–
Chapter 9
Symphony
Like a love song on the radio
Will you hold me tight and not let go?
–
Dalton did not kick Kurt out once they found out that Karofsky was out of the picture. Kurt wondered very briefly if they kept him on because he was a big reason why they were going to Nationals again that year. They hadn't won in the past 4 years but they'd gotten fairly close every time.
McKinley tried to entice Kurt back to them too. His friends were already doing a great job of that alone but when the principal tried to get involved, Kurt shut it all down. He was loyal to these boys who had taken him in during his time of need.
He'd go back to McKinley next year and help them win another National Championship. He could have stayed at the private school for another year, they had the funds after-all now, but Dalton didn't ask for full price this year and would ask for it next year if he stayed. They'd already told him and his father that. They had made that agreement before the situation had changed and it didn't make any sense for Kurt to go back mid-semester. He'd already made the switch once.
Truthfully, this style of learning just wasn't for him, he wanted to explore a lot more things than just sitting and reading about things that happened in the past, math or science. He wanted to play and get dirty and have fun with his friends in class and know he could pass all of his classes with a breeze. He actually had to put in a lot of work here and next year would only be a lot worse. He barely had time for anything else that he wanted to do.
He regretted that meant leaving Blaine but he wouldn't ask him to come with, he wouldn't. He really wanted to promise himself that he wouldn't go over that line. Blaine was his boyfriend but he deserved to be here with these boys who loved him and not uproot himself for his final years of school. True David was going to be gone next year, Wes, Nick and Jeff the following year but at least Blaine had Trent who was the year after him. He tried to block out the part of his brain that told him that Blaine would actually have more friends at McKinley than he did at Dalton, because that wasn't fully true, Blaine could always make more friends and he was friendly with the other boys of his year.
If Blaine did transfer he would have Artie, Tina, Sam and some other kids in his grade who he could spend the next 2 years with, even after Kurt was gone, people who would remind Blaine about Kurt and of him and be able to share stories with when they were missing each other, a support system, not whoever else was in Blaine's class. Hell, Kurt just realized he didn't know of anyone else in Blaine's class. He was a terrible, terrible boyfriend (and classmate).
"Hey, you're quiet today." Blaine stroked Kurt's back and Kurt turned to look at him.
"I'm just thinking about Nationals, they're a few weeks away." Then they would have their Spring Assembly and the Warblers would perform there too, no matter what happened at Nationals.
"I think we have a gooo- fantastic set list, don't worry about it." They'd been prepared for months now and Blaine knew it wasn't what was really bothering Kurt. "We have months before the school year is over."
"Three to be exact." Which was true, they were halfway through March and school ended early-mid June and Blaine's face fell, knowing that Kurt was keeping track, feeling like Kurt was crossing off days until freedom. "Because I don't want to miss a single day with you that we could be together."
"Then be here, with me." Blaine rubbed his hand against Kurt's back again and Kurt nodded and tried really hard not to worry about the future or make any decisions.
"I'm sorry, I of course want to be fully with you here. You know me though, I worry."
Blaine did know that and he nodded and worked on distracting Kurt so he could think of nothing but Blaine. Blaine had no problem doing that in return, his thoughts were always filled with nothing but Kurt and only Kurt. Maybe his grades had slipped just a tiny bit this year... he had doodled Kurt's face and name in the margins of his text books and tests more than once. He had also found the heart that Kurt had drawn around their names with an arrow going through it. He had stolen that from Kurt without his knowledge and was having it framed so he could put it up in his dorm with everything else purely Kurt or about both of them. He pressed his lips together to keep from grinning idiotically and used his nose to nuzzle into Kurt's neck instead.
"You know, I don't have to be home tonight since dad isn't home. I could just text Carole that I'm staying the night..."
Blaine's eyes sparkled. "If you're waiting for me to turn down that offer, then you'll be sitting here forever, so either way, I win."
