Kurt hadn't meant for things to turn out the way they had. He and Blaine were doing everything they could to keep themselves and the kids from getting sick during flu season… but their best wasn't good enough.
It started with Micah. The three-year-old had come home from school with a fever and chills, and, after a restless night, he tested positive for the flu the next day. The two of them hated making Micah stay away from his four-month-old baby sister, but she had no immunity against the flu, and that would be a disaster.
Blaine's work schedule was flexible enough so he could stay home with both kids. His days were filled with feeding Madeline, taking care of his very sick son, and waiting until Kurt came home. Kurt had made Blaine promise to call if he himself started to feel sick, and Blaine just crossed his fingers that wouldn't happen.
It had been two days since Micah first got sick, and Kurt was starting to think they were in the clear. He went to work at usual, planning to pick something up for dinner so no one had to cook or do dishes. He hated to get take out when they had plenty of groceries at the apartment, but having a sick kid was no walk in the park.
It was just after lunch when Blaine called. Kurt could tell right away his husband sounded… off.
"I promise we're fine," Blaine began. That means things are definitely not fine. "I just have a headache… which I think is normal. And some chills. Micah threw up again so I'm doing laundry. The baby's asleep, but I don't want to go near her. I can't be the reason she gets the flu. She's way too little, Kurt. I can call Rachel or something, you don't need to leave work early."
Kurt couldn't help but panic. If Blaine was getting sick, then he most definitely would too. And, oh gosh, if Madeline got the flu…
"I'll be there soon," Kurt said hastily. "Uh, see if you have a fever. I'll deal with the baby. Just keep everyone alive for thirty minutes."
He hurried home faster than usual. Kurt never left work early, so he had a good reason to. After seeing how sick Micah got, he couldn't fathom what the flu would do to the rest of his family.
Kurt was just relieved once he got home, and he felt like he could try and get things under control. Micah was watching TV on the couch, his hair damp from a bath and one of his old pacifiers in his mouth. He resembled Kurt as a child, with his light brown hair and pale skin.
"Did Papa give you your pacifier?" Kurt said, bending over and kissing his forehead. He was still feverish, his flushed cheeks proving the point.
His son nodded, barely able to hold his eyes open. "Juice, Daddy?"
Kurt stood up, his knees popping as he did so. "Yeah, buddy. Hold on one minute."
He wanted to find Blaine. The baby was still asleep in their bedroom, thankfully, and Blaine was in the bathroom.
"Blaine, we haven't given him his pacifier in almost a year, why'd you-"
Kurt stopped. Blaine leaned against the bathroom counter, holding their digital thermometer. He looked up at Kurt, his eyes red and sickly.
"101.8. He actually got me sick. You can't take care of both of us, call Rachel or something," Blaine said, sounding more and more tired.
Kurt's concern was growing. Blaine didn't look good at all, but just a few hours earlier when Kurt had left for work, everything seemed fine.
"Go lay on the couch," Kurt said. He wanted to kiss Blaine and make everything better, but he couldn't risk anything. "I'll bring you a blanket and some medicine. What did you touch? I'm gonna clean the bathroom."
Blaine mumbled something incoherent before shuffling away, grabbing a pillow from their bed and retreating. Kurt scoured his hands and quickly disinfected the bathroom before tucking Blaine in with some blankets on the couch and getting Micah his juice.
The afternoon and evening wasn't as bad as he expected. Madeline woke up hungry, showing no signs of sickness, so Kurt spent time with her and kept her away from Micah and Blaine, quarantined in the bedroom. Blaine slept for a few hours, and Kurt switched the laundry, getting Micah clean sheets on his bed and settled in for the night, even though the little boy was still miserable and whiny about everything.
The struggle came in the night. Kurt reluctantly let Blaine sleep in the bedroom with him, as long as he stayed away from the baby. Blaine was too tired and too sick to do much else except channel surf on the TV before falling asleep, anyways.
Madeline usually slept through the night by now, only waking up once on occasion. However, that night was a nightmare, with her waking up at midnight, so fussy that nothing Kurt did could get her back to sleep.
"Please sleep," Kurt pleaded, pacing the living room with her, dreading the idea that she might get sick, too. After confirming she had a slight fever of 99.8, he knew everyone in the house was down, so all responsibility fell on his shoulders.
He remembered Blaine's advice, to call Rachel for help, but Kurt didn't want to let sleep deprivation or frustration get in the way of taking care of his family. He did not need help.
Micah must have heard his sister crying, because he joined Kurt in the living room at four in the morning, and Kurt caved and let him watch cartoons while he dealt with the baby. If his kids weren't going to sleep, he at least wasn't going to make it harder on himself. She fell asleep again around five, giving Kurt a solid two hours of sleep. At least Blaine slept through the night.
It was Blaine that woke Kurt up, seemingly seconds after he had closed his eyes after getting back in bed. "Kurt? Are you-are you awake?"
Kurt's head throbbed for a minute. He needed caffeine after the previous night, and just wanted to hide in his bed from the sickness spreading around him. "I'm up," he yawned. "What do you need? Are you okay? Is Micah up?"
His husband yanked the comforter closer, bundling up under the blankets and shivering. "I feel… funny. I haven't gotten up. It seems like Madeline slept well."
Kurt sighed. If only he knew.
He started some coffee, only to discover it wasn't even seven yet. Since both children were still sleeping, he managed to have enough time to make Blaine toast, tea, and bring him medicine and check his temperature again.
"At least you're not as pathetic as when you had the stomach flu," Kurt said, letting Blaine lean on him while he picked at the toast. "You whined for almost a week."
