An Accident of Circumstance: Chapter 16
Chapter 16
A/N: This is a violent one, be warned.
May, 2013
Looking back, Kurt should have known that something was wrong when the front door didn't stick as he opened it. But he just ignored it, figuring the super had finally fixed it. He hurried up the stairs, humming under his breath, checking the time on his phone. He had just finished his last final and Mike was in the middle of his. Kurt figured that he'd make dinner so it would be ready once his boyfriend got home. Rachel texted him earlier saying that she was going out to Callbacks with some of her girlfriends to celebrate the end of the semester, so it would be just the two of them.
He had just reached their apartment and unlocked their door when it happened. A hand was clamped down over his mouth, muffling his panicked scream. He tried his best to fight off his attackers but another set of hands pinned his arms behind his back, dragging him away towards the back stairwell, his phone clattering to the floor. Kurt lashed out with his legs, trying to make contact anywhere, but all he got for his efforts was a sharp kick in the shins. His eyes watered at the pain, panic rising up inside him.
Once they had gotten into the stairwell, a third person shut the door. As he turned, Kurt gasped, recognizing him as one of the thugs from that party he and Mike had gone to back in December. "Remember me, I see?" he sneered, walking slowly over to Kurt, "How touching. See, I had managed to forget you and your fuck buddy, and I liked it that way. But then what do I see but you two creeps walking hand in hand walking down the street like you fucking own it. So, I talked to some of my buddies over here, and we decided it was only fair to put you in your place. I would have loved to have gotten the set, but I'll take fairy princess number one."
Kurt shifted, finally able to bite down on the hand covering his mouth. Hard. He took advantage of the distraction offered by the thug's shout to try and wrestle himself free, but just as his arms were released a foot stuck out, causing him to trip. "You aren't getting anything," he hissed, winded.
The guy snorted derisively, kicking at Kurt's side sharply. "We'll see about that," he leered, laughing as Kurt doubled over in pain. "Come on, boys, let's show this fag who's boss."
It was all Kurt could do to not cry. He couldn't move, blows suddenly falling from all sides. He ducked his head under his arms, trying to shield it the best he could. Just when he felt like he couldn't take it anymore, the punches stopped. He felt hands grab him, dragging his body over to the edge of the stairs, realization hitting him as they got closer. "No, please, don't, please,"
The tall one from the party just spit on him. "Like to beg, now do you? Bet it's the only way you can convince anyone to get into bed with you. Even the sinners think you're the disgusting piece of shit that you are." He stuck out his foot, shoving Kurt over the edge. He tried his best to brace himself, praying desperately to a god he didn't believe in that he would survive. He sure as hell was not going to die like this. He landed at the bottom with a sickening crunch, the pain stabbing in his arm and leg indicating that they had broken. He hurt so much all over but he didn't dare move. Kurt didn't know if he could survive another attack. The people at the top of the stairs quickly left, and finally he let out a sigh of relief.
Kurt realized that help wouldn’t just magically find him; he had to get it himself. He could barely move let alone call out. He winced as he remembered his phone falling, wishing he could just call 911. But he had to move. Slowly, he shifted, gasping in pain as he started to crawl up the stairs, forced to take a break every minute or so. But he didn't stop for long, in spite of his pain. He had to get out.
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Mike rubbed his head, fighting back the headache that he hopefully was chasing away with the ibuprofen he's taken after his exam finished. He couldn't wait to snuggle on the couch with Kurt, too tired to do much else, at least not right away. He was going to miss his boyfriend so much over the summer; he was planning on getting as much time alone with him as possible.
He frowned as he walked up to their apartment. The door was standing ajar, lights off. "Kurt?" he called out cautiously. Something was not right. "Kurt, where are you?" He turned on the lights, quickly searching the apartment, with no luck. "Kurt?" He looked out in the hallway when he noticed it-Kurt's phone was on the floor on the other side of the hallway and his bag had been stashed behind a potted plant. Something was definitely wrong, Kurt would never abandon his stuff like that. He picked up the phone, looking around desperately. "Kurt?" he called out again, beginning to get frantic."
"Mike?" a weak voice replied, coming from the back stairwell.
