"Mom, stopppp." Sydney Anderson dragged out the last syllable as her mother jokingly rolled her eyes and put the backpack back on the hook. "It's sixth grade. If I walked in with a Disney princess backpack they'd all laugh at me. Everyone is going with solid colors."
"That's offensive, considering I used my Ariel lunch box up until third grade," Kurt spoke up, poking fun at her. Sydney stuck her tongue out at him.
The Anderson family had descended upon Target in Lima. The start of the new school year was just five days out, and with eleven-year-old Sydney entering middle school, and Blaine starting at McKinley, it was a busy time. Mrs. Anderson didn't have to put up much of a fight to get Sydney in the mood for some shopping, but Blaine decided to invite Kurt too, even though the two of them weren't in the market for much of anything except for a few notebooks and some new pens.
"Pick one out, then," Mrs. Anderson said, letting out a sigh and moving the cart along. "Blaine, do you need an agenda?"
Kurt laughed a little. Blaine was the most on-top-of-it person he had ever met, able to keep track of every little assignment so easily.
Blaine picked up a planner and tossed it into the basket, landing on top of the purple backpack Sydney had added moments before.
"Hey, are you hungry? We could go grab something after this, if you want. Or maybe you could stay for dinner," Blaine suggested to Kurt as they made their way to the check-out line. Sydney kept trying to toss extra, unnecessary things into the cart, like glow-in-the-dark socks and a new pair of sunglasses, but Blaine's mom caught her quickly before it got out of hand.
"We'll see," Kurt offered half-heartedly, giving a small smile and picking up a magazine to thumb through.
As Mrs. Anderson and Sydney put her things up on the belt to be scanned, Blaine couldn't help but wonder if something was wrong. Other than that and the comment about Ariel, Kurt hadn't had much to say the entire day. Blaine studied him while he skimmed an article about the Kardashians. Kurt is never ambiguous like that. He always gives me a definite answer.
Blaine figured he was reading too much into it. Kurt set the magazine down as Blaine's mom got out her debit card. "Come on, you two."
Kurt was also quiet in the car ride, either scrolling through Instagram or looking out the window. Blaine thought it was particularly odd, because when he was with Blaine's mom, the two talked almost nonstop about fashion and Broadway, but this was different. Maybe it's because Sydney is here. She doesn't shut up…
They got home and Blaine helped his mom with the bags, since she had also bought groceries and couldn't carry it all by herself. Sydney darted up the stairs with her new outfits and school supplies, while Kurt helped Blaine and his mom put the food away.
"Blaine, would you mind getting a saucepan out? I'm going to cook these noodles now and need the water boiling," she said hastily, already in the pre-dinner rush to get everything on the table by the time her husband came home.
"What are you making?" Kurt finally spoke up, opening the package of spaghetti noodles. He moved aside to give Blaine access to the stove.
Blaine's mom pulled her long black hair into a ponytail and kicked off her dressy sandals in place for some house shoes. "Spaghetti with salad and some Texas toast. You're more than welcome to stay, Kurt. Frank won't be home until around six, though, if that's okay with you and your family."
Blaine turned on the burner and turned the handle of the pot inward so no one would bump it. He watched Kurt bite his lip and glance down at his phone. "I'll have to call my dad," he said. "Thank you so much for the offer."
Kurt grabbed his iPhone and shuffled out into the entryway while Blaine grabbed a salad bowl to begin helping his mom.
"Is Kurt okay?" she asked, concerned. "He was so quiet today."
Blaine grabbed the bag of spinach and cut it open, standing across from his mom at the counter. "I can't tell, he's never like this around you guys. Maybe he's just getting anxious about school starting."
That's probably it. He likes routine and it's about to change.
"Oh, honey, you'll be a senior in just a year. Junior year will fly by. Just try to enjoy it, okay? I know I'm nervous about your sister going into middle school, but you'll be home every night now. I'm so happy you're happy."
Blaine grinned. "Thanks, Mom." The thought of joining New Directions, of getting to take classes with the love of his life, and staying at home instead of a dorm thrilled Blaine. It was going to be a good year.
He turned around to hear Kurt come back in. Gosh, he's pale. Has he been this pale all summer? "My dad actually was hoping I could make it home for dinner," Kurt shrugged. "He's grilling burgers, one of his only culinary talents. Thank you so much for letting me come with you today, Mrs. Anderson, I love spending time with you all."
Blaine's mom set down her knife and gave Kurt a hug. "You're welcome anytime, sweetie. We'll take a rain check on dinner. Tell your family hello."
