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Chapter Text

Stepping out of the admittedly dingy bar, a noise caught Sebastian’s attention. He turned his head in the direction he believed it was coming from and noticed Kurt’s Navigator was still parked where he had watched him pull in several hours earlier. Huh? It had been probably close to 45 minutes ago that Kurt had dragged a seemingly drunk Blaine outside stating he needed to get his boyfriend home, so what were they still doing here? Maybe the pair decided to have some backseat fun before heading out? Doubtful with how much of a prude Hummel was, but anything was possible he guessed.

Too curious to let sleeping dogs lay, Sebastian started the short walk over to the vehicle and after stepping around towards the driver side he immediately felt awful for his previous thought. “Shit.” He murmured quietly as he took in the sight before him - Kurt was sitting on the ground with his eyes closed and his back pressed firmly against the car, his shoulders shaking and tears rolling down his cheeks which seemed to mix with the small amount of blood still oozing from his split lower lip, his usually perfect hair was a mess, his shirt collar slightly torn allowing Sebastian to see a rather aggressive looking bite mark placed on the boy's collarbone and even with his knees pulled to his chest Sebastian could tell his jeans were open and pushed down past his hips.

Without much thought Sebastian rushed the rest of the way towards the older boy and dropped to his knees before him, loose gravel scraping his palms as he landed. “Hummel, hey.” He tried softly, momentarily raising a hand to place on the other’s shoulder before dropping it once more as he was unsure if it was the best idea to touch Kurt right now.

“No! I said no, please!” Kurt sobbed, moving to press his forehead to his knees and wrapping his hands around the back of his head allowing Sebastian to see the wet spot on the side of the door in the faint glow of a nearby streetlight. Blood, his head is bleeding.

“Hey, it’s okay Hummel. I won’t hurt you.” He offered softly, hoping to get through the clearly shaken boy. “I won’t even touch you, if you don’t want me to, but you’re bleeding and we need to get you somewhere to get patched up.”

“Se- Sebastian?” Kurt whimpered, seemingly just realizing who’d stumbled upon him and lifting his head to see before once more dropping it to his knees with a hiss as the wound made contact with the metal behind him. “Le-Leave me alone.”

“Yeah, no. That’s not happening.” Sebastian frowned. He knew Kurt wasn’t his biggest fan, but he really was just trying to help. “You’re bleeding, we need to get you to the hospital.”

“N-no, no hos-hospitals.” Kurt whined, curling tighter into himself. He couldn’t possibly go to the hospital right now - his dad would kill him, shit his dad would kill Blaine and as much as he hated his boyfriend right now he could never live with himself if that happened. 

“Hummel, your head is bleeding, you need a doctor.” Sebastian sighed, already pulling his cellphone out to call for an ambulance.

“I sa-said n-no. Wh-why won’t an-anyone listen wh-when I say n-no.” His whole body seemed to be shaking now as his sobs picked back up full-force.

“Hey, hey, okay. No hospitals. But you need to get patched up. Is there someone I can call for you? Somewhere I can take you?” He offered in hopes of calming Kurt but just received a shake of the other boy’s head - or he thought Kurt had shaken his head, it was hard to tell with the tremors running through him at the moment. “Kurt, either you let me call an ambulance or you let me help you. I’m not leaving you here like this.”

“Fi-Finn" Was the gasped out response he received. 

“Finn?" He repeated, a bit confused. What the fuck- or who the fuck most likely- was Finn?

“My-my bro-brother.” Kurt explained brokenly. 

Brother? Sebastian didn’t even know Kurt had a brother. “Okay, I can call Finn for you. Do you know his number or can I see your phone to call him, please?” 

Kurt didn’t respond, didn’t even lift his head, he just pulled his cellphone from his pocket with a shaky hand and passed it to Sebastian. Taking the device, Sebastian quickly located Finn in Kurt's contacts and dialed the number.

While the call connected he slowly stood up and started pacing from the front bumper of the car to the rear, hoping to relieve the sharp pain in his knees from the rocks that had been digging into his skin. 

“Kurt? What’s up dude? I thought you were with Mercedes tonight.” Was the greeting Sebastian got after a few rings.

“Uh, hey. Is this Finn?” Sebastian asked stupidly. The contact had read Finn, it was creeping on one in the morning who else would be answering the guy’s phone?

“Yeah, this is Finn, who are you? Where is Kurt?” The voice on the other line asked, sounding rather confused that someone else was calling him from his brother's cell. 

Sebastian froze, looking back over at the other boy, unsure how to answer Finn’s question. What Kurt would want him to tell his brother. After some consideration, Sebastian began to explain the situation with as little detail as he thought he could as he started pacing once more - That Kurt was at Scandals, that there had been an incident, that Kurt was injured but refusing medical attention and that he had asked Sebastian to call the other boy instead. 

He was about halfway through his explanation when he heard a soft thud, causing him to spin around and find that Kurt had lost consciousness and fallen sideways. 

"Shit," He hissed quietly, rushing back to the other boy's side and gently shaking his shoulder.

"What? What happened?" Finn asked in a panic when Sebastian didn't say anything further.

"Uh, he passed out. Okay, change of plans. I know Hummel said no hospitals but I'm calling an ambulance. Meet us at Lima General." He told him before disconnecting the call and dialing 911. 

Chapter Text

Kurt comes into consciousness slowly. A faint beeping noise coming from somewhere beside him is the first thing to register, the second was the dull pain radiating throughout most of his body. With a groan, he makes a move to sit up but is quickly pressed back down to the soft surface beneath him by a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

"Hey, careful. Don't try moving too quickly. Are you wanting to sit up?" A familiar voice asks.

"It hurts." He responds quietly, his voice horse. 

"Okay, hold on. I'll go get a nurse." Another voice tells him from a little further away as the hand on his shoulder retracts as quickly as it'd been placed there. 

He barely heard the retreating footsteps of whoever had been with him as he tried to make sense of what the voice had said. Nurse? Why would he need a nurse? He wondered seconds before his memory started to come back to him. Scandals, Blaine, their... fight, Sebastian. With a gasp, he shoots into a seated position, his eyes wide as he takes in the hospital room around him. Fuck, he'd said no hospitals. 

"What did I just say, Kurt?" The first voice whines, causing Kurt to look over and find his brother moving to stand from the chair next to his bed. "You're hurt, you need to be careful." 

"Why am I here? I told Sebastian I didn't want to come here." Kurt gasps again, his chest tight as panic begins to raise in him. 

"And I wasn't going to make you come here until you passed out on me, Princess." Sebastian answers as he walks back through the door, a nurse following closely behind. 

"Passed out?" Kurt asks, confused. Admittedly he doesn't remember much after asking the other boy to call his brother and handing off his cellphone so he could do so. 

"You have a pretty nasty head wound," The nurse explains as they step up to the monitor Kurt is hooked up to and starts pressing a few buttons. "There, I mildly increased your pain medication. That should help with the pain. Can you tell me your name?" She asked as she turned back to him and placed a hand under his chin to tilt his head so she could see his eyes clearly. 

"Kurt. Kurt Elizabeth Hummel." He answers her easily. 

"Good. And what year is it, Kurt?" She continues her line of questioning as she uses the hand under his chin to move his head before shifting the bandage wrapped around it to check the wound hidden underneath. 

"Uh, 2010." He mumbles after a second of thought. 

"Very good. Now, can you tell me why you are here?" 

"Because someone doesn't understand that no hospitals means no hospitals?" He murmurs half heartedly, his eyes locked on Sebastian until the nurse turns his head back to facing her. "I fell and bumped my head." He states a bit louder. 

"C'mon Kurt, tell the nurse the truth." Finn sighed, apparently not believing him. 

"Finn, maybe you should step out into the hall for a minute. Call Kurt's dad and let him know he's awake." Sebastian suggested, looking from Kurt to the Finn, an unreadable expression on his face. 

"What? Why? I want to know what happened!" Finn argued, throwing his hands up like the child Kurt was still convinced he was. 

"Finn, please." Kurt whispered, appreciating Sebastian's instinct to remove the boy from the situation before Kurt had to explain what really happened. He didn't need his brother knowing he almost lost his virginity in the backseat of his car at a dingy gay bar. Or that it would have been non-consensual.

"Fine." Finn grumbled, grabbing his jacket and effectively stomping his way out of the room. 

"Would you like me to step out as well?" Sebastian asked him, already turning to follow Finn out.

"N-no, Sebastian please stay." Kurt answered quickly, a single tear escaping his waterline. He wasn't honestly sure why he wanted the boy to stay, considering as of yesterday he'd hated him and he was rather upset that he hadn't followed his wishes when asked not to call a doctor. 

"Hey, hey, okay. I'll stay." Sebastian assured him, moving to stand at his bedside in the space Finn's departure had freed up. 

Kurt nodded his head in thanks as he took a deep breath then looked back at the nurse who'd waited patiently through the brief encounter between the three boys. "Uh, I- um, my boy-boyfriend wanted to have s-s-sex in my car and I didn't. He uh, he was laying in the back seat and grabbed my wrists to pull me down with him." He started, diverting his gaze to the sheet covering his lower body. Praying to a God he didn't believe in that the nurse he was speaking with wasn't homophobic. 

"I am so sorry to hear that, Kurt." She offers him with a small smile, not at all phased by the boy's sexuality. "That explains the bruising on your wrists. What about the ones on your hips, dear?" She asks him kindly. 

"Once I was, uh, once I was on top of him he held my waist while trying to-to gr-grind against me." He whispered ashamed of his own lack of strength to have fought off his boyfriend sooner. 

She nods her head to indicate she'd heard him as she turned to the computer cart pushed up against the wall behind her, pulling up his chart and updating his vitals before she begins notating the reasoning behind the injuries covering Kurt's body. "And your split lip? Did he hit you, or bite it? Or did you bite it yourself?"

"I-I probably bit it at some point but him b-biting it is probably what br-broke the sk-skin initially." He tells her as more tears finally escape. His throat was still raw from the continuous sobbing fit he'd been in after the incident and his voice was starting to sound rather stranded even to his own ears. 

"You're doing great, Hummel." Sebastian whispered so only Kurt would hear, likely noticing Kurt was starting to struggle. 

"Okay, just a few more questions." The nurse nodded as she finished adding the notation to his chart, looking over the monitor to offer another small smile. Most days she did love her job, but these cases were always some of the hardest. "You mentioned you fell and bumped your head, which your step-brother didn't seem to believe but I am guessing was at least partially true? If you had fallen, I'm guessing the impact not only explains your head but the minor abrasions on your lower back, correct?" 

"I-I m-managed to pu-push his-his hands off but I-I sl-slipped and f-fell back-backwards hit-hitting my-my head on the gr-ground." Kurt admitted as a sob finally broke from his lungs. "I- I'm sor-sorry." He apologizes as he wrapped his arms around himself, looking for comfort. 

"Hey, no. This isn't your fault." Sebastian rushed to assure him, placing a grounding hand lightly on his shoulder and brushing his thumb back and forth soothingly. 

"He's right, Kurt. None of this is your fault and it is completely okay and understandable that you are getting upset." She smiled sadly once more, leaning towards him with a box of tissues that Sebastian reached out to take from her when Kurt made no move to. "That was all of your injuries we needed to document but I had a few more questions if you are still up to answer them- if you're not, I'm sure the doctors could get the answers by running some tests." 

"I may be able to answer some of your questions, but I don't know him all that well." Sebastian offered when Kurt failed to speak up in response. He was struggling to do much more than take shallow breaths through his nose as he tried to stop the sobs trying to escape his tightly sealed lips. "And if I don't know the answer, I'm sure we can ask Finn, right?" The younger boy asked, looking down at Kurt who jerked his head in some semblance of a nod. 

"Okay, that would be fine, but Kurt dear, try not to jerk your head too much. You have a mild concussion and we don't want you rattling your brain anymore that it already has been." She answered, stepped back up to Kurt and placing a hand on his unoccupied shoulder to hold him still. "The ambulance picked Kurt up from a bar, did he have anything to drink last night? Take anything that may have altered his mental state?" 

"No, I was with him or at least had sight of him the entire time he was in the bar last night and he was only drinking soda." Sebastian answered easily. It was true, the only one who drank anything alcoholic last night was Blaine- and he had claimed to only have one drink, though Kurt was unsure on whether he believed that with the way he was acting when they went to leave. "And Hummel doesn't do drugs." He tacks on to answer the second half of her question, the hand on Kurt's shoulder squeezed almost asking for confirmation from him. 

"N-no, no dr-drugs." He confirmed.  

"And have you been sexually active in the past twenty-" She began to ask but stopped herself when both Kurt and Sebastian shook their heads at her. 

"Kurt is a virgin." Sebastian elaborated for him. 

The nurse nodded her head and went back over to the computer to enter the last of the answers the boys provided. "That's everything I have for now. Seeing as Kurt is awake and mentally present, once the doctors come to check the wound on his head and the bruising on his wrists to be sure there is no damage to the bones, I'm sure they will be comfortable releasing him. As you are Eighteen Kurt, the hospital is not required to call your parents but given the situation I want to ask if you would like us to anyways?" 

"N-NO!" Kurt exclaimed, another burst of panic running through his system. "Pl-Please d-don't c-call m-my da-dad." 

"Okay, that's fine. We won't call him." She assured, signing out of the computer and pushing the cart back to the wall. "I will let the doctor know you are ready for them." She added with a smile before exiting the room. 

Once they were alone, Sebastian moved to stand on the other side of the bed so he was in front of Kurt rather than behind him. "You did great, Hummel. Would you like me to get Finn back in here now?" 

