–
Chapter 18: Countdown Begins
–
"You want me to do, what?" Sebastian looked at the therapist as if she were insane.
"I want you to massage this area twice a day." She pressed on the area in question and ignored Kurt's cry of pain and crushing grip around Sebastian's hand. Sebastian couldn't ignore it though, and it had nothing to do with the loss of feeling in his hand. He hated hearing Kurt in pain and he squeezed his hand right back.
"But that triggers his spasm-"
"Not every time." She shook her head and dug strong fingers into the tender area. "It is also better to press on it to release it so it doesn't trigger it in the future. Then also help relax the other muscles the way you have been even if it doesn't trigger the spasm." She turned her head to talk to Kurt now. "Feeling better?"
He was breathing hard and looked at her as if he could murder her. "No." Considering even after everything that went down, he still hadn't ever thrown a punch, it was a pretty weak threat. She knew just how non-violent he was too. He hadn't even really done stage combat and fighting. She was not intimidated at all.
She worked the muscles some more and then she sat back. "And now?"
He moved a little, testing it out and he was surprised when he answered her and a little breathless. "Yes."
"Good. I'll see the two of you next week?"
Sebastian shook his head. "Elliott will be here next week." He had to go to Connecticut to follow up on something in person.
"Oh, good, I like him, he's so inquisitive and asked really good questions. He said that he's applied for and got into PT school, starting in the fall. I think that'll be a good fit." She smiled broadly at Sebastian. "And his hands are magic."
"How would you know?" Sebastian grumbled and ran a hand lightly against the small of Kurt's back. Kurt had always reassured him that his hands were magical and better than Elliott's. He only put up with Elliott's touch because he was just helping out.
"He asked me if he could practice on me first before he touched Kurt. He didn't just jump into it like someone else. A very responsible young man."
Sebastian glared at her and she laughed, it's the reaction she'd been aiming for. "I didn't hurt Kurt."
"No you didn't. He was worried about hurting both of us though, but I reassured him that as long as he didn't push too hard he wouldn't hurt either of us. I let him test it out on me rather than the cripple."
"Could you stop flirting with my fiance when I'm right here?" Kurt leaned into the hand at his back.
"Is this what you call flirting?" She looked at Kurt. "You've got a warped sense of things then, but then again, I suppose that's why you're with him."
"I know what flirting with Sebastian looks like, which is why I know you're doing it. You're insulting him to get a rile out of him but it won't work, you're not his type. You don't have the right equipment."
Sebastian couldn't help but try and get a further reaction out of Kurt. He moved so he was pressing against Kurt's back with his entire body and wrapped his arms loosely around his torso. "Well... she has a few similar pieces of equipment but even the one just isn't the same." He reached up and lightly stroked Kurt's throat, bumping over his Adam's Apple with deliberate intention.
Kurt tipped his head back for further access, not even bothered in the slightest by what he was saying about the flirting therapist having some similar anatomy. He trusted Sebastian too much now to even think for a second he was serious.
"And I asked Elliott to go with Kurt to these therapy sessions when I can't make it." Sebastian tilted his head. "Although I probably could have made something work, if Kurt would have let me make adjustments at work."
"You're already making too many adjustments." Kurt argued.
"It's not like it's a permanent or daily thing." Sebastian argued back, they'd had this argument a lot too.
"Yeah but we don't know how long it's going to last either. The doctor never said once we had our honeymoon I'd be back to normal. He just said that he thought we could go on a honeymoon to somewhere not too strenuous."
Sebastian realized with Kurt's words that he had been holding out hope that once the two months were over it would be done. He wanted everything wrapped up in a neat little package, therapy done, wedding done, honeymoon started for the rest of their lives. He wanted to put this whole thing behind them and move on with their lives and only have the good.
The therapist nodded and made a mental checklist and timeline. "I would say a year from now, you'll be nearly back to where you were, depending on how you heal and everything."
"He's still healing?" Sebastian hadn't realized that.
"Yes." She looked to Kurt. "You could still greatly injury yourself if you don't follow the plan. The muscles around your spinal cord were injured and they had swollen up and threatened to pinch off the nerves. The swelling is down but the nerves are still trying to heal and decide if they're still fully functional. I know it will be tempting on the days you're feeling better to push it, but you can't. We're rebuilding strength and keeping the connections awake and alive. I'll let you know when they've fully healed but you're in a critical period right now. If I didn't know your history and determination to get married on the date that you've decided, I would have suggested pushing the wedding back. You didn't need the extra stress but you're handling it remarkably well."
"I've been planning and revamping this wedding all my life and haven't had much else to occupy myself with over the last month or so." Kurt shrugged but he looked over to Sebastian. "The remarkable one is Sebastian."
