"Blaine… Blaine, you have to get up now… Blaine?"
Blaine sat up quickly, looking around. His eyes focused on Kurt, whose head was tilted to the side. He then rasped, voice not quite working yet, "Kurt?"
"Happy Birthday."
Blaine let his body fall back against the bed and rubbed his eyes. "Mmmhthanks. Why're you here?"
"Because it's your birthday. I know finals are at the end of May but I figured since it's only April 4th, you could do without one weekend of heavy studying." Kurt sat next to Blaine on the bed.
"I didn't get home until ten thirty. Adrian and I were working on a presentation but then Matt came over and they've been together six months. How is that possible when they just started dating yesterday?" Blaine whined, pushing himself up and into a sitting position.
"Time is going so fast. After May, we both only have one year left of school." Kurt agreed, biting back a smile as Blaine wiped his eyes with the back of his fist.
"If I don't have a mental breakdown and drop out." Blaine joked.
"I know you've been busy but it isn't that bad, is it?" Kurt asked.
"Last week I came so close to a panic attack that I missed a lecture. It wasn't mandatory but it took like half an hour for me to calm myself down." He admitted.
"Blaine! You didn't tell me that!" Kurt exclaimed, face falling.
"I'm fine but the pressure is definitely on. You want to talk about pressure, try to have a conversation longer than two minutes with Wes. I'm pretty sure AJ is the only one who he'll devote more time than that long, too." Blaine laughed and crawled out of bed, stretching his arms out.
"They're both asleep on the couch. I swear, they're adorable." Kurt hopped up and went to the other side of the bed, giving him a kiss.
"Mmmh." Blaine smiled and kissed back. "I am so glad to see you. Thank you for coming… if I'd known, though, I would have cleaned up and tried to figure out something for us to do."
"I wanted to surprise you specifically because I knew you'd do all that if you knew I was coming." Kurt grinned. "How is everything going outside of school?"
"Work is going well. I saw Alex over the weekend."
"How is the baby?"
"Doing good, bigger than planned. They don't know the sex because Mia wants it to be a surprise but Danny is convinced it's a girl. I think that'd be adorable. Older brother and little sister." Blaine covered his mouth as he yawned.
"Are they all okay?"
"Yeah, it sounds like it. Plus, I doubt he'd be coming to America if Mia was having trouble. He was headed to Rhode Island to look at potential houses. I think he'd rather move in New York or Michigan, though, but that's not going to happen." Blaine laughed a bit and then crawled out of bed. "I am going to use the bathroom, brush my teeth and hair, and I will be back."
"Okay." Kurt smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed to wait for him.
It had been a month and a half since he'd visited Blaine and Wes' (and AJ's too… he forgot that sometimes) house. Blaine had piles of law books on a bookshelf by his desk—the bookshelf was not neat. Books were just shoved in vertically which made it less effective, but he assumed Blaine was just that busy. Kurt had never seen any bookshelf of Blaine's looking anything less than pristine.
"So I'm really hungry but I don't have cash so—Hey, Kurt!"
Kurt smiled when Wes walked in.
"Oh, quit." Wes moaned.
"Quit what?" Kurt asked innocently. "How is AJ?"
"She's doing well… snoring like a freight train, though." Wes muttered, coming in and sitting at Blaine's desk. "How are you?"
"Tired." Kurt admitted. "But not as tired as you guys apparently."
"Left my wallet at Adrian's so you're out of luck. Sorry." Blaine said, coming out of his bathroom.
"Figures." Wes moaned. "Fine. Can I borrow your AmEx?"
Kurt looked between the two, amused.
"Only if you bring me back a shit ton of Red Bull. No lie, a lot. I need it for next week." Blaine went over to the desk.
"Wouldn't it be in your wallet?" Kurt asked, tilting his head. "And is it healthy to drink a shit ton of Red Bull like that? Don't you remember last time?"
"I don't keep my cards in my wallet anymore." Blaine said, deciding to ignore Kurt's last statement. So he got hopped up on Red Bull and other energies once, causing slightly alarming heart palpitations? Blaine was more mature now… well, supposedly.