"N-not y-yet." Kurt whispered, finally grabbing a tissue from the box Sebastian had set on the bed beside him and wiping his eyes and nose. "C-can I- ne-nevermi-mind... You can ge-get Finn." 

"Hey, no, what do you need?" Sebastian asked him with a small frown, his hand returning to Kurt's shoulder. 

"C-can I ha-have a h-hug pl-please?" He asks quietly, his eyes downcast on his hands. 

Sebastian doesn't respond and for a moment, he doesn't move. Kurt could understand, it was an odd thing for him to be asking the Warbler for a hug when they could barely stand each other but honestly he could use the comfort right now. He was about to just ask the other boy to go get his brother again when he felt Sebastian's arms hesitantly move around his shoulders before pulling him forward against his chest in a tight embrace. 

"Th-thank y-you Se-sebas-bastian." He sobs into the fabric of the other boy's shirt, his own hands moving to grip the material and trying to pull him impossibly closer. 

"Shh, it's okay." Was all Sebastian said as he leaned his cheek against the top of Kurt's head. "It's all going to be okay." 

Chapter Text

Finn had just gotten off the phone with Burt when the nurse stepped into the hall, pulling the door to Kurt's room closed behind her. Finn stood from the chair he had found and made a move to reenter but she placed a hand on his arm and shook her head. "You may want to give them a moment, dear. Kurt is upset and I think he'd like a minute to straighten himself out." 

"There's no straightening Kurt out," Finn tries to joke but has the decency to look sheepish when the nurse narrows her eyes in an almost threateningly manor. "Could you at least tell me if he's okay? Like, I know he's not okay right now but is he going to be okay?" He rushes to ask, hoping the nurse understood that he did care for his brother. That he wasn't some homophobic jerk. 

"I think in time he will be. But he's going to need that time... and plenty of support. Support from his friends and family, maybe even some help from a trained professional." She nods, removing her hand and stepping away to the nurses station down the hall to page a doctor to check on the oldest of the three boys. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

About 10 minutes pass before a doctor approaches Kurt's room, Finn was still waiting in the hall as the nurse had told him to and seeing as neither Kurt or Sebastian called him in he wasn't sure if he was allowed to enter. "Uh, hold on a second." Finn says as the doctors hand reaches for the handle to push the door open. "Let me check that he's actually ready to see you." 

Without waiting for the doctor to respond, Finn knocks on the door himself before opening it quietly and sticking his head in to see Sebastian standing on the far side of the bed with his arms wrapped around Kurt who was leaning almost limply against his chest. "Hey, the doctor is here to see Kurt. The nurse told me to wait to come back in and I wanted to make sure he was good to talk to her..." 

"Oh, uh, he uh actually just kinda cried himself to sleep. Let me try waking him up. Ask her to wait like two minutes then she should be good." Sebastian offered, slowly moving his arms from around Kurt's shoulders and gently shaking him. 

Finn nodded and moved back out of the room, this time leaving the door cracked open. "He fell asleep, Sebastian is waking him now and says he should be good in a couple minutes to talk to you. Just give them like two minutes." Finn tells the doctor before moving to sit back in the chair he'd previously been waiting in. 

Once the two minutes pass, the doctor once again goes to open the door and Finn stands planning to follow her in. "Actually, if you could wait out here while I examine Kurt." She states kindly. 

"Why do I have to wait out here but Sebastian gets to stay with him? I'm his brother!" Finn argued, but drops back in his seat with a huff. 

"If it helps, I will likely be sending this Sebastian out here as well." The doctor smiled before entering the room and closing the door behind her.

Not a moment later, Sebastian steps out and leans against the wall beside Finn's chair. "God, what a night." He sighs, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. 

"No Kidding," Finn chuckles humorlessly, pulling his phone from his pocket to check the time and noticing a few text notifications he'd apparently missed in the chaos that's followed the call that woke him now well over four hours ago. "Uh, hey. I don't really know what happened tonight but considering you're here and Kurt's boyfriend is not- I'm not sure how to respond to these texts from Blaine." 

From Blaine:
Hey Finn, it's Blaine. Did Kurt make it home? He's not answering my messages. 

From Blaine:
Finn?

From Blaine:
Listen, I know I messed, but could you at least tell me if he made it home?

From Blaine:
Fine, forget it. I guess I'll find out if he's okay at school tomorrow.

"Messed up," Sebastian scoffed, looking at Finn's screen to see what Blaine had sent. "That's a fucking understatement. Honestly, I wouldn't even bother responding."

"Wait, why?" Finn asked, a little confused."Does Blaine have something to do with Kurt being here?" 

"I- I don't know if I should answer that or if I should let Hummel explain when he is ready." Sebastian stated, shifting his gaze to the door in front of them before his eyes return to Finn. 

And see, Finn may not be the smartest member of the Glee club but he can sometimes read between the lines and Sebastian's non-answer has him seeing red. "Are you kidding me? Blaine did that to him?" He shouts, jumping to his feet and throwing a hand in the direction of his little brother. "His own boyfriend put him in the hospital?!" 

"Finn, hey, calm down. The last thing Hummel needs is you yelling at him or near him, okay?" Sebastian snaps, moving to stand at his full height between Finn and the door like Finn would barge into the hospital room any second now and Sebastian was prepared to stop him. 

Finn immediately clenched his jaw, his teeth clacking with the force of which he closed him mouth to stop himself from shouting again, before storming off down the hall. He needed to think, and he apparently needed to think away from Kurt to make sure he doesn't make the situation any worse. How could Blaine do this? What exactly had he even done? 

"Where are you going?!" Sebastian yelled after him, looking between Finn's retreating form and the still closed door like he was unsure if he should follow the other boy or wait for the doctor to tell him he could go back in. 

"For a walk." Was all Finn gave in response as he continued forward, not even bothering to look back at Sebastian. What the hell happened tonight and why won't anyone tell him?

Chapter Text

Sebastian isn’t sure how long he spends contemplating whether or not to follow the taller boy, but before he can actually make a decision the doctor is stepping back out of Kurt’s hospital room with a sad smile on her face. 

“Kurt is asking for you.” She informs him before heading off to the nurses station to say something to the nurse who had been placed in charge of Kurt’s care this evening. 

With another quick look in the direction Finn had walked off in, Sebastian sighs. He still wasn’t sure how he had ended up in this situation. He didn’t really do friends, he didn’t really do comfort, and yet right now it seemed he was all Kurt had… and as much as he would prefer to just walk off like the guy’s own brother had, something inside him told him there was no way in hell he was going to leave Kurt completely alone right now. 

“So, Hummel, what’d the doctor say?” He asked softly as he entered the room and took his previous spot next to the bed, placing his hand on the railing to stop him from reaching out and touching the other boy. Why did he even have the urge to touch him? 

“That my boyfriend is a dick,” Kurt tried joking but it fell flat as another tear ran down his cheek. “They want to run a few more tests before they release me. Want to scan my wrists to make sure it’s just bruising and that there isn’t any bone or muscle damage. As well as an-an STD test, in-in case Blaine had lied about being a virgin and transmitted something when his-his teeth broke the skin on my lip or collarbone.” 

Fuck, that hadn’t even crossed Sebastian’s mind. “I’m so sorry, Hummel.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair and tugging it almost roughly. 

“It’s not your fault, Sebastian. You didn’t do this.” Kurt offered with a tilt at the corner of his lip, the split in the bottom one pulling tight but luckily not reopening. 

“No, but I’m the one who invited you guys out and got the fake IDs. If I’d just left well enough alone, you wouldn’t be here.” 

Kurt’s head bows, his eyes dropping to his own shaky hands as more tears roll down his reddened cheeks. “But that doesn’t mean this wouldn’t have happened some other time, this isn’t the first time Blaine has shown he can’t responsibly handle his alcohol.” 

“Has- Has he done something like this before?” Sebastian asks, confused and a little horrified. “Why did you even agree to go to a bar, Hummel, if you knew something like this could happen at all?” 

“It doesn’t matter.” Kurt murmured, leaning back fully against the pillows and wiping his face before turning to look at the closed door. “Where’s Finn?” 

Doesn’t matter? Bullshit. He’d thought but had a feeling it was better not to push the subject right now and instead chose to just answer the other boy’s question. “Blaine texted him and since he didn’t know what happened tonight he wasn’t sure how to respond. He showed me the messages, one of which Blaine acknowledged he ‘messed up’ but just wanted to know if you made it home… when I suggested just not responding, he kind of worked out that your boyfriend may be part of the reason you’re here and got upset. He started getting a bit loud, yelling in the hall asking how he could do something like this, and I told him he needed to calm down because yelling wasn’t going to help the situation - he took off, saying he was going for a walk.” 

“What?” Kurt asked, his head snapping to look up at Sebastian. “He’s not going to go after Blaine is he?” 

“I’m not sure, he didn’t say anything else but he seemed really upset. I was going to follow him but the doctor walked out and said you were asking for me so I came back in here instead.” 

“No, no, no! Where is my phone?! I need to stop him before he does anything to get himself into trouble!” 

“Your phone’s in my jacket,” Sebastian explained, moving away and over to the chair against the wall across the bed where he’d thrown his jacket on the chair he’d initially started the night in a many hours earlier to retrieve it. “Here.” 

Taking the device, Kurt tapped on the screen a few times before raising it to his ear. “Finn?” He said a moment later, “The doctor just left, you can come back.” 

Sebastian couldn’t hear Finn’s response but he could tell whatever was said showed he hadn’t made it too far as the panic that had taken home in Kurt’s eyes faded, only slightly but still - it was something. 

“Okay, yeah, see you in a minute.” Kurt murmured quietly, ending the call and letting the phone call from his hands to the sheet covering his lap. “He said he went to the cafeteria to get some coffee and would be back up in a couple minutes.” 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Finn hadn’t made it back into the room by the time the nurse came in to take a few vials of blood from the IV port already in Kurt’s hand, nor by the time another nurse came to take Kurt to get the scans of his wrists done. 

Sebastian was just about to pick up the phone still resting on the now empty bed to call him again when Finn pushed his way through the door, a coffee carrier with three cups that Sebastian immediately recognized as being from the Lima Bean in hand. 

“Kurt said you went to the cafeteria for coffee?” Sebastian asked, exasperated. Kurt had been so worried about his brother’s lack of reappearance before he’d been wheeled off. 

“I had,” Finn admitted sheepishly. “But after a sip of what they seem to refer to as coffee, I knew Kurt would complain and I hadn’t calmed down enough to be sure I wouldn’t upset him further so I went to get something I knew might actually make him feel better. I didn’t know your order, so I just got you what I got Kurt… hope you don’t mind.” 

Taking the cup that was being passed to him, Sebastian couldn’t help the smile that creeped across his features. While he’d been sure the other boy cared for the smaller boy, this was the first time Finn had shown anything other than confusion, panic or anger tonight.

“Non-fat mocha, right?” Sebastian confirmed having heard Kurt’s order a few times now as he lifted it to his lips to take a sip of the still warm drink. “Thank you.” 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Oh, thank Gaga.” Kurt mumbled upon his return to the room, seeing his brother was also back. “Where have you been, Finn? You’d said you’d only be a minute when I called.” 

Finn just lifted the cup in his hand in lieu of answering, making sure the Lima Bean logo was seeable. “He didn’t think you’d be appreciative of the crap this place calls coffee and went to get you something better.” Sebastian explained when Kurt just stared. 

“Can I even drink that right now?” Kurt asked the tech who was helping him back into the bed, when he received a nod and a smile he reached out towards the carrier with grabby hands. 

Finn chuckled as he stood, walking over and passing the last cup to Kurt before moving away once more to throw the now empty cardboard into a trashcan in the corner of the room.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Another hour and a half had passed before the original nurse reappeared in the room to inform Kurt his scans had come back clear and that the doctor had signed off on discharge papers so he was free to leave. 

“When will I get the results of the- the blood tests?” Kurt asked, seemingly hesitant to refer to them as what they were, an STD test. Whether he just didn’t want to say the words, or he didn’t want Finn to know the kind of tests the doctor felt the need to run, Sebastian wasn’t sure. 

“The hospital will call when they come in, should be sometime later today.” She told him as she placed a large plastic bag containing the clothes they’d removed from Kurt when he arrived on the foot of the bed. “Are you able to redress yourself or would you like assistance?”

“Oh, uh, I should be able to do it.” Kurt answered, his cheeks flushing. 

Nodding her head, the nurse turned to the other two boys and motioned for them to leave the room. She followed closely behind them as they exited and pulled the door closed once they were all in the hall. Finn dropped back into the chair he’d waited in before while Sebastian moved to lean against the wall beside him again, the nurse stayed close to the door in case Kurt needed assistance after all. 

Several minutes later, a shirtless Kurt opened the door with fresh tears streaming from his downcast eyes, he had his free arm wrapped around his own waist to hide the bruising Sebastian knew was there. “I- I can’t button my jeans.” He’d tried to murmur quiet enough for just the nurse to hear, but Sebastian caught the admittance. “It hurts too much to bend my wrists.” She whispered something to him in response that Sebastian didn’t catch before he heard Kurt say his name. 

“Sebastian,” The nurse called, looking from Kurt to him. “Would you be comfortable helping Kurt redress?” 

“Oh, uh, yeah. I can do that.” He nods, moving into the room. Once the door was closed again, Kurt fell forward and began softly sobbing into Sebastian’s chest. “Hey, Hey, it’s okay Hummel.” He told the boy, wrapping his arms around Kurt’s torso without much thought. “It’s okay. We’re going to get you dressed, then you can go home and get some rest, yeah?” 

“I-I can’t go home. Not like this. My dad will know something happened and he will kill me.” 