That was a total lie, he was as busy as ever, just in a different way. Sebastian gave the same kind of shrug as Kurt. "I've had 10 years to get my mind around it and plan." He expected Kurt to argue that he hadn't been but Kurt only gave him a soft, knowing smile and nodded with his words for the therapist's sake. They liked her name and her look too but she was too old to be a surrogate. She would probably demand the old fashioned way with Sebastian daily until she was pregnant and then probably even after that.
It amused Sebastian that it annoyed Kurt so much that the therapist was always flirting with him. It was even more amusing because Kurt knew he wasn't interested in anyone else. Nor if he would would it be a girl. Yet it was nice that Kurt was the possessive/jealous one for a change. It had been awhile since that was the case.
–
There was definitely more than one frantic phone call to the clinic about Kurt's pain or inability to move his leg. Sebastian had to be talked down from many ledges that he'd climbed onto because of triggering the spasm. Some were worse than others and took more time to ease and help adjust to. Other times it was fine when he placed his fingers there.
He would ask them again and again if they were absolutely positive he should be the one doing that to Kurt. He thought maybe only medical professionals who knew what they were doing should be the ones triggering it.
He absolutely hated causing Kurt pain of any sort. He much preferred the days when he was the one relieving it, helping him recover from an attack. Not causing it in the first place.
Sebastian was sick to his stomach one day when he heard Kurt crying in pain in the laundry room. He had collapsed onto the ground and was trying to breathe through it, to overcome it.
Sebastian had come home early and heard him.. He didn't know how long Kurt had been there. He'd questioned the bodyguards and they were more reluctant to share with him than they had originally now that Kurt held their contracts. But they told Sebastian that Kurt had checked in with every text message on his own volition.
So either it was a recent attack or Kurt had powered through it enough to text them rather than seek help.
Sebastian's money was on the latter.
He questioned Kurt how long he'd been in the laundry room but Kurt never gave a definitive answer.
It only added weight to Sebastian's suspicions.
It was harder to relax Kurt's muscles after they'd been strained for so long. Sebastian nearly had a panic attack when the usual time to work them had come and gone and Kurt was still curled in a ball around his pillow. Sebastian didn't normally move Kurt when they were on their own, instead using the floor wherever they were to support Kurt while he worked the muscles.
He nearly picked Kurt up and brought him to the clinic or the emergency room. He was willing to let Kurt get a muscle relaxing injection if that was the only option even though they'd been warned against them. He needed Kurt to stop being in so much pain where all he could do was cry and breathe when instructed.
Slowly, oh so slowly, Kurt's muscles had stopped tensing, it wasn't even him controlling it, they just clenched on their own. He tried to force them to relax, to breath into the muscle but it had all been for naught.
He was sure with how well he worked the muscles they'd only be mush and he'd be pushing against bone by the time Kurt was able to stretch out and relax. He was drenched in sweat and Sebastian lifted him up and brought him into a shower, thinking about ignoring the clothes and just taking him in regardless. Only knowing that Kurt would have something to say afterward made him take the time to strip him.
Kurt sagged against Sebastian, unable to hold himself up and just exhausted. "You should upgrade to a better model." Kurt whispered against his shoulder and Sebastian tightened his arms around the slight man.
Sebastian was tired too, he'd worked those muscles for what seemed like hours but he would never be too tired for Kurt. He would always do what he could to help him. "Don't say that. Ever." He pressed a kiss onto the top of Kurt's head. "You're the only one I've ever wanted for life, ever."
"You could have someone easier to be with, someone who doesn't have all these problems. Who isn't going to make you rub him down."
"I don't mind that so much, you know." Sebastian teased and moved them out of the shower. He moved Kurt over to the counter and helped him rest against it while he grabbed the fluffy towels that he, Sebastian, had picked out and rubbed them both down. Sebastian had looked for days and had found the softest, warmest, large sheet towels he could find with a design that he thought would go with the overall look Kurt was going for. He'd brought them home and Kurt had kissed him on the cheek and said they were perfect. Kurt had that reaction for most of the things Sebastian brought into the house. Once he had tried to push it and picked out something completely gaudy and not at all their style nor anything he actually liked.
Kurt had looked at it and had made all sorts of funny faces as he tried to figure out a nice way to tell him no way. Kurt had never had trouble telling anyone straight to their face that it was a horrible pick. Perhaps it's because Sebastian had such good taste until then? Because it was Sebastian himself? Because they were trying so hard to make it their home and Kurt didn't want to be nixing things and having the veto power in the relationship? It was un truth that he didn't want to hurt Sebastian's feelings on this because it was a combination of all of that and so much more.