Kurt laughed and pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Carole that he was too tired to drive home, which was the exact opposite of how he felt, he was suddenly wired. He grabbed Blaine's hand and ran with him toward the dorm room. They slid in and Blaine was already undressing Kurt before they even got the door shut. He threw both of their uniforms into a pile, not caring which piece belonged to whom and they would have a fun time trying to sort it out in the morning. Then they were down to their under clothes and socks and Kurt was so adorable trying to get his socks off while Blaine peeled them off without a second's thought.
"You know, you still haven't undressed for me." Kurt complained as Blaine knocked him over onto his back on the bed and crawled over him.
"Next time." Blaine vowed.
"Promises, promises." Kurt teased.
"Well, do you want me to put my clothes back on just so I can do that for you now?" Blaine asked, seriously considering it, if it would please Kurt.
"Hell no." Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck and pulled him down for a kiss that didn't end for what seemed like hours.
Blaine didn't touch Kurt's bruised side the entire time they made out and Kurt took his hands and put them along his waist, missing the feel of his fingers stroking him there, the warmth from his hands and his own did the same to Blaine. He started tugging on the undershirt, Blaine could put it back on to sleep if he wanted but right now, that was one piece of fabric too many and it was in Kurt's way.
Blaine pulled back to help him get rid of the garment and he looked at Kurt curiously, wondering if Kurt would do the same – and Kurt pulled his shirt off so fast that Blaine had to move otherwise he'd get a forearm to his nose. "Oops, sorry." Kurt apologized as Blaine chucked his undershirt into the pile with the rest of the clothes.
"Don't apologize, that was hot." Blaine's mouth darted down to Kurt's stomach and kissed along the entire length of angry flesh before moving on to torment the alabaster skin that was also revealed, his hands had always liked touching the skin there, now his mouth could return the favor. Kurt's fingers curled into Blaine's hair, unable to stop them from doing so, giving Blaine a very clear indicator that Kurt was on fire too. They only had their bottoms on now and Blaine was very careful not to touch even a millimeter of that fabric, afraid that he might not stop if he did.
"Blaine – you're amazing." That was probably the most uninhibited thing Kurt had ever said, without Blaine initiating the stream of commentary himself and Blaine pause. "Don't stop-".
Blaine decided it was his turn to have fun with tormenting Kurt, he was definitely there now, his cocky boyfriend could suffer a little today too, he'd made Blaine do it often enough, keening so hard for those words, thoughts, touches... Kurt was a generous lover, but he didn't say nearly as much as Blaine wanted to hear. "In what way?" Blaine asked his mouth hovering over Kurt's navel, he had been licking it and blowing on it and had started to slide his tongue in but he stopped now.
"You – Your so sweet, kind, smart, generous, strong, talented." Kurt thrashed under him but Blaine held him steady.
"What else?" He was already satisfied but he had fun teasing Kurt, seeing what else he could get out of him.
"So amazingly hot and sexy, I can't believe this god has deemed to share his body and time and thoughts with me. I'm not worthy." Kurt's hands stroked Blaine's hair and Blaine looked up at him with the softest, warmest look as he heard these words from Kurt in something other than text or song; he had found it easier to share if he didn't have to look Blaine in the eye, which he was doing now. "I never doubt your love, it's always on your face with every look and it's a great source of strength that I can't believe is directed at me. You're gorgeous in all ways."
Kurt had a hard time looking at Blaine in return most days because he knew he would stumble, run into something so intoxicated by his eyes, forget what he was doing and hurt himself because he wasn't looking where he was going or forget even to breath while falling into his gorgeous eyes that were some days mischievous and green and some days so dark and unfathomably brown but knowing that Blaine loved him was never hidden or questioned.
"What do you want me to do to you?" Blaine pressed just that bit more, loving this open and unhindered Kurt. Well, maybe not completely as the blush spread out from his heart and turned his entire torso, neck, ears and face bright red. "Oh, naughty, naughty thoughts then?" The blush only deepened and Blaine chuckled. "Very naughty thoughts." He still didn't move though, letting Kurt settle a little before lightly pressing his lips to that navel again. "Is this what you want?"
