Blaine could hear an Australian voice coming from the kitchen, so he knew Kurt was in there with Hannah. He headed towards them.

Standing in the doorway, he looked at the scene. There was a tension between Kurt and Hannah that he’d never seen before.

“Hi everybody. Is it OK that I’m here, or should I come back tomorrow?” He felt like he was intruding.

Hannah just sighed, getting up from the kitchen table and pouring herself some more coffee.

Kurt nodded at Blaine and then typed on his tablet. “Hey Blaine. Get some coffee and sit down. You can help us figure something out.”

Raising his eyebrows at that, Blaine decided to follow along. He got the coffee and sat down.

“Hannah, can you fill Blaine in?” Kurt was using the Australian accent still, and it was a bit jarring to Blaine. He’d gotten used to the American one.

She glared a bit at Kurt, and then looked over to Blaine. “Kurt has been working hard for six weeks, and now thinks he’s invincible. Back to normal.”

Looking back at Kurt, she reached over to lay a hand on his arm. “You are doing great, Kurt. But please give yourself time for your body to recover. For you to get used to the changes in your life. It’s OK to have help with this, to take the time for it. No one is expecting you to jump out of bed after being in a coma for a year.”

Kurt rolled his eyes, expressive as always. He typed again on the tablet. “I’ve lost a year already, Hannah. I don’t want to lose anymore time.”

“Sorry, but what does Kurt want that you don’t, Hannah?” Blaine was confused about what the underlying issue was that had triggered this intense conversation.

Turning towards Blaine, Hannah took a big sip of her coffee. “Kurt wants to have all the medical staff to stop coming to his apartment. He wants to go to medical appointments on his own.”

“Yeah, I want to have my life back.” Kurt responded.

Blaine nodded at both of them. “Well, is there a medical risk to doing what he wants? What is the danger here?”

Getting up, Hannah paced up and down the room, clearly agitated. She didn’t like being challenged in what she thought was best for Kurt. But Kurt’s personality was coming back, and he wasn’t one to back down from what he wanted.

“Well, Kurt isn’t on the IV anymore and he’s switched to regular food, so he doesn't need as much day to day medical care. But he is still weak and if something happened, he couldn’t call for an ambulance.” Hannah was making abrupt gestures with her hands as she spoke.

Blaine looked over at Kurt, and could see his frustration. But he also looked tired. “So, now he doesn’t really need a nurse here all the time, right? It could be anyone, right? More just to help Kurt if he needs it?”

Hannah nodded reluctantly.

“Well, how about we take a break and look at the options. Maybe there could be a compromise like a nurse here during the day, and someone else the rest of the time. Maybe it could just be for three months, or six months, or until Kurt is stronger. How about you both take a day or two and agree to talk about it then?” Blaine didn’t think Kurt was ready to be on his own yet either, but could understand he wanted more autonomy.

Kurt sighed. “OK. Blaine, could you help me back to my room?”

Standing up, Blaine waited for Kurt to stand up, and then moved to wrap an arm around his waist lightly. He was there for support only, letting Kurt move along, step by step, under his own steam. He was slow, but determined.

The bedroom wasn’t as cluttered lately. The IV poles and most of the other medical equipment had been removed. The hospital bed was still there, and Blaine helped Kurt get into it.

Kurt sagged back against the bed, his strength clearly drained by the argument with Hannah. Blaine pulled the covers up over him.

“You know she argues with you so much because she really cares about you. We all do.” Blaine said softly, looking down at the man he’d come to know pretty well in the last few weeks. He had been visiting the apartment three or four times a week. After finishing the novel, Kurt had asked for them to do more normal ‘friend’ stuff, and they had watched movies, ordered take-out, talked for hours.

Kurt nodded slowly, looking tired. There were times when there was such sadness in his eyes, and Blaine wanted to take all his old hurts away. For a man of thirty-two, he had done so much, had so much happen to him. And now, he was trying to start another chapter in his life. He was single, alone, and needed to figure out his next career.

“Do you want me to be there when you discuss this again with Hannah?” Blaine asked softly, not wanting to overstep things. He wanted to support Kurt, but not treat him like an invalid.

Looking up at him, Kurt’s eyes looked really blue. He nodded, his eyes steady on Blaine’s.