“Your dad already knows something happened, Finn called him when he first got here and then called him again when you woke up, remember?” 

“Fuck, then I really can’t go home, Sebastian.” 

With a sigh Sebastian placed his hands on Kurt’s shoulders to push him back slightly so he could reach down and button his jeans for him, trying not to think about how he was more used to unbuttoning jeans on others. This was not the time for those thoughts. 

“I’m sure it will be okay, Hummel. From what Finn told me, your dad’s not mad - he’s worried, but not mad.” He told him as he stepped away to grab Kurt’s shirt from the bed where Kurt had seemingly just dumped the bag out. Lifting the shift, Sebastian noticed a few spots of dripped blood on the fabric near the torn collar. Biting his bottom lip, he looked from the article of clothing to his own jacket that was still thrown over the back of a chair. “Hey, do you want to put your old shirt back on or would you prefer to just wear my jacket out of here?” 

“What?” Kurt asked, turning to look back at him. 

“I was just asking. Your shirt is torn, there’s blood on the collar. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to put it back on or if you would prefer to wear something else.” 

“Oh, um, can I borrow your jacket I guess?” Kurt asked, looking down at his feet almost bashfully. How cute, wait… cute? Hummel’s not cute. Get a grip, Sebastian. 

“Of course, I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t okay with it.” He nodded, grabbing it and helping Kurt get it on before zipping it up.

“Thank you.” 

“Don’t mention it, now hop back up on the bed so we can get your shoes on and we can get the hell out of here.” 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Thanks for everything tonight, Sebastian.” Finn said, hopping out of the beat up truck he’d just pulled up to the hospital entrance. 

Sebastian just nodded his head, unsure what to say, as he took the wheelchair Kurt was sitting in from the nurse and pushed it closer to the passenger side door.

“Seriously, thank you for being here.” Kurt whispered to him once Sebastian got him into the cab and helped clip his seatbelt in place. 

“I wasn’t just going to leave you, Hummel. Not until I was sure you were okay.” He responded, just as quiet as he turned to roll the window down and closed the door so he could still talk to him. “Text me once you’re settled in at home, alright?” 

“Oh, I don’t- I don’t think I have your number.” Kurt told him as he pulled his phone from the pocket of the borrowed jacket and handed it over so Sebastian could enter his information. 

Sebastian took the device and quickly created a new contact while Finn got back in the driver's seat and put his own seatbelt on before passing it back. “Drive safe and remember to let me know you’re still okay later, yeah?” He said as Finn put the truck in drive.

“I will.” Kurt smiled, resting his head back against the seat and looking over at his brother beside him. “Let’s get home I guess.”

Chapter Text

Kurt honestly wished the car ride from the hospital to the Humdel home took longer, that he'd had more time to figure out just what he was going to tell his father. "Hey, what all did you tell dad when you spoke to him earlier?" Kurt asked, turning from looking out the passenger window to his brother as they pulled into the driveway. 

"When I called him the first time, I'd just gotten there and you were still unconscious. No one had really told me much, so I told him that I'd received a call from a friend of yours saying that you were hurt and being taken to the hospital. He'd wanted to come see you himself but considering you'd had Sebastian call me instead of him I suggested that he wait until we knew more before we started piling people into your hospital room." Finn answered, putting the truck in park but making no move to get out yet. "I'd sent him a message about two hours after that letting him know what I'd been told, you'd had a head injury from a fall resulting in a minor concussion which explained why you were still out and that I'd let him know when you woke up. The nurse had said it wouldn't be too much longer from what she could see. When you guys sent me into the hall and I called him again, I let him know you were awake and talking to a nurse... that you seemed a little shaken but overall fine. He agreed to wait for us to get home as long as I kept him updated." 

"Okay, I can work with that." Kurt nodded, more to himself than the younger boy. "Thank you, Finn. For coming tonight and keeping him away." 

"Of course, Kurt, you're my brother. There is no scenario where I get a call from someone, who you asked specifically to call me, and I wouldn't come running." Finn told him, finally looking over to make eye contact with Kurt. "But seriously, dude, what happened last night? Sebastian wouldn't tell me anything and I know this was more than a fall."

Silence filled the cab of the truck while Kurt considered his options. From what Sebastian had told him, he knew Finn already knew Blaine had something to do with Kurt being there but Sebastian hadn't given him any more information on the situation. With a sigh, he rubbed his hands over his face before turning his head to stare out the windshield as he started in on the vague lie he had been crafting since redressing at the hospital. "It really was a fall, Finn. I had been at Mercedes' like I told dad I would be, but after she went to bed I met up with Blaine and Sebastian at the park down the road from her place... you know, the one with the wooden playscape and the gravel parking lot. I don't really remember how it started but we decided to play tag and I had been running from Blaine when my foot caught a loose rock, I slipped and hit the back of my head pretty hard on the ground in the parking lot."

"Ookay," Finn nodded, sounding a bit confused but seemingly believing what he was hearing. "That doesn't explain the split lip or the bruising on your wrists, though, and I know you didn't have those when you left yesterday."

"I bit my lip to stop from crying out when I landed, it was pretty late and I didn't want to chance someone calling in a noise complaint or something." Kurt explained. "As for the bruising on my wrists, I guess uh let's just go with I like it rough?" He added quickly, inwardly cringing at how close to the truth that statement got. And just how much of a lie it really was, if last night taught him anything it was that he was fairly certain he would not enjoy it rough. 

"Oh, ew! I didn't need to know that, Kurt!" Finn squeaked, shaking his head near violently like he was trying to clear the mental image those words conjured up.

"Hey, you asked."  Kurt mumbled, lifting one shoulder in a half-shrug. "But if you don't mind, I'm going to leave that part out when I tell dad about last night. Please don't say anything." 

"Yeah, no, don't worry. I definitely don't want to be part of any conversation where Burt finds out you're doing that." Finn agreed easily, like Kurt had been pretty certain he would. 

With a nod, and another bone-deep sigh, Kurt finally hopped out of the truck. As he moved towards the door, he readjusted the borrowed jacket to be sure it would cover any non-facial injuries from his father and resigned himself to his fate. 

~~~~~

"Kurt? Finn? Is that you?" Kurt heard his father yell from the kitchen the moment he opened the front door. 

"Yeah, dad, it's me!" He replied, trying to steady his voice so he sounded more confident than he felt at the moment as he moved through the living room to greet him. 

"Oh, thank God. Are you okay? You had me so worried!" Burt asked his son, standing from where he'd been leaning against the kitchen island to wrap Kurt into a tight hug before holding him back at arms length a bit so he could get a good look at him. "What the hell happened last night? Finn told me Mercedes' had to call an ambulance for you cause you hit your head?" 

"Finn said Mercedes called the ambulance?" Kurt questioned, a bit confused. Finn hadn't mentioned that he had given a name for the friend who called him when he told Kurt about his communications with Burt.

"Well, no. He told me that your friend called to tell him you were hurt and were being taken to the hospital. I just assumed since you were at her house last night that she was the one who called... which I have to admit, Kurt, I am disappointed that she didn't call me instead." 

"I wasn't with Mercedes when I fell, dad." He admitted, not wanting his dad mad at one of his closest friends who really had no part in what had happened, then quickly provided him with the same story he'd given his brother moments before. 

"Wait, so it was Blaine who called Finn? That's even worse, Kurt. I know Blaine has my number." 

"Actually, it had been Sebastian who called him... Apparently Blaine had been drinking a little before we met up and when it started looking like I needed medical attention, he panicked so Sebastian decided he would stay with me and sent Blaine home so he wouldn't get in trouble." Kurt tells him, hoping it sounded at least a little believable. "I had planned to call you myself once I got to the hospital and knew how bad it was but I lost consciousness." 

"Sebastian called me from Kurt's phone once he'd passed out because I was the second most frequently used contact, I guess, after Blaine." Finn added as he finally entered the room to join the others, impressing Kurt with his ability to come up with that on the fly. 

Burt nodded slowly, looking between the two teens before settling his attention back on the older of them. "But you're okay? No major issues or anything, right?" 

"I'm okay, dad. Mild concussion and a split lip from trying not to scream when I hit the ground." Kurt assures, feeling awful about lying to his father but knowing there was no way he could tell him the truth. 

"Okay, well, why don't you head on up to your room and get some rest. I'm sure you are exhausted."

"Actually, I was hoping I could go shower and to get ready for school... If I hurry, I can make it before second period starts." 

"Kurt, you just spent the night in the emergency room, you are not going to school today." Burt argued, sounding almost upset that his son actually wanted to go to school. You know, most parents would be ecstatic that their kid actually wanted to go to school. Way to break from the stereotypical, dad.  "You can go take a shower but then you need to rest."

"It was just a bump to the head, I feel fine." Kurt groaned. "It's opening night and I have to go to school to be able to perform tonight." 

"I'm not worried about a play, Kurt, I'm worried about your health." 

"Dad, please, I need this play for my college application. If I'm not there, they recast and I lose my part." 

Burt still seemed unsure, looking between the two teens again only to settle on Finn this time. "Are you going to school today? Would you be able to keep an eye on him while he's there?" 

"Of course, I'll make sure he goes to the nurse if he starts feeling bad and will call you if anything else happens." Finn promised with a sigh, seeming to accept the fact that he was going to class after all. He'd probably been hoping to just stay home but would go if it meant Kurt could, he knew how much this show meant to him. 

"Alright, fine, both of you go get ready." 

As Kurt took the stairs up to his room two at a time, he pulled out his phone. He needed to find a way to get back to Scandals to get his car without his brother or dad being involved. With no other options coming to mind, he scrolled through his contacts and found Sebastian's name before quickly dialing. 

Chapter Text

Sebastian heaved an exhausted sigh as he dropped into the drivers seat of his car, having just returned to Scandals after taking a cab from the hospital. He was dreading the almost two hours drive he had ahead of him and was honestly contemplating just getting a room somewhere in Lima to catch a few hours of sleep before making his way back to Dalton later that afternoon when his phone began to ring with a call from an unknown number.

"Hello?" He answers, tapping the speaker button on the screen and setting the device on the dash so he could pull his seatbelt on and start the vehicle. 

"Hey, Sebastian, it's me. Are you going to school today?" Kurt's voice responses. 

"To school, probably at some point. I board at Dalton so either way I'll be heading back there eventually. To class, probably not no." He answers easily, a little confused why Kurt would be asking him. "Why? Are you?" 

"I have to."

Sebastian stares at his phone for a moment, thinking there was no way Kurt could possibly be serious right now. "Hummel, you just got out of the hospital, your dad can't seriously be making you go."

"It's opening night and Figgins has a stipulation that all performers have to attend at least half their classes to be a part of any show." 

"Shit, I forgot about your little play. That's tonight?" Sebastian groans, running a hand through his hair and trying to come up with a reason to give Wes on why he can't attend. 

"Yeah, it is. You're coming, right?" 

"Blaine gave me a ticket, the Warblers were all planning to go as a unit, but I'm not really sure I'm up for it after last night." He tells him. "As it is I have to drive back to Westerville. If I leave Lima now I'll make it back to campus around lunch, that'd only give me like an hour to nap before they were planning to gather in the rehearsal room to figure out carpooling." 

"Wait, you haven't left Lima yet?" Why did he almost sound hopeful? 

"No, I just got back to my car. I was honestly debating on finding a cheap motel or something and crashing for a bit before I hit the road." 

"That's perfect!" Kurt exclaims. "Do me a favor, stay in Lima and get some sleep then meet me at McKinley after school." 

"And why, pray-tell, would I do that?" He asks, a little irritated Kurt thought he had a right to tell him what to do but also curious on what Kurt could need his help for. 

"Because I need you to give me a ride to Scandals so I can get my car." 

"Why can't you just have Finn, or I don't know, your boyfriend do that?" 

"Finn still doesn't know that's where we were last night, neither does my dad for that matter, and there is no way in hell I am getting in a car or going back there with Blaine any time soon after the stunt he pulled."  

"You have friends, don't you? Isn't there anyone else you could ask?" 

"Sebastian, please?" Kurt pleads. "I'd rather no one else find out about last night." 

He can't help but groan again, his head falling back against the headrest. "Fine, Hummel. I'll be there." 

"Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Kurt cheers and Sebastian can practically hear his smile coming through the phone. "Okay, I have to go get ready but I will see you later." 

"Yeah, whatever." He mumbles, reaching out to ending the call before picking the device back up and opening the Warbler group chat to let them know he would meet them at the auditorium before the show. It wasn't like he was the only one with a car to get them there and there really wasn't too many of them he would want to be stuck with in a vehicle for two hours anyways. 

Chapter Text

Between his call with Sebastian and taking a bit longer than anticipated to get ready, the boys didn't actually make it to McKinley until the bell signaling the end of second period sounded through the halls. 

Kurt barely waits for his brother to have the vehicle in park before he was hopping out of the door and sprinting into the building, headed straight for his locker to grab the books he would need. Going over what he already had in his messenger bag (which he'd had to swap to the opposite shoulder he usually wore it on to avoid the strap rubbing his already irritated collarbone in the wrong place) he didn't notice Blaine standing there until it was too late.

"Kurt, where have you been? Why didn't you answer any of my messages?" He asks right away, his voice laced with concern. 

"Not right now, Blaine. I'm already late and I need to get to class." Kurt tells him, struggling with his combination lock a few times before managing to get it open. Who knew turning a dial could hurt his wrists so bad?  

"I was so worried about you! I even messaged Finn to make sure you got home last night but he didn't answer either..." Blaine continues as if Kurt hadn't spoken at all. "Why didn't either of you respond? Why are you both so late this morning?" 

"Blaine, trust me, this is not a conversation either of us want to have right now." Kurt snaps as he switches out the science book in his bag for the history book in his locker before swinging the door closed and walking away. 

"What? Kurt, what are you talking about?" He asks, reaching out and wrapping a hand around his wrist to stop him from putting more distance between them. 

Kurt hisses out in pain, trying to pull his arm away but Blaine just tightens his grip - Why does it feel like that hand is tightening around his lungs? "Let go. Please, let go." He begs, his eyes starting to water and his breathing picking up. 

"HEY!" Finn yells out from the other end of the slowly clearing hall as he makes his way closer to them, he had been stopping by his own locker to get his stuff before he was going to meet back up with his brother to walk him to his third period class. "He said let go, you might just want to do that." 

"Butt out, Finn. I'm trying to have a conversation with my boyfriend." Blaine shouts back, never taking his eyes off Kurt who just starts shaking his head. "No? No what, Kurt?"

"Not- Not your boyfriend, not anymore. Not after last night." Kurt tells him, stuttering over every few words as his tears escape past his waterline and slowly start to stream down his cheeks. 

"You don't mean that, Kurt. I know you were upset about me dancing with Sebastian last night, but I'm still your boyfriend. I still love you." Blaine sighs. 

"This has nothing to do with Sebastian," Kurt quietly whispers before a loud gasp rips itself from his lungs, his whole body now trembling. "And every to do with you trying to rape me last night."

Kurt's quiet words seem to echo in the now deserted hall and Finn felt his blood turn to ice, freezing him in place where he stands a few feet from the pair.

The texts from Blaine, the conversation he had had with Sebastian in the hospital, Kurt not wanting him in the room when he explained everything to the nurse, the split lip, the bruising - all the puzzle pieces sliding into place.  

"Wh-What?" Blaine stammers, his fingers loosening enough for Kurt's wrist to slip free just as the distress he must be feeling overwhelms him and he collapses to the floor in a fit of sobs.

"Get the hell away from him." Finn growls, finally closing the gap between them to grab Blaine by his stupid colorful polo and push him roughly against a nearby wall. 

"I- I didn't-" 

Finn doesn't even catch the rest of Blaine's attempted denial, his attention drawn back to his brother when Kurt reaches out to tug on the leg weakly on his pants leg. "Finn, let him go." Kurt cries. 

"He put you in the hospital, Kurt. He- he hurt you." Finn argued, his fists tightening in the fabric where they sat against Blaine's chest. "Why shouldn't I return the favor?" 

"Hospital?" Blaine squeaks out, confused and afraid. 

"You'll get in trrrouble, Finn. He-he's not worth it." Kurt tells him as he tries to push himself off the ground but almost immediately gives up, a whine passing through clenched teeth as he cradles his re-agitated wrist to his chest protectively. "i-it hurts, F-Finn. Just le-let him g-go and he-help me, please?" 

Finn spends a moment torn, the ice in his veins having been replaced by a burning hot rage, before another quiet whine is heard from the ground behind him. With a groan he lets Blaine go, staring him down for another few seconds before turning his back to him and gently pulling Kurt to his feet. "Come on, little brother, lets get you out of here." 

"Ww-what abbbout the pl-play?" Kurt sniffles stubbornly, leaning heavily against Finn as he's led towards the front door of the building.  

"I'll text Artie and have him talk to Mr. Shue." Finn tells him, wrapping one arm carefully around his waist and opening the door for him with the other. "We'll go get you some pain medicine then come back when we are supposed to check in tonight, they will either let us perform or they won't but there is no way we are staying here right now." 

