Ok, I know I say this all the time, but I am not sure about this chapter. I love it, but I don't know what other people will think. I hope you like it. I hope it makes sense. I was starting to fall asleep as I wrote it! p.s. - For all of you who have waited, next chapter will be 100% fluff, guaranteed. Brace yourselves!
"Mrs. Flax brought her knitting again. You know what that means...she's looking for some excitement!"
Dave buried his head in his hand, groaning in dismay. Not again. Kurt was going to get them kicked out of here.
Straining to keep the laughter out of his voice, he tried his best to dissuade the other boy from his intended course of action.
"Kurt, you are horrible. You know that "excitement" only raises her blood pressure and gives her something to gossip about with the nurses"
Kurt's eyes were gleaming with humor, his grin infectious.
"It's good for her. She lives for gossip, and I; for one, am going to do whatever I have to keep her alive and kicking. She still owes me a rematch in bingo"
It had been six weeks since that night. Six of the craziest, most amazing weeks of Dave's life.
Kurt had woken in his bed that morning; gently kissed him, and then bounded out of the door. And he hadn't slowed down since that moment.
He'd signed himself and 31 other potential donors up for screening to see if they were a kidney match. This included everyone in Glee, some football players, 3 teachers, and two of Kurt's cousins, who had been visiting from out of town. He'd became known for starting every conversation with "So, ever thought about donating a kidney?"
He'd cried for hours; wrapped up in Dave's arms, when he discovered he wasn't a match.
That hadn't slowed him down for long. He'd taken control of Dave's diet, and knew it better than either Dave or his mom did. And not only did he know it; he was merciless in enforcing it. Dave was only allowed so many ounces of fluid per day, and Kurt measured each one meticulously, with as much precision as a miser would use to measure an ounce of gold. If Dave attempted even a sip above his allowed amount, Kurt was right there, snatching the cup out of his hands.
He'd charmed Dave's mom into letting him attend doctors' appointments with them. In all the appointments he'd had before Kurt, Dave had sat on the doctors table; feeling ridiculous in his backless gown and defeated by the ever worsening test results. Now he felt ridiculous, amused, and intensely frustrated. Kurt was always on the table next to him, feverishly scribbling notes about treatment with one hand; and surreptitiously running his fingers up and down the exposed skin of Dave's back with the other.
Kurt gave him hope, where before he'd felt only despair.
He was beside Dave every step of the way. He linked their hands together whenever Dave had to face something hard. He sang him love songs when he was tired. He held him close when his body ached all over.
Even though he had a loving and kind family, it felt different somehow, having Kurt in his corner. He felt just a little bit invincible. Like a miracle might really happen. Like he'd get a kidney. Like he'd live a long and happy life.
He even believed it here; at the hardest part of his treatment.
Dialysis.
Kurt spent every single day in dialysis with Dave. Every day from 10 am to 2 pm. Even that first day, when he'd rushed out of Dave's bed, he'd been back by 9:30, tapping on the door, instructing Dave to "hurry before all the good dialysis machines are gone".
It had been the first time he'd faced treatment without dread. Kurt's arrival and subsequent encampment at Dave's side had sent a ripple of shock through the little dialysis clinic. Probably because the five other patients on the 10-2 time slot were elderly. Dave was the youngest by at least 5 decades. Miserable without Kurt; he'd made zero effort in those first weeks to return the hesitantly friendly overtures of his fellow patients.
He wasn't sure how the five other patients would take to the surly youngest member of their group suddenly bringing his boyfriend to treatment. He wasn't sure how the young dialysis techs and stern charge nurses would take to a teenaged, obviously gay couple in their midst.
He didn't know why he'd been so concerned. It took Kurt two days to charm almost everybody and become an beloved addition. of their little community.
On day one he's endeared himself to the nursing staff by inspecting every detail of Dave's treatment, scribbling in his notebook during the nurse's lengthy lecture about the process of dialysis and its effects. He'd hung on every word, and offered effusive thanks, giving the overworked and harassed nurses and techs a feeling of recognition and appreciation they rarely experienced. He instantly became their pet, garnering himself free cups of coffee, a seat at the staff lunch table, and more unsolicited advice about men then he could ever have anticipated. All the nurses and techs were divorced women.
On his second day there with Dave, Kurt had engaged in a game of chess with Mr. Harris, moving his chair close to the board that rested on the edge of the other man's side table. He'd played haphazardly, all the while tossing winks and flirtatious comments at Dave over his shoulder. Mr. Harris had won easily, and told Kurt that he'd need to turn his other brain on; the one in his head, if he wanted to win the next game.