"Blaine!" Ok, so maybe as Kurt flushed and blushed in waves, Blaine realized that he'd pushed too far and Kurt wasn't quite there yet. Maybe Blaine just needed to show Kurt what he could do to that bellybutton and then Kurt may feel more comfortable asking for something if he had already experienced it and could reference it.
His mouth closed over the navel and his tongue pressed in and out in a slow pace first but as Kurt's hands started curling more and more fiercely into Blaine's hair, he knew that this was doing things to his boyfriend. If they weren't, he'd be a bit offended and then he sped up and the hands were just spasming against his skull. Blaine was so close to the organ bellow the waist band, his upper chest was hovering above it but all of a sudden, it was feeling a lot more than the warmth that bodies had in those secret space and he hooked his arm around Kurt's waist, forgetting temporarily about the bruise splashed along his side and held his hips tightly against his chest while his mouth continued doing what it was. Kurt was bucking and thrashing against him and he loved every moment of it. Oh god, when they had sex for real... Blaine had no idea what to expect with that but he knew he would have a very hard time lasting more than a few touches from this incredibly sexy man. They were both so sensitive to the other's touch... They would definitely have fun trying to get there, they already were.
Kurt had come but he wasn't flaccid and he growled and tipped them over so Blaine was on his back and Kurt shimmied down his body and cleaned himself up from Blaine's chest with just his tongue and once he was cleaned up his mouth settled onto a spot over Blaine's heart and this time gave Blaine a hickey and Blaine loved it.
"I love you." Kurt said, his lips still on Blaine's chest where he wasn't quite done with what he was doing with the hickey.
"I love you too." Blaine stroked his fingers down Kurt's back. His hand splayed out on Kurt's back suddenly, remembering how he had wrapped his arm tightly around Kurt's side. "I didn't hurt you did I?"
"What?" Kurt looked up at him in surprise for a second and then understanding filtered through. "No, of course not." His mouth went back to torturing Blaine. "Is there anything in particular you want me to do?" There wasn't a hint of a blush when he asked that question, not afraid of an answer or embarrassed by it, he just wanted to please Blaine.
"No, no, you do whatever you want and it'll be right." Blaine had secret desires that he wanted Kurt to try on him some day but that was the optimal phrase – some day – right now he wanted Kurt to do whatever he wanted, this exploration was so much hotter than anything planned. Kurt's mouth settled over his favorite place eventually, this time without the barrier of a shirt between him and it and his mouth closed over one of Blaine's nipples and he sucked it into his mouth and Blaine didn't need more than that, he came and came hard, flashes rippled across his vision and he thought for a second that he was going to go blind with all the pleasure.
He wanted to reach down between them and touch Kurt so badly but he held back, they hadn't talked about it. Even the removal of their under shirts had been a question and he had answered it by helping Kurt with it; there had been a full conversation there but that was just a clothing item on their chests, an area they'd touched before. To touch Kurt there would require a conversation not in the throes of passion.
They tipped over onto their sides, facing each other and their legs intertwined and their hands splayed over the other's chest and they kissed another kiss that seemed to last forever. They were both breathing hard, groaning at a touch or caress, lips that brushed sensitive flesh and they both came hard and fast and they did it again and again several times that night.
"Good thing you have a spare bed." Kurt said as his lips grazed the tip of Blaine's nose and then fluttered over Blaine's closed eyelids.
"And that I change those sheets often." He agreed with a laugh.
"What would your roommate think?" Kurt asked as if he would be offended and Blaine's mouth grazed Kurt's jaw, he loved this playful banter with Kurt.
"I think he'd want to try and join in, honestly."
"I'm sure he would, who wouldn't with you involved?"
"Then it's a good thing I don't have one, because the only person I want touching me is you." His mouth found the underside of Kurt's jaw, finding a delectable pulse point and spent far too much time on it, kissing it, licking it, wanting to bask in it.
"That goes both ways." Kurt moaned and moved slightly against him and they went from foreplay and tender aftermath back to inflamed passion.
–
"You don't look like you got much sleep last night." Wes pointed out with humor in his eyes as he looked over the couple. "Troubles?"