~~~~~

Finn helped Kurt climb back into the cab of Burt's borrowed truck before running around the front to get in on the other side. Instead of starting the engine, Finn drops his forehead against the steering wheel and asks the questions that have been on his mind since Kurt's admission in the hall. "I'm guessing you didn't actually hit your head playing tag last night, did you? And the bruises on your wrists aren't actually because you... like it rough...?" Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Kurt shake his head slowly a few times before dropping it back against the headrest behind him. "Then what did happen, Kurt? The truth this time." 

"I- I can't tell you, Finn. You'll tell dad and he'll kill me." Kurt sighs, his breathing slowly returning to normal the longer they're outside the building, turning to look over at Finn with exhausted and red-rimmed eyes. The lack of sleep must finally be hitting him after his breakdown. 

"Won't he find out anyways when you report Blaine to the police?" 

"I- wasn't planning on reporting it or pressing charges." He tells him, pulling the corner of his lip between his teeth and causing the split there to reopen. "I honestly kind of just want to forget it ever happened." 

"Kurt, you have to tell someone!" Finn yells, admittedly a little too loud in the otherwise silent vehicle but he could not believe what he was hearing. "You can't just let him get away with what he did!" 

"I can't tell anyone, Finn. It's my word against his... It's not like he actually succeeded and I have a positive rape kit. I have a couple scrapes and bruises that any lawyer could talk a jury into believe came from anything else." 

This time Finn couldn't help but flinch when Kurt says the word. Rape. His brother's own boyfriend tried to force him to have sex last night. "You know, Rachel tried to talk me into having sex with her last night too, but she listened when I told her no..." Finn tells him without much thought, thinking back on his night before the call from Sebastian had come in. 

"Lucky you." Kurt mumbles, shifting his eyes to look up at the roof of the truck before quickly returning them to Finn. "Wait, hold on, Rachel tried to get you to have sex? Miss 'I'm not going to lose my virginity until I'm at twenty-five, have won a tony and have an established Broadway career' tried to get you to have sex with her last night?" 

"Yeah..." Finn confirms hesitantly before he shot up straight in his seat, turning toward Kurt and making eye contact. "When I asked her why suddenly wanted to she- she'd said she had to get it done before opening night so she could act better... do you think Blaine had the same thought?" 

Finn could see Kurt's eyes grow misty before he squeezed them shut. "I don't think it's a coincidence that both our partners are the leading roles in the musical and both tried to lose their virginity right before opening night- if that's what you're asking me." 

"Dude, I know you don't want your dad to find out, but I really think you need to tell someone." 

"I- I think you might be right." Kurt groans, rubbing the wetness from his eyes before moving to open the truck door once more. "C'mon, we'll go talk to Miss Pillsbury first. We can at least tell her what Rachel had said and that we are worried considering both of them tried something last night, maybe we can leave out the part where my boyfriend... or ex-boyfriend now.. didn't exactly respect my boundaries or seem to take no for an answer." 

Kurt spent the rest of the school day talking to several staff. They started with Miss Pillsbury, like he had suggested, but she had apparently already received a call from Burt letting her know that he may be in pretty rough shape after having spent the night in the emergency room- a fact she failed to mention until after the boys told her about their concerns.

Kurt couldn't lie to her kind smile and ended up telling her an amended version of the truth. Instead of telling her that Sebastian had gotten them the fake IDs, he'd just told her they got them from a Dalton student he didn't know the name of and happened to just run into Sebastian when they got there. He really didn't want to get the other boy in trouble after he had spent all night helping him. 

From there they were directed to Figgin's office where Mr. Shue, Coach Beiste and Coach Sylvester were waiting for them. Luckily, Miss Pillsbury took pity on Kurt and filled them in rather than making Kurt tell the story again. It was at that point that Kurt and Finn had gotten a possible answer to their question when Beiste admitted to having heard the start of a conversation that may have steamrolled this whole mess, saying that the student director had indirectly asked the lead co-stars if they'd had sex but she'd left the auditorium when it started and didn't hear how it had ended. 

When it was time to call in the other three students involved- Rachel, Blaine and Artie- in, Miss Pillsbury returned to her own office with the brothers to help them write up a statement for the police that (in addition to the reports from the hospital) would be enough for Kurt to not have to directly speak with any officers for the moment then proceeded to sit with Kurt while he explained everything to his father after he arrived to the school. 

Burt had initially been both angry and disappointed in Kurt for lying to him but eventually calmed down so they could have a rational discussion rather than a screaming match. Kurt told his dad that he'd only agreed to even go to the bar because it was somewhere he could fully be himself without having to worry about being attacked for it- or so he had thought anyways- and Burt could understand that.. wanting somewhere to just be free. He'd also accepted the fact that Kurt had lied about it all because he was already upset with himself for not being strong enough to fight Blaine off, not to mention that any time something seemingly got too gay Burt always got uncomfortable and Kurt had been feeling uncomfortable enough for the both of them. 

By the end of last period the musical had been called off; Rachel and Archie had both suspended for a week for their part in the whole situation; Blaine had been taken into police custody pending further investigation of Kurt's allegations and Kurt had been released to go home with his family. 

"Why don't you give me directions to this bar so we can grab your car, Kurt? We probably don't want to leave it sitting there unaccompanied too long." Burt asked him as they made their way from the front office to the front door of the school where Burt had parked. 

"Oh, um, Sebastian should actually be getting here any minute now. I asked him earlier if he could take me to go get it after school let out..." Kurt explained, looking up at his dad hopeful that he'd let him go himself. 

"I don't know how I feel about you going back out there alone, Kurt. Not after the day you've had." 

"Please, dad? Sebastian stayed in Lima today just so he could be here." Kurt tells him. "Well, actually he mostly stayed in Lima so he wouldn't be driving back to Westerville half dead earlier but he would have probably already been halfway back to campus by now if I hadn't asked him." He added on, knowing his dad would likely respect the surprisingly responsible decision the other teen had made about not putting himself or anyone else on the road in danger by driving half asleep. 

Burt sighed, pulling his hat up and running his hand over his thinning hair, as he looked over at Finn to get his opinion on this. After all, Finn had actually met Sebastian while Burt had yet to. "I don't see any problems with Kurt going with Sebastian. Sebastian has already shown he wants to keep Kurt safe, if he didn't he wouldn't have called the ambulance last night or stayed with him at the hospital." Finn answered easily.

"Alright, fine. But I want you to go get your Nav and come straight home, okay? I don't want you going inside that place again." Burt reluctantly agreed. 

"Trust me, dad, I have no intention to ever be there longer than I absolutely have to." Kurt nodded, it was true. He was going to get his car then he was never going back to Scandals again, Blaine had ruined that bar for him. 

"Okay." Burt smiled softly at his son, pulling him into a quick yet gentle hug before letting him go. "Drive safe. I'll see you back at the house in a bit." 

"I will." Kurt smiled back before splitting off from his dad and brother to head out to the visitors parking lot where he was pretty sure he would find Sebastian. 

Chapter Text

"You look like shit." Sebastian says in way of greeting when Kurt pulls open the passenger side door of his Mustang about fifteen minutes before the last bell was set to go off.

"Gee, thanks." Kurt deadpans as he gets into the car and shuts the door, clipping his seatbelt into place then finally turning to look at the taller boy. "Oh, you may want to let the Warblers know the musical isn't happening. I would have but I've been a bit busy, hopefully they haven't left Dalton yet." 

"Wait, they called off the play? Why?" He asks a little confused. Kurt only came to school today so he could perform tonight, why would he stay if he knew the show wouldn't even be happening? 

"It's a long story." Kurt sighs, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. "But let's just say it's hard to have a play when two of the students involved are suspended and a third left in a police cruiser roughly thirty minutes ago." 

"Yeah, I could see how that could be a bit difficult." Sebastian nods, putting the vehicle in reverse and backs about halfway parking spot before almost slamming on the brakes as the end of Kurt's sentence finally registers. "Wait, who got arrested?"

"Blaine." Kurt tells him, offering no further explanation as he turns his head to look out the passenger window. "Can we just go get my car? My dad is waiting for me at home."

Sebastian stares at him with a look of shook. Honestly, between Kurt not wanting his dad to know and his lack of request to speak with police while at the hospital he kind of assumed the other teen wasn't going to report what happened. "Um, yeah, sure." He nodded, reaching for his phone in the cup holder to update his friends. "I'm just gonna text Nick real quick then we can go." 

From Sebastian:
Have you guys left yet?

From Nick:
We left campus about 20mins ago but stopped for food so we are still in Westerville
Why?

From Sebastian:
Play's canceled. Just head back to Dalton when y'all finish eating.

From Nick:
Canceled? Why?

From Sebastian:
I'll explain later.

From Nick:
Oookay, are you on your way back yet?

From Sebastian:
I'm still in Lima, I gotta finish something up then I'll be on the road.