Because Kurt had tried so hard to protect Sebastian's feelings over the stupid nick-knack, it had instantly become a fond memory for Sebastian and he couldn't take it back. When he told Kurt about what he'd been trying to do and how it had found a way into his heart because of Kurt's reaction, Kurt couldn't bin it either. He also couldn't put it in the living room where everyone could see it. So he put it front and center on their dresser across from their bed so they couldn't help but see it twice daily and smile or laugh in amusement.
Sebastian dried both of them off and then pulled out their ultra-fluffy and comfortable robes, wrapped Kurt in his and pulled him back into the bedroom and pushed him onto the bench in front of their bed. He knelt in front of Kurt so they were seeing eye to eye.
"Look, marriage between any two people includes the vow in sickness and in health. We both could be incredibly healthy all our lives and then bam, serious illness or accident and it leaves us completely unrecognizable from who we were before. Do we walk away then?"
Kurt cupped Sebastian's face between his hands. "I wouldn't, I won't. It's not the same though, this happened before our marriage and-"
Sebastian pressed forward and kissed Kurt cutting him off. "You think a ring will change how I feel about us, about you, in my heart? I want the ceremony, I want the party, I want the pizazz and I want to make it official in the eyes of the law but we've been married a long time in my heart. I just want the world to know it too."
Kurt's eyes started to fill with tears and he tipped forward in his seat to wrap his arms around Sebastian's neck. Somehow managed to find his way onto the ground on his knees too and hugging Sebastian fiercely to him. "Me too."
"So don't you dare ever think that this will break us." Sebastian whispered fiercely back at him. "I don't care if you never get back to where you were, I don't care if I have to massage every part of your body daily to get your body functioning. I just care about doing what's best for you and being with you, however I can." Sebastian looped his arms around Kurt's waist. "I know we both get frustrated with this, get frustrated about the sex, but we'll learn and we'll deal and we'll adjust and we'll get through it. At the end of the day, I love you too much to do anything else."
"I think you just told me your marriage vows." Kurt teased and leaned back, not breaking either's embrace to look at Sebastian. He did lift one hand up temporarily to wipe at his cheeks and Sebastian's.
"Considering what I just said, it's been long overdue." Sebastian smiled at him softly.
"What if we do that, use tonight as our marriage vows, make it incredibly private and just between the two of us and we do something different for the audience?"
"Exchange our vows in a private ceremony?" Sebastian sat back on his heels and considered that. "I like the sound of it." Sebastian smiled crookedly. "Except you only said 'me too', I don't consider that a really heartfelt or even vow exchange."
"That's because I haven't said them yet." Kurt slid his hand back to Sebastian's cheek. "You told me once when I was having a dramatic attack, that you didn't want easy, you just wanted me. Yet somehow you've managed to provide me with both. You've made things so easy, so good that I don't know what I was ever worried about before. You've taken worry away from me. Do you know how difficult that is? Honestly? I was born worried and according to my father, dusting." Sebastian let out a soft chuckle at the words. "You've given me you. Wonderful, marvelous, base, crass, you. I could not and will not ever want anyone else. You are the complete package, you keep me guessing and never having to guess all at once. I love every part of you and I'm falling in love with you more and more every day. I didn't think it was at all possible but every day it just proves to me that my love for you can only grow. Nothing you can ever say or do will diminish my feelings."
Sebastian was crying silent tears once more and so was Kurt. "Is this the part where I kiss the bridegroom?"
"Yes." Kurt gave his permission and Sebastian didn't need any more prompting. The kiss seemed to last forever. It was only as Sebastian shifted from one knee to the other to help relieve some of the ache in them, did he realize Kurt was also on his knees.
"Let's get you up!" Sebastian hooked one arm around Kurt's hips while the other his upper back and lifted Kurt far too easily. Most of the time he loved it, being able to just lift him with ease to get them into the right positions but recently it seemed even easier. It should have been some sort of effort to dead lift him like that. He pushed that nagging worry aside and helped Kurt get back onto his feet. "I don't want to repeat today if I can help it. I hated seeing you in so much pain." He slid his hand through Kurt's hair, pulling it all back and smiling down at Kurt. "Husband."
"Husband." Kurt agreed, they'd already had a ring on each other's fingers, they'd felt it in their hearts for as long as they both could remember and they'd exchanged vows. It may not be official yet, but it was as good as for them. But of course they'd still go through with the ceremony.
–
Sebastian decided the universe was out to get them. Or at least Kurt and him by adjacent.
He'd come home from work to see Kurt lying within a blanket on the comfy couch. While they had the AC on already, it wasn't set that high, just to help with the recent bout of humidity in the air. Kurt tended to run a little cooler anyway and when he stayed home most of the day he would be even colder. So Sebastian wasn't all that shocked to see him wrapped up in a blanket, nor sleeping.