"Because the last time he did, he bought $300 worth of girl scout cookies." AJ chirped coming in. "Hi, Kurt."
"Hi." Kurt smiled and waved.
"I told you not to mention that, okay?" Blaine shot AJ a look before handing Wes his card.
"It's too funny not to."
"Please tell me that's not why there were tons in my parents' kitchen the last time Dad facetimed me." Kurt groaned.
"I had to get rid of them somehow. I knew you wouldn't eat any. David wouldn't even take any. Something about an obese person and folds. I don't even want to know more than that." Blaine covered his face. "God, I still have so many in my closet."
"Give them to Matt for the police station."
"He said they're worse than donuts in a police station." Wes snickered. "He wouldn't do it."
"Pfft." AJ said. "Adrian talks about how much he loves snacks. I bet if you offer it to him another time or two, he'll cave."
Blaine went to the closet and opened the door. AJ eagerly walked in, grabbed a box of peanut butter sandwiches, and waved as she walked back out.
"She says Matt loves the snacks." Blaine told Kurt. "But when Adrian and Matt are over, it is she and Matt eating the snacks."
"No comment." Wes said.
"So, you two are adorable." Kurt grinned at Wes.
"Yeah, well, I guess it was bound to happen. Great minds and great bodies, it was fate." Wes shrugged and then winked. "Blaine thinks I'm cute."
"Correction. I thought you were cute when you were fourteen and fifteen… Maybe a bit of sixteen, but then you got gavel crazy." Blaine snorted.
"Birthday dinner tonight, yeah?" Wes asked. "We can do something here after you and Kurt hang out. We can invite Adrian and Matt over too."
Blaine shrugged. "I don't care. That's fine."
"Is David coming?" Kurt asked, tilting his head.
"He's on call. Eric might be able to let him go. I guess it depends if they get a critical baby case or something." Blaine explained. "But if he can't, it's fine. He can buy me a shit ton of Red Bull too to make up for it."
Wes snorted. "Kurt, do you want anything? Food? Chicks? Cars?"
"None of the above thanks." Kurt said smoothly as Wes walked out, laughing.
Wes poked his head back in. "Do you really not that I'm cute anymore? Like, at all?"
Blaine made eye contact with Wes and then blinked a few times, facial expression not changing.
"Am I starting to look like my dad?" Wes whined. "Please tell me I'm cute."
"I'm so attracted to you, Wes, that I can't sleep at night." Blaine said, not breaking eye contact.
"You know what, I'm not the only one getting old. You were complaining about finding gray hairs." Wes huffed and then left the room.
"You weren't supposed to tell!" Blaine called after him.
"Gray hairs?" Kurt looked amused.
"It's my birthday. You have to be nice to me." Blaine pouted. "And it was only two."
Kurt laughed a bit. "Come on. Let's get out of here and do something that isn't school or work related, okay?"
"Sounds perfect." Blaine grinned. "Where are we going to go?"
"You're the Trip Adviser guru. You tell me." Kurt teased, winking.
"This is why I shouldn't tell you things." Blaine pouted.
…
"I can't believe you didn't want to do any tours or anything. You loved that kind of stuff before."
"Not where I lived." Blaine said after finishing half of his water bottle in one go. "I mean New York is huge so you could do that stuff every day and not see everything, but it gets kind of old in Cambridge. Plus, there's tons of kids wanting to go to Harvard running around confused and slowing down the flow of the streets and sidewalks."
"Oh, so you're too far up there to want to meddle with the peasants?" Kurt grinned at Blaine.
Blaine began to laugh.
"What?" Kurt's grin faltered a bit.
"That's what Burt said a few weeks ago when they all came up."
"Shut up. He did not." Kurt glared.
"Ask Carole." Blaine grinned this time.
"Oh my God." Kurt looked horrified. "Really?"
"Mhm. Wes was with us because we were going to lunch first and he got the biggest kick out of it." Blaine nodded, taking Kurt's hand in his own.
"You just made this up because I made the comment about your gray hairs." Kurt pouted, but stepped back up to Blaine so they were walking side by side.
"If that makes you feel better," Blaine grinned mischievously, "I can tell you I did."
