Author's note: Hi guys… I am SO SORRY for the long wait. But I've been super busy with life and then the Kurtofsky gift exchange happened. I got caught up with the deadline for my Kurtofsky fic in the middle of this chapter so I decided to finish it after I was done with that story.
But fear not! I am done with that and so I hope updates will flow at the normal speed from now on. Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews and I hope you like this chapter, I've been DYING to post it since I began writing this story because of well… you'll understand when you read it. I just hope you're ready for this roller coaster!
Much love!
Warnings for this chapter: Blood.
Sunday morning.
Sebastian used to like Sunday mornings, back when he could actually do things like sleep late -because he was lazy, not because he was sick- and then spend the entire day in nothing but his boxers and a t-shirt. Sometimes he used to get up and then go to the country club with his parents for brunch. Other times he would just lounge around his house listening to music or playing video games; and if the weather was nice, Sebastian would go and use the pool his dad had finally built in the backyard last year after much prodding from him and his sister. Those were good times, but now Sunday mornings had nothing to make them special, and especially not when Sebastian was stuck in the hospital, alternating between feeling bad and feeling awful.
Sebastian sighed and rolled over in his bed, turning his face away from the windows. The sun was starting to come out, but he didn't really care for it. He had been awake for hours. Sebastian slept so much during the day that his sleeping patterns were a mess. It was really annoying.
He felt uncomfortable and exhausted most of the time, and that made it easy to sleep. But then during the nights he would just lie in bed awake and aware for hours at a time, with nothing to do and wishing he could sleep just because that way time would pass quicker. He watched TV but got sick of it soon. He found it hard to keep track of what he was watching sometimes because he got headaches often. Other times he felt like his mind was fogged and ended up falling asleep anyway.
And now there he was, tossing and turning in bed, eyes wide and completely unable to sleep. All Sebastian could do was stay in bed and stare at the wall, at the ceiling, or at his phone. Goddamn phone.
Lately, he didn't really care about his phone at all, but today he did. Sebastian found himself checking his text messages, or the lack of text messages, to be more precise. He had texted Kurt the night before, but Kurt didn't text him back. Sebastian had sent a couple of messages, once his mom and him had finished eating the cake.
That had been 7 hours ago, and Kurt hadn't replied yet. Not that he was counting the time or anything. Not at all.
Rationally, Sebastian knew Kurt was going to be very busy playing host for his stepmother's party. Probably running up and down, making sure people ate and drank and had a good time. Kurt seemed to be really tired even before the party, so Sebastian knew that after the party Kurt would be absolutely exhausted. Still, the fact that Kurt hadn't replied to his texts at all was bothering him to no end.
Sebastian was annoyed, not with Kurt but with himself. He knew he shouldn't have texted him, but most importantly: He shouldn't care that Kurt hadn't replied. Why did he even care about Kurt's texts? Sebastian figured that must be a side effect of this self-imposed isolation, but he was fine with it. Trent and Jeff had finally stopped texting him, maybe after more than two months they had finally given up. In a way, Sebastian felt relieved about that; but there was a part of him that was just so lonely, and bored. He tried his best to ignore it though.
He shouldn't miss Kurt; but he did, and it was getting on his nerves. So Sebastian shoved his phone under his pillow and closed his eyes, willing himself to just sleep. After a while he managed to doze off and didn't wake up for several hours, until a nurse came to check on him.
Sebastian was used to that routine. Having nurses come in and check his vitals, take blood samples, give him pills to take, or check his IV drips. This time however, it was different. The nurse just did a quick look around and then smiled down at him.
"Are you excited to finally go home?"
That question caught him completely off guard.
"Sorry… what?"
"You're getting discharged today, didn't your parents tell you?"
"Uh… no." Sebastian replied, frowning but at the same time unable to stop smiling. "But whoa… that's great! I really miss sleeping in my own bed."
The nurse smiled warmly at Sebastian before telling him his breakfast would be there soon and walking out of the room.
Sebastian's day got brighter all of the sudden. He was going home.
…
Kurt was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee sitting in front of him, getting cold. He'd already had one cup before, but Kurt felt so tired that he thought he needed another one. However, after taking a few sips he felt like he couldn't finish it. Kurt was feeling tired and apathetic, his appetite gone. Around him the house was dead quiet, he was the only one up even though it wasn't really that early.
Kurt was alone with his conflicting thoughts; the events of the previous night still felt like a heavy weight on his shoulders.
The stress of his dad getting sick and the frustration about his confrontation with Blaine had just added to Kurt's physical exhaustion. That whole mess, added to the stocked-up tension from the busy week had Kurt wishing he could just crawl back into bed.
But he couldn't. He had things to do, like making sure his dad went to the doctor as soon as he got out of bed. It was barely 8:00 am, and considering they had ended up going to bed at almost 2:00 am, Kurt knew his dad probably wouldn't get up quite yet, but he couldn't stay in bed even if he wanted to. After a couple of hours of restless sleep, he'd woken up feeling weird and uncomfortable and overall unable to stay in bed.