His heart nearly stopped. He'd never heard his boyfriend sound so...small. "Kurt, I'm coming, hold on baby," he shouted back, rushing over to where he heard the sound. He opened the door and gasped, rushing over to where Kurt was collapsed near the top of the stairs, covered in cuts and bruises, a trail of blood left in his wake. "Oh my god, baby, what happened?" He asked, cradling Kurt's face in his hands.
"They jumped me," he mumbled, clearly fighting to remain conscious. Mike scooped him up in his arms, bile rising in his throat as he noticed the odd angles some of Kurt's limbs were sticking out. Wincing at the sounds of pain, he settled Kurt so his head was resting in his lap. He ran a hand comfortingly through his hair, careful to avoid the scrape on his forehead which was starting to clot.
"Hold on, baby, hang in there for me, okay? I'm going to call an ambulance." Mike fumbled for Kurt's phone, dialing quickly. "Please, you have to get here quickly," he pleaded when the operator picked up. "My boyfriend, he was attacked in our apartment building, he's in really bad shape, please hurry." He gave them their address and location and then turned his attention back towards Kurt, who inexplicably was grinning up at him like an idiot. "What?"
Kurt giggled, wincing slightly at the moment. "You called me your boyfriend."
Mike frowned. "Yeah, so what? I am your boyfriend."
"But you've never said it. Not to someone we didn't know."
Mike's eyes widened, realizing the truth of Kurt's words. "I guess you're right."
Kurt smiled at him fondly. "I'm always right."
He couldn't help but chuckle. "I'll give you this one. But this isn't over, Hummel. Come on, man, stay with me."
He spent the twenty minutes until the paramedics arrived muttering anything and everything to Kurt, knowing he had to keep him alert. He didn't leave his side until they strapped him onto a stretcher. He followed them down the stairs, not wanting to be too far away. He asked if he could ride in the ambulance with his boyfriend, but they said no, that he'd get in the way. Logically, it made sense, but leaving Kurt was the last thing he wanted to do right then.
"Hey," he muttered, brushing Kurt's face gently. His boyfriend's eyes flickered to his face briefly, softening. "I can't ride with you, but these guys are going to get you to the hospital, okay? I'll be there, I don't know when they'll let me see you, but I'll be there, okay? You aren't alone."
"Dad," Kurt mumbled. "Call my Dad."
Mike nodded. "Of course. I love you."
"Love you," Kurt replied weakly as they lifted him into the waiting vehicle. Mike quickly gave his statement to one of the waiting officers, wanting to get to the hospital as soon as possible. He was just about to leave when he heard Rachel shouting his name.
"Mike! What's going on?" she asked, rushing over to him, looking worried.
"Rach, what are you doing here, I thought you were going out tonight?"
She shrugged. "I wanted to come home and change, we had decided to go somewhere a bit classier than Callbacks. Why were you talking to that officer, were you mugged?"
He shook his head. "Kurt..."
Rachel's eyes widened. "Kurt what?" she asked, voice soft and trembling with fear.
Mike shook his head, rubbing at his temple. Now that Kurt was gone his headache was back at full force. "I don't know what happened, exactly, but he was jumped. I found him on the stairs, bleeding. He...I think he crawled up them. He's on his way to the hospital."
"Come on, then, what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"
Mike smiled at her. For all her flaws, Rachel Berry knew what mattered when it counted. "Let's go."
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Mike paced across the waiting room. Of course they told him nothing, since he wasn't family and Rachel, though like a sister to Kurt, was not in fact related. Leaving Rachel inside with strict instructions to find him if she heard anything, he went outside to call Burt. He knew he had been stalling, but he had never actually met the guy. It was intimidating.
But he had to do it. Kurt needed his dad. Pulling out Kurt's phone, he quickly dialed the number, breathing heavily. "Hey, kiddo, what's up?" Burt answered, clearly expecting to be speaking to his son.
"Hi, Mr. Hummel? This is Mike, Kurt's-"
"I know who you are, why are you calling from Kurt's phone?" A pause. "What's happened."
Mike closed his eyes, pinching the crown of his nose. "He was attacked, sir. In our apartment. I came home and found him...he's at the hospital now, Rachel and I are here but they won't tell us anything and he was really messed up and-"
"Slow down, slow down," Burt instructed, sounding almost eerily calm. "He's gonna be fine, you know. He's a fighter." There was a slight warble in his voice, clearly trying to hold it together.