They just looked at each other besotted and ignored his suggestive tone. "Maybe we should go back to sleep, what do you think, lover?" Kurt asked and then flamed red for saying that out loud with someone else in hearing range.
Wes started laughing and laughing hard and Kurt only got brighter and redder and Blaine pulled an uncomfortable Kurt to his shoulder and held him there to help him hide the red face even though it was still obvious because it still revealed how red he was along the back of his neck and Kurt moaned into his chest, he'd been too wrapped up into Blaine to think hard about what he was saying.
"Maybe we should go back to bed." Blaine shot Wes a look to get him to shut up, Kurt would likely keep his distance more now, and the longer Wes laughed the longer Kurt would probably be prickly about PDA.
Wes couldn't stop laughing so he did the next best thing by walking away but his laughter could still be heard down the hallway. Kurt groaned again. "I'm never going to live this down."
"Say it again." Blaine pressed and followed his demand with kisses along that tempting neck.
"I'll never live it down?" Kurt asked, peaking out at him and he shook his head. "What then?"
"Lover."
"Maybe, in the privacy of your bedroom." Kurt sulked, put out at the term being brought up again.
"Any objections on me calling you, Love?" Blaine asked still amused and not annoyed that Kurt didn't repeat the affectionate word, he didn't think he would.
"Try it in a sentence." Kurt gave him the sexiest look then and Blaine had to think about what he was saying for a minute before picking back up again on the thread of the conversation. He had wanted to devour Kurt just then and he may still do so if he wasn't careful.
"How was your night, love?" Then they both shook their heads no, it didn't sound right from him, he wasn't British and it didn't roll off the right way. "That's ok, I still find your name the sexiest thing I could say."
"And how you say my name is the sexiest thing I've ever heard. I love your name too, I love saying it over and over again." And Kurt forgot that he was supposed to be putting space between them and Blaine tipped them over onto the couch they were on and his mouth closed over Kurt's and didn't let up, they were kissing, tongues and all and it was only the ringing of a bell they remembered that today was Tuesday and they had classes.
By the time they got to their classes, they were late and hadn't had time to straighten up their appearances and it was obvious what both of them were up to just before then. During class though, Kurt managed to right himself out but Blaine just didn't even bother.
"I've got to hand it to you Kurt, you may just have Jeff and I beat." Nick commented and laughed a loud boisterous laugh when Kurt turned bright red. "Ok, maybe not. Keep it up though and you might just surpass us." Kurt felt like he was going to be permanently red by the time he left Dalton that day. He kept heating up too when he remembered the night with Blaine, it would just pop into his thoughts and then he would blush and it would start all over again.
Blaine was reluctant to let Kurt home drive home that evening. "Are you sure you can't just stay this week and go home on Friday?"
"No, I need to talk to Finn, let him know how much I appreciate what he's done and at least entertain him for a few hours of the day, he's been stuck at home now for two days, he must be going stir crazy, I did and would." Kurt didn't want to leave either, which is why they were in the lobby near the door, pressed up against each other with their foreheads touching and just looking at each other, breathing each other's air and holed up in each other's warmth. "At least he's not grounded."
"I'd rather you were entertaining me." Blaine rotated his forehead against Kurt's.
"Me too." Kurt agreed.
"Sure I can't come back with you?" Kurt would be going back and forth, Blaine could too.
Kurt shook his head. "This is something that I need to do, you know Finn, he won't be pleased if you show up too."
Blaine scowled. "I don't know what his problem is with me."
Kurt shrugged. "Who knows, I am only sort of starting to understand him. He doesn't like a lot of things and takes time to warm up to people. He never warms up to some people. He talks to you now, that's a good start, let's not push it, ok?"
Blaine groaned. "I don't want to let you out of my sight." He didn't know why he was so anxious tonight about it, Kurt drove back and forth often enough and he wasn't hurt today, it wasn't raining or snowing, it was actually the perfect weather today, even if it was on the edge of cold.