Kurt knew Finn would probably not get up until noon, but his dad and Carole were usually early risers, and he knew they would eventually be up for breakfast. So despite his tiredness, Kurt decided to make himself busy with pancakes. That would help keep his mind off things, even if he wasn't feeling hungry at all.
Kurt prepared the mix quickly, deciding to add a little bit of banana to it, just like he knew his dad liked them. When he finally started making the pancakes, it didn't take long for his dad and Carole to come down and join him in the kitchen.
"Good morning Kurt!" Carole said, standing next to him to see what he was doing. "Such an early bird! Cooking already?"
"Yeah, I just, couldn't stay in bed anymore. You guys want pancakes?"
"Sounds great." His dad said, from where he was sitting on the kitchen table. "Morning kiddo."
"Dad, how are you feeling?"
"Good… I'm good." Burt said, like it was nothing. He took Kurt's abandoned cup of coffee in his hands and frowned. "This coffee is cold."
"I don't want it anymore." Kurt replied dryly.
Burt stood up and flushed the remaining coffee down the kitchen sink before grabbing a cup for himself and pouring hot coffee in it. All the while, Kurt was looking at his dad, expecting him to give him some kind of sign of the pain that he had the night before, but there was none. His dad was acting like his normal self, not looking even the slightest bit sick, and Kurt was at a loss.
Once the pancakes were ready, they sat at the table and started eating. The kitchen smelled of pancakes, the scent of banana and cinnamon sweetened the air, and it should be relaxing, but Kurt was feeling a bit ansty. It didn't take long for him to bring up the subject of what happened the night before, and his dad's need to go see a doctor, but Burt was having none of it.
"Dad… But we have to go. It could be something serious!"
Burt just sighed, "Kurt, I'm feeling fine. It's fine… we have to go down to the hospital tomorrow anyway, I can tell the doctor about it then."
"Tomorrow? Dad, you shouldn't-"
"What, you seriously want to drive all the way to Cleveland today? Don't be silly Kurt, I swear I feel fine."
"Dad… last night you were in a lot of pain, you could barely stand up. Carole, help me out here, we can't just-"
"Kurt, listen..." His dad interrupted before Kurt could finish or Carole could say anything. "Sure, I had pain last night, but I'm sure whatever it was can wait. I'm tired, and I have stuff to do at the shop, so I want to just relax a bit before heading out. Besides, you have something to do as well, don't you?"
Kurt immediately tensed up, because he had completely forgotten about that.
"In fact, shouldn't you be getting ready right now? Look at the time, it's a long drive down to Westerville."
Kurt wanted to protest, but he did have to go to Westerville. Sebastian's mother had told him a few days ago that Sebastian might get discharged today, and yesterday in the midst of all the party preparations, Kurt received a couple of texts from her, confirming it and asking him for help because she wanted to make something special to welcome Sebastian back home.
Kurt had said yes, and than agreed to meet her at noon. But Kurt knew that Mrs. Smythe would understand if he had to cancel in order to take his dad to the doctor.
"Dad... that's not as important as your health. I'm just… I'm worried about you. Can you at least call the doctor, please?" Kurt begged, one last time.
"Kurt, if it was something serious I think I'd still be in pain; and I'm not. I feel fine. Trust me. Alright?"
Kurt sighed, feeling defeated. He was so frustrated with his dad for just acting like nothing happened while he was worried sick about him. He couldn't not-worry, but he realized his dad was not going to give into his pleas. So he decided to just talk to Carole after his dad went back upstairs and make her promise that she would keep a close eye on him. The fact that Carole was a nurse offered Kurt a little bit of comfort, but he still wasn't completely okay with his dad just being so careless about what happened the night before.
Once he realized there was really nothing he could do to change his father's mind, Kurt figured he should get going. Westerville was a 2-hour drive away, and he still needed to take a shower and get ready.
…
"I can't believe you kept this from me." Sebastian said, shaking his head and smiling as he walked with his dad across the hospital hallway on their way out.
"We didn't! We just weren't sure, that's why we hadn't said anything… that's all." His dad brushed off, smiling fondly at him.
Sebastian just shook his head, still smiling a little as they walked towards the parking lot. Being able to go outside felt so nice, even if the day was a bit cold. So many days of being in the hospital made Sebastian appreciate little things he never paid attention to before. Like wearing shoes and his normal clothes instead of the dull hospital gowns; or the feeling of the cool air against his skin as he walked.
"Are you hungry?" His dad asked as they got into the car. "We can stop and get something to eat before we head home."
"Uh… no, I'm good. Had breakfast and a snack. Let's just go home."
"Fair enough, let's go then. We'll be there soon."
"What time did mom say she would be done with work?"
"She didn't. But she only had a couple of patients scheduled. So, who knows? Maybe she'll be home by the time we get there."
His dad started the car and drove away from the hospital. Sebastian just stared out the window as they left the hospital building behind, hoping for the day he would never need to come back to this place again.
Somewhere along the drive home, Sebastian fell asleep. It was something he always did. Lately, whenever Sebastian was in a car, the movement of the car somehow managed to lull him to sleep. Sebastian didn't wake up until his dad killed the engine, and he opened his eyes to realize they were parked in their driveway.
