Wes was close to a major freak out.
He had tried to wake Blaine up for more than five minutes and people were shouting around him – still the boy would not open his eyes. He tried to check his body for any visible wounds or other things that could have clued him in on what was going on with him, but all that was visible was a pretty tiny, sweaty guy in damp clothes.
Since the trembling didn't stop, Wes decided to at least give him a real blanket. He knew that feverish people needed to cool down, but at the same time he didn't think he could deal with his best friend writhing on his bed in agony because he felt too cold. At least not by himself. He would have to wait for the others to return before doing that.
He resumed shaking Blaine's shoulder and letting his hand run through the boy's hair.
"Come on Blaine, I really need you to wake up now. You need to drink some water and maybe take a cold shower."
At least that's what he always saw on TV and he really couldn't think of many other ways to help him.
Instead of random mumbles, Wes suddenly heard a very quiet "Wes?" – So quiet he had to lean closer to Blaine's face to even here it.
"Yeah buddy, it's me. I need you to open your eyes for me for a moment, ok?"
He grasped the other boy's hand in his and squeezed softly to make sure he knew someone was close by and watched as Blaine, very slowly, started to open his eyes.
He blinked once and a second time, looking around without any real orientation, before he finally focused on his friend.
"Hey… hey… it's so good to see you awake. Ok. Man …you had me worried there for a second."
Blaine didn't say anything and looked like he tried very hard not to fall back asleep right away.
"Ok …dude, I need you to stay awake, ok? Just stay awake for a little while. We need to figure out what to do with you and it makes me feel a lot better, when you're awake and alert."
"Ok" was the only thing Blaine replied. His breathing sounded labored and looked like it took way too much effort.
"Blaine. How's your breathing? Does anything hurt? Do you know what happened?"
At that David and Kurt quietly came back into the room and both let out a relieved sigh when they saw Blaine's eyes open and focused onto Wes.
"You got him to wake up!" David exclaimed as he came to sit next to his best friends.
"Yeah I did. Took me long enough. Kurt, could you get me some cold towels and a thermometer? We need to control his temperature. And something cool to drink. Water is probably our best option."
Kurt didn't even reply, he went straight into the bathroom and hurried back. When Wes looked down again, he saw that Blaine's eyes were halfway closed again and so he started again, a little louder:
"Ok, Blaine…. Remember? I asked about your breathing. How`s that working for you?"
Blaine brought the others back into focus and when he opened his mouth to answer his body was once again wrecked by a deep cough that sounded like, it would hurt like hell.
David's eyes opened wide in shock and when he noticed his friend's trouble he got onto the bed with him, sat him up and leaned him against his own chest. The coughing subsided and Blaine could breathe again.
"It's ok. You're ok."
David whispered into his ear, while simultaneously looking more than worried at Wes and Kurt who was handing the thermometer to him and applying the towels onto Blaine's calves and armpits.
"I'm going to put this under your arm ok? We need to check your temp. And after that I'll put the towel back on, so we can cool you down."
David prepared him, so he wouldn't startle and probably begin another coughing fit.
"Mmmh, ok."
"How you're doing?" Wes asked again.
"I …uh… it hurts to breathe. And… I'm cold. I've been cold a long time. I just couldn't warm up and I ran out of blankets. Sorry, David. I'll wash your sheets, I promise."
"It's ok buddy. Don't worry about it."
"When did this start Blaine?"
Wes seemed like he wanted to catalogue everything before the other boy would fall asleep again.
"I wasn't feeling very well yesterday. I've just been so exhausted you know? I really tried to rest, but nothing I did really worked. I thought it was just a cold… but… last night got bad. I just couldn't warm up."
Blaine said again and slumped against David's chest, worn out from all the talking.
Wes squeezed his hand again while David patted his hair. It was times like these, were he really enjoyed having guy friends who weren't afraid of being touchy feeling. It felt good and Blaine needed to feel their presence, needed to know he wasn't alone.
He still didn't know what was going on or how things could get so bad, but he was sure things would get better now. They would take care of him, like always.
"Can I close my eyes now? I'm tired."
Wes thought about that for a minute. He knew Blaine needed sleep, but was worried about having to wake him up again, since it had been so hard the first time around.
"Ok, but you can't lie down. It'll make it easier on your lungs if you stay sitting up."
Blaine didn't care and had his eyes closed before Wes even finished his sentence.