Sebastian headed over to the couch to tease him awake. "Hey little caterpillar, time to come out of your cocoon-" As soon as he pressed his lips to the exposed skin, he knew something was wrong. On closer inspection he could see the tiny shivers even while he sweated. Sebastian closed his eyes and prayed for inner calm to help guide him through what he needed to do and not just freak out like he could be prone to. First he wrapped Kurt more securely in the blankets, then he called the security team to see when they last checked in with Kurt. It was a couple of hours ago and they were scheduled for another round in about 20 minutes.
"We should probably decrease the time between when he's on his own." Sebastian commented knowing that it wasn't his choice anymore and cut the connection before they reminded him. He called the number he had for the specialist and asked about the symptoms. They talked through things, Sebastian checking on the results to the specialist's questions. He sat back reasonably assured that Kurt was just either down with the flu or another minor bug or infection or even potentially heat stroke. The treatment was all pretty much the same, get him dry, get him warm and get Tylenol in him. Sebastian could do that.
If he got too warm though, he would have to cool him down. He just needed to try the other things first. If it wasn't better in 5 hours, he needed to bring Kurt in.
Turns out it was food poisoning and it got worse before it got better.
Sebastian investigated into it, because Kurt wouldn't have used anything expired.
He searched through the trash to see what was there and didn't find anything, then he looked in the fridge and found a half eaten meal from his friend's catering company. It was labeled Sebastian and dated to expire tomorrow. Kurt probably figured since he was home, he might as well eat it for lunch before it went bad and they had to waste food and toss it out.
The most telling thing about it, was that it was meant for Sebastian and it was delivered to the house. His friend sent him 2 meals a week to the office, he didn't send anything to the house for Sebastian because either he or Kurt took turns cooking. He did still have food delivered to the house for Kurt, wanting to ease some burden off of his shoulders and reduce how much he had to clean. Sebastian never took his food home, if he didn't eat it that day, he'd probably eat it the following one. Sometimes they'd go out to eat and he budgeted for that too.
He'd never really told Kurt that, not thinking it was important and he'd set it up so long ago. He rethought his theory that the universe was out to get them.
No, it was probably just Blaine out to get Sebastian. He had turned his sights onto Sebastian now that he knew Kurt was even more vulnerable. Sebastian was furious and he needed to know how Blaine got the food sent up with the rest of it or on it's own. How did it get into the penthouse?
Sebastian would have to have the bodyguards search every item of food delivered from now on. Peachy, just what they all wanted them to be spending their time on. Except this time it was just expired food which caused food poisoning, could have been worse. A lot worse. It could have killed either of them if it were the right strain. He also could have put in legit poison.
What if he tried to get at Kurt by knocking them all out with their food?
Sebastian's heart started racing and pounding in his chest. "You're thinking too loud." Kurt commented as Sebastian had himself wrapped around him and laid there with his eyes closed. At Kurt's voice he picked his head up to listen more closely.
"It wasn't my food." Sebastian admitted. "I wouldn't have anything here, not even leftovers."
Kurt sighed and snuggled into Sebastian's chest. "Nothing that we don't make ourselves from now on, I guess." Except that was easier said than done.
It took 3 days for Kurt to start feeling like himself again. It was a rough three days but they made it through. Sebastian stayed at home with him through it all despite Kurt's protests and reassurances that he could do it on his own, that he'd be fine with just the bodyguards.
Sebastian would have none of that.
Blaine was playing even dirtier than Sebastian ever had and he needed to start channeling his younger self if he was going to out maneuver him.
It was hard to do though when Kurt brought him such joy and happiness, he didn't know how to bring back the bastard. Although thinking about all the things Blaine had pulled certainly helped.
–
Two weeks before the wedding, Kurt was sitting at a coffee shop when the seat opposite of him was suddenly occupied. Kurt looked up to give the other person fair warning but his voice died in his throat and his eyes lit up in excitement and joy.
"Adam!" Adam grinned roguishly at Kurt and mirrored his actions when he got up. He came around the table and swept Kurt up in a bear-hug which Kurt returned. For too long he forgot about his bodyguard until they put a hand on Adam's shoulder to pull him away. Kurt held on and he looked over to his men. "He's one of my good friends, he's ok."
The bodyguard looked at Kurt and then closer at the embrace and then back to Kurt who nodded and he nodded back and stepped away to go rejoin the man who was working on clearing a path. They retook their seats at a table nearby. Both were dressed deceptively casual.
"So, that was new." Adam commented, looking at the bodyguards a little too obviously.