He was finally home. Sebastian was so happy to be back, but as he got out of his dad's car, something caught his attention.
"Dad, whose car is that?" Sebastian asked, pointing out to a black navigator parked in front of their house.
"Uh… Probably just a friend of your mom's." His dad shrugged off, smiling awkwardly and prompting Sebastian to keep walking towards the house by placing his hands over his shoulders.
Sebastian's dad had told him his mom was working and that's why she couldn't pick him up from the hospital, and now she had friend over? Sebastian couldn't help but find it a little odd, but decided to think nothing of it. However, once they stepped into the house, Sebastian found out why his dad had that weird look on his face. Waiting for him inside the house with his mom, was none other that Kurt freaking Hummel.
Sebastian couldn't help but laugh, surprised and shocked at the unexpected sight that greeted him. He bumped his dad in the arm as his mom, along with Kurt and a couple of the maids that worked for his family chanted "Welcome home!" throwing confetti and balloons at him. It felt like a surprise birthday party or something equally unexpected… it was ridiculous but heartwarming at the same time.
They all greeted him with smiles and hugs, and Sebastian didn't miss the way his stomach constricted a little once Kurt hugged him. He had to admit it was a nice surprise to see him there.
"Kurt, how did you even-"
"Your mom… it was all your mom's doing." Kurt said, smiling at Mrs. Smythe, who was grinning and holding a balloon in her hands.
"We wanted to surprise you honey, we're so glad you're back home with us."
"You didn't have to, mom. But thanks, I love you." He leaned down to press a kiss to his mom's temple and hugged her tight. He felt really lucky to have her in his life. She never ceased to amaze him.
The house smelled delicious, and Sebastian was so glad to finally be able to eat homemade food and not the dull hospital menus. They sat in the living room for a while as the maids set up the dining table. When everything was ready, they moved to the other room and sat down to eat.
The conversation flowed pleasantly between Sebastian, his parents and Kurt as they ate. Sebastian could tell his mom was more than excited to have Kurt there, and his dad was being pretty welcoming too, considering the fact that they hadn't met each other before, as far as he was concerned. Sebastian wondered what his mom told his dad about Kurt. He'd make sure to ask her later when they were alone.
In the meantime, he was enjoying the food and the company, because after such a long time of being in the hospital, this was a very needed breath of fresh air. Sebastian didn't know how to feel, but the whole scene felt strangely heartwarming. He'd never had a friend sit down on the table and share a meal with his parents. Sure, some of the Dalton guys had come over to his house on occasion, but they never sat down on the table for a family meal, they just ended up having food delivered to Sebastian's bedroom, or the living room, depending on what they were doing.
"And how was the party, Kurt?" Sebastian's mom asked.
"Oh, it was great… everything went pretty well."
"Did you manage to take a lot of pictures?"
"Yeah… I took some with my phone, I can show them to you later."
Mrs. Smythe put her hands together excitedly and Sebastian couldn't help but laugh.
"I've heard you're quite the party planner, Kurt. Maybe you can help us next time we have to organize one." Sebastian's dad said, making Kurt blush a little bit.
"Sure, I'd be glad to help… I'm not a professional or anything, but I like it... It's fun."
"I've heard you're quite the baker as well."
"Um… not really I-"
"The cake was delicious Kurt, we all loved it." Mrs. Smythe said.
"It really was." Mr. Smythe added, and Sebastian bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing nervously at his dad's remark. He'd told Kurt his dad hadn't been able to try the cake, but that had been a lie just to get more cake.
Kurt looked at Sebastian knowingly, squinting his eyes for the briefest second and smiling before responding to his dad.
"Oh, so you tried it too, Mr. Smythe?"
"Call me Joseph… and yes, I did try a tiny little piece that these two left me. Though with how good it tasted, I'm not surprised they wanted to keep it all to themselves."
Everyone laughed at that, and Kurt promised to bake another cake for them soon. All the while they talked after that, Sebastian could see Kurt giving him this amused looks every now and then. He was so screwed.
After they were done with lunch and dessert. They went upstairs to Sebastian's room. His mom helped carry Sebastian's bag and once he opened his bedroom door, his breath hitched.
They'd moved the furniture around, put a new carpet on his floor and got him new sheets for the bed. Sebastian's room looked amazing; there was a huge balloon arrangement in his nightstand and a colorful banner that said "We love you Sebastian!" hanging over the headboard.
Sebastian smiled and turned back to his mom, who was grinning widely probably waiting for his reaction. He just hugged her tightly and whispered, "I love you too, mom" in her ear.
"Kurt helped me." She quickly said, wiping a small tear from her eye and putting her arm around Kurt's waist, bringing him closer to them and including him in their embrace. Kurt was smiling shyly and Sebastian felt a sudden warmth spread across his neck and face as Kurt reached for his shoulder to give him a hug.
"Thanks, Kurt." He managed to say, and Kurt just smiled at him, mouthing a silent "You're welcome". Sebastian wondered if Kurt felt as awkward as he did in that moment, or if it was all in his head.