"Well what do you want to do then? It's your birthday. You have to decide." Kurt nudged him, deciding it was best to change the subject.
"I thought I would be spending it locked in my bedroom with books and homework. Just being with you is the perfect birthday, Kurt." Blaine stopped, meeting his eyes. "I miss you so much."
Kurt's did a heart flop twice—first because of how genuine Blaine was saying his birthday was perfect just because Kurt was there and second because he missed Blaine so much. They had been seeing each other as often as they could but it was April. End of year projects and finals were coming up quickly for them. They'd get to spend more time together then, Kurt knew, but he knew exactly what Blaine meant. Even with being back together, the missing was still very much there. Sometimes phone calls and texts (or the occasional Skype sessions to help them, uhm, "get by") weren't enough. They would have to be enough, of course, but it was hard.
"I miss you so much too." Kurt squeezed his hand. "I'll be here as much as possible this summer, remember? There's a few things I have to do for incoming students and stuff but other than that, I can be here with you."
"I know." Blaine nodded. "But it's hard not to miss you."
"It's harder not to miss you." Kurt kissed his cheek. "And those curls and those eyes."
"Kurt, we've got to talk about something." Blaine pulled back a bit.
"Shit. What's wrong, Blaine?" Kurt watched him, concerned. That tone of voice and sentence was never a great conversation beginner.
"I know we're not wanting to talk about moving back in after school ends yet—which I agree with because we're too busy. But… Bob offered me a job after school. He offered me a job for the period between when I get my diploma and when I take the bar, but he also offered me a job as a lawyer in his office. Under him." Blaine took a deep breath. "And I'm excited because he's one of the best lawyers in this area but I don't know what to do because you need to be in New York and I need to be where you are."
"When did he offer you this?" Kurt's eyes widened. He wasn't focused on New York—he was focused on Blaine having a solid job offer. Something he'd worked so hard for.
"Yesterday right before I left… I didn't want to tell you over the phone or text or…" Blaine took another deep breath. "We got back together and said we would make it work and I know you're it, Kurt… but how will we make this work? Do we live in separate states? What if you go to California? What happens?"
"Blaine, stop." Kurt shook his arm. "You got a job offer!"
"I know but—."
"Blaine, you got a job offer from the best law firm in Cambridge so you need to quit freaking out." Kurt said slowly, shaking his arm again.
"But—"
"You got a job before finishing your second year. I am so proud of you!" Kurt threw his arms around Blaine. "You've seemed funny today and I thought you were tired. Blaine, you got a job!"
"Kurt…"
Kurt pulled away. "We will figure everything out. I promise we will. But, Blaine, I am so proud of you. I'm actually trying really hard not to cry because I'm so proud of you and if I do people might think we're getting engaged and I'm not a good actor, so, please don't worry!"
Blaine chewed on his lip for a few seconds and then smiled a bit.
Kurt slid an arm around Blaine's waist. "I am so proud of you!"
"Thanks." Blaine leaned into Kurt.
"I'm so glad you came here." Kurt sniffled a bit. "I'm so glad I get to be by your side as you grow as a person."
Blaine took a deep breath, feeling more relaxed. He hadn't been worried about Kurt's reaction—he knew Kurt. He calmed Blaine down when everything was too much, put him in his place when he needed stabilized, and gave him the reassurance he needed.
He was worried what it would mean for them a little more than a year from now when they were both graduating. The breakup had been one of the worst times of his life and he wanted everything to be positive from there. How would life be if they lived in separate states? What kind of life would it be? They'd never get to have kids or the perfect house with the red door and the porch swing they'd talked about having since they began dating.
He felt Kurt kiss his cheek and relaxed again.
"Don't worry. We'll get it figured out." Kurt repeated, smiling. "Pick somewhere to eat. I'm taking you for lunch."
"I love you so much." Blaine kissed him. "Sorry I pointed out you sounded like Burt."
Kurt rolled his eyes but did not stop smiling. "Where do you want to eat? My treat, birthday boy."
"There's a great Indian place AJ and I found a few weeks ago?" Blaine suggested.
"Perfect." Kurt beamed and kissed him. "Lead the way."