"It's better if you forget they're there, don't even look at them." Kurt tugged on his sleeve and gestured back to the table. "Would you like me to get you something? Flat black if I recall correctly?"
"You know my drink order." He winked and Kurt smiled but the words reminded him too much of another boy who'd said the same thing, except the tone was all different.
"I'll be back." Kurt headed up to the line and tried to ignore the slight twinge in his hip. He'd be back at his table soon enough.
He picked up their orders and turned when suddenly he couldn't feel his leg anymore and he shifted his weight to his good leg. He sought out the eyes of his bodyguards and they jumped to their feet at the signal. They both came to him and he handed the drinks to one of them when he tried to breath in and out normally but was instead having to concentrate very hard on it. "Take those to Adam, please." Kurt tried to shift his weight back and forth like he was taught to try and loosen it up and encourage blood flow.
He spotted the one with him pulling out his cellphone. "Don't you dare call him."
"He should know."
"He'll leave work and come running. He doesn't need to worry."
The bodyguard frowned hard at Kurt. "You don't think he'll be pissed that we didn't tell him that an attack happened in the middle of the day just walking up to the counter?"
"Sebastian has to go out of town for the weekend, I don't want him worrying about it." It was bad enough that Elliott had already promised Sebastian that he was going to come over and spend the night on the couch and then Finn would stay the next night. "I don't need babysitters." Although, it was proving to him that yes, he really did.
"I still think he'll be more upset finding out about this after the fact."
"It's not a kind of attack he needs to worry about. Just help me back to the table, it'll be fine." Kurt looped an arm around the bodyguard's shoulders while he slid his arm around Kurt's waist and helped him hobble back to the table and then gently lowered him in to his seat.
Adam was watching him carefully. "What happened?"
"Later. I want to know what brought you back to the US so soon?" Adam was going to come out a few days before the wedding, not two weeks early.
"Your suggestion about the show paid off. They've seen my audition tapes and now want me to be in person running lines with a potential cast-mate to see how our chemistry works." Adam leaned forward and covered Kurt's hand with his. "Thank you so much for the suggestion and the word to them."
"Please, you are talented all on your own with so many credits to your name in England. I just selfishly wanted you back on this side of the pond so I could watch you slay that role. It sounded hilarious and I really like that I get to see you perform it."
"Maybe, I haven't been cast yet."
"I know you will."
"All powerful Mr. Broadway, I'm sure they heard you're sponsoring me and jumped at the bit. What play are you working on now?"
"It was an untitled production to protect the idea from being stolen but they're doing a dry run next week and I'm excited to see it too."
"See it?" Adam asked flabbergasted. "You're not in it? Are you at least directing or producing it?"
"No, that was too much for me at this time." Kurt was trying to hedge around it but he was also innately truthful and so lying to Adam was not an option. He also just didn't want to explain it or get a sob story reaction. "With the wedding coming up and everything happening with Sebastian and his work, I chose to bow out for this role."
"Didn't you say they designed it specifically around you? Sounds like the role of a lifetime to me..."
Kurt shook his head. "Just the music and key, which they've lowered for the new lead. They'll keep me in mind for the next time."
"Seems like a big risk. You're insanely talented and popular but your star is still rising. Why limit yourself?"Adam was not pleased by what he was hearing. He worked so hard to get where he was and Kurt had to but he was just letting it all go? That did not seem like his good friend. "Something happened. Was it Sebastian- he always seemed like the type to go insane on some guy some time if he even looked at you wrong-"
"No." Kurt crossed his arms over his chest and looked coolly at Adam. "Sebastian is perfect."
Adam held his hands up in peace and sat back. "Sorry man, you're right, why would you marry him if he did something illegal? You wouldn't and he wouldn't be able to still be a lawyer, I guess." Adam looked over Kurt again, saw how he was holding himself in a somewhat awkward position. Which he hadn't been in when Adam walked in, but he'd been in since coming back to the table.
"Something happened to you, didn't it?" Adam leaned forward, reaching out to touch Kurt's shoulder, he moved back and out of reach, which just confirmed it for Adam. "It did."
Kurt looked hesitant and then sighed, Adam was a good friend, he deserved to know. Especially if Blaine tried to reach out to him or go after him because he was taking the role. "Yes."
"Sebastian-"
"Would never, ever lay a hand on me like that." Kurt defended instantly.
"I was going to say – Sebastian must be just railing against the wall, he would be there with a tissue if you so much as sneezed. This, this must have just destroyed him."
"You... have no idea." Kurt didn't mean Sebastian being destroyed. He meant Adam had no idea how bad 'this' was. So he told him, everything.