…
After sharing that brief moment with his mom, she went back downstairs, leaving Sebastian alone with Kurt in his room. Sebastian was feeling a little tired, so he sat down on the bed and Kurt joined him. They just sat in the there for a while, Sebastian resting against the headboard with his legs stretched out on the left side of the bed, and Kurt sitting with his legs crossed, holding a pillow and facing Sebastian. They just sat there and talked, which was something they had done many times before. However, this time Sebastian found himself feeling oddly self-conscious or maybe even nervous. Sebastian didn't really understand why, but somehow the fact that they were in his bedroom made everything different.
It felt intimate but natural at the same time; to just sit there and talk with the TV turned on but neither of them really paying attention to it. Sebastian realized he was only nervous because the whole thing was so foreign to him, because the moment felt like trust… it felt like friendship.
He and Kurt were friends now? Sebastian didn't even realize how it happened. How Kurt went from being someone he used to want to avoid at all costs, to someone his mother would call and make plans with. Sebastian would have never expected that to happen, but in that moment Sebastian realized he was glad that it did.
Sebastian thought he wanted to be alone during his illness, to get through it on his own; but he had to admit that having Kurt around wasn't bad at all. Sebastian enjoyed his company, and every time they hung out and talked, Sebastian discovered new things about Kurt that he didn't know.
Sebastian was listening attentively as Kurt talked about the party and everything that happened. Kurt was smiling and telling him about the food, and the guest's reaction to his step-brother's performance, but he seemed tired and worn. Even through his seemingly excited narrative, Sebastian could tell something was going on with Kurt. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was though. There was just something about Kurt's eyes. He looked small and distant, and it was the first time Sebastian had ever seen him like this. It couldn't just be physical exhaustion, or could it?
Either way, Sebastian's curiosity was eating at him so he knew he had to say something.
"Um.. Are you okay?" He asked after Kurt finished talking.
Kurt frowned. "Yeah, I'm fine… Why?"
"You kinda look like crap."
"Gee... thanks." Kurt said, seemingly offended.
"I'm kidding…" Sebastian laughed nervously "You do look tired but... I don't know. Is something bothering you?"
Sebastian noticed how Kurt tensed up, and immediately regretted asking. Kurt seemed to be hesitant about what to say, and Sebastian wished he could just turn back time a few seconds so he could just shut up and never ask him in the first place.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But… I just feel like you're here but your mind is elsewhere."
Kurt looked at him for a couple of seconds, then smiled tightly and sighed, "No, I just didn't get much sleep… I am kind of tired I guess."
Sebastian squinted his eyes, not really buying what Kurt was saying but feeling not wanting to press the issue any further.
"If you want to take a nap or something, be my guest. I'm feeling rather sleepy myself."
Kurt lifted an eyebrow, "You're inviting me to sleep in your bed?"
"Well, you didn't need an invitation when you draped yourself over my feet at the hospital did you?" Sebastian answered, and Kurt just laughed and rolled his eyes in response. But he lied down anyway, resting his head in the pillow he was holding and facing Sebastian, who was in a slightly more vertical position, resting his head and neck on a pillow against the headboard.
They remained quiet for a while, only the distant sound of the TV could be heard in the background. Sebastian was starting to feel his eyelids heavier and heavier, sleep threatening to overcome him before Kurt finally spoke again.
"My dad got sick yesterday."
Sebastian looked down at Kurt and noticed he was biting his lower lip, and looking down at nothing in particular, probably avoiding eye contact.
"What happened?"
"I don't know… That's the worst part." Kurt's voice sounded small as he spoke. "He was in a lot of pain, couldn't even stand up. It was just… It was awful to see him like that. I'm so afraid of what can happen. It just gets to me sometimes."
Kurt's eyes were full of worry as he spoke and Sebastian could sympathize, because cancer was so unpredictable. Anything could happen… and he knew more than anyone how helpless and uncertain one could feel while dealing with it.
"How was he feeling today?"
"He was fine… or at least he seemed to be fine. I tried to get him to go to the doctor, but he said he wanted to wait until tomorrow. I wish he would had gone today… I'm just worried sick." Kurt rubbed his eyes, and from where he was sitting Sebastian couldn't tell if he was crying or not. He hoped not… Sebastian didn't know what to do if Kurt started crying. What was he supposed to do?
"He's getting radiation, right?"
"Y-yes…"
Sebastian waited a few seconds, pondering his words before speaking again. "Well… it could be just a side effect. I mean... If he was feeling better this morning it might only be that, and nothing else. Radiation can be harsh on some people, or so I've heard. Hopefully the pain is just temporary. Besides, your dad seems like a tough guy, I bet he'll be just fine."
Sebastian felt awkward trying to cheer Kurt up… He was never good with words in times like these, so when Kurt looked up at him and smiled he was surprised.
"I hope so… Thanks Sebastian."
He just nodded in response, feeling a bit relieved to see Kurt smiling. They relaxed on the bed and watched TV for a little while, lying next to each other. Sebastian's bed was queen size, and even though there was plenty of space between them, Sebastian couldn't help but feel like they were too close.