Mike nodded even though Burt couldn't see. "I know."
"I'll be there as soon as I can get a flight. You're at Mercy, right?"
"Yeah, how'd you-"
"Closest one to the apartment. I checked it out before Kurt moved to New York. Look, I know it's gonna be hard waiting and not hearing anything, but please, just stay there for me? Please? I'm sure just having you near will help and it'll make me feel a hell of a lot better. Don't worry, Mike. He's strong."
"I know."
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
Nodding, Mike hung up. All there was left to do was wait.
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Several hours and anxious cups of crappy coffee later, Rachel started from her position snuggled into his side. It was late, but neither of them were feeling very tired and it had nothing to do with the caffeine.
"Burt!" she called out, untangling herself and launching at a balding middle-aged man who Mike had only seen in pictures. Even if he didn't know anything else about Burt Hummel, he could have instantly seen the Kurt in him. The thought made his heart tense. He hugged Rachel back, whispering something in her ear. Nodding, she stepped back and led him over to Mike, who stood.
Burt stuck out his hand, smiling at him grimly. "Not quite the way I was hoping to meet you, kid."
Mike took it, shaking firmly. "Definitely not."
Burt nodded towards the front desk. "Let’s see if we can get any information. The hospital called me shortly after you did, said that he was stable, mostly broken bones and a few scrapes. No internal bleeding and only a minor concussion. He's pretty damn lucky, considering."
Mike flashed back to how he first walked in on his boyfriend, crumpled and broken, trying not to think about how much worse it could have been. "So he'll be okay?"
Burt smiled softly, clapping him on the back. "Looks that way." He moved over towards the desk, asking about Kurt. The secretary told them that Kurt had been moved out of the emergency room once he was stable and gave them directions about how to get there.
They stopped in front of his room, not sure what to do now that they were finally here. “I don’t know if I can do this,” Mike breathed out.
Burt wrapped him in a one armed hug. “He’ll probably look better than when you found him. And he’s safe now. I know it won’t be easy...He’s gonna be okay.”
Mike nodded. “Yeah, um, you should go in first.” Really, it wasn’t him being selfless, he just couldn’t see Kurt, not yet. He needed a few more minutes.
“Thanks, kid.” Burt squeezed his shoulders quickly before letting go and entering Kurt’s room. Mike felt his legs start to give out, rushing over to a nearby chair, breathing deeply. Rachel sat down next to him, rubbing his back soothingly.
“Deep breaths, come on, deep breaths. I can’t have you hyperventilating and passing out and hitting your head so you get a bed right in there next to your boyfriend.”
A weary smile crossed Mike’s face. “Thanks Rachel.”
“Kurt’s like family to me-”
“I know, I know. I just...I think I get it more now. And I’m starting to feel like just maybe I’m becoming a part of that family.”
Rachel chuckled, kissing him on the cheek softly. “Oh sweetie, you already have.”
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
For all of his confidence with Mike, Burt was terrified. Kurt had never been on this side of the hospital experience before; it had always been Burt in the bed. But now he had a small taste of what his son must have experienced. And it was absolutely horrific. Kurt’s eyes were framed with painful looking purplish-black bruises, his lip was split and a bandage was wrapped around his head. A cast stuck out from under the blankets and his arm was in a sling. Burt wrapped his fingers around Kurt’s free hand, gripping it tightly, remembering when the positions were reversed and he was the one waking up to Kurt clutching his hand.
Kurt’s eyelids fluttered as he flitted into consciousness. He moved his head a little bit but winced at the pain. “Hey, kiddo, take it easy. It’s okay, I’m here.”
“Dad?” Kurt replied groggily, clearly fighting to open his eyes.
Burt squeezed his hand. “I’ve got you, I’m here. You’re in the hospital.” Kurt scrunched up his face. “I know, not your favorite place. But you’ll be out of here in no time.”
“Mike...”
“He and Rachel are right outside. I’ll get him.”
Kurt smiled faintly. “Thanks. Dad...I love you.”
Burt leaned over and kissed his son gently on the forehead. “I love you too, kiddo.”