…
"Kurt?" Blaine whispered, coming into his own room late that night.
Adrian and Matt had come over that evening and there had been a lot of talking and laughing, but Kurt had been tired from the driving and had come up to Blaine's room a few hours before the night had started winding down.
"Mmmh." Kurt shifted, not opening his eyes.
"Hi." Blaine climbed into bed.
Kurt, who was barely awake, moaned and shifted once more.
"I missed you." Blaine began to kiss down Kurt's neck.
Kurt whimpered a bit, legs squirming. "B-Blaine."
"Hi." Blaine rolled off him and laid next to him. Kurt was probably too tired for all of that anyway.
"No. Come here." Kurt whimpered again, sleepily reaching over and pushing at Blaine's t-shirt.
"Are you sure? We can tomorrow if you're too tired." Blaine scooted closer.
"What time is it?" Kurt pushed himself into a sitting position.
"2. Everyone left or is asleep. I cleaned up a bit."
"Shut up." Kurt said, not unkindly, and climbed onto Blaine's lap, kissing down his neck and rocking against him.
"Oh my God." Blaine whimpered this time. "F-fuck, Kurt."
"You started it." Kurt whispered in his ear before kissing him hard on the lips.
Blaine slid his hand into Kurt's boxers.
"H-Hold on, Blaine." Kurt leaned over, fumbling around in Blaine's nightstand. He pulled out the lube. "I need you. Please."
Blaine didn't hesitate, taking the bottle from Kurt and pouring some onto his fingers.
Kurt let out a low groan when Blaine slid two fingers into him. "Oh my God."
The perks of not having sex for six weeks, they were learning, was that it always felt that good.
"I love you." Blaine kissed him slowly, moving his fingers in and out slowly.
"I love you." Kurt panted, hips rising to meet Blaine's thrusts.
"Do you think-?"
"Yes, please." Kurt hastily tugging Blaine's boxers off. "Please."
Blaine laid over him gently, fumbling for more lube just in case Kurt wasn't quite ready. He didn't want to accidentally hurt Kurt in the heat of the moment.
"I need you." Kurt whimpered once again.
"Fuck, you're so ti—."
"Shit, shit, shit." Kurt dug his nails into Blaine's shoulders.
"Are you—"
"Yes, don't stop." Kurt begged, raising to meet his thrusts. "Please."
Blaine quickened his thrusts as Kurt kissed him, hands on either side of his face.
Finally, Kurt dug his nails into his shoulders again and then collapsed onto Blaine, sweaty and beautiful as ever. "Oh my God."
"Oh my God." Blaine panted, arms going around Kurt again.
The cons about not having sex for long periods of time? They got very excited too early and, sometimes, couldn't make it last as long as they used too. Hopefully summer would help with that, though.
Within seconds, they were both asleep.
***LTC***
"Kurt, are you with someone?"
Kurt tried to focus, squinting at his phone in the dark.
"Kurt, hon?"
"Carole?" Kurt asked.
Blaine pushed himself up, also squinting.
"Are you alone?"
"I-I'm at Blaine's. He's with me. What's going on? Can I talk to my dad?" Kurt asked, stomach knotting up.
"Kurt, honey, Burt had a heart attack about an hour ago." Carole's voice was gentle, but both Blaine and Kurt could hear it in her voice. She was scared. "I think you need to get here. I'm so sorry, Kurt."
"Is he dead?" Kurt asked, voice coming out like Blaine had never heard it before. Hollow and devoid of any emotion.
"No. No, sweetie, no. But you should get here in case anything happens." Carole sounded like she was trying very hard not to cry. "He would want you here."
Blaine grabbed the phone as Kurt dropped it. "Carole, we'll be there as soon as we can."
"I'm so sorry, Blaine." Carole said. "You two just get here."
"We'll be there as soon as we can." Blaine hung up.
Kurt had his hand over his mouth and he was already crying, cheeks red.
"We have to go, Kurt." Blaine hopped up, grabbing fresh boxers and pants. "We have to go and then we can—we can talk about it, but we've got to go."
Kurt shook his head.
"I know getting this news in the middle of the night is horrible, it's horrible regardless, but we have to get there as soon as possible." Blaine gently pulled him up. "Get dressed. We have to get ready."