Sebastian tried not to think about that too much, deciding to focus on the television instead. There was a Kitchen Nightmares marathon playing and Sebastian always liked that show, Kurt said he did too. So they watched for a while, making comments every now and then about how gross things were in some of the restaurants until Sebastian realized he was the only one talking. When he glanced down at Kurt, Sebastian realized he had fallen asleep.
Kurt looked relaxed, the worry and tiredness that tainted his features earlier no longer visible. Somehow the sight of Kurt just curled up on his side, sleeping peacefully made Sebastian smile. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep too.
When he woke up, almost four hours later, Kurt was no longer there. Sebastian's neck was feeling a bit sore from how he'd fallen asleep on the big pillows against the headboard, he just hoped he wasn't drooling when Kurt woke up and left because well, that would be embarrassing.
When Sebastian checked his phone to see the time he realized he had a new text.
From Kurt Hummel:
Had to leave, didn't want to wake you up.
We still have to go shopping one of these days,
so I'll see you soon ;)
Shopping with Kurt, well that was definitely something Sebastian was not looking forward to, but Kurt's text made him smile nonetheless.
…
The week passed and Sebastian was starting to feel better. Now that he didn't have to the hospital again until next Monday, he was determined to make the best of his days. He caught up on some reading that he'd been stalling for weeks. Finished watching the season 2 Lost DVD's that Kurt gave him, and managed to relax and regain his strength for the most part.
Sebastian had good days, and he also had some notsogood days. But just the fact that he was able to be home and not in the hospital made the discomfort and weakness more bearable. He still slept a lot and sometimes would lose track of the days that passed.
It was Saturday, and Sebastian was alone in his room. He'd dozed off while watching TV again and was now laying face down on his bed. He didn't remember having any particular dreams, but even before being fully conscious and opening his eyes, Sebastian could feel his erection, straining from the pressure between his clothes and the mattress.
Sebastian groaned and turned around, glancing at the clock on his nightstand. He knew his mom wouldn't be home for at least another hour, and the maids were downstairs, probably preparing lunch or something. So Sebastian lazily reached to his bedside table, opened the drawer and scrambled through all the stuff he had until he reached the back, where he kept his small bottle of lube. He poured a little bit on his palm and breathed in as he slid his hand down his sweatpants. He reached down under his boxer briefs to get a hold of his cock, slicking it up and down with the lube in his hand, warming it up with every stroke.
It felt good to just be able to touch himself like that, in the privacy of his room. He hadn't been able to masturbate during all the time he'd been in the hospital, for obvious reasons. So ever since he'd been back home, Sebastian had been busy getting reacquainted with the pleasurable pastime.
Unfortunately, this time Sebastian only managed to stroke himself a few times before there was a loud knock on the door.
"Sebastian? I'm here!" Came Kurt's voice from the other side.
Sebastian panicked, quickly pulling his hand out of his pants and wiping the lube on his sheets. What the fuck? What was Kurt doing there? Shit!
"Um… uh give me a minute!"
Sebastian knew one minute wouldn't suffice for his boner to go away. But what the hell was he even going to do? He had to think of something fast, but he couldn't… he just sat there, unable to get any ideas. All the stress and nerves were blocking his mind, and he must have taken too long because soon Kurt knocked on the door again.
"Sebastian, are you ready? Don't tell me you were still sleeping!" Kurt sounded annoyed, and before Sebastian could even do anything, he opened the door and looked inside.
Sebastian pulled the comforter over his legs and brought his knees up to his chest as Kurt walked into his room. He could feel his heart beating fast and his stomach doing a weird twisting that sent jitters through him. He put on his best poker face and bit his lip trying hard not to laugh; which was something he did when he was really nervous, like right now.
"Kurt what the hell?"
Kurt looked at him, squinting his eyes and raising an eyebrow, which made Sebastian immediately realize he'd said the wrong thing.
"Oh no, don't even try that, Sebastian... Why are you still in bed? It's noon! We are supposed to go shopping today, remember? You can't back out now. We're going!"
Shopping, right. Sebastian had completely forgotten about that.
Sebastian covered his face with his hands. "Ugh… I thought that was tomorrow! Didn't we say we'd go on Sunday?"
"No... We said Saturday... today. That's what we agreed on Sebastian. Now hurry up and get dressed, I'm not leaving the house with you still in your sleeping clothes."
Sebastian rolled his eyes. Kurt walked in like he owned the place, and what the hell was he wearing? Sebastian had never seen red jeans that tight, and if Sebastian was trying to kill his boner Kurt's outfit wasn't helping. He couldn't believe Kurt had just walked into his room like this, and he had no idea how to even stand up or even speak with the massive hard-on he was sporting.
Sebastian could tell the second the realization hit Kurt... His blue eyes went wide as he glanced between the comforter draped over Sebastian's legs and the bottle of lube sitting in the nightstand.
Kurt didn't say anything at first, but he didn't have to... His face was bright red and he gaped; seemingly at a complete loss for words.
"Are you... Were you just... Oh my god you were!"
Sebastian didn't need to say it, Kurt had picked up on what he was doing before he came into the room and the tension and awkwardness in the room suddenly skyrocketed.