When the thermometer beeped everyone held their breath waiting for Wes to announce the result.
"It's high. Way too high. 104.2. David, we need to call the nurse. She needs to come here or tell us what to do. It's too high."
"Yeah – alright. I'll go and try to reach her. Kurt come here, take over for me."
Kurt who had stayed quiet and just listened to his friends, walked over and got his first good look at Blaine.
He looked terrible - teeth chattering, body trembling terrible.
He squeezed behind him and gently moved him back against his chest. He felt the rustle in Blaine's chest and couldn't help but push himself just a bit closer to him.
He felt so, so bad. He was to blame for Blaine's condition, he was sure of that. David had walked outside to make the call and Wes was busying himself in the bathroom. He was alone with his best friend and felt very scared again.
"Hey" Blaine whispered once he recognized the very particular smell that surrounded him.
"Shhhh, don't talk. Save your energy."
"It's not your fault, you know."
"Blaine, seriously – stop talking. I don't want you to have to cough again. That looked painful."
"It is… but I need you to hear me out. This is not your fault. I was stupid, still am and probably always will be. I should have stayed in bed and you didn't make me do anything. So don't put this on yourself. I should have stayed in bed….or I probably should have told someone I wasn't feeling very well. Sorry I didn't."
"It's alright."
Blaine got agitated and found a little strength to give his voice some more volume.
"No it really isn't. I should have told you. And I should have told you…. Well…"
"What, Blaine? Spit it out so you can rest."
"Kurt, I'm not the awesome guy you think I am. I'm far from perfect, far from the guy you deserve to be your friend."
"I'm gonna stop you right there. I don't care what you think. I believe you're brave and strong and an amazing friend. You might not know how to ask for help or that it actually is ok to do so and you might also not know how to realize when to take a break. But I like you just the way you are and I don't want anybody else.
We will continue this conversation, when you can actually sit up without being held up and when you have your normal temperature back. Until then I need you to relax. And I need you to tell me when you feel worse or even when something itches or when you need to scratch your toe.
Really… I just need you to tell me whenever you feel something, you shouldn't feel, ok? Blaine, I need you to be ok."
"Mmmh..., Kurt. I'm… tired… can I sleep? Just for a bit?"
"Yes. Close your eyes. I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere."
Kurt hummed some soothing melody and ran his hand over Blaine's locks, while his other hand stayed on his chest, needing to feel it moving, needing to feel the heartbeat and even the rustle in his lungs.
Once his breathing evened out, Kurt let a few tears slide down his face while he held Blaine. The boy who always took care of him, who drove hours to help him at his old school and who made sure he would fit into his new one, looked even smaller now. He had never seen him so vulnerable and broken.
He was usually always in control of his body, his voice – of everything really. But now… he couldn't even lie down without struggling to breathe and was sweating buckets.
This was a wakeup call.
Kurt had gotten so used to having a knight in shiny armor. It had been so nice for a change to feel accepted and appreciated that he had forgotten to return that feeling.
He would make sure now, that Blaine felt taken care of.
Even if he would be resistant at first. He wouldn't let this go any further. Blaine needed help for a change.
Wes came back into the room and exchanged the towels on Blaine's body with new ones. He sighed and gave Kurt a tentative smile.
"He'll be fine, Kurt. He's stronger than he looks."
"Yeah, I know. And Wes?... I wanted to apologize to you too. I'm sorry I…"
"Don't worry… I'm sure David already chewed you a new one. Just imagine I was there with him and said the same things and we're good. You're here now, and that's what counts. He needs you, you know?"
Kurt just nodded and smiled the slightest bit, before they both returned to fussing about Blaine.
Wes opened a tub of menthol rub and generously applied it to their sick friend's chest. The smell spread through the room and made Kurt remember his younger years, when his dad had done the same for him.
Blaine slowly seemed to relax his body. His limbs weren't as tense and his breaths got deeper. Rest would probably the best way to help him, however Kurt would rather see him up and talking, maybe even joking around or singing. Yeah – singing would be great. For now, he would have to be satisfied by a sleeping Blaine though. And by chance he would even stop trembling. Wes found another clean sheet somewhere in the depth of the closet and exchanged it for the blanket that covered Blaine for now.
And then… there really wasn't anything to do; besides sitting and waiting for David to return – which he did about ten minutes later.