most beautiful sound Sebastian had ever heard, and it was his name! "'Stien?" Or at least the name Kurt called him, which was even better.
"It's me and I'm right here."
"Why..." Kurt tried to block the light out even though his eyes were closed. "Why is it so bright?"
"Those are the room lights." Sebastian jumped to his feet and reached over Kurt to turn the lights out. "Is that better?" Kurt let out a mew of agreement and Sebastian sighed in relief. "Can you try opening your eyes now?" He was still unwilling to let go of Kurt's hand, it had been his only lifeline to him for too long.
Kurt's eyes were the narrowest slits Sebastian had ever seen but Sebastian would take it. "Where am I?" Sebastian answered gently, waiting for the connection to develop. "Why am I- oh." A ripple went through Kurt's body and Sebastian ignored what he assumed was unwritten hospital policy and lowered the arm rail on his side and slid into bed and laid next to Kurt, wrapping his arms around him and holding him against his chest.
"You're ok now." Sebastian ran his finger through Kurt's hair. "I'm here with you, you're safe, you're ok."
"It was so scary." Kurt curled into Sebastian's chest, not yet aware of his injuries. "He came flying up beside me, hit a wet patch, hydroplaned and slid right into me. I knew better than to break and I tried to pull out of it, but I spun around and around and around and then it all stopped."
Sebastian tightened his arms slightly around Kurt. It had been his own worst fear, he'd even said as much to Burt, he hadn't been afraid for Kurt based on his own skills driving, he'd been afraid of what could happen to him with the others on the road. He had heard car accident but he hadn't even thought about the fact that someone else had been part of it, he'd only been concerned about Kurt, focused only on him waking up.
Sebastian was going to find out who this ass was that drove so recklessly and hurt his love. He would make sure he was punished by the law fully and make him pay! Later though, right now, he was just going to hold Kurt for as long as he could. Until they kicked him out of the bed and then the room.
He already knew he wasn't going to go back to school for the last day before Thanksgiving break. He would be with Kurt until he saw him home in New York.
Hell, with the way he was feeling right now, he was tempted to just outright buy Kurt and Santana an apartment in a prime area of New York and make them promise to never let Rachel or Blaine over.
It was an impossible ask since Rachel was not only Kurt's friend but also Kurt's sister-in-law, technically. He was really tempted to stay with Kurt until winter break was over. Except Kurt would have a month off while Sebastian only got a week this year. The school would definitely not like that. He could miss parts of the day or full days but missing a month of school would have something said to his parents and then to him.
"Sebastian, buddy, the nurse needs to check on Kurt." Burt's voice was gentle and kind. Sebastian reluctantly pulled away from Kurt who gripped his shirt tightly.
"I'm not going far, just to my chair, where I was when you woke up." He promised, pressing his lips to a bruise free area of Kurt's forehead.
"Ok." Kurt's voice was small but he relaxed his hand and Sebastian slipped his fingers into Kurt's and kissed the back of it while he slid out of the bed and back to his chair. Burt nodded approvingly and squeezed first Sebastian's shoulder then laid his hand back on Kurt's knee once more. He had dragged over Rachel's chair to the bed too.
The nurse shone light into Kurt's eyes and he protested in pain and tried to recoil but she had a firm grip, making sure she could see what his pupils did. She checked all the machines and wrote down the numbers and then prodded at his bruises. He hissed and backed away, she made a sound and wrote down more information. "Ok, the doctor will be in soon, but I'm hopeful now that you're awake that you'll be able to go home. We'll have to show you how to use the sling but that's a small price to pay for what could have been a very bad accident, you're a very lucky young man." Her words caused everyone to tense up, between being unnecessary and making them realize just how bad it had been and could have been. She seemed to recognize what she'd done to the mood in the room and switched gears. "There's quite a crowd gathering in the waiting room, by the way."
"A crowd?" Kurt asked in confusion. "Who- why?"
The nurse shrugged and patted him on the hand near her and walked out.
Sebastian cleared his throat. "I sent out a massive SOS and then told them where we were, sorry."
"No, no, it's fine. I'm just surprised anyone's come. Most have graduated and left the state. Who could be out there?"
Sebastian lifted a brow and then frowned as he realized why Kurt said that. "You have far more friends here than Blaine led you to believe. People care about you."
"Not really." Kurt shook his head. "I just went to school with a few of them. They feel obligated or something."
"Hmm." Sebastian clearly disagreed but he didn't want to argue or get Kurt upset, which only riled Kurt up more.
"Just say it Sebastian."
The doctor came in and gave Sebastian a slight reprieve. She looked over Kurt and concurred with the nurse. "We'll set you up with some take home pain meds and a sling and show you how to use it with your set of injuries." She glanced over to Burt quickly. "If he starts slurring words, stumbling, tripping, looking unfocused or dilated pupils or suddenly goes unconscious, you will call the local hospital immediately and get someone on the line or bring him into urgent care, understand?"
Burt and Sebastian both nodded, she wasn't talking to Kurt, so he didn't nod. He was sleepy anyway and settled back into the bed, forgetting that he was going to leave this place soon. "Is this what you mean?" Burt asked the doctor carefully, worriedly.
"No, he's high on meds." She shook her head. "He's going to do a lot of sleeping for a little while. We'll discharge him when he's awake again. You'll know if it's unusual sleep, it's hard to miss." She glanced at Sebastian. "Boyfriend?"
"Yes." She nodded.
"He's going to be ok, you can release the death hold you have on his hand." Sebastian glanced down to see that both hands were tightly gripping Kurt's again. Sebastian couldn't find a way to loosen his fingers, he needed Kurt to be awake again, now, to reassure himself of that fact.