All lingering embarrassment Sebastian had just vanished at the sight of Kurt's reaction. Sebastian couldn't help himself anymore and he just burst out laughing... Half from nerves and half because of how affected Kurt seemed by his discovery.
"Oh my god, I can't believe you Sebastian Smythe!" Kurt said, turning around and looking away.
"What? I wasn't expecting company! I swear I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow!" Sebastian said, still laughing hysterically and feeling like his face was on fire.
"Um... I'm... I'll wait for you downstairs."
Kurt practically ran out of the room, and Sebastian just fell to his side, still laughing and feeling even dizzy at the same time. All the nerves and awkwardness of the situation killed his mood and he decided to just take a cold shower to get himself together before heading out.
When Sebastian got out of the shower, he was feeling a little dizzy, but he didn't think much of it, figuring it was just a result of everything that had happened earlier. When he went downstairs, he found Kurt sitting in the table with his mom, chatting amicably. Apparently, lunch was ready so his mom said they should eat before leaving for the mall.
Sebastian's mom was delighted to see they were going out, and Sebastian could tell Kurt was only being civil for the sake of his mom. Every time she'd look away, Kurt practically glared daggers at him. Sebastian couldn't help but find it amusing.
Thankfully, Kurt didn't stay mad at him. He just begged Sebastian to forget about the whole thing altogether when he tried to bring it up in the car on their way to the mall. That was fine by him, but Sebastian doubted that he would truly be able to ever forget about that.
…
They got to the mall and while they parked, Kurt was talking excitedly about this store he wanted to take Sebastian to. They had a hard time finding a parking spot, which meant the place was completely packed. They parked a couple of blocks away from the main entrance and by the time they were finally there, Sebastian was already feeling a little out of breath.
He tried his best not to let it show and composed himself, feeling more grateful than ever for electric stairs and elevators. But still, it sucked. Sebastian was just tired of feeling tired all the time.
They were just walking around the mall; he shouldn't feel like he just ran a freaking marathon. It was so frustrating, and as much as he hated to admit it, after a while he really needed to sit down. He didn't want to say that out loud though. Sebastian didn't want Kurt to realize just how useless he was.
"I want ice cream." Sebastian blurted out, feeling relieved when his voice didn't sound as breathless as he was feeling at the moment. "We should get ice cream."
"Hmmm..." Kurt looked skeptical as he glanced at Sebastian and raised an eyebrow. For a minute Sebastian was worried Kurt would say it was a stupid idea since they had just had lunch not even half an hour ago, but Sebastian's worries vanished as Kurt smiled and said: "I think I'm in the mood for some gelato!"
It was funny and almost endearing how excited Kurt was at the prospect of gelato, and Sebastian smiled as best as he could as they walked over to the gelato kiosk. They ordered and went to sit in one of the benches in the hallway nearby so they could eat.
"Hmm... I just love pistachio." Kurt all but moaned as he licked the small plastic spoon, and Sebastian just smiled, slowly starting to regain his strength.
…
"I'm so tired!" Trent whined as Blaine got up from the chair right across him.
"Don't be a baby, we need to find that jersey so we can get out of here."
"We will never find it Blaine, we already looked for it everywhere!" Trent exclaimed, frustrated. "Can't we just get him something else?"
Blaine was frustrated, he and Trent had already been to 3 different malls in search of the infamous Lebron Miami Heat jersey, but apparently no store in Ohio sold it. David had said numerous times how much he wanted that thing and so Trent and Blaine agreed on buying it for him. They shouldn't have waited until the day of the actual party to go get it though. They were invited to the Westerville Country Club in two hours for David's birthday party and they still didn't have the present.
"I just don't even know what else we could get him." Blaine huffed, crossing his arms and resting them over the railing. Trent walked over and stood next to him, looking down at the different stores in the mall. They were in the third floor, and from where they stood they had a pretty good view of the place. They'd gone straight to the third floor because that is where the sports store was, but looking down, Blaine wondered if maybe they could browse the other stores and find something else to get for David.
"I really wanted to get him that jersey..." Trent sighed, and Blaine just nodded absentmindedly as he looked down at the people walking through the mall. He was about to turn around and leave when his eyes spotted an unmistakable figure sitting down in one of the benches in the first floor. Tight red jeans, perfectly coiffed brown hair... Could it be?
"Oh my god!" Blaine exclaimed, a mixture of surprise, shock and even dread tainting his voice as he noticed Kurt sitting in the tiny bench with another boy... with Sebastian.
"What is it?"
"It's Kurt..." Blaine choked out, "Kurt is down there... He's with... With Sebastian!"
"Wait... What?" Trent yelped, squinting his eyes as he followed Blaine's pointing finger down to the first floor. He recognized Kurt, but the guy he was sitting with didn't really look like Sebastian. He was wearing a beanie and had his back turned to them. Trent could tell the guy was taller than Kurt, but he looked thinner than Sebastian, and he wasn't dressed like Sebastian usually did either.