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
“Hey.” Mike’s voice cut through the fog surrounding his consciousness. “Kurt, can you hear me?”
Kurt smiled, though the effort was taxing. “Mike.” Words floated around in his head, just out of reach. He forced his eyes open again when he felt a smooth hand grab his own and bring it to his boyfriend’s lips to kiss gently.
“God Kurt, you scared me.”
“Sorry.”
Mike shook his head. “Not your fault.” They sat in silence for a few minutes, the gentle rub of Mike’s thumb back and forth against his knuckles lulling him into a peaceful sleepiness. “Hey, no, try to stay awake. You’re concussed. Here, I’ll keep talking, focus on my voice.” Kurt forced his eyes open again, no memory of ever shutting them. “Seeing you, lying there...I knew that you were important to me before this. But just the idea that maybe I might have to live in a world without you in it...it was terrifying. I’m not sure when it happened, but I need you in my life. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He cut himself short, blushing.
Even through the haze, Kurt could feel his stomach swoop and his heart beat faster. The machine next to him started to blip faster in response, causing them to giggle. “Was that...a proposal?”
Mike shook his head. “Not really? I mean, it’s a little soon...and like, if I really was proposing I’d prefer to do it somewhere a little nicer than a hospital room.”
Kurt scrunched up his face. “I really want to go home,” he murmured, though his stomach took a nasty drop when everything came flooding back to him. “I can’t go back there...” He hated how weak his voice sounded.
Mike leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “I’m afraid you might have to, sweetie, at least until you’re healed up enough to travel. But I won’t leave your side, I promise. And the lease is almost up anyways, we’ll just find a new place.”
“But I liked that one. Before...”
“I know.” Mike squeezed his hand gently. “But we’ll find a new one and make new memories.
Don’t worry, Hummel, I’m not going anywhere.”
Kurt had used up all of his meager energy reserves talking. Instead he drifted in and out as Mike talked, his voice soothing. He couldn’t imagine life without his boyfriend either. A possible future that he hadn’t dared dream about flashed before his eyes.
Even beaten, laying broken in a hospital bed, Kurt felt a surge of happiness that outshone anything he’d felt for a long time.
Next
A/N: This is a violent one, be warned.
May, 2013
Looking back, Kurt should have known that something was wrong when the front door didn't stick as he opened it. But he just ignored it, figuring the super had finally fixed it. He hurried up the stairs, humming under his breath, checking the time on his phone. He had just finished his last final and Mike was in the middle of his. Kurt figured that he'd make dinner so it would be ready once his boyfriend got home. Rachel texted him earlier saying that she was going out to Callbacks with some of her girlfriends to celebrate the end of the semester, so it would be just the two of them.
He had just reached their apartment and unlocked their door when it happened. A hand was clamped down over his mouth, muffling his panicked scream. He tried his best to fight off his attackers but another set of hands pinned his arms behind his back, dragging him away towards the back stairwell, his phone clattering to the floor. Kurt lashed out with his legs, trying to make contact anywhere, but all he got for his efforts was a sharp kick in the shins. His eyes watered at the pain, panic rising up inside him.
Once they had gotten into the stairwell, a third person shut the door. As he turned, Kurt gasped, recognizing him as one of the thugs from that party he and Mike had gone to back in December. "Remember me, I see?" he sneered, walking slowly over to Kurt, "How touching. See, I had managed to forget you and your fuck buddy, and I liked it that way. But then what do I see but you two creeps walking hand in hand walking down the street like you fucking own it. So, I talked to some of my buddies over here, and we decided it was only fair to put you in your place. I would have loved to have gotten the set, but I'll take fairy princess number one."
Kurt shifted, finally able to bite down on the hand covering his mouth. Hard. He took advantage of the distraction offered by the thug's shout to try and wrestle himself free, but just as his arms were released a foot stuck out, causing him to trip. "You aren't getting anything," he hissed, winded.
The guy snorted derisively, kicking at Kurt's side sharply. "We'll see about that," he leered, laughing as Kurt doubled over in pain. "Come on, boys, let's show this fag who's boss."