Kurt did wake up again, about a half hour later and Sebastian had to let go so they could show all of them how to wrap the sling around himself and then attach it without hurting himself in the process. They made him do it three times before they let him keep it on and go home with it. They had written instructions and short of sleeping or showering with it on, he wasn't to take it off at all for the first week. Then they had instructions on what he was supposed to do after that.
"I go to a performing arts school." Kurt pointed out. "Will I be able to participate?"
The woman looked at Kurt in surprise and as if he were slow all at the same time. "You're not supposed to jostle the collarbone. It needs time to heal."
"But-"
"If you can do something without lifting a lot of weight or vigorous movement, or lifting the arm, then... maybe."
Kurt groaned in annoyance but nodded and thanked her regardless. Sebastian helped support Kurt while they walked to the front of the hospital where everyone was waiting.
Kurt stared in shock at there were at least 20 people there, including Rachel, Finn, Blaine and Mercedes. "Mercedes? What are you doing here?"
"I was sent an SOS that my boy was missing. I hopped on the first flight home." She took a tentative step forward. She glanced at Sebastian and Burt, wondering if it was ok but Kurt moved forward first and wrapped her in a one armed hug.
She carefully wrapped her arms around him in return, careful not to squeeze or bump anything. "Thank you for coming." Kurt was crying into her chest and she just let him.
Sam, Tina and Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury were there. Nick, Jeff and a few other Warblers were there. There were a few unfamiliar faces mixed in but a lot of surprising faces that he knew that he hadn't expected to show up. Puck had driven from... where ever he was now.
"Don't you have a cool cleaning business in LA now or something?" He asked the former delinquent.
"Eh, it's a longer pool season there, but even they close up for a few months starting around the holidays." Puck shrugged. "I came home to be with my boys."
Kurt gave him a one armed hug as well and Puck folded him against his chest.
A throat cleared and Kurt and Puck glanced over to see two uniformed officers right next to them. Both tensed up, thinking they were after Puck for something, totally forgetting what brought Kurt to the hospital to begin with.
"Mr. Hummel, if you wouldn't mind, we have a few questions for you." Sebastian tried to sit in on the conversation with him and the officers but since Kurt was an adult, no one was allowed in with him.
Kurt joined up with the others in a complete daze. "What did they say?" Puck asked gritting his teeth, waiting for them to try and pin it all on Kurt and how he was going to fight them.
"They said... they said the other driver died but all the evidence and witnesses confirmed my story about how he lost control while driving too fast."
Hearts sank to hear what happened to the other driver, it could have easily been both or more if anyone else had been involved, more than the two cars, if Kurt wasn't that skilled of a driver. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'll pray for his soul." Mercedes said, wiping away at the tears near her eyes.
Sebastian really was too, except not nearly for the same reason Mercedes was. He had wanted to teach the guy a lesson and he couldn't learn it, if he were dead. He felt bad at the loss of a life, sure, but he had nearly taken Kurt from him and so he couldn't find it in himself to care all that much.
"They... they said they towed my car here but it was up to me what I wanted done with it now." Kurt was breathing heavily. "I-I have some of my things in there and the car- dad-"
"Insurance will cover it, it's why we pay to begin with. It's just an object and it did what it was supposed to do- it protected you and took the brunt of the accident." Burt rubbed his hand against Kurt's arm. "We can get your personal items out of it and have it towed and replaced, they'll total it out and give us the funds."
Kurt blinked slowly and in a daze at the expression 'total it out'. It meant two things here – pay for the total cost of the car and it's worth and also – total disaster, finish wrecking, destroying. Kurt closed his eyes quickly and tried to block out the images assaulting him as the words dredged it up. Closing his eyes only made the images worse.
Sebastian caught him before he could sink to the floor. "Hey." He whispered in Kurt's ear. "Love, it's ok, you're ok, you're here with us, you're in my arms, you're safe and going home, practically scratch free." He had been very, very, very lucky. Sebastian pressed a kiss to the top of Kurt's head, he'd almost lost this amazing man, he was feeling faint himself but he needed to be strong for Kurt.
Burt cleared his throat. "Carole said she has the car waiting for us out front."
Carole hadn't seen Kurt's vehicle as she parked and waited for her boys to come out. It was hidden by one of the trucks delivering items for the hospital's gift shop.
Only when they stopped dead and she was getting out of the car and looking around the truck at what they'd spotted, did she understand why. She swallowed hard and felt for the steering wheel to help hold herself together, her other hand went to the door for support.
Well, they definitely didn't need to total the vehicle out, it had already been done for them. It was a miracle Kurt survived, much less with so little damage. Every part of it was scrunched up and crushed like a beer can. The paramedics had to cut through the door to get him out, even the top was smashed.
"Hey, hey, let me get the stuff, ok?" Finn asked with genuine kindness nobody had expected from him. Not that he couldn't be kind, but that he was getting passed his own thoughts and emotions on the situation to do something for Kurt. Especially something so difficult.
He jogged over to the car and started pulling out anything that could be remotely personal while Sebastian guided Kurt toward Carole's car. Kurt had thanked everyone personally who had come out to see him and promised them that they'd get together soon. Then was shepherded out by Sebastian, he was doing the same again now, getting him out of line of sight of what clearly should have killed him.
Burt was speechless and his throat had gone dry and he didn't think he could make a sound even if he wanted to. His boy had been very, very lucky.
Kurt buried his head in his dad's chest and sobbed and his dad looked like he was barely holding it together himself, maybe just in shock. Sebastian realized he'd never asked how his mom died. He had a very clear feeling just then... For once he wasn't jealous of someone who had Kurt's attention.
Maybe he was growing.