Smiling, Blaine stepped back. “OK. Just text me and let me know when.”

---

A delicious smell wafted out as Blaine opened the box. “Oh my god, this smells so good.” He put a couple slices onto a plate and grabbed a beer before sitting down. It was thin crust pizza, brushed with garlic butter and dotted with pesto, prawns and feta cheese.

“It’s my favorite. I’ve been craving it for ages. Maybe I was even dreaming about it while I was unconscious.” Kurt was taking small bites, chewing slowly with a happy expression on his face.

Hannah was already working on her second piece. “Mmmmmm….I’ll have to get the name of this place, and put it on speed dial.”

Waiting until everyone had finished eating, Kurt pulled his tablet close and flicked to the word document he had prepared. He highlighted the first paragraph and clicked again to have it read out. So many times each day he did similar motions, and they had become second nature to him.

“Thanks to both of you for coming tonight for dinner. We’ve all had a couple days to think over the options, as Blaine suggested.” Kurt looked at Hannah and Blaine in turn.

He clicked for the next section. “I emailed my doctor for his opinion about it, and did some Internet research. I’d like to present my plan, and then Hannah can respond to it. OK?”

They both nodded.

“As much as possible, I’d like to get back to a regular life. I want the hospital bed removed and to move to the master bedroom. I will get help, in the form of having a maid coming once a week to clean and bring groceries. I will prepare my own meals, and make arrangements to get to my own medical appointments. I will go for walks and do other things to get stronger.”

Hannah opened her mouth to say something, but Kurt held up his hand, and clicked on the tablet again.

“Hannah, I know you are afraid I will fall or be too weak to take proper care of myself. So, for the next month, I’d like to have you here for your normal shift, during the day. But on nights and weekends, there won’t be other medical staff here.”

She sighed. “Kurt, I don’t feel comfortable with this. You would be alone so much.”

Kurt clicked again. He had prepared well, knowing her objections and written responses in anticipation. “I will put a normal bed in the bedroom once the hospital bed is removed, and have a roommate here, at least for a few months. Someone who will be here when you aren’t.”

Hannah scoffed. “Who is going to want to do that? Who would you feel comfortable living with here?”

Taking a deep breath, Kurt glanced over at Blaine, and then clicked his tablet again. “Blaine, I was wondering if you would be available. You would still be free to work during the day, of course. I would pay you a caregiver wage for this. It is OK if you say no, of course. I know it’s a lot to ask. And I don’t want to make things difficult between you and Sam.”

Blaine’s eyebrows rose, surprised by Kurt’s request, but also flattered by it. They had grown to be good friends in the last few weeks and he was impressed by Kurt’s progress, all his hard work.

He nodded, smiling at Kurt. “Actually, I think I could do it and it really wouldn’t be much different for me. I’d like to be here, supporting you, no need to pay me. But what do you mean about Sam? I’m confused by that.”

Kurt smiled back during his response, but furrowed his brow when Blaine mentioned Sam. He typed on his keypad. “Sorry, but don’t you live with Sam? Won’t he be a bit irritated that his boyfriend is living somewhere else for a few months?”

Blaine couldn’t help but chuckle at that, and Kurt gave him a perturbed look. “Sam is straight and only a good friend. He’s been crashing on my sofa while he looks for another place to live. So, actually, me living here will suit him fine. He’ll get to sleep in my bed.”

Chuckling as well, Hannah looked between the two men. “Well, your plan has a lot of good points, Kurt. But what if Blaine goes out some nights or weekends? You can’t expect him to be here all the time.”

Kurt shrugged and typed. “I think we can figure it out. Maybe I can go with him sometimes. Maybe I could ask Deanna or one of the other nurses to come over.”

She still didn’t look that convinced.

Clicking again on his word doc, Kurt looked over at Hannah. “I also researched supports that deaf people use in their houses. I’m going to install a TTY phone to use in case of emergencies.”

Hannah looked over at Blaine. “Are you sure you can commit to this, Blaine? It’s a big step to live somewhere else for a few months.”

Looking at Kurt and then Hannah, Blaine smiled. “I don’t think it will be that big a change. Kurt and I will hang out like we currently do. But I’m sure we will both just be here, doing our own thing. I’ll check on him occasionally. I’ll be near if he needs something and he can just text me to ask for anything.”