From Nick:
Drive safe

From Sebastian:
Yeah, whatever.
I will.

~~~~~

With how impatient the other boy had seemed to get back to his own car Sebastian had figured he would have bolted the second he parked next to the Navigator in the otherwise empty parking lot, but they arrived roughly ten minutes ago and Kurt hasn't moved so much as a finger to actually get out. 

"Have you ever just wanted to disappear?" Kurt asks him, just loud enough to be heard over the soft music coming from the radio, while he sat almost frozen with his eyes glued to the bloody gravel next to the driver's side door from where he'd fallen over the night before. 

Memories flash before his eyes and it crossed Sebastian's mind for all of two seconds that he could act as if he hadn't heard the question but something told him that maybe it was okay to share this with Kurt. Kurt had shown so much vulnerability in the last twenty-four hours, maybe it was only fair that Sebastian show him a bit of his own. "The day I came out to my parents was the day they shipped me off to my maternal grandparents' estate in Paris." He answers quietly, unable to hide the faint crack in his voice or the tremble of his bottom lip, as he stares out the windshield at the stone building in front of them. "I was thirteen years old, stranded in a country where I knew no one and I couldn't speak the language." 

"But I thought you were fluent in French...?"

"Now, yeah. I wasn't back then." He shrugs, turning his head towards Kurt who was finally looking away from the carnage outside and back at him. "They had to send me to a special school, one where all the teachers were bilingual. That's where I met Sammie, we were two of the five students in the English speaking class and quickly became inseparable even though she was a couple years older than me. After my parents reaction I had never really planned to tell anyone else I was gay, too afraid of further rejection and abandonment... one day near the end of that first school year, we were hanging out at her house when she tried to kiss me. I pushed her away and told her I didn't like her like that but she started breaking down, saying shit like she was ugly and unloveable. It broke my fucking heart, she was my best friend and I had caused that, so I told her the truth. Explained to her that I couldn't like her the way she apparently wanted me to... I have never seen someone go from seemingly heartbroken to absolutely disgusted so fast in my entire life. I ran home in tears and by the start of class the next morning, everyone seemed to know and everyone seemed to agree with her that I was- was diseased or something. I became the school pariah. No one would talk to me, I was getting jumped in the halls on a near daily basis and the teachers would just sit back and watch it happen. Eventually it became too much for me to handle and I begged my grandparents to send me back to America but they refused, so I started acting out. I was skipping school, breaking into my grandfather's liquor cabinet when they weren't home, I picked up smoking both tobacco and marijuana- a habit I actually still sometimes fall back on when I get overly upset or stress, I would go to bars and clubs mostly to dance but would end up making out with stranger and that slowly progressed into random hookups- I lost my virginity in a club bathroom at fourteen to some guy in his thirties. I'd been hoping that by doing these things they'd get fed up with me and send me away like my parents had but they never did and after a while it all stopped helping me feel better. I hit my lowest right before the next school year was supposed to start, I'd gone numb in a way I never had before and I was just so tired.." 

"What- What did you do?"

"I was going to jump off the Pont des Arts," He says almost inaudibly, a single tear rolling down his cheek. " But a police officer found me standing on the wrong side of the railing looking down on the water below." 

"oh my God." Kurt gasps, raising a hand to cover his mouth. 

"I- I don't really remember how he managed to convince me to climb back over but he did and drove me back to the estate. My grandparents freaked, understandably, and had me committed for a while. I was put on some antidepressants and shoved into therapy. I've since quit therapy but I still take medication, it helps most days." 

"I am so sorry, Sebastian. I had no idea..."

"You're not supposed to. I act cocky and like I don't care about anything to stop people from getting too close so I don't get hurt again, you're actually the only person stateside that even knows any of this. I don't think my parents were ever even told." 

"Are- Are you back to living with them now?" 

"I never see them, but they technically have legal guardianship over me again. My grandparents both passed away last summer and without any other family in France, I had to come back. They had me enrolled in Dalton before my flight even landed and one of my father's assistants played chauffeur getting me from the airport in Columbus to Westerville. The letter I received from them pretty much told me that my tuition for the year was covered but the second I graduate I'm on my own. Luckily I was the sole beneficiary of my grandparents' estate which is how I have any money. I got my car almost as soon as that check came in so I would have a way to get around, not wanting to be stuck on Dalton campus or having to rely on other students to get places, then I put most all the rest in a savings account I plan to use for college next year if I ever figure out what I actually want to do with my life and decide to go."

"Jesus Sebastian, that's awful."

"It is what it is." He shrugs again, having long come to terms that this was his life now. "I hope you know I'll probably kill you, or maybe just myself, if you ever tell anyone any of that." He tells him with his signature cocky smile, though he knew it didn't reach his eyes. He just poured his heart out, trusted Kurt with his darkest secrets. He is hoping Kurt wasn't like everyone else he ever let get too close and wouldn't somehow use this knowledge to hurt him. Deep down he knew Kurt was different but the fear was still there. 

"I won't tell anyone, ever, I promise." Kurt swears, looking so serious Sebastian knew he meant it. 

"Thank you." He tells him as another tear escapes, though he reaches up to wipe this one away before it makes it too far. "Anyways, enough about me. I believe we were here to get your Nav so you could go home. Didn't you say your dad was waiting for you? I don't want him thinking I kidnapped you or something, you should probably get going." 

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" 

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" He half-smirks, still concerned about Kurt's mental state and overall well-being. Wait, when did he actually start caring? He'd been telling himself he had only stuck around both last night and this morning because he felt bad for the guy, his boyfriend... now ex-boyfriend, a voice in his head reminds him... did seriously fuck him up last night but he didn't actually care about Kurt, right? He'd do this for anyone... right? 

He wouldn't, He knew he wouldn't, but admitting that would be admitting something he had spent too long trying to ignore. 

"Shit, yeah. Thank you, for the ride and the conversation." Kurt sighs, running his hands through his hair as his phone dings with a new text message. "That's probably him." He mumbles, pulling it out to check then groans. 

"What? Is he mad?" Sebastian asks, leaning over to see Kurt's screen. 

From Finn:
Hey, don't want to alarm you but news about Blaine and everything is getting out. The glee club made a second chat discussing ways to try to make you feel better and it's starting to look like they may come to the house to check on you.

"Do I have to go home?" Kurt asks almost desperately, clearly wanting to avoid whatever plans his 'friends' were making. 

"I mean, it's Friday. If you could get your dad to agree, you could always come back to Dalton with me for the weekend. Maybe by Monday some of the shock will wear off and after a few days being awol people will understand you just want to be left alone?" He offers in response, unsure how else to help. 

Kurt perks up in his seat, looking from the device in his hand to Sebastian and back. "You up for doing me another favor, Meerkat?" He asks, sounding almost hopeful as he typed out a response to his brother. "It would probably involve meeting my dad..." 

Sebastian smiles at the nickname and shakes his head playfully. "For you, Princess? Sure. He can't possibly be any worse than my dad." 

"Okay, um, follow me to my house. I'll call my dad on the way and talk him into letting me go. I mean, he knows these kids. He'll understand me wanting to get away. I'll just need to pack a bag and then we can go." He tells him as he finally opens the passenger door and hops out of the Mustang. Sebastian watches as he lifts his phone to his ear with one hand and digs through his bag, likely looking for the keys to his car, with the other. 

Chapter Text

Burt is standing on the front porch when Kurt pulls into the driveway. The smile that takes form across his features when he sees his son returning home safely falls to one of near horror when he catches sight of the dried blood on the side of the vehicle. He knew Kurt had been hurt the night before, he knew it had been bad enough to land him a few hours in a hospital bed, but to see physical proof of his boy’s injuries plan as day made the knot in his chest tighten once more. He makes a mental note to offer to take the Navigator into the shop with him tomorrow for a much needed detailing. 

If it hadn’t been for his love of cars, especially sports cars, he probably would have been too lost in his thoughts to notice the deep blue Mustang that had been following closely behind Kurt come to a stop against the curb or the teen who hopped out of it and sprinted over to open Kurt’s door for him. 

“You must be Sebastian.” Burt says as the two make their way down the walkway to him. 

“Yes, sir.” Sebastian nods, reaching out a hand. “Sebastian Smythe. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hummel.” 

Burt considers the hand for a moment before choosing to instead pull Sebastian into a tight hug instead. “Thank you.” He whispered softly. “Thank you for being there for my boy when I couldn’t be. For making sure he was safe and got the care he needed.” 

Sebastian’s whole body tensed then relaxed and Burt felt the boy’s arms wrap tentatively around him in return. “Of course. I-I couldn’t just leave him there, not in the shape he was in.”  

“So, dad, has Finn told you the calvary is already plotting an ambush yet?” Kurt asks from where he stood a little behind Sebastian, watching the encounter with a hint of surprise. Burt wasn’t usually a hugger, but it felt right at the moment. He was more grateful for this boy than words could ever express.  

Burt nods as he releases Sebastian and moves to push the door open so they could all enter the house. “He did, but it appears some of them are beyond plotting. I’ve already had to shoo Rachel off.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Kurt groans, pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. 

“That’s actually part of the reason I’m here, Mr. Hum-”

“Please, kid, call me Burt.” 

“Burt.” Sebastian repeats, rolling the name over his tongue as if to familiarize himself with it, before continuing. “We were wondering if it would be okay for Kurt to come stay with me for a couple days. He’s not ready to have to face them and, well, those kids don’t really seem to know how to take a hint.” 

“Stay with you? At your house?” He asks, looking between the two suspiciously. 

“Uh, no sir, at Dalton. I board there so he would just be at the dorms with me and a few of the other boys who didn’t leave for the weekend.” 

“Do you not go home on the weekends?” 

“I sort of live there, full time.” Sebastian tells him, shrugging one shoulder like that doesn’t raise more questions than it answers. 

“What about your parents? Don’t they want to see you sometimes?” 

“I… don’t exactly have a relationship with my parents, haven’t seen or even talked to them in a few years.” 

That triggers alarm bells for Burt. “Wh-”

“His parents kind of kicked him out when he told them he was gay, dad.” Kurt explains. “They initially sent him to live with his grandparents but after they passed and he had to come back they dumped him at Dalton without so much as meeting him at the airport themselves.” 

“That’s- that’s unacceptable.” 

“It is what it is, sir.” Sebastian shrugs once more, as if he wasn’t breaking Burt’s heart. No child deserves to be abandoned for their sexuality. 

“Well, you are always welcome here if you ever need to get away.” Burt tells him matter-of-factly. “After all you have done for Kurt, it’s the least I can do for you.” 

“Thank you, Burt. That means a lot.” Sebastian smiles bashfully before gently shaking his head. “But Dalton’s not so bad. I have a few friends there. Friends who would love to see Kurt, actually.” He tells him, circling back to their request. 

Burt chuckles, remembering a few of the boys he met in the short time Kurt had attended the prodigious private school. “I’m sure they would.” 

“Can I go, dad? Please?” 

“I don’t know, Kurt. You just got out of the hospital…” 

“Dalton’s safe, you know it is. This wouldn’t even be the first time I've gone there seeking refuge. You know where it is and I’ll call you if anything comes up, I promise.” 

Refuge echoes in Burt’s mind. His son once again felt the need to run away, to hide himself behind the large metal barrier that protected the one of the oldest buildings still standing in their state. Pulling his hat off his head and running a hand over his balding head, Burt sighs then nods his head. “Alright, fine. You can go, but just for the weekend. And I want you to leave the Navigator here, I’m gonna take it to get cleaned up before you go back to school Monday. If you ride up with Sebastian, will I need to pick you up Sunday night?” 

“Oh, no sir, I can bring him back on Sunday. I have a standing date at Lima Bean on Sunday afternoons with my textbooks. I like to read ahead and that coffee shop is the best place I’ve found to do it.” Sebastian tells him with a soft laugh. 

“Okay, that’ll work. Why don’t we order some pizza then you can go pack your bag while we wait. It’s getting late and I want to make sure you guys eat before you hit the road.” 

With that, the trio makes their way into the kitchen where the family keeps the take-out menus piled in a junk drop by the landline and after making a quick decision to order three pies- a veggie pizza for Kurt and two meat lovers for Burt, Sebastian and Finn whenever he returns from wherever he was at the moment- Kurt makes his escape up to his road. 

“You know what your parents did was wrong.” Burt says when he is sure Kurt is out of earshot. “And I mean it, you are always welcome here. We have a habit of taking in strays, this can be your home too if you ever need it.” 

Sebastian drops his gaze to his feet but nods his head to show he understood before looking up at him again. “I- I think I’m gonna step outside real quick and let my roommate know what’s going on. I told him I would be headed back shortly and that was before we even left McKinley this afternoon. I don’t want him to worry.” 

“You do that.” Burt smiles, recognizing that the kid was trying to find a way out of a conversation he found awkward and uncomfortable. He probably wasn’t used to adults caring, but as long as Sebastian was Kurt’s friend Burt was going to care and he will do everything in his power to show Sebastian he was in his corner.

Chapter Text

Kurt had made quick work of packing a small duffle bag, not wanting to leave Sebastian alone with his dad any longer than he had to, and after sharing dinner with the older man the two climb back into Sebastian’s Mustang.

Most of the ride was spent in a comfortable silence but the closer they got to Dalton, the more nervous Kurt began to feel. 

"The Warblers are going to have so many questions..." He says, only speaking up once they make the turn into the long driveway that would lead them to their destination. "I haven't talked to most of them since I returned to McKinley and they were all so close to Blaine..." 

"I don't think you realize how much they miss you,  I probably hear your name more on a near daily basis than I ever actually hear his." Sebastian tells him as he comes to a stop at the guard shake in front of the large metal gate, pulling out his wallet to retrieve his student ID to show he was meant to be here. Kurt had always appreciated the safety measures the school had in place to protect their students, both from the outside world and each other. Their anti-bullying policy had been a life saver for him last year. "And while they may be a nosy bunch I'm sure if we just explain the situation, let them know you are here to get away from it all, they will respect that. Once a Warbler, always a Warble, you know."

"Blaine was their lead, what if they side with him..?" 

" Kurt , this isn't exactly a situation where people just pick sides. If any of them don't realize how fucked up what he did to you was, they won't be a Warbler anymore. As is, I'm planning to petition to have that gel-helmeted hobbit's former Warbler status removed."

It wasn’t lost on Kurt that this was the first time Sebastian had called him by his first name indeed than his last, it made the corner of his mouth tilt into a small smile. The more time Kurt spent with the boy, the more he realized his first impression of him was so so wrong. He wasn't just some sex-obsessed bully, but rather a kind and caring individual who was just doing what he could to cope with the hand he'd been dealt. "Thank you, Sebastian. That- that really means a lot to me." 

"Don't mention it." Sebastian shrugs as he proceeds into the student lot and parks the car in his designated spot, grabbing Kurt's bag from the backseat to carry himself rather than to hand it off. "Like really, don't mention it. If for some reason someone has a problem with it, I don't want them contesting the petition with the headmaster until after he's signed off on it. That way they'd have to go through a whole appeal process rather than just scrap the request. I may be the captain but I can still be vetoed." 