Blaine didn't expect their day to draw to a close that quickly. He was hoping to eat dinner with Kurt, and then maybe watch a movie in the game room until it got late. He wasn't disappointed, necessarily, just a little bummed he would have to spend the evening to himself now.
"I'll walk you out," Blaine said with a smile. The two walked out to the porch, and Kurt pulled the door shut.
"Hey, I know you gotta go, but is everything okay? You seemed super quiet. Are you mad? Is something wrong?" Blaine took Kurt's hand in his, noticing they felt oddly clammy.
Kurt put a hand on his shoulder. "I promise, everything is great. I had a lot of fun today. Your sister is hilarious and I really like your mom. I'm just tired, really. I'm trying to get a lot of sleep these next few days before we're waking up early. Okay? I'll see you at rehearsal tomorrow."
That reassured Blaine slightly. Maybe he really was just overthinking things. "Okay, it'll be good. Don't be late," he teased. The following day was New Directions' first rehearsal for upperclassmen. New freshmen were going to have to audition, but Blaine already had the connections to make the cut.
Blaine sealed it with a kiss on Kurt's forehead, but he pulled away quickly. Kurt was hot. Abnormally so.
"What?" Kurt said, frowning. "What, was I sweaty? I'm sorry."
Blaine shook his head. "No, no, you're fine. Kurt, you're burning up. A-are you sick? That's not normal."
Kurt looked down at his feet and fished his car key from his back pocket. "I gotta go, Blaine. It's fine. I'll see you later."
And with that, he stepped off the porch, clicking his key fob to unlock his Lincoln. Blaine wasn't sure what had just happened, but he had a gut feeling Kurt wasn't being honest with him.
The next day's rehearsal started off with no problems. The main goal was to reunite everyone as a team and warm up for the first day so they could hit the ground running. Blaine was energized and revved up for the year, until Finn showed up without Kurt.
Maybe they took separate cars. Finn plays football, right? Maybe there's practice later.
The thought was fleeting as Mr. Schue had everyone get on their feet to assess their dancing skills for signs of improvement or decline. Blaine didn't know that would be a part of the first rehearsal, but after seeing Finn go ahead of him, he wasn't so worried anymore.
The dancing didn't last too long, and they wrapped up with a little freestyle. Mercedes crushed everyone else, of course. At least in Blaine's opinion.
He texted Kurt towards the end of rehearsal asking him where he was and why he had missed. On their way out, he managed to catch Finn, since he still hadn't gotten a reply.
"Hey, do you know where Kurt is? He left my house kind of early yesterday and was acting strange. I haven't heard from him since then."
Finn scratched his head and ignored Rachel as she crossed her arms, clearly waiting for him. "Sorry, man. I slept at Puck's last night. I have no clue why he'd miss this. You can just keep trying him, though. Maybe he lost his phone, but I doubt it."
Kurt tried to rack his brain for a possible explanation. "Wait," he said, looking up. "Kurt said you guys were grilling dinner last night. That's why he had to leave. But you were at Puck's?"
Finn looked confused. "…Yeah. I got home from conditioning and my parents were eating leftovers from the night before. I didn't see Kurt at all. I just showered and left again. Sorry dude." Finn clapped Blaine on the shoulder and turned around with Rachel to head out. Blaine remained in the empty choir room, staring down at the unanswered text on his phone, confused more than ever before.
Kurt wanted to stay and eat with Blaine's family. On a normal summer night, he would have loved that, especially getting to curl up with his boyfriend afterwards for a movie… and a little extra. But on that day, he knew he couldn't.
It started when they first got to Target. Not now, he pleaded. Please not while I'm out with them. The stomach cramps were the first thing, followed by the nausea and lethargy. At Target, it was like a triple threat, with all three hitting him at once. Blaine didn't know about the diagnosis, and Kurt wanted it to stay that way for a while. Ulcerative colitis wasn't something a normal teenager had. Kurt wasn't ashamed by the disease, but he preferred that only his family knew about it.
When Blaine kissed his forehead, Kurt knew he must have a fever. He had started to get chills in the car ride back from the store, and had to fabricate a plan to get him home, and away from having to eat a plate of spaghetti. So, he lied about the burgers. It wasn't a great idea, especially since he was really lying to Blaine's mom, but he needed an out.
At home, his dad could tell as soon as he came inside. Kurt shut the front door behind him, setting his keys on the entryway table, and was about to make a dart for the bathroom when his dad peeked out from the kitchen.