Standing up, Hannah carried the plates to the sink. “OK, OK…. You are far too smart to argue with, Kurt. You’ve thought of everything.”

Kurt got up and held out his hand. Hannah smiled and stepped forward to shake it. Turning to Blaine, they shook hands also, cementing their deal.

---

Things seemed to speed up then. It didn’t take Kurt long to arrange for the hospital bed to go and a new bed to be set up in the smaller bedroom. Blaine was able to rearrange some furniture from around the apartment to make the room look more welcoming.

Sunday night, Blaine brought over a suitcase and unpacked his clothes into his bedroom’s closet. He only brought a couple weeks worth of clothes, knowing he could always pop home to grab anything else he needed.

The apartment was empty and he walked around it. So strange to think back on how it had been bare when he had first arrived. Now, it was stamped with Kurt’s possessions, things Blaine knew well from working with them all for those initial weeks. Weird to think it would be his home for the next few months.

How would it really be, living here with Kurt? They were friends now, but would sharing this rather large apartment change things between them? They were both mature men, old enough to communicate their needs, especially when they needed some space. He didn’t want to endanger things between them.

---

It was a couple hours later that Kurt returned. Blaine had made a sandwich for himself, and was watching a movie in the living room.

“OK, OK. I’m home now. Time for you drunk women to go.” Blaine could hear Kurt’s Australian voice, and Hannah calling out a goodbye.

“Hey Kurt. I’m in the living room.” Blaine called out.

A few minutes later, Kurt walked in and settled on the sofa beside Blaine.

“So I heard you mentioning drunk women? What were you up to?” Blaine paused the movie, and turned to Kurt. And he froze.

Kurt had a new haircut, quite short and spiky on the top. His face was clean-shaven. He looked more like he had years ago. Pre-accident. And he took Blaine’s breath away.

It had been easy, oh so easy, for Blaine to forget that Kurt was Kurt Hummel. He had just been a patient, and then a friend. But dressed in nice clothes and with his new look, Blaine saw him as Kurt, the man. A very good-looking man.

Luckily, Kurt was looking down at his tablet, typing, and had missed Blaine’s appraising look.

“I treated all the nurses to a spa day and dinner, to thank them for all their work with me.”

Blaine chuckled. “I bet they loved that. Did you get all the treatments too?”

Nodding, Kurt typed again. “Yeah, and it felt so good. All pampered.”

“Your haircut looks good. When did you do it?” Blaine tried not to stare at Kurt, but couldn't resist sneaking quick looks at him.

“Saturday. I thought since I was trying to get back to normal, I might as well go back to my old look.” Kurt shrugged.

Blaine took a sip of his beer. He resumed the movie, and Kurt seemed to be watching it as well. It was a DVD from his collection, so it was likely something he’d seen before.

By the time the movie ended, Blaine peeked over at Kurt and found him snoozing. He gave him a little nudge.

“Kurt, let me help you get to bed.” He was walking better lately, but when he was tired like this, he wasn’t as good on his own.

His sleepy friend opened his eyes slightly, squinting up at Blaine, and he nodded.

Once they were standing, Blaine wrapped an arm around Kurt’s waist and supported him as they walked to his bedroom. They had done this many times over the past few weeks, but tonight it felt different. Maybe it was because Kurt smelled really good. They must have used some special products on him at the spa. Plus, he was warm and sleepy enough to press up along Blaine’s side, needing more support than usual. And helping an attractive man to his bedroom was affecting Blaine more than it should.

Entering the bedroom, Blaine could tell Kurt had made a few small changes, making the space his own. Blaine pulled down the covers, and turned back to see Kurt wiggling out of his clothes. There was only the bedside light on, and it wasn’t that bright. Needing distraction, Blaine collected the clothes Kurt discarded and put them on a nearby chair. When he turned back, Kurt was already in bed and pulling the covers into place.

“Goodnight, Kurt.” Blaine said softly, and then he escaped.

...

-A/N: Happy New Year to everybody! Here's hoping we all have a good 2018. Thanks for being so supportive of this special online community we have of readers and writers.