Maybe it was just because he wanted to continue exploring Kurt's body, yes they'd stayed north of the equator, but that didn't mean he could start at the antarctic and start working his way up... He suggested as much to Kurt who blushed in anticipation. Blaine's lips covered Kurt's and drank from the mouth that gave him so much pleasure in so many ways. Maybe it was the heart-shaped hickey over his own heart that made him want to keep Kurt as close as the hickey until it faded and even longer.
"It'll be ok." Kurt hugged Blaine close. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow morning, like usual. You can't get rid of me."
"Blasphemy, I'll never want to get rid of you." Blaine reluctantly pulled back from Kurt's warmth. "Text me when you get home?"
"Always." Kurt knew they'd be chatting tonight too whether via text or phone call, but this wouldn't be the end of their conversation for the day.
Kurt got home and sent his dutiful text off to Blaine and then sought Finn out. He was downstairs playing video games. "Want to get out of here?" He didn't know what Finn did all day at home with no restrictions or school to attend with, but he was sure so far he had just stayed home because there had been nobody else to do anything with. Even Puck had to stay in class so he could move onto their next year by attending class and doing homework and taking tests.
"What did you have in mind?" Carole was out for the night again, she had an evening shift and Kurt shrugged, whatever Finn wanted to do. "Want to go get snacks and go watch gory movies at the theater? They have a marathon on right now."
"Uh..." Kurt hesitated, not really. "If that's what you want to do, sure."
"Sweet, I'll let dad know that we'll be out for several hours and will probably get home after curfew." Finn hesitated. "Oh right, he's in D.C. Nevermind, we'll still probably beat mom home so she'll never have to know."
Both Finn and Kurt were 17 and so were let into those movies without a fuss although they asked to see Kurt's ID every time at every door when looking at the tickets and then at Kurt's face, not believing him to be old enough to go in, every time they went to go see a movie over the PG-13 rating and even then they barely thought he was old enough to see those. They didn't even glance at Finn. Kurt grabbed his ID knowing that tonight they would be doing the same thing and already bracing himself for it. He would just keep it in his pocket separate that way he didn't have to dig for it every time. "Want to drive?" Kurt asked tossing Finn the keys, he loved driving the SUV and didn't get to do it all the time and Kurt was over driving. He was tired and wondered if he'd fall asleep in the movie theater and start dreaming about the scenes on the screen.
They stopped to get gas and snacks at the convenience store, still cheaper than the theater who didn't actually give them grief for bringing in outside food.
They chatted on the drive there and then at the store while picking out food and they both got back into the Escalade. Finn turned over the engine to start it up and Kurt and Finn were reaching for their seatbelts when all of a sudden a brick was going through the windshield and it took them far too long to understand what was happening. Several thousands of thoughts went through them and Finn reached out for Kurt to cover him with his larger body and Kurt's hands were going to go up to cover their heads, already knowing what Finn was going to do without having to think about it. They thought it was a natural disaster or part of the building falling onto them and they knew they needed to move but the passenger window was also smashed open and then hands were pulling Kurt out through the window, cutting him as they dragged him out against the shards of glass.
Three boys had Kurt on the ground and were beating on him and kicking him. Finn was out of his side of the car and around it as soon as he found Kurt to be missing, catching on just after Kurt was pulled away. He was furious. "What the hell?" Finn pushed at them, he managed to move one away and Kurt crawled towards the vehicle, trying to get under it, block or slow the attacks but he was dragged back along the asphalt, the road cutting into his clothes and skin and he curled into a ball with his hands going over his head, trying to making himself as small as possible, giving them less of a target to hit against and protect anything particularly vital.
"Karofsky, get the hell away from my brother!" Finn swung at him and the other two boys kept pummeling Kurt.
"The two of you got me expelled!" Karofsky's meaty hand swung back at Finn and caught him in the jaw. "You both deserve this!"
Karofsky went after Kurt while Azimio and the hockey player gave up on the weaker one who was down and not moving and went after the one still fighting. Finn got some hits in and Karofsky grabbed the back of Kurt's head with a hand in his hair. "I told you I'd be seeing you again baby!" He yanked hard and Kurt's head snapped back on his neck and he looked at Karofsky with hatred in his burning blue eyes.