It was all Kurt could do to not cry. He couldn't move, blows suddenly falling from all sides. He ducked his head under his arms, trying to shield it the best he could. Just when he felt like he couldn't take it anymore, the punches stopped. He felt hands grab him, dragging his body over to the edge of the stairs, realization hitting him as they got closer. "No, please, don't, please,"
The tall one from the party just spit on him. "Like to beg, now do you? Bet it's the only way you can convince anyone to get into bed with you. Even the sinners think you're the disgusting piece of shit that you are." He stuck out his foot, shoving Kurt over the edge. He tried his best to brace himself, praying desperately to a god he didn't believe in that he would survive. He sure as hell was not going to die like this. He landed at the bottom with a sickening crunch, the pain stabbing in his arm and leg indicating that they had broken. He hurt so much all over but he didn't dare move. Kurt didn't know if he could survive another attack. The people at the top of the stairs quickly left, and finally he let out a sigh of relief.
Kurt realized that help wouldn’t just magically find him; he had to get it himself. He could barely move let alone call out. He winced as he remembered his phone falling, wishing he could just call 911. But he had to move. Slowly, he shifted, gasping in pain as he started to crawl up the stairs, forced to take a break every minute or so. But he didn't stop for long, in spite of his pain. He had to get out.
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Mike rubbed his head, fighting back the headache that he hopefully was chasing away with the ibuprofen he's taken after his exam finished. He couldn't wait to snuggle on the couch with Kurt, too tired to do much else, at least not right away. He was going to miss his boyfriend so much over the summer; he was planning on getting as much time alone with him as possible.
He frowned as he walked up to their apartment. The door was standing ajar, lights off. "Kurt?" he called out cautiously. Something was not right. "Kurt, where are you?" He turned on the lights, quickly searching the apartment, with no luck. "Kurt?" He looked out in the hallway when he noticed it-Kurt's phone was on the floor on the other side of the hallway and his bag had been stashed behind a potted plant. Something was definitely wrong, Kurt would never abandon his stuff like that. He picked up the phone, looking around desperately. "Kurt?" he called out again, beginning to get frantic."
"Mike?" a weak voice replied, coming from the back stairwell.
His heart nearly stopped. He'd never heard his boyfriend sound so...small. "Kurt, I'm coming, hold on baby," he shouted back, rushing over to where he heard the sound. He opened the door and gasped, rushing over to where Kurt was collapsed near the top of the stairs, covered in cuts and bruises, a trail of blood left in his wake. "Oh my god, baby, what happened?" He asked, cradling Kurt's face in his hands.
"They jumped me," he mumbled, clearly fighting to remain conscious. Mike scooped him up in his arms, bile rising in his throat as he noticed the odd angles some of Kurt's limbs were sticking out. Wincing at the sounds of pain, he settled Kurt so his head was resting in his lap. He ran a hand comfortingly through his hair, careful to avoid the scrape on his forehead which was starting to clot.
"Hold on, baby, hang in there for me, okay? I'm going to call an ambulance." Mike fumbled for Kurt's phone, dialing quickly. "Please, you have to get here quickly," he pleaded when the operator picked up. "My boyfriend, he was attacked in our apartment building, he's in really bad shape, please hurry." He gave them their address and location and then turned his attention back towards Kurt, who inexplicably was grinning up at him like an idiot. "What?"
Kurt giggled, wincing slightly at the moment. "You called me your boyfriend."
Mike frowned. "Yeah, so what? I am your boyfriend."
"But you've never said it. Not to someone we didn't know."
Mike's eyes widened, realizing the truth of Kurt's words. "I guess you're right."
Kurt smiled at him fondly. "I'm always right."
He couldn't help but chuckle. "I'll give you this one. But this isn't over, Hummel. Come on, man, stay with me."
He spent the twenty minutes until the paramedics arrived muttering anything and everything to Kurt, knowing he had to keep him alert. He didn't leave his side until they strapped him onto a stretcher. He followed them down the stairs, not wanting to be too far away. He asked if he could ride in the ambulance with his boyfriend, but they said no, that he'd get in the way. Logically, it made sense, but leaving Kurt was the last thing he wanted to do right then.
"Hey," he muttered, brushing Kurt's face gently. His boyfriend's eyes flickered to his face briefly, softening. "I can't ride with you, but these guys are going to get you to the hospital, okay? I'll be there, I don't know when they'll let me see you, but I'll be there, okay? You aren't alone."