~~~~~

"Sebastian, there you are! What th- Kurt? What are you doing here?" Jeff starts the moment the pair walk through the door to the dorm's common area.

"Oh, uh-" Kurt stammers, shifting his weight from one leg to the other and dropping his gaze to the ground between his feet. 

“He’s with me.” Sebastian answers for him, wrapping an arm around Kurt’s shoulders and leading him over to take a seat on one of the couches further in the room. “Shit hit the fan in Lima and he needed somewhere to go until some of it blows over, so he's crashing here for the weekend. Is that a problem?" 

"No, of course not. I just wasn't expecting to see him..." Jeff responds quickly, watching them quizzically as Sebastian uses the arm he leaves around the smaller boy to pull him protectively against his side as they get settled.   

"Hey Kurt, why was the musical canceled? I tried texting Blaine, but he hasn't been answering.." Trent asks from his seat on the sofa across from them. 

Unsure what news has already made its way this far from home, and not really wanting to be the one to tell them if none of it has, Kurt doesn't say anything. After the quiet extends a moment too long, Sebastian answers for him again. "Trent, he's here to get away from the drama, drop it." 

"But-"

"Hey Kurtie," Jeff says, cutting Trent off, as he moves to drop onto the cushion next to him. "Have you seen this week's episode of America's Next Top Model yet?" 

"The one from last night? No, I was.. uh.. busy. I haven't had a chance.." 

"Me either! We can watch it now if you want." Jeff smiles, reaching for the remote on the coffee table and finding the recording on the DVR that the school provided for the students. 

About halfway through the show Sebastian feels Kurt's head fall softly onto his chest. Looking down with the intention to check in with him, he finds the other boy had fallen asleep. He couldn't stop the small smile from tilting the corner of his lips even if he wanted to, Kurt had to be exhausted and he was happy he was finally getting the rest he needed. 

Nick joins them a few minutes later, taking a seat between Kurt and his boyfriend, not even surprised to see Kurt there. While Sebastian hadn't told his roommate much, he had mentioned that Kurt would be accompanying him upon his return when he called from the Hummel home. 

"Is he asleep?" Nick asks quietly.  

"Yeah, for the first time since I'm not even sure when yesterday morning, so I'd like to keep it that way." 

"Is he why you spent the day in Lima?" 

"Wait, did you have a sleepover with Kurt last night? Is that why you didn't come back last night?" 

"I'm not sure Blaine would be too happy to know you're cuddled up with his boyfriend right now.." 

Sebastian ignores the rapid fire questions and turns his attention to Trent, his arm tightening around Kurt's sleeping form reflexively. "Considering he's not Blaine's boyfriend anymore, I don't think his opinion on me cuddling up with Kurt really matters." 

"Wait, no, Klaine break-up?!" Jeff asks, his voice taking a higher pitch than normal but thankfully still quiet enough not to wake Kurt. 

Looking from Trent to Jeff, Sebastian nods his head. "Yeah, Kurt dumped the hobbit this morning."

"Sebastian, man, what happened last night? You just keep telling me you'll explain later, it's later." 

Shifting his gaze now to Nick, Sebastian sighs. "You know how I was meeting them at Scandals last night?" 

Nick nods in response, Sebastian always let him know when he was headed out to the bar- on the off chance something happened and he never comes back, he wanted someone to have some idea of where he had been. 

"Well, Blaine had a bit to drink while we were there and when the two of them went to leave, he- uh- he tried forcing Kurt to have sex with him in the back of his car..." 

"What?! Blaine would never do something like that!"

Sebastian slowly turned his head to look back at Trent, a cold glare taking over his facial features. "I was there, Trent. I may have not seen it happen, but I'm the one who found Kurt in the parking lot, the one who spent the night at the hospital with him while he had the injuries of fighting Blaine off treated." 

"The hospital..? Is he okay?" Nick asked, his anger barely veiled behind concern. Sebastian knew Nick never really liked Blaine, that he didn't support the relationship between Kurt and Blaine as much as the rest of the Dalton boys seemed to. 

"He tried to refuse medical attention but after he lost consciousness, I had no option than to call an ambulance." Sebastian tells them. "He has some bruising on his wrists and hips from Blaine holding onto him too tightly, there's a nasty looking bite mark on his collarbone and he's pretty sure the split lip is from the guy's teeth too, the worst of his injuries is the gash on the back of his head that caused the concussion that eventually knocked him out." 

"What the fuck..." Jeff whispers, his eyes horrified as he raised a hand to cover his open mouth. 

"Oh, he's dead!" Nick snaps, shooting to his feet with his fists balled at his sides. "If you or Burt haven't killed him yet, I'll do it myself." 

"Good luck getting to him," Kurt mumbles as he sleepily rubs his face against the soft fabric under him, he'd been woken up by Nick's sudden outburst and probably pieced together what they had been talking about at the mention of his father. "He was escorted off school grounds and taken into police custody before Sebastian picked me up at McKinley this afternoon." 

Sebastian loosens his hold around Kurt, in case the boy wants to sit up, but when he doesn't move away immediately he gently squeezes the hand still sitting on his upper arm. "Hey, sorry we woke you, you can go back to sleep if you want." 

Kurt looks up at him without lifting his head off his chest, his chin digging into his sternum, and smiles sadly. "Can we actually go up to your room? I kind of just want to be alone..." 

Kurt had whispered, almost like he didn't want the others to hear his question. Sebastian looks down at him and answers just as quietly. "Of course, just give me another second." 

He then looks back up at the others in the room, his eyes landing on Jeff. "Thad went home for the weekend, right?" He asks and after receiving a confused nod his gaze moves to Nick. "You mind crashing in Jeff's room so Kurt can sleep in ours?" 

"Yeah, that's fine. I was probably gonna sleep with Jeffie tonight anyways." Nick tells him, looking suspiciously between him and Kurt. Sebastian couldn't blame him, none of them had ever seen him act so kindly to another human being. Sure, he was civil with his roommate, but never overly nice. Never as soft as he was being with the boy propped against his chest. 

"Thanks. Come on, Kurt, let's get you to bed." 

Chapter Text

Having been in Nick's dorm room before, during his short time at Dalton the previous school year, Kurt makes a b-line for what he knew would be Sebastian's side the moment the door is unlocked and opened for him. "Thank you for dealing with them." He sighs as he takes a seat on the edge of the bed there, untying his shoes and kicking them off. 

"It was no problem, really." Sebastian tells him, following Kurt's lead and toeing off his own shoes by the door, setting Kurt's bag down carefully on his desk, then moving to sit beside him. "I'd rather tell them than have you recite it for what would have probably been the dozenth time at this point." 

Kurt smiles softly at his hands which had settled into his lap, his chest warming at the sheer amount of care Sebastian was showing him- had been showing him since he first found him in that parking lot the night before. If he keeps this up, Kurt's bound to develop a crush on him.

Kurt's smile draws Sebastian's eyes down to his lips and he has to shake his head to clear the thought of leaning over and placing a soft kiss there. What the fuck? Since when did he want to kiss him? It has to be a residual effect from having him cuddled up to him, it wasn't often he was that close to another body and not kissing it in...

Coughing awkwardly into his fist, Sebastian falls back to lay horizontally on the bed and keeps his gaze glued to the roof above them. Kurt quickly follows him down, turning onto his side and looking up at his profile in the dark. The only light in the room coming from the moon through the open curtains over the window.

"You know, if you'd told me yesterday I would be in your room right now I would have asked you how much you'd had to drink." 

"Oh, same, for sure." Sebastian chuckles, tilting his head to look down at Kurt and feeling his breath catch as the thoughts in his head seem to get louder. "Then again, if you'd told me yesterday that I'd be fighting the urge to kiss you right now I'd have asked just how hard you'd hit your head."

"Yo-you want to kiss me?" Kurt asks disbelievingly, a soft blush surfacing across his cheekbones. He was thankful neither thought to flip the light switch when they'd walked in, he didn't need Sebastian teasing him for how easy it was to fluster him. 

"I do." Sebastian admits, turning his head away again and closing his eyes. "I really do, but I won't." 

"Why not?" Kurt asks almost hurt. While the thought hadn't crossed his mind until Sebastian mentioned it, he wanted that more than anything now. 

"I can't." Sebastian groans, running a hand through his hair to keep himself from touching him. "Not after what he did to you last night. I won't take that choice away from you, not like he did." 

"Oh..."

"Yeah..." 

"And if- if I make the choice to kiss you?" 

"Don't make this harder for me, Princess. I'm really trying to do the right thing here." 

Kurt swallows around the lump that's formed in his throat and pushes himself up slightly. He watches Sebastian for a moment, taking in his sharp features in the scarce moonlight, then slowly straddling his waist and bracing his hands on the bed next to the Warbler's head. "Please, Sebastian, help me forget what he did?" He begs quietly, leaning down to hover mere inches from his face. 

Sebastian opens his eyes once more to look between Kurt's, his own hands moving to hold onto Kurt's sides to keep him steady. "Are you sure?" 

Sebastian feels Kurt's affirmation against his lips more than he hears it as Kurt closes the gap between them, he hums in response as he kisses him back. 

They share a few chaste kisses before Sebastian licks his lower lip causing Kurt to gasp and buck his hips reflexively. 

Sebastian moans into his mouth, slipping his tongue past Kurt's lips to explore while he wraps his arms around Kurt's back and he rocks his rapidly hardening cock up against Kurt's ass. 

"Fuck- we should to stop." Sebastian pants when he pulls away to catch his breath. If they didn't stop soon, Sebastian didn't think he could be held responsible for what he would do or say...

Kurt knew they should stop before this got any further out of hand but he really didn't want to, so instead he brushes his lips along Sebastian's jawline and starts to grinds his hips down in a steady rhythm. "You feel so fucking good." He tells him breathlessly, the bulge in his sinfully tight jeans rubbing against Sebastian's stomach just right and ripping a loud moan from deep in his chest. 

"God, you sound so good moaning for me.." Sebastian groans, tipping his head to the side to give Kurt better access to his neck as he moves to press open-mouthed kisses there, all ideas of ending this floating from his mind. 

Soon Kurt's rhythm falters, his forehead falling against Sebastian's shoulder with a gasp. His whole body trembles as heat coils in his gut and he can do nothing to delay his climax from hitting him like a freight train. 

"That's it, baby." Sebastian soothes him, slowing his own rocking hips to a stop and running his hands up and down Kurt's back. "I've got you." 

~~~~~

After Kurt's afterglow wears off Sebastian sneaks off to the en-suite bathroom to finally take care of hard-on and change into sleep clothes. As he steps back into the room he sees Kurt had already switched into a pair black sweats and grey t-shift with a faded logo for the McKinley Titans. 

The two of them lay back down together with Kurt curled tightly against Sebastian's side, their legs tangling and Kurt's head resting on Sebastian's collarbone. 

"What are you thinking about?" Sebastian asks when Kurt hasn't said anything at all in nearly half an hour. Sebastian only knew he was still awake because Kurt has been drawing random patterns on his chest with his finger since it landed there when they first laid down. 

"Surprisingly, I'm not." Kurt laughs, tilting his chin to look up at him. "I'm pretty sure you melted my brain." 

"That was all you, Princess." Sebastian laughs too, pressing a soft kiss to Kurt's forehead without much thought.

Kurt blushes and shifts back down. "I-I've never done anything like that before..." 

"Funnily enough, me either. I guess when you have your sexual awaking in random clubs you kinda skip over the dry humping phase."

Kurt just laughs again, rubbing his nose back and forth against Sebastian's shoulder.

"Was that okay?" Sebastian asks him once he's gone quiet again, concern evident in his tone. 

"It was perfect, 'Bastian." Kurt tells him, trying to hide a yawn.

Sebastian shakes his head lightly, pressing one last kiss to the top of his head, then reaches over to his bedside table to turn off the lamp Kurt had used to clean up. "Get some rest, baby. I'm sure our conversation with the guys will have made its way around campus by morning so tomorrow is going to be a long day." 

"Mkay." Kurt hums, his eyes falling shut as he drifts off into what they both hope will be a peaceful sleep. 

Chapter Text

Kurt has always been plagued by nightmares, between the memories of losing his mom at such a young age and the near constant bullying in school he hardly ever gets a peaceful night's rest. David Karofsky has been at the forefront of most of his nightmares for the last year but when he wakes with a start he comes to the conclusion his subconscious has found a new focus. Blaine Anderson.

With tears already streaming down his cheeks he wrestles his way out of bed and stumbles through the dark dorm room to bathroom, barely managing to flip on the lights and drop to his knees in front of the toilet before he's losing the contents of his stomach. "Fuck," He sobs, his whole body trembling as he hears someone else enter the small space and settle on the floor beside him. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." 

"Shut up, Princess." Sebastian murmurs, running a soothing hand along his back. "Are you alright?" 

"Nightmare..." He whimpers, his voice breaking on the single word as he lets his forehead fall against the cool porcelain. 

Sebastian nods his head as he reach around Kurt to flush away the sick. "Do you want to talk about it?" 

He shakes his head roughly, not caring that the edge of the bowl knocks against his temples as he does. 

"Hey, hey, it's okay." Sebastian tells him, gently pulling him away from the toilet and into his arms. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to but don't hurt yourself, baby." 

Kurt buries his face in Sebastian's chest and balls his fists into the fabric of his shirt as another sob breaks free. "Everything hurts." 

"I know it does, baby." Sebastian whispers, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "But it's gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay." 

Sebastian spends several minutes just holding him as Kurt slowly calms himself down. Once he's sure he's out of tears for now, he moves to sit up and wipe at his face. "Can you grab my bag? I have a tooth brush in there and I seriously need to brush my teeth." 

Sebastian nods again, getting to his feet to retrieve it for him. "Why don't you go ahead and take a warm shower too? I know that always helps me feel better after a nightmare." 

"If you don't mind, that actually sounds amazing right now." 

"I wouldn't have offered if I minded, Kurt." Sebastian tells him, leaning down to grab a fresh towel from the cabinet under the sink and setting it on the counter. "If you didn't bring your own shampoo and stuff just use what's in there, neither me nor Nick will care." 

If Kurt's nightmares are anything like his there is very little chance he will want to go back to sleep so even though the sun is only beginning to rise as he steps back into his room Sebastian takes the time Kurt uses to shower to go through his usual Saturday morning routine- He makes his bed and swallows down his medication, gets dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a well-worn maroon hoodie, puts on his sneakers. 

He is rummaging through his desk for his pack of cigarettes when Kurt emerges from the en-suite, now wearing black skinny jeans and Sebastian's borrowed jacket over what looks to be a simple black button-up. "Give me two seconds to run a comb through my hair and brush my teeth then we can head on out." He tells him as he slips the rectangular cardboard box he locates into his pocket and moves around Kurt into the bathroom. 

"Where are we going?" Kurt asks, taking a seat on the edge of the bed and pulling on his boots. 

"I don't know about you, but I could use some coffee." 

"I can always use some coffee."