"You're a fool to do this." Kurt hissed and Karofsky looked like he wanted to do something very different to Kurt but he had his buddies with him and couldn't, no matter how distracted or focused they were in hitting and fighting Finn.
"Maybe, but I always get equal."
"We're so far from equal." Kurt spat blood into Karofsky's face. Karofsky ran a hand down his face with a smirk on his lips and wiped the blood down it, making it worse than what it had been before and he didn't care.
"I'll make it equal eventually, just you wait." He took it the wrong way, Kurt had meant that he had never done anything wrong. "You still owe me." He dropped Kurt's head and stood up to kick him in the lower back and Kurt's body bowed backward in pain from the well placed kick. "Let's go. We made our point."
Finn made his way to Kurt who went back to his curled up position. "Kurt?" Finn asked, his face was bloody and could barely see through it but he sought out Kurt with hands rather than eyes.
"Yeah." Kurt groaned and coughed and pushed himself up so he was resting with his back against the Escalade. He reached out and grabbed Finn's hand and helped guide him down to sit next to him. They just needed to sit there for a minute and breath, they'd get up and go to the hospital soon.
Finn's head laid against the SUV and his eyes closed. "You ok?"
"Sure. You?" Kurt had been through worse, actually, he felt like he'd gotten away pretty lucky but breathing was a bit painful and the inside of his mouth tasted like copper.
"I think so." Finn responded.
Kurt knew they should stand up, do something but he wasn't really sure what right then, sitting felt pretty nice. He forgot that he was still holding Finn's hand, but the bigger boy didn't seem to mind it and even squeezed it for good measure to keep it there when Kurt became aware of it again and tried to pull away. So he left his hand in Finn's.
Kurt heard the sirens before he saw the red and blue lights and it was only when they were right in front of them that he heard Finn groan. "Turn off your alarm."
"Can't, I'm afraid." His voice was really thready and thin and his joke went unnoticed by both. "Police."
"Why are they here?" Finn tried to open his eyes to peer ahead of him but the blood had dried and caked his eyes shut.
There were people in front of both of them and were asking them questions but Kurt couldn't find the breath to answer and suddenly he wasn't being asked anymore, instead an object was placed over his nose and mouth and he reached up to try and remove it but his hand was brought back down to his side and he was lying on his back now.
There was a lot of noises and movement but Kurt had no idea what was going on anymore.
Then his eyes were open and he was looking into a pair of hazel ones so close to his but they were wet and so scared and sad. He didn't recognize them for a minute because he never saw those eyes sad before and the color was like warm amber drizzling over him. Then they were gone and he was looking at an ear. "He's awake!" Blaine called out for anyone who would want to hear him and a nurse came in and checked his vitals and those green-brown eyes were back on his, trying to read so much in them, trying to convey so much but Kurt's mind was pretty blank right then, not sending a message or taking any.
"B-" He tried to form the word but his mouth was so dry and sticky and gross.
"Shh, it's ok." Blaine ran a hand through Kurt's hair. "Don't try to speak right now, just rest."
"F-" Kurt was slowly coming back to himself and understood now why his mouth was like that, why his body was suddenly on fire but not the good kind that he and Blaine stroked in each other. Why there was just so much pain and he didn't even know where it began or ended or what was the worst part or where.
Blaine looked around and then kissed Kurt's temple, he didn't want to be told not to do so and be removed from the room. His fingers found Kurt's hand and held on. "Finn is fine. He's just black and blue and trying to get cleaned up. They're observing him over night but he's been conscious for hours." Meaning that Kurt hadn't been. His mouth moved but he couldn't even muster up the strength to try and make sound. Blaine swallowed and shook his head. "I'm not sure, I lost track of time." Which was incredibly not true, he'd felt every single minute tick through him but Kurt didn't need to hear it. "It's-" He glanced at the clock. "It's 10 pm." Blaine knew he had to tell Kurt everything though. "Your dad is heading in, he got on the first flight out and will be here soon." Kurt's eyes sought Blaine's, asking the question he needed to know the answer to and Blaine shook his head violently. "It's not because of what you wore to prom, Kurt. This is in no way your fault, he would have found a way to gain access to you eventually. Finn said that he'd been in detention every day since you went to Dalton and was getting closer and closer to expulsion anyway."