"Dad," Kurt mumbled. "Call my Dad."
Mike nodded. "Of course. I love you."
"Love you," Kurt replied weakly as they lifted him into the waiting vehicle. Mike quickly gave his statement to one of the waiting officers, wanting to get to the hospital as soon as possible. He was just about to leave when he heard Rachel shouting his name.
"Mike! What's going on?" she asked, rushing over to him, looking worried.
"Rach, what are you doing here, I thought you were going out tonight?"
She shrugged. "I wanted to come home and change, we had decided to go somewhere a bit classier than Callbacks. Why were you talking to that officer, were you mugged?"
He shook his head. "Kurt..."
Rachel's eyes widened. "Kurt what?" she asked, voice soft and trembling with fear.
Mike shook his head, rubbing at his temple. Now that Kurt was gone his headache was back at full force. "I don't know what happened, exactly, but he was jumped. I found him on the stairs, bleeding. He...I think he crawled up them. He's on his way to the hospital."
"Come on, then, what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"
Mike smiled at her. For all her flaws, Rachel Berry knew what mattered when it counted. "Let's go."
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Mike paced across the waiting room. Of course they told him nothing, since he wasn't family and Rachel, though like a sister to Kurt, was not in fact related. Leaving Rachel inside with strict instructions to find him if she heard anything, he went outside to call Burt. He knew he had been stalling, but he had never actually met the guy. It was intimidating.
But he had to do it. Kurt needed his dad. Pulling out Kurt's phone, he quickly dialed the number, breathing heavily. "Hey, kiddo, what's up?" Burt answered, clearly expecting to be speaking to his son.
"Hi, Mr. Hummel? This is Mike, Kurt's-"
"I know who you are, why are you calling from Kurt's phone?" A pause. "What's happened."
Mike closed his eyes, pinching the crown of his nose. "He was attacked, sir. In our apartment. I came home and found him...he's at the hospital now, Rachel and I are here but they won't tell us anything and he was really messed up and-"
"Slow down, slow down," Burt instructed, sounding almost eerily calm. "He's gonna be fine, you know. He's a fighter." There was a slight warble in his voice, clearly trying to hold it together.
Mike nodded even though Burt couldn't see. "I know."
"I'll be there as soon as I can get a flight. You're at Mercy, right?"
"Yeah, how'd you-"
"Closest one to the apartment. I checked it out before Kurt moved to New York. Look, I know it's gonna be hard waiting and not hearing anything, but please, just stay there for me? Please? I'm sure just having you near will help and it'll make me feel a hell of a lot better. Don't worry, Mike. He's strong."
"I know."
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
Nodding, Mike hung up. All there was left to do was wait.
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Several hours and anxious cups of crappy coffee later, Rachel started from her position snuggled into his side. It was late, but neither of them were feeling very tired and it had nothing to do with the caffeine.
"Burt!" she called out, untangling herself and launching at a balding middle-aged man who Mike had only seen in pictures. Even if he didn't know anything else about Burt Hummel, he could have instantly seen the Kurt in him. The thought made his heart tense. He hugged Rachel back, whispering something in her ear. Nodding, she stepped back and led him over to Mike, who stood.
Burt stuck out his hand, smiling at him grimly. "Not quite the way I was hoping to meet you, kid."
Mike took it, shaking firmly. "Definitely not."
Burt nodded towards the front desk. "Let’s see if we can get any information. The hospital called me shortly after you did, said that he was stable, mostly broken bones and a few scrapes. No internal bleeding and only a minor concussion. He's pretty damn lucky, considering."
Mike flashed back to how he first walked in on his boyfriend, crumpled and broken, trying not to think about how much worse it could have been. "So he'll be okay?"
Burt smiled softly, clapping him on the back. "Looks that way." He moved over towards the desk, asking about Kurt. The secretary told them that Kurt had been moved out of the emergency room once he was stable and gave them directions about how to get there.
They stopped in front of his room, not sure what to do now that they were finally here. “I don’t know if I can do this,” Mike breathed out.
Burt wrapped him in a one armed hug. “He’ll probably look better than when you found him. And he’s safe now. I know it won’t be easy...He’s gonna be okay.”