~~~~~

"What are we, 'Bas?" Kurt asks when Sebastian intertwines their fingers to lead him through the dining hall to the short line in front of Dalton's on-campus cafe. 

"What do you mean?" Sebastian responds obtusely, looking anywhere but at Kurt to hide the faint blush dusting his cheekbones. Why is he blushing? He doesn't blush..

"You call me baby and apparently hold my hand now..? Sebastian, that's not really something friends do.." Kurt says, lifting their joined hands as if Sebastian wasn't keenly aware of what he was doing.

"I have it on very good authority that that is indeed something you and your friends do." Sebastian smirks, thinking of one particular New Direction member he has seen Kurt walk hand and hand with- the Aretha Franklin wannabe that Sebastian hasn't bothered to remember the name of.  

"Okay, yes, but um... We kissed, or made out really, and we uh-" Kurt stammers obviously flustered, his face slowly turning a deep red that makes Sebastian forget his own embarrassment. 

"I guess that depends, Kurt, on what you want us to be." Sebastian tells him, shrugging his free arm as he steps up to the counter and orders for them.

"You really have no opinion on the status of our relationship?" Kurt questions after Sebastian hands the barista his card, a bit stunned by both Sebastian's non-answer and the fact that the Warbler seems to know his coffee order. How does he know his coffee order?

"Well, I'm the one who does have a tendency to make out and even sleep with my 'friends'- though admittedly I'm usually drunk when it happens- so if you're looking for a label you'll have to be the one to decide on that." Sebastian shrugs again, directing Kurt off to the side towards the pickup counter. 

"Oh.. If- if I did want a relationship would you stop doing that with other people?" 

"I can be monogamous, you know." Sebastian laughs softly, finally looking down at their hands and feels his cheeks heat up once more. "I've just never had a reason to be."

"Never?! You've never been in a relationship?" 

"I spent years after realizing my sexuality hiding it in fear of abandonment or assault then shifted to coping with depression by being hyper-sexual in the club scene. You can't be that surprised that I never really found someone to settle down with or whatever."

"I have a non-fat mocha for Kurt and an espresso with milk for Sebastian?" The barista calls out, even though she was the one who took their order and definitely saw the two standing right there. Sebastian shakes his head, exasperated by her antics, and hands Kurt his drink before grabbing his own.

"Let's take these out to the courtyard and prolong the little bit of peace we may have left before the rest of the guys get up and try to steal you from me." 

~~~~~

The two find a secluded picnic table partially hidden from view of the dining hall windows by a large oak tree. With many of the students who lived local having gone home for the weekend and most of those who stayed on the grounds likely still sleeping, the courtyard was otherwise empty. 

Kurt pays no mind to the sound of flint sparking beside him but turns to look at his companion when the resulting smell of burnt tobacco wafts his way in the gentle breeze. 

"How do you get away with smoking on school grounds?" He can't help but ask, almost entranced by the sight of Sebastian taking a long drag of the cancer-stick held between two fingers of the hand not still holding Kurt's. 

"The headmaster is aware of my smoking habit." Sebastian tells him, like it wouldn't just raise more questions. When Kurt just stares, Sebastian shrugs his shoulder and tries his best to explain further. "Up until the end of last year the legal smoking age in Paris was sixteen, when I enrolled here I told him that I was trying to quit but that it would probably take me some time."

"Are you? Trying to quit I mean.."

"I've definitely cut back but until I find a suitable alternative I don't think I'll stop completely." Sebastian watches him closely as Kurt tears his gaze from his lips to the pack he'd left sitting on the splintering wood surface. "Do you want one?" 

"I-I've never tried it before, I wouldn't even really know how..."

Sebastian takes another hit before passing the half smoked cigarette to Kurt. "Here, just place it between your lips and suck lightly. You don't want to pull in too much or you'll choke." 

Kurt does as he's told, holding the small cloud of smoke he pulled for a second as he waited for further instructions. 

"Now without blowing it out, move the cigarette and take a normal breath in- that'll move the smoke to your lungs- then just exhale." Sebastian continues to watch, looking for any sign he's going to start coughing but when Kurt manages to blow it out without issue he can't help but smile. "You're a natural." 

"Ahh, creating another delinquent are you?" Nick laughs, he and Jeff sliding onto the bench across from them. 

Kurt laughs nervously in response, taking another small drag then passes it back to Sebastian. He had to admit, even if only to himself, the rush he felt helped quill his anxiety. 

"Mind if I snag one?" Jeff asks, reaching for the box as Sebastian nods his head.

"I'll text Chris and see if he can bring you another pack sometime tonight or tomorrow, you're going to need it." Nick tells Sebastian ominously before turning his attention to Kurt. "I know you were probably trying to keep why you're here on the down-low, just like how you tried to keep the reason you transferred last year a secret, but Trent doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut and has been blowing up the Warbler group chat since he woke up about thirty minutes ago."

Sebastian curses under his breath, dropping the remains of his cigarette to the ground and crushing it with his shoe before digging his phone out of his pocket to check the notifications. "While I was expecting news to get around, I was hoping he'd at least have the decency to give Kurt time before siccing the hounds on him."

"Technically we're birds." Jeff smirks around a wisp of smoke, leaning his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. 

"Shut up, Jeff." Sebastian groans, reading through the text chain. 

From Trent:
Did you guys hear Klaine broke up? 

From David: 
No? But I don't really talk to Kurt or Blaine much anymore so...

From Thad:
Blaine's single again? Maybe I should message him..

From Trent: 
Don't bother, he won't answer. I sent him half a dozen messages yesterday and got no response. 

From Thad:
Then how did you hear? Cause I know it wouldn't have been from Kurt, he only texts Niff. 

From Trent: 
Sebastian told me and Niff last night after he finally decided to show up... with Kurt in toe. 

From Jeff:
Trent, shut the hell up. 

From David:
Oh, Seb made it back safe? Did he mention why he was gone all day? 

From Trent:
According to him he spent the day at the hospital with Kurt- who is claiming Blaine tried to rape him Thursday night.

From Jeff:
Seriously Trent, shut up, that's not your information to give. 

From David:
Jeff is right Trent, maybe you shouldn't be talking about this. 
I don't think Kurt would want everyone to know that...

From Trent:
Kurt said Blaine was taken into police custody, it's only a matter of time before it gets out. 
If it's true anyways. I don't honestly believe it. Blaine wouldn't do something like that. 

"We came looking for you after Jeff sent his first message." Nick tells him, causing Sebastian to momentarily look up from his phone screen. "When you weren't in our dorm or the common room, I figured this was the next best place to find you." 

Sebastian nods his head in understanding before dropping his eyes back to the device.

From Jeff:
Don't believe? Did you not see the split lip dude? 
And why would either of them lie about something like that? 

From Trent:
Kurt could have gotten that from anywhere.
With how cozy he was with Sebastian last night, maybe he was cheating on Blaine and Blaine found out.

From Nick:
As one of the very few Warblers who still talk to Kurt, I can promise you he was not cheating on Blaine.
As the person closest to Sebastian, I can promise you he wouldn't lie about something like this- not think I think Kurt would either.

From Jeff:
So you're admitting Blaine can be violent? That he would hurt Kurt? 

From Trent:
Well, no. But that would be more believable than what Kurt's saying he did.

From Thad:
I'm with Trent on this one, guys. I don't think Blaine would do something like that...

From David:
Maybe we should wait for Sebastian to wake up...

Trent is typing...

"Do me a favor, Nick, ask Chris to grab me two packs. I'll send him the money through Paypal later." Sebastian huffs, sending his own message before tossing his phone onto the table for Kurt to see. "Hope you're ready, Princess. We have just under four hours before we enter the lions den." 

From Sebastian:
Emergency Warbler meeting. Practice room at Noon.
Anyone else says anything about this situation until they have all the facts, they're out.

Chapter Text

Sebastian keeps a close eye on the Warbler chat over the next couple hours and is relieved that his threat seemed to intimidate the others enough to keep quiet on the subject matter.

By the time the quartet are making their way to the practice room the only new messages to have come in were from a handful of boys who were stating they weren't going to be able to get back in time to attend.

"Would you really have them kicked from the group if they'd continued talking?" Jeff asks as he skips over to one of the couches.

"In a heartbeat." Sebastian tells him, taking a seat on the edge of the desk and pulling Kurt into his arms so he can hook his chin on his shoulder to whisper in his ear. "Are you sure you want to be in here during the meeting, baby?" 

"No." Kurt answers him honestly. "But they all already know I'm on-campus and I don't want to chance Trent trying to use my absence as further proof that I'm lying or something."

Sebastian turns his head to press a kiss to Kurt's cheek then lets him go so he could dig through his pocket and pass him his keys. "Sit with Niff. If at any point you don't want to be in here anymore one of them can take you back up to my dorm." 

Kurt takes the keys and slips them into his own pocket before settling himself between Jeff and the arm of the couch closest to Sebastian.

"Are we going to ignore the fact that Sebastian just kissed him?" Jeff asks Nick. "Or that they were holding hands earlier?" 

"Why yes, Jeffie, I think we are." Nick smiles, reaching an arm past his boyfriend to squeeze Kurt's shoulder as the doors open and the other members of the Warbles begin to enter. "For now at least." 

~~~~~

Wes bangs his gavel on the desk as the last of the Dalton boys find their seats.

"I'd like to call this meeting to order." Sebastian announces, causing everyone to fall silent and turn towards him.

"What is Kurt doing here? He isn't a Warbler, he shouldn't be present for Warbler meetings." Trent questions, glaring at Kurt from a chair in the corner. 

"Kurt is a former Warbler. All former Warblers are permitted to attend Warbler meetings." Wes states factually. 

"This isn't even a Warbler matter, Trent, and we wouldn't be having this meeting at all if you knew how to keep your damn mouth shut." Nick grits out. 

"That's enough!" Sebastian shouts putting an end to the argument before speaking up again at a softer, more somber volume. "But Nick is right. This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the Warblers, other than the fact that myself and two former Warblers are involved. As you are all here, I am sure you have seen or at least heard about the texts that were sent out in the group chat this morning. We are here so I can set the record straight about what actually happened.

Thursday night Kurt, Blaine, and I met up at Scandals- for those who don't know, Scandals is a gay bar in West Lima that I frequent. While Kurt stuck to soda as the designated driver, both Blaine and I were drinking beer. I only had one, which many of you know is well under my personal limit, but I don't think either of us were really watching Blaine's intake." He pauses and looks to Kurt, who shakes his head confirming neither knew how much Blaine had drank. "By roughly midnight he was relatively intoxicated and Kurt had felt it was best that he get Blaine home, so they left."

Taking a deep breath, he looks at the sullen crowd hanging on to his every last word. 

"Now I cannot personally speak on what transpired between the two from the time the door closed behind them and when I found Kurt alone on the ground in the parking lot about forty-five minutes later, but I can tell you what I suspected just by looking at him- his clothes were disheveled and he had several nasty injuries. If my years in the club scene hadn't already made the situation painfully obvious, him yelling 'I said no' as he realized he wasn't alone anymore would have."

"When we got outside.. I tried to get him to lay on his side in the back seat of my car, that way if he threw up he wouldn't choke, but he laid on his back and pulled me on top of him with a too tight grip on my wrists." Kurt murmurs, pushing up the sleeves he'd been using to cover the bruises so the others could see them. "Once I was in the car too, he let go of my wrists and grabbed onto my hips- there's bruises there too but I-I'm not going to show you those... At some point he managed to un-unbutton my jeans and tore the collar of my shirt, likely with his teeth considering the bite mark imprinted on my collarbone.." The skin Kurt revealed by pulling the fabric to the side was a purplish-red and still had faint indentations in a circular pattern. "Eventually I did fight him off but I-I slipped on some loose gravel and fell backward, hitting my head pretty hard on the asphalt.." 

The look of absolute horror Sebastian saw on Trent's face as it slowly dawned on him that Kurt wasn't just making up allegations against Blaine didn't make watching Kurt wipe away the tears rolling down his cheeks any easier. He had no sympathy for the one putting Kurt through this.  