Blaine felt Kurt squeeze his hand and knew Kurt was apologizing and he sniffed and looked away, he'd already cried so many tears and didn't want to make it harder for Kurt by shedding more. He could wait to sob until he could hide it.
"They're all in jail. Karofsky had a record and they knew to be on the look out for him first and foremost and the video showed what happened clearly. The other two, it was their first offenses. They went too far though, it was a very violent act that they'd done against the two of you and they're so stupid to attack a federal servant's two children. They can make it look like a crime against the state now not just targeting you as a hate crime. They're all going to have some jail time, either way and now they have 2 different charges brought against Karofsky in one swoop."
Kurt's eyes narrowed, he was in so much pain but he didn't miss the bitter look on Blaine's lips. He shook their hands and Blaine's eyes returned to him and he sighed, he'd been read easily by those perceptive eyes. "I wish I had gotten to them first, or at least been with you two, I would have been able to make a difference."
He tried to sit up but he gasped in pain in return, he had wanted to tell Blaine exactly what he thought of that wish. Blaine put both of his hands gently but firmly on Kurt's shoulders to keep him in place. "Don't move. You've got a broken rib. It's why you're having trouble breathing and talking. It's super bruised and inflamed, which is causing most of the pain but it will get better." Kurt looked down at the exposed skin that was revealed with the movement and the sheet had fallen to his waist. His middle was wrapped but his arms and shoulders were already purpling.
Kurt reluctantly settled back down on to the bed and pouted. He hated being laid up. Blaine knew he hated showing so much skin too so he reached down for the sheet and blanket and wrapped tightly around Kurt and for a second forgot as he looked at the pout on the boy's lips and he leaned forward to kiss it away. Kurt's breathing was shallow and came out in difficult puffs and Blaine cursed himself for his stupidity, he'd blocked some of Kurt's airflow doing that and he got up to try and get the nurse back again so she could check on his oxygen levels.
Kurt's hand slid into Blaine's and he tugged Blaine back. "F-Fine." He rasped and Blaine's head turned towards him.
"Save your breath. You always say you're fine. I'm starting to really hate that word." Blaine's anger was starting to take over again because he had nothing he could do and he settled into his chair once more and crossed his legs. Kurt tried to shrug it off but winced as it pulled at every painful spot on his body. It was getting better though the more he lived with it.
"Ok." He tried to tease but it only put a deeper frown on Blaine's face.
He was starting to feel out what really hurt and what was just bruised. He'd lived with bruises before, it's what was broken that he cared about.
Blaine just sat in his chair and glowered and Kurt left him in peace. Eventually he'd return to Kurt all smiles and attempting to make him feel better. He usually started that way, went off into a mini-rage then returned back to Kurt with caring only on his mind.
A doctor came in shortly after their conversation and looked over everything that was documented. "Good, you're awake and alert."
"Please don't say that word- good-"
"'skay." Kurt interrupted Blaine who was trying to protect Kurt from a trigger, he was over being triggered by it, it was such a common word, he couldn't live his life avoiding it. He wasn't avoiding anything anymore.
The doctor looked back and forth between them. "Will it be ok to have him in here? He's not going to rile you up?" Kurt shook his head and reached for Blaine's hand who filled his instantly and she sighed. "Ok, but no arguing with the patient, young man." Blaine nodded dutifully and gave his most charming look. She was surprisingly not impressed and when looking at Kurt's dopey smile, she finally smiled too, Kurt had reached her where Blaine couldn't. "Ok. Well you'll probably be released tomorrow morning. We just want to make sure the rib is set first and won't shift but you should be fine once the inflammation goes down. You'll find that there are several scratches, we had to dig out some glass and pavement from your skin."
"How long-" Kurt tried asking and Blaine squeezed his hand and spoke for him.
"How long will it take to fully recover? We have a singing competition in a few weeks."