He remembered the call about Kurt's attack. Disoriented, mostly asleep, and more scared than he'd ever been before.
"I c-can't. I c-can't." Kurt gasped out.
Blaine wished he could tell Kurt 'You won't' but he had no idea what was about to happen. They were hours away and had to get there.
"We have to go." Blaine repeated. "Get clothes on and I'll throw stuff in bags."
Kurt let out a loud sob, standing.
Blaine grabbed his backpack, shoving enough clothes in it for a few days. He then grabbed Kurt's half unpacked bag, throwing the clean stuff in and zipping them up. He hated hearing Kurt's sobs but they had to get out of the house, out of the city, and onto a plane.
Kurt pulled on rumpled jeans as Wes opened the door.
"Are you guys okay?"
"Burt had a heart attack. Can you book the fastest flight you can?" Blaine rushed over, handing Wes the card Alex had given him. Alex would understand—this is what the card was for.
Wes took the card and disappeared.
AJ soon followed and went straight to hug Kurt as Blaine took the bags to his car.
"Shh, it'll be okay. It'll be alright." She whispered soothingly, stroking his hair.
But she didn't know this had happened before, Blaine thought coming back in. And she didn't know how bad it was before. Or the fact that Burt also had an almost six-year-old at home and a wife who didn't make very much. Not enough to sustain them both. Who knew how long it would take to get money from the shop or…
Wes rushed in. "If you leave now, you'll make it."
"Thanks, Wes." Blaine grabbed the two sheets of paper that Wes held out. "Kurt, we've got to go. We have to go now."
…
Kurt had gone quiet on the car ride to the airport, hadn't spoken a word even to the people checking their bags and ID's. He sat in his seat and didn't even look at Blaine when he sat down in the seat beside him.
Blaine took a deep breath even though his hands were shaking. When he was driving to see Kurt in the hospital, they were on the steering wheel. Nothing was stopping them this time.
"Kurt…" Blaine swallowed.
"I can't. I'm sorry, I can't talk right now." Kurt whispered, not looking at Blaine.
"I'm here." Blaine whispered back, scooting as close as he could in the too-small plane seats.
He watched Kurt, stomach in knots. He wasn't sure if it was for Burt or Kurt—who seemed to have completely shut down.
"I'm here." Blaine repeated, winding his arm around Kurt. "And I'm not going anywhere."
Kurt nodded but didn't speak. What were his last words to his dad? Had they been I love you or okay or no? What had he said last when his dad had left New York? Why hadn't he called since then? He'd texted but his dad didn't text, wouldn't text, so why hadn't he called? Kurt should have called.
Did it matter what they were? Was Burt conscious? Had it been like last time—would he be in a coma due to lack of oxygen to the brain? Did he just wake up having a heart attack or did Carole get up to use the bathroom only to figure out something was very wrong?
And did that even matter because Kurt wasn't there?
Kurt tried so hard to get Burt to eat healthy—before and after the first heart attack. But Burt always had that stupid 'hidden' snack cabinet. Why didn't Kurt always throw the junk food out? Why didn't Kurt do all the grocery shopping? Why didn't Kurt try harder to get him to each healthy? And why had Kurt gone away to school when Burt needed him? Especially far enough that they had to fly in? Why would he do that?
"This isn't your fault." Blaine whispered in Kurt's ear, almost as if he knew the conversation playing in Kurt's mind.
"I'm not there." Kurt whimpered.
Blaine gave him a squeeze, glad there weren't people immediately around them. "We will be soon. The whole flight is only a little over an hour."
"I can't breathe."
"I know, I know." Blaine squeezed him tighter.
"What if he…" Kurt trailed off. "What if I'm not there and he…"
"No." Blaine shook his head. "No, Kurt. No."
"I don't think I can do this again." Kurt covered his mouth, beginning to cry. "I can't do this again, Blaine."
Blaine hated how heartbroken his name sounded coming from Kurt's mouth.
"You're not alone this time. I'm here." Blaine murmured in his ear. "You've got me and I'll always, always take care of you."
"I need my dad." Kurt's face crumpled. "I need my dad."