"Hey, kiddo- Kurt? Is it-?" he cut his sentence off when Kurt nodded. He was an expert at hiding his sicknesses, but when it came to his UC, he had to be transparent, or he knew it could actually have serious consequences. He learned early on that as much as he hated it, he had to admit it to his dad.
His dad came up to him and felt his forehead. "Gosh, Kurt, you're on fire. When'd it start? Carole is at the store, but I'll call her."
Kurt struggled to kick off his shoes. "An hour or two ago. I haven't thrown up yet. Blaine's mom wanted me to stay for spaghetti with them. I had to lie to get out of it."
His dad hugged him lightly, and Kurt sagged against his shoulder. "Go upstairs," his dad said. "Go put the trash can by your bed. It's gonna be okay. Let me call Carole so she can get you some things before she leaves the store."
Kurt nodded, feeling more and more dazed. The symptoms of a flare-up always intensified quickly. The "good" part about UC was that he could go weeks and months without any issues, as long as he took his medicine and kept up a good diet. But there were times, like today, where he had played all of his cards right, and still had to deal with it.
Flare-ups were more or less random, and could last anywhere from less than a day to the better part of a week. Kurt was just praying this one would be short, since school was in five days.
He got out of his jeans and tee and into a loose pair of running shorts and a tank top. He had chills in the car, but he now felt hot and clammy. The stomach cramps made him want to double over, but he had to get to the bathroom.
Kurt grabbed his small trash bin to keep by his bed, since the vomiting would come eventually. However, one glance at the toilet sent his stomach into knots, and he bent over quickly to throw up, coughing and trying not to choke.
"Hey kiddo, Carole is going to bring you some soup, and I didn't know if you wanted-" Burt's voice cut off, and Kurt could see him in the doorway through his peripheral vision. He coughed again and tried to stand upright, but the vertigo nearly overcame him.
Kurt felt his dad take his arm. "Come on, you're okay, come over here to the sink. You didn't throw up any blood, that's good."
Kurt wrapped his arms around his stomach and moaned ever so slightly. "It hurts, though. Can I lay down, please?"
It was a relief as his dad helped him walk from the bathroom back to his bed. "I'll bring you some water to rinse your mouth out. That's gotta taste gross. How about a Sprite, too? Or Gatorade?"
Kurt nodded, drawing his knees up and closing his eyes. "Sprite, I think. Thanks, Dad."
Kurt felt the mattress sink as his dad stood. He went back to shivering, wanting every inch of his blanket tucked around him. Suddenly the shorts and tank top felt miserable. He wanted Blaine there more than anything, but that would involve telling him.
"Sweetheart? Can you sit up a little bit?" Carole said softly a few moments later, stroking some stray hairs back away from his face.
Every movement felt like torture, like a knife was ripping through his stomach. Kurt pushed up on his elbows weakly, and Carole eased him back onto a group of pillows. He let out a sigh, still keeping his eyes shut to avoid more unwanted nausea.
"I'm so sorry, honey," she said, sitting on the edge of the mattress. "Your dad called me. I brought you your medicine and a Sprite. Can you try a little sip of water?"
The thought of swallowing anything was enough to make Kurt want to head back to the toilet. He peeked open one eye and saw her holding out some pills. "This is all you have to take," she promised. "The white tablet will help you fall asleep, too."
Kurt took each pill one by one to avoid choking. He felt hot again, and his stepmother pulled the covers away from him graciously.
"Do you need anything else?" she offered, setting the glass of water down. "I hope that will help."
Kurt opened his mouth and noticed how dry it felt. And his throat was stinging from throwing up, too. He wanted nothing more than to be put out of his misery. "I'm okay. Thanks, Carole. I think I need to sleep it off."
She helped him lay back down, his stomach cramps momentarily subsiding. "I'll be up here putting away laundry, so just holler if you need anything. I'll shut your curtains."
Kurt mumbled out another word of thanks and pulled his comforter up high around his chin. He remembered hearing his door shut, then he was out.
The night was hard. Kurt was up multiple times, either cramping, alternating between sweating and chills, or camped out in the bathroom. His dad helped him through the worst of it, getting him a new set of sheets when he felt too gross to get comfortable, and doing his best to keep Kurt hydrated.
The morning showed no change, and Kurt felt no shame in missing the first New Directions rehearsal of the year. It was Blaine's first rehearsal, and Kurt had a few texts from his boyfriend, but he couldn't formulate the words just right.