That got a laugh. Kurt knew Blaine was most likely downplaying how bad he felt since their three-year-old had it much worse. "You can't blame me," Blaine argued. "That was awful. Our kids puke enough as it is."
Kurt stayed with Blaine, both of them slowly waking up and getting a rare alone moment together, until the baby began to stir again. Her crying made Kurt's head feel worse, but he figured he just hadn't had enough to drink yet.
"Is she sick?" Blaine asked. "If she's already sick I can hold her. You don't have to do everything, you know."
Kurt didn't want to let Blaine hold Madeline. What if he sneezed on her? She already had a fever, and he couldn't let things get worse.
"She was up all night," Kurt sighed, finding a pacifier. "And she has a small fever. I think all three of you can start to feel better today if we just take it easy."
As if on cue, Micah showed up in the doorway, his hair tousled and his blanket tucked under his arm.
"Hi, buddy," Blaine said. "Come here. Feeling better?"
Kurt balanced Madeline in one arm and hoisted his son up onto the bed with the other. "No, sick," the toddler mumbled, laying his head down on Blaine's lap.
Kurt sighed again. He made a bottle for Madeline and got Micah something to eat and drink, and everyone was content for a while. Micah and Blaine stayed in bed with a movie playing on the TV, and the baby dozed off again in her swing, allowing Kurt some rest, as well. He retreated to the couch where it was quiet and he could keep an eye his daughter, and all but collapsed in a heap with his favorite blanket.
Waking up felt like a daze. Kurt didn't know what time it was, but he heard a hushed voice next to him that could only be Blaine.
"Good morning," Blaine said quietly. Why am I on the couch? Kurt just felt groggy and cold and wanted to go back to sleep, but the throbbing in his head wasn't going to let that happen.
"Where're the kids? What time is it?" Kurt mumbled, pushing against the cushion so he could sit up. His memory came back quickly. Everyone was sick. He'd been up all night with a screaming baby.
"It's almost ten. Micah's fever broke about an hour ago, so Rachel's on her way to take him off our hands for the day. He started running around again, so I think he's back to normal. Maddie's sleeping in our room. I came in here to get a drink and you were restless and all sweaty. Kurt, I think you have a fever."
Kurt shook his head, dismissing Blaine and getting up so he could see his son before he left. His body ached with every movement, and the coffee from however long ago suddenly made his stomach feel awful.
"Just go back to bed," Kurt told Blaine. "I'll be back there in a minute. I'll bring you a drink."
"Daddy!" Micah shrieked, emerging from his room and lunging into Kurt's arms. Kurt put him down and helped him put his shoes on the right feet.
"I'm glad you're better," Kurt said. "Are you gonna have fun with Aunt Rachel? Are you gonna be good?"
Micah nodded and gave Kurt a thumbs up. "Can I watch a show 'til she's here?"
Kurt was hesitant, since Micah watched enough TV as it was, but he wanted to go to bed so badly…
"Yeah," Kurt said, grabbing their iPad from the kitchen table. "Just until she's here."
Micah got settled on the couch, already distracted, and Kurt got water for himself and Blaine before retreating to bed.
Luckily, their little girl was still fast asleep, and Kurt climbed into bed next to his sick husband, thankful to be somewhat warm again.
"I told Rachel to let herself in," Blaine mumbled. "I don't think I can stay awake."
Kurt wanted to sleep so, so badly, but his head hurt too much to nod off. He laid next to Blaine to try and keep from shivering, but Blaine only pulled away.
"Kurt, you're burning up. You're making me hot," Blaine whined.
Kurt felt bad, but scooted away, upset Blaine didn't even want to lay by him. "I'm cold," Kurt argued weakly, finally shutting his eyes.
He woke up again to Rachel's voice and a slamming door. "Blaine! Are all of you sick? This is a nightmare!"
Blaine rubbed his temples next to Kurt in the bed while Rachel stood in the doorway, holding Micah. "Stop yelling, you'll wake the baby. We're fine."
Kurt shot up as well, insisting he wasn't sick, only for Rachel to fight him. "Kurt, you look worse than when you got drunk and puked in the McKinley hallway. Don't suggest otherwise."
Kurt reluctantly got out of bed and picked up Madeline when she started to fuss. "If we're all sick, then that means there's nothing to spread." He was only half joking, but really just wanted Rachel to take Micah and stop making his headache worse.
Instead, she set the little boy down, asking him to play in his room, and she came and took the baby from Kurt's arms. "You two just need to stay in bed. Look, I'll play with Micah here, I'll feed the baby, I'll order food. Now go." She steered Kurt back into their bed where Blaine finally pulled him close.
"I'm cold, now," he mumbled. "Are we gonna let her take care of us all day?"
Kurt yawned, his eyes heavy from so little sleep. "I'm not opposed. Just make her stop yelling."
Blaine laughed a little, but it wound up actually being a very good thing. Micah felt good all day and wore himself out playing with Rachel. Madeline's fever didn't climb any higher, so by that night she was somewhat back to herself, even though Kurt and Blaine were still down.
Rachel somehow had managed to put away all of their clean dishes, finish their laundry, and got dinner for everyone. She left after the kids were asleep, even though by then Blaine and Kurt would have let her move in. The night was long for both of them still having the flu, but for the first time in a few days, it seemed like they would make it out okay.
Author's Notes:
Wow these sweet little sick daddies. I love Rachel as well but it's hard for me to write her in big doses. At least she cares.
This will probably be my last update before my surgery on Friday, but to those of you who have sent me prompts, they are in progress so I should (fingers crossed) be able to post, but I'm not sure how long I'll be feeling bad. See you soon!