"Oh my god. I knew it... They're dating! Kurt and Sebastian are actually dating!" Blaine was hysterical, feeling overwhelmed with all the things he was feeling in that moment. Kurt told him they weren't dating, yet there they were: in the mall together, sitting in a bench, eating ice cream. The whole scene looked so cute and even romantic that Blaine wanted to cry and pull his hair out. This couldn't be happening.
"Um... That doesn't look like Sebastian." Trent said, frowning. "Blaine, calm down!"
"It's him Trent, I know it is!" Blaine was pacing back and forth, looking down at Kurt, turning away like the sight burned him, and running his fingers over his head nervously. "Oh my god... I can't believe this."
Trent kept looking down at Kurt, trying to see if the guy he was with was Sebastian or not, but it was hard to tell.
"Kurt and Sebastian are together!" Blaine babbled and Trent was getting really annoyed. "They're dating... I knew it! Of course they are... Kurt is with Sebastian... of all people, oh my god!"
"Okay, Blaine? Stop!" Trent grabbed Blaine by the forearms and shook him so he would look at him, "You have to calm down... Alright? I know you still love Kurt, and it's weird to see him with someone else and all, but... I don't think that guy is Sebastian. That doesn't make any sense."
"It is, Trent. Kurt told me..." Blaine sighed, giving Trent a pained look, "I don't know how, or why, but Kurt and Sebastian have been hanging out, or whatever. Kurt told me they weren't dating but... Just look at them."
Trent looked down and saw Kurt laughing, shoving the other guy playfully. When the guy turned to his side, Trent was able to see his face, and his breath hitched when he realized that it was indeed Sebastian.
They were sitting together, joking and smiling. Trent never thought that could be possible, but then again, there were many things he didn't understand about Sebastian. Like why the hell he had just disappeared from the face of the earth for the past two months.
"It's him... It's Sebastian." Trent muttered, and Blaine gave him a look that said 'I told you so'.
Blaine was glad Trent finally believed him. He seemed to be in shock, and Blaine was relieved to see he wasn't the only one who found the whole Kurt and Sebastian thing completely absurd.
"We have to get down there!" Blaine blurted out and Trent's eyes went wide.
"Um... But what would we even say?" He asked, but Blaine was already walking towards the elevator.
…
Sebastian didn't know if it was the sugar intake, or just sitting down, but after the couple of minutes he and Kurt sat in the bench he was feeling much better. They got up from the bench and walked towards the "Knits and Hats" store.
Once inside, Sebastian was able to quickly find a few things he liked, but Kurt was a whole different story. He asked Sebastian what his favorite colors were, but Sebastian said he didn't really know. Kurt rolled his eyes, thinking Sebastian was being purposely uncooperative, but it was the truth.
"You picked green and blue hats so I'm guessing those are probably your colors." Kurt said, as he walked around the store picking up sweaters and scarves while Sebastian held the couple of hats and beanies that he'd picked out.
"I thought we were here for the hats, not for a complete outfit Kurt." Sebastian protested as Kurt handed him an olive green sweater.
"Hush now... This looks amazing with that hat. Don't you agree?" Kurt said, putting the sweater over Sebastian's shoulders. "Try it on."
Sebastian just looked at himself in the mirror and snorted. How did he ever get himself into this mess?
The store was small, but there were lots of different things in it so Kurt was as happy as a child in a candy store, browsing around and trying things on. He ended up convincing Sebastian to buy the olive green sweater and a brown scarf to go with it, and not surprisingly, Kurt had also ended up picking a scarf for himself. They didn't take very long, but Sebastian was feeling tired again, and he was glad to finally be able to get to the cash register and pay. He really couldn't wait to get out of there.
Sebastian thought Kurt would protest him paying for his scarf too, and that it would be awkward for him to offer to pay for it, but Kurt didn't seem to mind.
"Fine, next time we go shopping I'll get you one." Was the only thing Kurt said, and Sebastian couldn't help but laugh. Kurt was talking like going shopping with Sebastian was something that they would just do now.
They were getting their bags to leave when suddenly Kurt gasped. When Sebastian looked up, his stomach dropped to his feet as he realized Trent and Blaine were standing right in front of them.
"Kurt and Sebastian! Wow guys, what a surprise to find you here… together!" Blaine said, his tone so obviously sarcastic, and Sebastian had no idea where the hostility was coming from.
What Sebastian didn't' know was that Blaine and Trent had been watching them as they tried on clothes; and watching Kurt put his arms around Sebastian as he helped him put the sweaters and scarves on had made Blaine upset beyond words.
"Hi guys." Trent chirped behind Blaine, smiling awkwardly.
Sebastian turned to look at Kurt, expecting him to look as shocked to see them there as he was. However, Kurt's face was stern and serious, he looked visibly upset.
"Hi Trent. Um, Blaine… what are you doing here?"
"Trent and I were just coming in to, you know... see some hats and-"
"You don't even like hats."
"Oh… We actually saw you getting ice cream earlier and just wanted to come say hi." Trent blurted out, causing Blaine to wince.
"So, you were following us?" Kurt asked, looking at Blaine in complete disbelief.