Sorry, had a dentist appointment I forgot about until this morning. I'll be there tomorrow.
I'll explain later, I promise. I just… couldn't make it. I promise everything is okay though.
My dad needed extra hands at the garage. I wanted to see him before school starts.
All of them were lies, or at least an obstruction from the truth. He had already lied about the burgers, and Kurt couldn't keep doing that to him. So, he didn't reply at all.
The truth was, Kurt was scared how Blaine would take it. He would likely have to deal with the disease his whole life. Why would Blaine want to take care of him like that? The thought of Blaine dumping him made Kurt's heart hurt. The more he could prolong telling him, the better. Having another person outside of his dad, Carole, and Finn knowing gave Kurt enough anxiety as it was. He trusted Blaine, but did not want it spreading around.
The day was mostly a blur. Kurt missed Blaine and wanted him there while his dad was at work. Carole gave him a steady stream of Gatorade, and even a little bit of soup by the evening. Finn reported that Blaine had been asking about him, which hurt Kurt's heart even more, but he couldn't drive himself to text back.
The day after Kurt missed rehearsal, Blaine finally heard back from his boyfriend. He texted Blaine, asking if he wanted to get some coffee or breakfast. Of course, Blaine jumped at the change, always eager to see him, especially after a full day of not.
Blaine had decided not to ask Kurt about the way he had been acting. If he offered up an explanation, Blaine would take it, but he didn't want to push him.
Kurt got there first. The crowded Starbucks smelled like fresh coffee and donuts, and Blaine ordered his drink and sat down. Kurt looked better than he had two days prior, at least.
"I had an idea," Kurt gushed, sitting straight up in his chair. "Want to hear it?"
Blaine furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "Uh, sure." All he really wanted was an answer.
"A fundraiser to go to Nationals this year," Kurt continued like there was nothing wrong. "T-shirts. It would raise awareness about the club, and the girls at that school would go crazy for a cute t-shirt."
Blaine played along. He didn't want Kurt to think he was mad. "Yeah, I like it. Tell Mr. Schue when it gets closer." He rested his hand in his palm, staring into Kurt's eyes. "You're so creative."
Kurt blushed. "I was just brainstorming. Oh, Blaine, your drink's up there."
Blaine hustled up to the counter to grab his iced americano, thanking the barista and heading back to his table. Their conversation continued like nothing was out of the blue, mostly talking about the excitement for the upcoming school year. Blaine loved Kurt, that was certain, and would put up with some slight inconveniences for his sake.
Nine days later, the school year was officially underway. Kurt was so glad to be back in the swing of things, with glee rehearsals and prepping for college applications. He couldn't help but be so proud of Blaine, too, who was killing it in his first few rehearsals at McKinley.
Blaine had also seemingly forgotten about when Kurt mysteriously missed rehearsal and didn't bring it up again. At least it was in the past, and Kurt hadn't had a flare up since then.
It was another Friday night dinner for the Hudson-Hummels. The family wanted to savor their available Fridays before Finn's football games started up again. The only catch was that since Carole didn't get off work until seven, the Kurt and Finn were in charge of cooking. Burt had taken off that morning for Louisville, for the funeral of an old college friend, so the meal was mainly up to Kurt.
He came home in the afternoon to a fully stocked kitchen, so he wasted no time getting the meal underway, only once he picked his favorite playlist to fill the house with some popular showtunes. Kurt didn't mind having to cook nearly every Friday, but a tiny part of him missed when his dad would take the easy way out, ordering Chinese or a pizza.
"I'm home!" Finn called, tossing his keys on the table. Kurt could tell he had just finished up with a football practice. "Smells good, dude. What is it?"
Kurt bent down to open a cabinet, in search of a cutting board. "Chicken tacos, if I can ever get it the chicken breasts to defrost. I may have to go to plan B." He pulled out the cutting board and grabbed a knife.
"Well, cool. I'm gonna go shower." Kurt offered an "mm-hmm" and kept working as he heard his stepbrother bound up the stairs.
The funny feeling didn't begin when he was cooking. Not even when he was eating. It was after dinner, when Carole threw together some chocolate chip cookies. Kurt came downstairs to double check that his car was locked before retreating for the night, and the overly-sweet smell from the oven caught him off guard. He didn't feel sick, perhaps just a little too full from dinner. It'll go away once I'm back in my room. I had a flare-up last week. I never get them this close together.