"He was still conscious when I got out there and as I didn't know the full extent of the damage, I tried obeying his wishes and called his brother to come get him rather than take him to get medical attention right away." Sebastian continues as Kurt starts breathing heavier and shifts his clothing to once again hide the evidence Blaine had left behind. "But while I was speaking with Finn over the phone, Kurt passed out and I couldn't wake him back up.. so I called an ambulance. Between a concussion and the mild blood loss he suffered, he didn't wake up again for almost four hours after we arrived at the hospital. When I tell you those were the hardest four hours of my life- having to watch his brother sit panicked and confused at his bedside because I couldn't make myself leave til I knew he was okay... it was hell... and honestly, it didn't get much easier when he did wake up. I stayed in the room with him while he explained the cause behind every single one of his injuries to the nurse. I held him through the resulting breakdown that discussion caused. I waited in the halls while the doctor did their own examination and helped him get dressed when he was released because he was too hurt to do it himself." 

"I made it home around eight Friday morning and talked my dad into letting me go to school. After everything, I was still more worried about my college application and wanted to be in that stupid play." Kurt sighs, almost like he couldn't believe he'd done that even though Sebastian distinctly remembers how adamant he'd been about going to school that morning. "I called Sebastian while I was getting ready to see if he was heading back to Dalton before the show, when he'd told me he was debating on driving back then or getting a hotel room to get some sleep since he'd been up all night I asked him to stick around so he could give me a ride back to Scandals to pick up my car after my last class.."

"I had been exhausted, so I agreed. That's when I messaged everyone and let you know I would be meeting you all at the auditorium." 

"Blaine was waiting for me at my locker when I got to McKinley, he acted so concerned because I hadn't answered my phone after he left me at the bar. I tried to walk away but he grabbed my wrist and I panicked. I broke up with him. He thought it was because I was upset over him dancing with Sebastian rather than paying attention to me... I-I had to spell it out to him that I couldn't be with him after what he did and that's when Finn pieced it all together. I'd made a point to keep him out of the room when I talked to the nurse, I hadn't wanted my dad to find out and I knew he couldn't keep a secret to save his life... but he overheard me talking to Blaine and he lost it. I thought he was going to kill him.." Kurt was starting to tremble as he spoke, but when Sebastian caught his eyes he didn't see the fear he'd grown accustomed to over the last couple days.. he saw rage? "I spiraled into a total meltdown when Finn stepped in, I don't remember how I stopped him. One second I was crying on the floor in the hallway and the next I was in the passenger seat of my dad's pickup in the student lot. That's when Finn made an offhanded comment that started the avalanche of figuring out why that night happened the way it did."

"Wait, wait, wait, are you telling us Blaine didn't assault you because he's an aggressively horny drunk?!" Jeff exclaimed, causing a wave of startled laughter from some of the others that broke a bit of the tension in the otherwise silent room. 

"Finn mentioned that Rachel tried talking him into having sex the same night Blaine tried to force me to. Finn had said no and Rachel accepted that, though she apparently got a little distraught.. when Finn asked why it was so important they do it then, she told him she had to get it done before opening night. We didn't think both of the musical's lead stars suddenly wanting to lose their virginity on Thursday was a coincidence so I agreed to talk to the school about what had happened... turns out the student director convinced them that losing their virginity would make them better actors. Artie and Rachel were suspended, Blaine was picked up by the police, West Side Story was canceled and I ran away to hide out here before my friends could hunt me down and make me talk about it..." 

"He ran away to avoid talking about it and yet here he is, talking about it." Nick practically growls, staring Trent down. "Are you happy now, Trent? Do you finally believe that your prefect little Blaine isn't so perfect after all?" It was only a matter of time before Nick's anger got the better of him, thank fuck he held out until it was over.

"I-I.." Trent stammers, pushing himself out of his chair and darting from the room. No one made a move to follow him. 

"Alright, settle down gentlemen." Sebastian calls out, waiting for the room to quiet down again so he can put an end to this mess and give Kurt the hug he's sure he needs. "I think we are about done here, but let me remind you- we called this meeting to help clear up misinformation before it spread too far- not to give you something to gossip with your friends about. What was said in this room, stays in this room. We'll reconvene Monday after school at our normal time. Now get the hell out." 

Chapter Text

Kurt's whole body was shaking, anyone who so much as looked his way could see it. Whatever source of courage he had relied on to get through the meeting, to retell his story, had depleted and he was crashing hard. 

Sebastian kneels on the floor at his feet, watching him closely but makes no move to reach out. 

Jeff, however, was not being as mindful and quickly tried to pull him into a tight hug just to be shoved away. 

"No!" He screams, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. 

"Jeffie, honey, don't touch him right now." 

Memories swirled through his mind, flashes of that night mixing in with his current surroundings making it hard for him to tell past from present. 

"Kurt, baby, can you look at me?" Sebastian asks softly laying his hands on the couch, one between Kurt and Jeff while the other was placed on the arm near his shoulder, to create the least restricting barrier he could. He didn't want to make Kurt feel trapped but wanted him to know Sebastian wouldn't let anyone else get close. "You're safe. You're at Dalton. No one will touch you if you don't want them to." 

"Bas?" Beautiful blue is clouded by a dense fog when he lifts his head and makes eye contact. 

"Yeah, baby, I'm here." Sebastian smiles sadly. "Try to focus on the room, what are five things you can see?" 

Most of the grounding techniques his therapist taught him all those years ago were lost, but this was one he fell back on when he had the occasional panic attack, this was one he found actually worked more often than not. 

"Pe-people. You, N-Niff, Wes." 

Sebastian looked over his shoulder to see Wes was indeed still standing by the door, eyes wide as he took in the scene playing out before him. Sebastian waves him away, knowing the less people in room when Kurt became lucid the better. 

"Good. That's one, what else?" 

Kurt's turns his head from side to side, his eyes darting around almost wildly. "Ban-banner, books, ch-chairs and- and the desk." 

"That's great. You're doing great, Kurt. What about four things you can feel?" Nick continues, following along easily as he was often the one leading Sebastian through this. 

"Pain." He whimpers, pressing his forehead back into his knees. "Sh-sharp pain." 

"Hey, hey focus, baby. Look at me." Sebastian murmurs, giving in and gently running a hand through the hair on the side of Kurt's head- taking great care to avoid the gash he knew was on the back of his skull. 

"I-I'm sorry." He sobs quietly, slowly lifting his head once more.

"No need to be sorry, we just need you to focus. Can you name four things you feel for me?" 

"I-I do feel pain, my he-head hurts." He sniffles, raising a hand to wipe at his cheeks. "And my-my face feels we-wet and sticky." 

Jeff reaches around his boyfriend for the box of tissues on one of the side tables and passes it to Sebastian, too afraid of spooking Kurt again to try handing it to him directly. 

Sebastian takes the box with a nod and rubs one of the tissues across his skin to clean him up a bit. 

"Soft." Kurt hums. "That tissue feels soft. I feel ki-kinda floaty, li-like I'm not all here..." 

"That's okay, we're working on bring you back." Sebastian tells him, dropping the soiled tissue onto the coffee table behind him to be dealt with later. "Now, what are three things you can hear?" 

"Cl-clock, ticktock." Sebastian can't help but chuckle at that, getting a small grin from the boy in front of him. "Y-you, your laugh, you should laugh more." Another chuckle. "And birds, I can he-hear the birds chirping out-outside." 

"Smell is next right?" Jeff whispers, turning to Nick and receiving a nod. "How about two things you can smell, Kurtie?" 

That one was hard, his nose was stuffy from crying but there were two scents he had begun attributing to Sebastian that he was sure would be there now. "..Cologne and smoke.." 

"Can you actually smell those right now or are you guessing?" Sebastian asks at Kurt's hesitant tone. 

"I-I ca-can't breath thr-through my nose, I ca-can't smell anything..." He admits honestly, looking down at his knees. He didn't want to see Sebastian's disappointment. 

Sebastian hands him another tissue and gives him a moment to blow his nose, It doesn't get much better but he regained some sense of smell. "Ralph Lauren, pol-polo blue if I'm not wrong.. and Axe?" 

"Really, Jeff, I thought I told you to stop wearing that shit?" Sebastian groaned, pulling a giggle from Kurt. 

Jeff grumbles something incoherently and punching Sebastian's shoulder playfully. 

"Ignore them." Nick's laughing too, but at least he's still trying to get them through the end of the exercise. "Lastly, what's one thing you can taste?" 

"Blood.." He says without thought and Sebastian momentarily worries they've lost him again but when he turns away from Jeff he sees that Kurt is sticking his tongue out. He must have bitten it at some point as it's bleeding lightly. At least his eyes are clearer now. 

~~~~~

Sebastian is stretched out on his bed, his arms loosely wrapped around Kurt with his hands resting on the small of his back, as Kurt laid on top of him. His head is turned sideways, looking over at Nick's bed where its owner is curled up with Jeff, but even without being able to see Kurt's face Sebastian knows he's asleep. 

After they managed to calm him down he'd been tired and asked to go take a nap, none of the other boys were too keen on the idea of leaving him alone quite yet so after a shared look they all decided a bit of relaxation sounded perfect. 

"He didn't sleep too well last night, did he?" Nick asks, concern lacing his voice. 

"Not really. He didn't get to sleep until late and was woken by a nightmare that had him rushing to the bathroom before the sun even rose." 

"Poor guy." Jeff sighs. "His nightmares were just starting to get less intense at the end of last school year, or he wasn't waking me up as much as he had been at least, I can only imagine how long this wave of them will take to pass." 

Sebastian had known Kurt switched schools mid-term previously, something practically unheard of for a local student, but he never knew the reason behind the move. "Do- do you know why he left McKinley?"

"Like I said this morning, he tried to keep it on the down-low." Nick shrugs. "I'm pretty sure Blaine's the only one who knows for sure but it became common knowledge that the zero tolerance policy was a huge factor in it." 

"Someone threatened to kill him." Both Nick and Sebastian look at Jeff, shock evident on their faces as they wait for him to say more. "He talks in his sleep sometimes and doesn't have much of a filter during his panic attacks, as his roommate I found out more than most of the others." 

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Nick frowns. "We don't keep secrets from each other, Jeff, and that's a pretty big fucking secret." 

"It wasn't my secret to tell." Jeff mumbles, looking back over at Kurt's sleeping form. "I'm not even sure he knows that I know."

"But why would someone threaten to kill him?" Sebastian questions, still trying to process the new information. 

While he had a theory and even a possible name from some of the boy's breathless rambling, Kurt wouldn't ever tell him outright and as Jeff refused to spread misinformation on something a friend wanted to keep to themselves, he wouldn't share it. As is he's probably said too much and just had to hope that when Sebastian did decide to ask him that Kurt wouldn't hate him. "That I don't know, any time I tried asking he would just panic more and say he couldn't tell me."

~~~~~

Kurt had been out roughly two hours when quiet whimpers broke the silence that had fallen over the room and he started to shift restlessly in his sleep. 

Sebastian was reading something on his phone and barely looks away from the screen as he leans down and presses a gentle kiss to his hair, cooing softly until he settles once more. 

"Okay, I let it slide earlier because we were getting ready to start the meeting but I can't ignore it anymore." Jeff starts. "What's going on between you two?" 

Sebastian lets the device slip from his fingers to the mattress beside him and looks down at Kurt's still sleeping form before he sighs. "I'm not sure honestly."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Nick asks, obviously confused. 

"You know some of my history, Nick." He turns to the dark haired boy. "I'm not used to being so close to someone, physically, without it getting... physical. Last night when we came up from the common room I told him I had the urge to kiss him but that I couldn't, not after what Blaine had done to him. Well, he kissed me instead." 

"Sebastian, for the love of God, tell me that's as far as it went." Nick grits out, sounding pissed. "Tell me you did not have sex with an assault victim less than twenty-four hours after he was assaulted!"  

"I- I tried to stop it before it got too far, I really did." He wasn't going to lie to them. "We were just kissing for a bit but he started grinding on me and when I told him we should stop.. he apparently didn't want to."   

"Sebastian!" 

"Listen! His only experience with anything sexual was a drunken asshole who disrespected his boundaries, he had asked me to help him forget what he had done and he was actually enjoying himself so I let him use me to get off. I didn't want him thinking what happened made him undesirable, because he's not. Our clothes stayed on, hands stayed outside of them, and I took care of myself in the bathroom when he was done."

"I love you, you know I do, but if you hurt him-"

"Everything I've done since I found him Thursday night has been to try to help him!" 

"That still doesn't explain how you don't know what's going on between you..." Jeff spoke up, trying to stop the fighting before they woke Kurt. 

"This morning he asked me what we were and I told him it depended on what he wanted us to be." Sebastian shrugs carefully.  

"You two literally hooked-up last night... I think it's pretty obvious..." Maybe to you it would be.

"Jeff, I've hooked-up with most of my friends. Hell, I've hooked-up with you two! Sex doesn't mean as much to me as it does to other people. I explained that to him, told him if he wanted to label us as something more than friends he would have to be the one to decide what that label is. He hasn't told me what he wants yet. He just got out of a disaster of a relationship and I'm not going to push him on it." 

"That's- Okay, that's fair..." Jeff nods. 

"Are we good, Nick?" Sebastian could understand his anger, if he were in Nick's shoes he'd have probably reacted similarly. 

Nick doesn't say anything for a minute, just looking between Kurt and Sebastian. He had to admit, while he didn't agree with Sebastian's actions, if anything he had done had made Kurt even the slightest bit uncomfortable Kurt wouldn't be contently sleeping on top of him right now.

"Yeah, we're good." He relents.