Mike nodded. “Yeah, um, you should go in first.” Really, it wasn’t him being selfless, he just couldn’t see Kurt, not yet. He needed a few more minutes.
“Thanks, kid.” Burt squeezed his shoulders quickly before letting go and entering Kurt’s room. Mike felt his legs start to give out, rushing over to a nearby chair, breathing deeply. Rachel sat down next to him, rubbing his back soothingly.
“Deep breaths, come on, deep breaths. I can’t have you hyperventilating and passing out and hitting your head so you get a bed right in there next to your boyfriend.”
A weary smile crossed Mike’s face. “Thanks Rachel.”
“Kurt’s like family to me-”
“I know, I know. I just...I think I get it more now. And I’m starting to feel like just maybe I’m becoming a part of that family.”
Rachel chuckled, kissing him on the cheek softly. “Oh sweetie, you already have.”
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
For all of his confidence with Mike, Burt was terrified. Kurt had never been on this side of the hospital experience before; it had always been Burt in the bed. But now he had a small taste of what his son must have experienced. And it was absolutely horrific. Kurt’s eyes were framed with painful looking purplish-black bruises, his lip was split and a bandage was wrapped around his head. A cast stuck out from under the blankets and his arm was in a sling. Burt wrapped his fingers around Kurt’s free hand, gripping it tightly, remembering when the positions were reversed and he was the one waking up to Kurt clutching his hand.
Kurt’s eyelids fluttered as he flitted into consciousness. He moved his head a little bit but winced at the pain. “Hey, kiddo, take it easy. It’s okay, I’m here.”
“Dad?” Kurt replied groggily, clearly fighting to open his eyes.
Burt squeezed his hand. “I’ve got you, I’m here. You’re in the hospital.” Kurt scrunched up his face. “I know, not your favorite place. But you’ll be out of here in no time.”
“Mike...”
“He and Rachel are right outside. I’ll get him.”
Kurt smiled faintly. “Thanks. Dad...I love you.”
Burt leaned over and kissed his son gently on the forehead. “I love you too, kiddo.”
*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
“Hey.” Mike’s voice cut through the fog surrounding his consciousness. “Kurt, can you hear me?”
Kurt smiled, though the effort was taxing. “Mike.” Words floated around in his head, just out of reach. He forced his eyes open again when he felt a smooth hand grab his own and bring it to his boyfriend’s lips to kiss gently.
“God Kurt, you scared me.”
“Sorry.”
Mike shook his head. “Not your fault.” They sat in silence for a few minutes, the gentle rub of Mike’s thumb back and forth against his knuckles lulling him into a peaceful sleepiness. “Hey, no, try to stay awake. You’re concussed. Here, I’ll keep talking, focus on my voice.” Kurt forced his eyes open again, no memory of ever shutting them. “Seeing you, lying there...I knew that you were important to me before this. But just the idea that maybe I might have to live in a world without you in it...it was terrifying. I’m not sure when it happened, but I need you in my life. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He cut himself short, blushing.
Even through the haze, Kurt could feel his stomach swoop and his heart beat faster. The machine next to him started to blip faster in response, causing them to giggle. “Was that...a proposal?”
Mike shook his head. “Not really? I mean, it’s a little soon...and like, if I really was proposing I’d prefer to do it somewhere a little nicer than a hospital room.”
Kurt scrunched up his face. “I really want to go home,” he murmured, though his stomach took a nasty drop when everything came flooding back to him. “I can’t go back there...” He hated how weak his voice sounded.
Mike leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “I’m afraid you might have to, sweetie, at least until you’re healed up enough to travel. But I won’t leave your side, I promise. And the lease is almost up anyways, we’ll just find a new place.”
“But I liked that one. Before...”
“I know.” Mike squeezed his hand gently. “But we’ll find a new one and make new memories.
Don’t worry, Hummel, I’m not going anywhere.”
Kurt had used up all of his meager energy reserves talking. Instead he drifted in and out as Mike talked, his voice soothing. He couldn’t imagine life without his boyfriend either. A possible future that he hadn’t dared dream about flashed before his eyes.
Even beaten, laying broken in a hospital bed, Kurt felt a surge of happiness that outshone anything he’d felt for a long time.
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