After the cookie incident, Kurt noticed he just felt off. Finn had his Xbox up at a deafening volume, making it hard for him to fall asleep. He began to panic when he felt the telltale cramps sneak in. On top of that, it was beginning to storm heavily outside, and Kurt had never slept well through the rain.
Kurt opened his eyes, unsure of the time. Finn's room had gone quiet, but thunder rumbled and the wind howled outside his window. He moaned under his breath ever so slightly once he remembered he was getting sick. He forced himself to sit up, wrapping his comforter around himself, and hustled to the bathroom, knowing he would likely camp out there for a good while.
Why so soon? He pleaded. I just got over the last flare up.
At least he was able to tell when he was about to throw up. Kurt hunched over the toilet, his head throbbing, and retched for nearly ten minutes until all he could do was dry heave.
Blood. Kurt hadn't thrown up blood in a flare-up in months. His hands began to tremble, and he debated waking up his dad, but didn't have the energy to walk that far down the hall.
"Oh gosh," he mumbled, pulling himself up on the counter. In the mirror, he saw dark circles under his red-rimmed eyes, and his cheeks flushed rosy pink. As his stomach cramped again, Kurt rushed back to the toilet, even though there was nothing left in his system, and all that came up was bloody bile.
He gave up leaning back against the bathtub, his comforter his only protection, and closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath, praying it would let up soon.
Finn woke up to a particularly loud clap of thunder, startling him for a moment as he saw another bolt of lightning flash across the sky. He sat up and scratched his head, yawning, before tumbling out of bed to go to the bathroom.
He didn't want to turn the light on, but something in him did it anyways. Finn paused for a second and gasped. "Kurt? Kurt, can you hear me?"
His stepbrother was huddled on the bathroom floor, white as a ghost, with blood on his face, his blanket, and the counter.
"Mom?" Finn called. "Mom, come here! Mom, hurry!" He knelt by his brother's side, as Kurt jerked awake, covering his ears with his hands.
"Shut up," Kurt moaned, his chin wobbling like he was about to cry. "Stop it."
Finn pried Kurt's hands away. "I'm sorry, don't cry. Mom? It's okay, my mom's here."
Carole appeared in the doorway, squinting from the bright fluorescents. "Finn? Wha- oh, honey. Move, Finn." She knelt down by her shivering stepson, taking him all in. "Kurt? Honey, what happened? Finn, go bring me my phone. And some water."
Finn hurried down the hall to fulfill her request, getting Kurt a glass of water, and, at the last minute, a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge, as well.
"What's wrong with him?" Finn asked, handing over the drinks and his mom's phone to her. She had managed to get Kurt to open his eyes, but he seemed disoriented and sleepy.
"It's a flare-up, a really bad one." She unscrewed the lid on the Gatorade. "Thank you, honey. You know he likes this stuff. Sweetheart, take a drink. A small one."
Kurt whined, but obeyed. Finn couldn't tell if it was sweat on Kurt's face or tears, but either way, the dude looked to be in bad shape.
"Grab a washcloth, Finn. Do some cool water and wring it out, please."
Finn scrambled to do what she said, and watched helplessly as his mother pressed the washcloth against Kurt's forehead and cheeks, then gently wiping the blood from his lips.
"I felt bad after dinner," he choked out, coughing. "I don't remember when I woke up and came in here. It hurts a lot."
Kurt dropped his head onto his stepmother's shoulder, his eyes fluttering shut. She unlocked her phone and dialed a number, speaking quietly to someone Finn didn't know, describing Kurt's symptoms and what had happened.
"Finn, go put a shirt on," his mother said, hanging up and stroking Kurt's hair to wake him up. "We're going to the hospital."
That was enough to make Kurt's eyes fly open, and he held his head up in confusion. "No?" he said. "No, Carole, I'm okay."
Finn headed back to his room while his mom helped Kurt up, and sat him on the edge of the bathtub. He threw on yesterday's shirt and his old Nikes, grabbing his phone before returning to his mom and brother.
Kurt was sitting up, shaking uncontrollably as he held the thermometer in his mouth. Finn watched his mom frown at the reading. "Almost 104. We have to go, sweetheart. I know it has to hurt, and we'll be able to help. I'll call your dad, too. Come on, we won't worry about shoes. Finn, help him down the stairs while I get dressed."
Finn wasn't sure how to get Kurt down to the garage without carrying him. He held out both hands. "You wanna pull yourself up? We'll take it easy, bro."