Adam just sat there in silence afterward and just stared at Kurt when he'd finished. Kurt let him stare and process and then started fidgeting uncomfortably when it continued on for far too long.
"What is it?" Kurt finally asked, wondering about the intense look on Adam's face, not the blank one like Puck had worn when he finally told him all that went down, then a mask of rage had crossed his features and the others had to restrain him from going out and finding the little creep.
"Sebastian hasn't killed him?" Adam asked seriously.
"Not unless he's lying about this weekend and using it instead as a cover to bury the body somewhere that's never going to connect with any of us." Kurt tried to make light of the situation. "As far as I know, he's alive and kicking."
A frown tugged it's way over Adam's lips. "That's what the bodyguards are for."
"Yes." Kurt glanced at them, back to their table, talking like old friends, which they probably were. "And other threats."
"And it's the role you put me up for."
"Assailant? No. Why would I want you in that role?"
"Kurt." Adam looked at him soberly, not enjoying the little jokes at this moment. "The play."
"I wanted to go see it." Kurt gave a small shrug. "It was a good script and I wanted to see it succeed, it's why I put you up for it. Blaine was just the vehicle to introduce me to it."
"It's not going to cause flashbacks?" Adam had been there when Kurt was having nightmares about his high school bullies when he was in a play about bullying. It hadn't been directly related to his own experiences like this would be. Adam was again just looking out for Kurt. It touched Kurt yet again that his friend was so supportive of him.
"I'll never know for sure until they do or don't happen but I don't think so." Kurt picked up Adam's hand that had found it's way to the table in both of his and held it to his chest as he leaned forward. "I really want both you and the play to succeed and I think this will be a good pairing. Please don't let what happen scare you away."
"You're far too self-sacrificing." Adam complained but he would go through with it for Kurt if nothing else. "Too bad you couldn't have put me up for your role." Adam's eyes flickered over Kurt's body. "Although they'd have to start all over with the wardrobe, wouldn't they? There's no way I could fit into your clothes. Do you share with Sebastian?"
Kurt blushed and sat back again but didn't let go of Adam's hand. "Some things... mostly I borrow some of his sweaters and he may accidentally grab one of mine and will put it on and shrug off the fact that it isn't his and go with it. We don't have quite the same build." Though they were more similarly built than Kurt and Adam or even Sebastian and Adam. "I already had an understudy, getting you here and up to speed would have set back production even more than my dropping out had. Maybe next time you can be my understudy."
"I don't want to be the lead if it means something bad happened to you." Adam protested.
"You do know that I'm good to my understudies, right? I give them weekend and weekday times often throughout the run."
"I did not know that, actually. Where do I sign up?" Adam teased and Kurt laughed. Adam let him laugh and then a frown flickered across his features again. "Seriously though, you will let me know if I do anything, anything that triggers things, right?"
"I do know that. You've always been such a good friend to me." Kurt squeezed his hand.
"You're not going to lie to me, are you?" Adam squeezed his hand back. "Like right now, you're not in an incredible amount of pain?"
Kurt was going to argue but he let out a soft breath of pain instead, unable to hold it in any longer, especially now that Adam was calling him out on it. "Yes."
"What can I do?" Adam leaned forward wanting to help in whatever way he could.
"I need to lie down, preferably back at the penthouse. They can get me there fairly easily. Will you come with?" Kurt closed his eyes as another wave of pain went through him. "Although it's not exactly fair to you-".
Adam was already waving the two men toward them and stood up to explain the situation. Then all three worked on getting Kurt out of there with as much dignity as possible but also with some haste and coordination between them for the door and the car.
Kurt ended up with his head in Adam's lap as he was laid and sorted into the backseat of the car and the two bodyguards sat up front. Adam stroked Kurt's hair with one hand, and rubbed circles on his chest with the other.
They went back to the penthouse and Adam spent a moment looking around it in wonder before he recalled that he was a friend first. He followed the bodyguards and Kurt to the less comfortable couch and he wondered about that.
"It's got more structure, easier to get a resistance." Kurt explained and batted softly at the hands on him to get them away and he organized himself into a better position. "Pillow please." He was handed his favorite pillow and hugged it to his chest and looked over at Adam. "Adam, this is insane, you ran into me by accident, you were intending to go somewhere and now you're here, watching me be a big baby. You're free to go."
Adam sank down onto the ground by Kurt's head and slid a hand around one of Kurt's and held on. "I wanted to see you, you were top of my list to visit with when I got here and it had nothing to do with the job invite. You are and always have been one of my best friends since I met you. I'm here for you. What do you need me to do?"