She frowned at both of the boys. "If you don't push yourself, I would say there's no reason you can't participate."
"Participate?" It was more of a mouthing of the word than actual voice behind it and she shrugged.
"Your voice should be the same, with the same range and fullness you are used to. It didn't puncture anything, just pressed up against your diaphragm uncomfortably. That should be a little easier to breath through when the swelling goes down. Just try not to aggravate it."
"No rugby, check." Kurt joked and started coughing and she shook her head.
"You're one of those, aren't you?" She handed him a cup of water. "You can't take being in the hospital seriously and have to make a joke out of anything serious. You bit your cheek, that's why you're tasting blood." More like his cheek got pressed up against his teeth painfully and cut it, but small difference. She looked over to Blaine. "And you take things probably too seriously. He'll be fine, stop giving yourself worry lines. And you- stop causing him worry lines by being a good little patient. Sorry, by being an obedient little patient. I'll write that into your chart so I don't forget."
Neither corrected her assumptions, Kurt had taken his father's condition very seriously and hadn't been in the mood to joke at that time. He was just trying to keep things lighter for Blaine.
"I should probably go get Finn, he'd kill me if I didn't let him know you were awake before Burt got here." Blaine pressed another kiss to Kurt's forehead and slipped away.
"Cheeky." Kurt grumbled to himself, it was getting easier to talk but Blaine knew he couldn't shout at him to wait and used it to his advantage.
Burt still beat Finn to the room. He wasn't angry, he didn't yell, he didn't ask any questions about what happened and he didn't gather Kurt into his arms. He was the picture of complete calm as he ran his hand through Kurt's hair and looked down at him with mild concern. "Ok?" Kurt nodded back and Burt let out a breath he'd been holding. "When you and Finn were first admitted they found your ID in your pocket easily and I was called. They said from the outset it looked like Finn was in worse shape. Then Carole's calling me and Finn is awake and on the phone with us but no word about you. They said that you had a broken rib and weren't awake yet."
Kurt was glad that his dad was filling him in, he had no idea what had happened once the ambulance and police came. "They arrested them." Kurt said softly and Burt nodded.
"The police were nearby and caught them before they got too far. The ambulance took longer to get to you two."
Finn stumbled in then and his efforts to get cleaned up were terrible and Kurt wanted to tell him that, he couldn't help it. "Woah, what happened to you?"
Blood was still caked to his hair and it looked like Carole only got half the blood off of one cheek. Finn grinned suddenly and a tooth was missing in the front but the older boy didn't care. "I could ask you the same thing. You look terrible."
"You know the two of you aren't funny, right?" Blaine asked leaning against a wall and glaring at both of them and Kurt grinned back at his brother and boyfriend in equal measures with a slightly different smile.
"I think we're fucking hilarious." Kurt responded and Finn just cracked up and couldn't stop laughing and then he coughed as he had bruised ribs too and Burt offered his seat to his second son who took it gratefully.
"Me too." Finn agreed and took Kurt's hand. "Ok?"
"Sure. You?"
"Yeah, I think so."
–
EAN: If there's any inconsistencies with the ages of the Warblers, I apologize, I was a few chapters further than this when I realized my original preconceived notions of their ages was totally off-base because they wouldn't be there in later seasons if they were the ages I thought they were. The fact that the show is so inconsistent too had a bit to do with that too since they reused background characters at each school and again and again for the same group even though they for sure should have graduated by season 6 if they were in season 2... but I digress. (Season 6 doesn't exist! LOL)
For this story so it all makes sense in the long run:
David: Senior
Wes & Thad & Nick & Jeff (& Kurt): Juniors
Blaine (& Sebastian later will be in the same year): Sophomores
Trent: Freshman
Wes is still Blaine's floor's "RA" for lack of better term at the moment and David just hangs out with all of them, he's not in charge of anything even though he's technically the oldest. David and Wes are on the council and have to be older but Wes, Jeff and Nick were present for Bad in canon and so they have to be younger. I tried to go through and make it make sense but I might have missed some minor changes with their ages in the story.