Kurt did his best, but Finn ultimately had to support most of his weight. He could feel the heat from Kurt's fever through the bloody comforter. "Wow, you're warm. Uh, come on, I won't let you trip."
The stairs took a hot minute. Kurt let out a stifled cry with every step, and Finn felt so bad for him, but just wasn't good at finding the right words to help. He knew Kurt felt like crap every time his illness flare up, and it was pretty tough to watch him miss school, throw up all the time, and have to miss out on things.
His mom wasn't too far behind them, and she went to Kurt's other side, leading them out to the garage, humid and dank from the rain.
"You can lay in the back, sweetheart," Finn's mom offered. "I grabbed a trash bag if you feel sick again, and I brought the Gatorade with us. Just a little longer, and we'll get you some help."
Finn jumped into the passenger seat, looking back at his brother, looking so small and helpless in the backseat.
"Kurt? Do you want me to call Blaine? Maybe he could meet us there," Finn suggested. He had to do something to help Kurt out. That seemed like the easiest.
"That's a good idea, honey," his mom spoke up, turning on her brights as they exited the neighborhood.
"No," Kurt begged, shaking his head. "He… he doesn't know I'm sick. He doesn't know I have UC. I don't want him to know."
Finn heard him choke and try to hold back a cry. He had no clue Blaine was in the dark about Kurt's disease. Finn himself didn't find out until Kurt left school early one day the year before, and he came home and overheard Burt on the phone with the doctor.
"Kurt, you've got nothing to worry about. Blaine isn't gonna judge you. What if I called him and told him it was a stomach bug? That way you could see him but he doesn't have to know right now?"
A pause. Kurt nodded almost imperceptibly, huddling into a ball even more. Finn pulled out his phone and dialed, happy to help his brother out, while his mom battled the raging winds and violent rain to get to the hospital.
Kurt almost got used to being in the car, and then they slowed to a stop, and the door opened.
"Okay, I'm gonna get you inside," Finn said with little certainty. "Can you swing your legs out?"
Kurt tried to move as quickly as possible, as the rain was already hitting him, but it felt like his stomach was being cut open, and he fell against Finn pathetically.
"I've got him, Mom, you can go park," Finn called, all but holding Kurt upright. "Work with me, bro. Let's get inside. This sucks."
You're telling me, Kurt thought. His frustration was interrupted by another wave of nausea, and he hunched over the wet pavement, throwing up the few drinks of Gatorade he had, and some more blood.
Finn plunked him in a chair in the waiting room. Kurt tried to breathe, but even that sent sharp shockwaves of pain through his body. He head Carole's voice, and leaned over against her as she sat down by him.
"You're okay," she soothed, rubbing his back lightly. "Just hold on a little longer, sweetheart. I know you're miserable."
Kurt kept his eyes shut to avoid more dizziness, and could only feel Carole's hand on his back and the tears that spilled down his cheeks. Then, he was being moved, and was finally able to lay down again. He wanted to curl up on his side, but when he opened his eyes, a nurse was holding his feet still.
"Stay like that for now, Kurt," she said. He moaned, and Carole took his hand. Kurt could only make out bits and pieces of Carole's explanation of what was wrong, but then he smelled the distinctive smell of rubbing alcohol, which could only mean one thing.
"…I'll just give him something to take the worst of it away, and help him relax," the young nurse said, holding a needle. "Kurt, can you relax your arm?"
He pulled his arm away from her, terrified just by the sight of the thick needle. He tried to hide his face, but his stepmom wouldn't let him.
"Sweetie, do what she says. It's just a pinch. Come on now," she tried. "I'll hold your hand the whole time."
Carole pulled his arm back out, and Kurt squeezed her hand the whole time, even after it was over. The nurse stuck a thermometer in his ear, listened to his heart and lungs, and wouldn't leave him alone.
"Carole, I-" Kurt couldn't finish his sentence. He pointed to his mouth, and his stepmom jumped into action, holding up a bucket just in time for him to throw up more bile and blood. He felt the IV tube tug at his arm, and collapsed back onto the pillows, defeated.
"That's okay," he heard the nurse, but her voice sounded thick and distorted. Kurt felt like he was underwater. Someone wiped off his face and covered him in a warm blanket.
"I think it's safe to go ahead and admit him," the nurse said to Carole. She flipped a switch and stuck two tiny tubes in Kurt's nose, tickling him with the oxygen flow.
"I want to go home," he begged. "Please, don't make me stay."