Kurt squeezed his hand back. "Nothing really, just waiting on the muscle relaxers." They didn't do any injections, not even the doctors. It was all oral and one of the bodyguards came over with it and helped him sit up slightly so he could swallow easier. Adam helped to steady his shaking hand as he drank from a cup. He was shaking from the pain. The bodyguard helped Kurt settle back into position and Kurt buried his face in the pillow. Adam went and picked up another pillow and then sat on it and took Kurt's hand back in his and with his other hand ran it soothingly over his side, from shoulder to hip. The warmth helped.
This is how Sebastian found them when he came home, whistling a tune and stopped short. His face contorted into all different shades and images before it settled into a neutral look. "What's going on?" He was looking at Kurt's posture more than anything else, his face still buried in the pillow he held with both arms wrapped around it. It was held a lot looser now than the death grip before. Sebastian swallowed thickly and looked over to Adam. "Hey. You're here early."
Sebastian made his way over to them, dropping his briefcase in the chair, his tie and jacket and toed off his shoes. He knelt down next to Kurt's thighs and ran his hand lightly up from Kurt's ankle to his hip and back down again. Adam watched carefully and curiously. He slowly increased the pressure as he did so, squeezing in spots..
Adam cleared his throat and looked to Sebastian now. "Yeah, Kurt put me up for a role and they liked my audition tape so asked me to come read lines in person."
"Hmm." Sebastian nodded, listening but most of his focus was on his task. "Which role?"
Adam hesitated for a brief second then told him. Kurt made a small sound of protest when Sebastian's fingers pressed in slightly too hard on a very tender spot. It was not the first time though, his muscles were tense and sometimes even the lightest of touch could be painful. Sebastian released his fingers and started a soothing pattern over the spot until Kurt relaxed again.
He pressed a kiss to that spot too and continued on. "Why would you do that?" He was talking to Kurt and there was a mumbled response. Sebastian lowered the pillow.
"It's a good role and some good deserves to come out of all of this."
"He's out of our lives, that's what's good about it to me."
Adam concurred. "I never did like him."
"You didn't really know him. You went back to the UK before he came out here." Kurt protested and Sebastian frowned, the manipulation had no end in sight it seemed. It was just in different ways at different times.
"I didn't need to know him for long to know I didn't like him, especially with how he treated you." Adam glanced at Sebastian, they had seen each other a few more times than that and Kurt had actively tried to get them to know each other. He wanted these two worlds to get together in friendship. "I always thought you deserved to be treated with warmth and respect."
"Hopefully a bit more than that too." Sebastian teased and pressed a kiss quickly to Kurt's other hand. Kurt giggled and Adam smiled wryly at the sound. There was no denying that Sebastian and Kurt were good together and for each other.
Adam closed his eyes and counted to 10 and then opened them again. "How can I help? I want to do more than what I have been."
"Convincing him to call me would have been a nice start." Sebastian had more bite than he meant in that comment but didn't apologize.
"I wouldn't let them." Kurt tried to push himself up but Sebastian held him steady with a hand on his shoulder.
"Not yet, but we can try manipulating it." Sebastian slowly started lifting Kurt's leg up. "They still should have called me."
"I was hoping I'd be better by the time you got back, make you understand that it will be ok for you to leave this weekend. I don't want you to worry." Kurt squeezed his pillow tightly and then let out a long held in breath slowly.
"Pain?" Sebastian checked as he slowly moved it.
"No." Kurt closed his eyes but he didn't look or sound to be in pain.
"This makes me worry more, actually." Sebastian worked his fingers into Kurt's muscle as he moved the leg. "Not that you have attacks, they happen when they happen, but that you won't reach out for the proper help."
"I have the guards with me and Adam was there."
"Sorry but that means nothing, they don't know what they're doing when it comes to this."
"I could learn?" Adam suggested helpfully and backed off at the glare Sebastian sent his way. "Ok." He held up his free hand in peace and Sebastian nodded sharply. "Do these happen frequently?"
"For awhile they were all the time then they reduced in frequency. Then the PT wanted us to trigger them so we could work through them and loosen the muscles and stretch the ligaments." Sebastian patted Kurt's leg and he started moving his leg on his own in the positions that Sebastian had been moving it around in but he didn't go quite as slow. Slow was sometimes harder to do than a little faster.
"Frequency has increased then, even when you haven't been triggering them on purpose?"
"No... no I wouldn't say that." Kurt said through controlled breaths. "They've died down again, or at least I think so."
Sebastian thought about it and the attacks over the last several weeks and gave a small shrug. "They have become less frequent, that is true. Maybe not as infrequent as it was before we started triggering it but definitely on the right path these last few weeks."
"Range of motion has improved too and I've started to be able to carry a higher load. Do more steps, those kinds of things."
Sebastian nodded, those were all true.