"No! It's not like that." Trent quickly said apologetically, "We were just looking for a present for David, it's his birthday today. We saw you from the third floor down, that's all."
Kurt rolled his eyes and Trent looked horrified, but Sebastian just snorted. Trent was so obviously flustered by Blaine's overly-jealous behavior that he felt second hand embarrassment for them.
"You know what? I'm sorry. We just thought it'd be nice to say hi, we didn't mean to interrupt you on your date." Blaine spat out.
"Oh my god Blaine! I told you… we are not dating!"
Sebastian had no idea what was going on, but he didn't like it at all. Had Kurt and Blaine been talking about him? What the hell?
"Why are you trying to deny this, Kurt? You seemed pretty cozy with each other eating ice cream in that bench back there, and now you're buying clothes together? Looks like a date to me!"
Kurt was positively glaring daggers, his blue eyes shining with sheer frustration and that struck a nerve within Sebastian. He had no idea what was going on between them but he knew he needed to get Blaine out of Kurt's face immediately.
"Well, last time I checked Blaine..." Sebastian said, "You and Kurt weren't together anymore, so what we do is really none of your business."
Blaine turned to see him, looking absolutely livid. If Sebastian didn't know better he would even fear that Blaine was going to punch him in the face.
"Well, last time I checked..." Blaine sneered, mocking Sebastian's tone, "You thought Kurt had a gay face and you were actually going after me and every moving pair of legs in the whole of Ohio!"
The bitterness and arrogance in Blaine's words made Sebastian want nothing more than to punch his teeth in, but before he could even respond to him, something happened.
Sebastian could feel the coppery taste in his the back of his throat even before he felt it pouring out of his nostrils. Blood… lots of it. His immediate reaction was to cover his nose with his hand, but the blood just slipped between his fingers and trailed down his arm. Sebastian looked down at his palm and saw red everywhere. He was bleeding... heavily.
"Oh my god Sebastian!" He heard Kurt cry out as he nervously searched in his pocket for his handkerchief. Sebastian grabbed the tissue and pressed it to his nose in hopes that it would help stop the bleeding but it wasn't enough. A couple of seconds later and the thing was completely drenched in his blood, and it didn't look like it was going to stop.
Sebastian didn't understand what was happening, or why there was so much blood coming out of his nose. This wasn't just a normal nosebleed. Sebastian had never experienced something like this before. He could feel the blood in the back of his throat and the taste made him feel like he was going to be sick.
Please stop, please just stop. Sebastian begged, but the blood was practically pumping from his nose and when he looked down he realized his shirt was ruined, trails of red staining it and he could also see drops of blood on the floor right beneath him.
"Oh shit..." He managed to say as he removed the bloody tissue from his face, dropping it to the floor. The blood kept dripping from his nose and down his chin, so in the midst of his desperation Sebastian quickly grabbed one of the hats he just bought and put it over his nose and mouth, hoping the thicker fabric would to a better job than the stupid tissue.
"We need to take you to the hospital!" He heard Kurt cry out, and Sebastian knew he was right, but his head was pounding, a dull ache pulsing through his body, and all he could see was Trent and Blaine's shocked faces, staring at him like he was dying or something.
Sebastian didn't want them to see him like this, he needed to get out of there. He grabbed Kurt by the sleeve of his shirt, attempting to walk out the door but Kurt grabbed him firmly, halting them to stop.
"Sebastian don't move… You'll make it worse!"
"Kurt I'm fine... please," Sebastian choked out, "Let's just go to your car."
"No, Sebastian... it's too far, you need an ambulance!"
When Sebastian looked up, he realized they had a freaking audience. Two of the store clerks and a small group of costumers were staring at him too while Kurt kept uselessly yelling for someone to call an ambulance. Sebastian felt his legs go weak and he grabbed onto Kurt, who held him tightly and helped him sit down on the floor. Sebastian just crossed his legs beneath him and looked down, wishing he could just disappear.
"Oh for fucks sake stop staring and do something!"
Sebastian had never heard Kurt curse before and it was quite a shame he couldn't tease him about it at the moment because he was too busy trying not to choke on his own blood. When he tried to speak he could feel the blood going down his throat and that made him cough, causing the blood to spill on his shoes too. Great.
Suddenly Sebastian felt that Kurt let go of him. He saw how Kurt took his phone out of his pocket, dialing with shaky hands and making the call. Sebastian could do nothing but sit there, as he felt the fabric of the beanie getting soaked with the blood that just refused to stop pouring out of his nose.
"This is an emergency, we're at the Westerville mall and we need an ambulance!" Kurt said frantically.
Sebastian felt things were starting to get blurry, his ears buzzed as the blood kept pulsing out of his nose. He felt like the word was closing in on him, he was feeling numb and all he could vaguely hear was Kurt's voice on the phone.
"My friend has a nosebleed... but he is bleeding too much, he needs a doctor... no, he is not injured... no, it's not that... w-we don't know what happened but..."
Before Sebastian could even stop him, Kurt said it loud and clear: "...he has leukemia!"
Author's note: Please don't hate me! Eep! Also, Google search: Posterior nosebleed.