Finn appeared at his other side, adjusting the height on a rolling stool. "I called Blaine for you," he reminded Kurt. "Would seeing him help?"
Kurt shook his head, exhausted. Carole pulled the blanket up high around him. "Honey, just close your eyes. The nurse left to get you admitted. Being so worked up won't let the medicine work. We're right here, I'll even dim the lights. Just breathe, sweetie."
Kurt figured the nurse had given him something to make him sleepy. He wanted to feel better, and couldn't fight the drugs anymore, as he felt his eyelids grow heavy and he sunk into his pillow.
Blaine thought his phone ringing was a dream. He answered on the last ring, not even sure who was calling, since he didn't have his contacts in.
"Blaine, hey. Uh, it's Finn. Sorry for calling so late, but, uh, there's a problem. Do you think you could meet us at the hospital? It's Kurt, he came down with something. It's his stomach, and he's got a fever and stuff."
Blaine sat up quickly, flicking on his lamp. "Is he okay? Yeah, I can be there really soon. Can I talk to him really quick?"
A pause. "We're in the car, and he's kinda out of it," Finn said. "But I'll tell him you're coming. I think it'll help a lot. Thanks, dude."
Blaine mumbled a goodbye and hung up, jumping from his bed to throw on some jeans and shoes. Kurt was sick. Sick enough to go to the ER. Blaine knew his boyfriend hated hospitals. He just wanted to get to him as soon as possible.
The storm was horrendous. Blaine's wipers couldn't keep up with the downpour as he sped down Lima's main road to the hospital. He was so worried, knowing Kurt felt miserable, and his dad wasn't even in the state. He just wanted to do anything to help Kurt feel better, even if it meant battling a storm in the middle of the night.
Finn was getting bleary-eyed, now that things had slowed down. Kurt was in an uneasy sleep, still clearly in some pain, and his mom tried to soothe him and keep him asleep. Finn wanted to go home, but he couldn't leave his mom stranded at the hospital, in case they discharged Kurt, or she needed to go get something.
His mom's phone rang with Burt calling about an update. She left, going to find a quieter place to talk, and hopefully speak with Kurt's doctor. Of course, as soon as the door to their room shut, Kurt began to stir again.
"Blaine?" he peeped, the sound barely escaping his lips.
Finn came closer, checking his phone. Blaine was in the lobby. "Kurt? Hey, it's Finn. Blaine is here, though, do you wanna see him?"
Kurt nodded, grimacing in pain. Finn patted his arm and headed out to the waiting room where Blaine looked frazzled and like he hadn't slept in days.
"Is he okay?" Blaine asked immediately. "Where is he?"
Finn pointed through the sliding doors he had just come through. "He just woke up. My mom's around here somewhere, on the phone with our dad."
They walked down the corridor and stopped outside Kurt's door. "Just take it easy with him, he's hurting a lot. He threw up a lot. I'll wait out here."
Blaine was worried, especially after hearing Finn describe Kurt's condition. He pushed the door open into Kurt's small room, and was so relieved when he finally got to see him. He was white as paper, and had some tubes in his arm and nose.
"Hi," Blaine said, trying to smile. He pulled up a chair as close as possible to Kurt's bed. His boyfriend was awake, but his face was blank. "I'm so sorry you're sick. I'm here now. I'm here."
Blaine put his head close to Kurt's and stroked his hair back, kissing his hot forehead and shushing him as he tried to get worked up.
"It's okay," Blaine went on. "You're gonna be okay. What happened? You weren't sick at school."
That was when things changed. Kurt broke down into tears, rubbing his eyes and even sobbing a few times. Blaine was full of confusion. He knew Kurt felt bad, but why was he reacting like that?
"Hey," Blaine soothed, taking Kurt's hand. "It's okay. I know you feel like crap. You can talk to me."
"I'm sick," Kurt confessed, barely getting the words out. "I-I'm really sick. I have something wrong with my digestive system. My-my mom had it. It's called ulcerative colitis."
Blaine stopped for a minute. Finn had said Kurt had a stomach bug. He had no idea what Kurt had even just said. His boyfriend continued to cry harder, and Blaine knew he was going to read into Blaine's reaction. He scooted onto the small amount of space that was left on the bed, and wrapped his arms around Kurt as he cried more.
"I love you more than I thought I could," Blaine whispered in his ear. "You're perfect to me. When did you find out?"
Kurt sniffled. "I was twelve. I kept losing weight a-and throwing up. My dad knew the signs."