"What's the next step then?" Adam asked as they slowly went through the range of motion a few times before he started to move into a sitting position.
"More of the exercises, more visits, ramping up everything over whatever length of time is needed." Kurt explained and he started to scoot himself toward the edge of the bench couch and stood with a little leverage to help himself to his feet. He used to be able to just stand up.
"Where are you going?" Sebastian demanded as he also got to his feet.
"To get some refreshments for all of us."
"Kurt that's totally unnecessary." Adam jumped to his feet.. "Let me get it if nothing else."
'Sit, sit." Kurt waved him off toward the couch. "It won't be but a minute."
"Kurt." Sebastian pulled him into his arms and held him there. "No. I'll get them."
Kurt closed his eyes and listened with more than just a passing interest. Listened to all that he was saying and not just his words. "I want to move around a little." Kurt admitted and Sebastian took the time to really listen as well.
"Ok, but let me help you." They headed into the kitchen and worked together to get everything down that they'd need and made and organized. Sebastian carried the tray back into the room and Kurt followed.
Sebastian and Adam switched the less comfortable couch around so it was facing the more comfortable setting and Kurt lowered himself carefully onto the couch again. Sebastian sank down next to him and wrapped an arm around his waist while Kurt gestured to the comfortable arm chair next to them and Adam took it.
They drank and ate the snacks that Kurt laid out and chatted and laughed and just had a good time reconnecting in person once more.
–
Adam got the part in the end and started rehearsals that week.
Kurt stopped in and watched them practice and he laughed at all the meant to be funny parts because they were funny. Adam spun around at the laugh and a large grin crossed his features and he jumped down from the stage to give Kurt a hug hello and guided him to the chair next to the director.
He'd been let in because they knew who he was. Contrary to what Adam thought, Kurt had suggested it to Adam but never said a word to anyone in New York about Adam. He couldn't be position what Rachel had done but was fairly certain she'd kept her mouth shut in the end. He hoped she understood Kurt wanting Adam to get it on his own merits. Which he'd done. The director knew exactly who Kurt was and his connection with his last lead. He was a little weary of letting Kurt stay, fearing that Kurt was bad luck even though it hadn't at all been his own fault.
Adam introduced him as a long time friend and who'd asked Adam to come back to New York and try out for the part. The director's tone changed instantly and was incredibly warm and welcoming. "Adam's been fantastic. Sit, sit, any friend of his is a friend of mine!"
Adam laughed, gave Kurt another hug then went back to the stage to continue practicing.
"I've seen all your plays." The director mentioned while they watched the two main leads play off each other.
Kurt tipped his head, that seemed unlikely on it's own but even less likely given how he was first greeted. "While I was in them?"
The director laughed and glanced over at him, leaning in a little. "You sure you don't want a role is this play? You haven't done a straight up comedy yet."
Kurt smiled gently. "My husband would probably blow a gasket."
"Yeah, I've seen the spreads. I didn't realize you'd tied the knot already."
"The official ceremony is less than a week away." Kurt nodded. "We've unofficially tied the knot not too long ago but it was only a formality to what we've known was our future since the day we met."
"I was disappointed that you had to drop out of your most recent play. I was looking forward to seeing it."
"My understudy is phenomenal, you won't even miss me." Kurt thought his play should still be seen.
"I guess I'm disappointed that you won't be on the stage. No matter who it is, won't do it the justice you would have. I'll still go. The play itself looks good. It's just going to miss that extra special ingredient."
"It's just a different special ingredient. Sweet instead of savory." Kurt shrugged. "I'm not to everyone's taste." He'd learned that early on the hard way.
The director nodded in agreement and didn't say anything more. Kurt got it though, he was giving him a compliment. The biggest compliment actually, asking for Kurt to be in his play too. "Can't even entice you to do a cameo?"
Kurt shook his head then clapped loudly when Adam finished his scene. He took his leave not long later, letting all of them focus on the play. He was looking forward to seeing the entire thing.
The workshop in Jersey went well and so he went to his own play on opening night the weekend prior to his wedding. He went with Rachel of all people. Except his reasoning behind it was quite simple, she was as obsessed with the theater world as he was and she'd give an honest opinion on it.
Neither could stop talking about it for the rest of the weekend to the annoyance of their significant others.
Finn started to get annoyed and looked to Sebastian for a kindred spirit but Sebastian was enjoying how excited and happy Kurt was. His mind was on something else, something less stressful. While Kurt was disappointed he couldn't be in it, he'd come to that conclusion months ago and had gotten over it, had resolution and he knew the play inside and out. He was happy for his costars. He wasn't obsessing over the wedding either, everything was finalized.
They could just relax now.