He'd painted Mrs. Chilton and Mrs. Neal's nails; cooing over the pictures of their great grand babies, and listening with rapt attention to their stories of growing up in the 40's. He'd written down the beauty secrets that their mothers had taught them; stating he would be storing this information for his and Dave's daughters. Dave had held his breath at the blunt revelation of their romantic relationship. Mrs. Chilton and Neal had giggled like school girls, and since that day he was sure that they and Kurt were meeting secretly to talk about him and his "adorable hazel eyes".
Kurt had spent hours in discussion with Mr. Adriano, a former mechanic. They could frequently be seen, muttering over a copy of "Car and driver" magazine, scoffing at how cars today were just not the same.
And then there was Mrs. Flax. Mrs. Flax had been the only female patient to refuse the nail painting. Though she'd reluctantly engaged in Kurt's now weekly "Wild Wednesday bingo hour".
She's won so many times; there was beginning to be talk of her making some kind of pact with the devil for a lifetime of success at bingo. Her cackling laughter at each bingo win only added to the speculation.
Adding to the general ill will and distrust was the knowledge that Mrs. Flax was a notorious eavesdropper and gossip. She listened in on everyone's conversation under the cover of her clacking knitting needles. It had taken Kurt less than a week to catch on to her secret. And since then, he'd dragged a reluctant Dave along with him on "Operation Shock Flax"
Every time she brought her knitting, Kurt and Dave engaged in a conversation about increasingly controversial topics, trying to spark a reaction from her.
She'd hadn't batted an eye when Kurt had told Dave that he'd been abducted by aliens.
There's been no reaction to their conversation about their illegal mud wrestling fight club.
She'd scoffed in disbelief when Dave had told Kurt that he believed that Tupac and Biggie were still alive, living with Elvis in Cancun.
Her knitting needles had actually paused for the briefest flash of a second when Kurt had confessed to killing his goldfish in order to "keep him quiet about you know what".
Finally, when she'd hadn't betrayed even a seconds notice for Dave's announcement that he's begun to crave raw meat, Kurt had heaved a sigh and shook his head in resignation. Turning to Dave; who couldn't contain his laughter at the absurdity of this whole project, Kurt had announced that next time "we need to bring out the big guns".
Now the moment was upon them and Kurt looked absolutely delighted. Dave sometimes forgot he was even here for treatment, so intensely was he distracted by Kurt.
For; as many hours as Kurt spent, reading magazines and playing chess, painting nails and trash talking men with the nurses, he spent ten times as many hours with Dave. Curled up in a spare lounge chair, hand linked with Dave's. He talked to him. He made sure he was comfortable. He sang to him; which usually brought a hushed and heart warming silence to the room.
There was no doubt why Kurt was there. No doubt for whom he was there.
And his being there; through the funny, silly, but mostly long and tedious hours- it meant everything to Dave.
Kurt's voice; slightly elevated, grabbed his attention, bringing him back to the moment.
"Hey Dave, do you remember that really sweet gay sex we were having last night?"
Dave almost choked; Kurt had to pound him on the back before he could squeak out a response.
"Sure I remember, Kurt."
Kurt's reply was swift and delivered overly loud, once again.
"How could you forget? We've got it on video, after all."
Dave immediately began another round of choking coughs, struggling between a mixture of desperate laughter and horrified concern. Mrs. Flax's blood pressure had to be off the charts by this point. Kurt spoke again.
"I was thinking; maybe we could sneak in here tonight and have some more super awesome gay sex, maybe on one of these lounge chairs. We'll bring the raw meat you like so much, and I'll let the aliens know where to find us and...Ouch!"
Dave; out of the corner of his eye, could see what had interrupted Kurt's speech. He'd just been jabbed by a knitting needle.
Dave didn't know when he'd seen him look so pleased with himself. Dave couldn't resist; he pulled the other boy down onto his lap, careful of his pic line, glancing around for nurses. They all seemed to be distracted or at lunch.
"Well, your operation was a success. I've think you've officially shocked Flax."
Kurt; who'd immediately snuggled close, resting his head on Dave's chest, sighed dreamily.
"I feel like nothing in life can compare to this moment. I mean, what do I do as an encore? Shocking Flax was my one life ambition"
Dave smiled; smoothing his lips over Kurt's perfectly styled hair.
"Well, I for one think that you deserve a prize for being so accomplished at such a young age. I'm sure you'll be receiving international recognition for your work here at some point, but I'd like to be the first to express my appreciation"
He could feel Kurt smiling against his chest. Reaching his free hand down, he tilted the other boy's head up, until their eyes met. The laughing blue eyes meeting the solemn hazel.
Kurt shrugged, not breaking eye contact.
"So, what are you going to give me?"
Dave smiled; running his fingers over Kurt's even features.
"My parents are out of town this weekend."
The laughter faded from the blue eyes; and they met his hazel ones, brilliant with emotion.
"Spend the night with me"