Blaine rubbed Kurt's back, kissing the side of his head. "It's gonna be okay. I'm so glad you told me. Is there anything I can do to help?"
Kurt pulled away slightly. "You still want to be with me?" His eyes welled up again. "I thought you wouldn't want to date someone… sick."
Blaine felt hurt for a split second. As if Kurt thought he only loved him in health? "No, never, babe. I would never break up with you for something like this. Never, ever. I want to help you. I want you to feel better."
He made Kurt's bed sit up, and Blaine went back to sitting by his side so he could breathe. "What does the disease do? If I can learn more about it I can help you more."
Kurt sniffled and reached for Blaine's hand. Blaine was cautious of his IV, but tried to reassure him as much as possible.
"It comes and goes. I'm sick for maybe two or three weeks out of the year. I throw up a lot and my stomach won't stop cramping. If I throw up blood they make me come in straight to the ER. I think I'm dehydrated, too. It just flares up at the worst times. That day we went shopping with your mom and sister? That was the start of a flare-up. But this one started last night, and it's been the worst in a long time."
Blaine nodded along, trying to retain everything Kurt said. "Are you feeling any better now?"
Kurt shrugged. "The cramping isn't as bad as it was. My bathroom at home probably looks like a crime scene. I just get sleepy and usually have to let it pass."
They both looked up as the door opened, and Carole and Finn came in. "Hi, Blaine," Carole said cheerfully. "Kurt, your dad is on his way back. It'll be awhile, though, okay? How do you feel?"
"Pretty tired," Kurt confessed, trying to curl up with the blanket more. Carole smoothed Kurt's sweaty hair back.
"You sleep," she told him. "Don't fight it. Blaine, feel free to stay as long as you want."
Blaine thanked her, and stayed by Kurt's side until his fingers went limp in his hand. With a kiss on his cheek, he pulled out his phone to help pass the time. He instinctively went to Instagram first, even though no one would be posting in the middle of the night, but then he had a different thought. He switched to his internet, and googled 'ulcerative colitis.'
Burt entered the hospital in a daze after driving all night. He had been here too many times when Kurt had an episode. He was so grateful for Carole, staying with him as a mom, and knowing what to do as a nurse as well.
The room was quiet. Finn dozed off, Carole was finishing some coffee, and Kurt was asleep. Next to him, Blaine, holding his hand and not taking his eyes off of Kurt.
"Hi," Carole said, standing up to hug him. "I didn't know you were in town already. His fever isn't so high anymore. Once his regular doctor gets here we'll move him up to pediatrics."
Burt bent over and kissed his son's warm forehead. "How ya doing, Blaine? I know Kurt loves having you here. Thanks, kid."
Blaine smiled warmly, looking down at Kurt and smiling. "He finally told me about his diagnosis. He thought I was going to break up with him."
Burt pulled up a seat across from Blaine. His kid was stubborn as hell. "He loves you too much, that's what worried him. I know you're not gonna leave him."
Burt looked into Blaine's eyes, and the kid shook his head. "I will never, ever leave him. Kurt's way stronger than this. We'll fight together."
Burt smiled at Blaine. The kid was a good one, that was for sure.
Later in the day, when the family had run out to get some dinner for everyone, Blaine was alone with his boyfriend. Kurt had been dozing, but finally opened his eyes, smiling up at his boyfriend.
"Hey," Blaine said, grateful he was finally awake. "You're sleepy, huh?"
Kurt nodded. "You'll never, ever leave?"
Blaine paused for a second, remembering his earlier conversation with Burt. How the heck did he hear that when he was passed out?
Nevertheless, he smiled and squeezed Kurt's hand. "Not in a million years. We got this, babe."
Author's Notes:
Sooooo... uhhhh... hi?
Yes, it's me! The last two weeks or so I have so been in the mood for writing. I'm re-watching Glee on Netflix and I have all the feels. I had been going back reading my old work (yikes, you guys. How did I ever make it so far?) and realized I had never written a one-shot I promised. So, I took that as my cue!
You might recall (3 years ago?) I did a chapter on Kurt having UC, from the popular author Keitorin Asthore. I am writing in her 'verse again. This is Blaine finding out about Kurt's diagnosis.
So, yeah? Long story short, I'm in college now (uni for all you non-Americans). The past three years I have travelled the world, met the love of my life, and am truly living my best life. I am so grateful to you guys for sticking around (probably like 2 people?). But YES. Here is Furt and Klaine and all the good stuff we love. I miss this show, y'all. Rant over.