"I know." Blaine methodically stroked his hair and rocked him. "I do too."
Kurt's arms wrapped around Blaine's middle and he began to cry louder. Of course Blaine needed Burt too—Burt was a big part of Blaine's life as well. "It'll be okay."
"Yeah." Blaine swallowed hard. "It will be okay."
…
The first thing Kurt saw when he made it to the waiting room was Melody, curled up on a tacky oversized chair in her pajamas. Her hair was messy, pulled in a loose braid he figured Carole had done to keep her mind off things.
"Where's Carole?" Blaine asked from behind him.
"I don't know. Maybe with a doctor." Kurt went over and gently picked up his sister, who blinked her eyes open. "Hey, Mellie."
Melody threw her arms around Kurt's neck tightly and whimpered, burying her face in his neck.
Blaine came up, rubbing Melody's back to soothe her.
She wasn't crying but she never buried her head in their necks anymore. That was something she did when she was sick or scared now.
Carole came up behind them, putting her hand on Blaine's back. Blaine turned, forcing a smile.
Nerves were setting in now. They were here, at the hospital.
She forced a smile back and then went to Kurt, who still had her back to her. "Hey, hon."
"Carole, what's going on?" Kurt's eyes filled with more tears.
"He has a completely blocked artery. They tried to fix ix with a catheter with a balloon on the tip to open it up, but it didn't work. They're preparing him for open heart surgery."
"Can I see him?"
"There's not much time. Come on." She nodded.
"I'll stay with Melody." Blaine whispered, holding his arms out.
"No, hon. They'll take both of you back. I'll sit with her. He wants to see you too." Carole took them over to the front desk and, after a few words, they were being taken back to see Burt.
"Hey, kid." Burt rasped, extending his hand.
Kurt took it, starting to cry again. "Does it hurt?"
"No." Burt lied as Kurt bent down to hug him, meeting Blaine's eyes. "C'mon, kid."
Blaine stepped over, feeling like there was lead in his legs. Should he have let Kurt come back alone? Should Blaine have been here at all?
"If something happens—"
Kurt rose up. "Dad, stop—."
"If something happens," Burt continued.
"I know." Blaine nodded.
"Stop." Kurt cried.
"You have to take care of him." Burt kept on.
"Please." Kurt shook his head. "Dad, stop."
"Kurt, it's all in Carole's name but—"
Kurt covered his face.
"Blaine, it's in her name but there's enough for you kids and Finn if I don't make it out of here. If you've got or get your money, Carole might need back what you two don't use for Melody."
"If I get it, it'll all go back to her." Blaine promised. "Every penny."
"You are all I could ever want for my son. I think you saved his life and I am forever grateful for you helping him get where he is today. I love you like you're my kid and as far as I'm concerned, you are my kid. If I ever came off hard on you, it's because I want what's best for you." Burt continued.
"I love you too." Blaine squeezed Burt's free hand briefly, not breaking eye contact and trying so hard not to cry.
"You'll have to get him through it if it happens." Burt continued.
"I will." Blaine promised again—something he thought he wouldn't have to do for another thirty or forty years. His lip began to tremble and he knew Burt saw it.
Burt returned his attention to Kurt, tightening his grip on much as he could and whispering to Kurt. He didn't have much strength but they both knew it was a hug—Burt prayed it wasn't the last one but he knew Kurt didn't pray. He began talking to Kurt again, probably saying…
No.
Blaine didn't want to know what he was saying, not really, and stepped back to give them privacy just in case it was their last conversation.
A nurse and doctor walked in. "Are you ready, Mr. Hummel?"
Kurt stood, face red and more tear stained than Blaine had ever seen it.
"Yeah." Burt said as they both began taking IV's down. "Let's get it over with."
Kurt moved out of their way as they moved Burt onto another bed and then wheeled him from the room.
Blaine was there in an instant the curtain swung shut. Kurt let out a muffled cry into his chest, his hand grasping Blaine's wrist so tightly that Blaine winced.
"I'm here. I'm here." Blaine whispered, looking around the tiny curtained area and hoping beyond hope that it wouldn't be the last time they would see Burt alive.