et deux par deux, on avale nos mots
c'est dure d'oublier se que l'on a connu

Finn sat across from Kurt, fiddling with his shirt. A blank expanse of white divided them, spreading out across the hills and valleys of Burt's unconscious body. Kurt blinked rapidly, face emotionless.

"Kurt…?"

The small boy looked up, eyes wide and brimming with tears. Finn fell silent, eyes falling back to the white sheets. Kurt's lips trembled, but he said nothing.

Finn looked up again. "Are you…?"

Kurt shook his head, wiping a tear from his eye. The taller boy sighed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Do you want me to…?" He pointed towards the door. Kurt said nothing.

Finn stood quietly, walking towards the door. As he passed, though, Kurt grabbed his hand, shaking slightly. Without a word, Finn crouched by Kurt's chair, squeezing his hand.

"He'll be…" The tall boy looked over at Burt's unmoving form, then back to Kurt. Words seemed wrong, here in the hospital room where they sat; speaking in the silence felt like breathing underwater.

Kurt nodded, struggling to hold back more tears. Finn grabbed his other hand, rubbing his thumb across it soothingly.

Together, their hands seemed to convey all that needed to be said. When Kurt started losing control again, his muscles would stiffen. When Finn wanted to tell him not to worry, he would rub the muscles into relaxation. When Kurt felt a little better, he would try to pull away. When Finn knew better than that, he would hold on tight.

"Do you think…?" Kurt asked quietly, and Finn nodded. The small boy's voice died, but it didn't matter – Finn knew just what to do. Slowly and calmly, he kissed the back of one of Kurt's hands, smiling in reassurance.

"Visiting hours are over." A nurse poked her head into the room, smiling sympathetically. Finn pulled Kurt up, leading him out by the hand. The smaller boy sniffled slightly, lips trembling again as they left his ailing father alone.

Finn brushed the tears from Kurt's cheeks, resting one hand on his shoulder. Kurt grasped blindly at Finn's chest, looking for a little support as they walked out into the cool evening.

"Can you…?" Kurt nodded, closing his eyes. Finn wasn't entirely sure if he trusted his friend to drive, so he held tightly onto him.

"Maybe I should…" Finn gently pulled the keys from Kurt's pocket, guiding him towards his car.

They drove to Kurt's house in silence, their hands intertwined on the cup holder dividing their seats. Finn turned the car off in the driveway, then pulled the small boy towards the house, hands guiding gently.

Without bothering to flip on the lights, the two boys stumbled down to the basement. Kurt fell onto his bed, a fresh wave of tears overcoming him. Finn sat next to him, kissing his hands again.

Settling down next to his friend, Finn nestled his chest up to the small boy's back. His hands wandered across Kurt's stomach, tickling a bare stretch of flesh between the boy's shirt and jeans.

Kurt sighed faintly, his hands resting on top of Finn's. Their fingers interlocked, forming a warm knot of comfort below Kurt's chest.

They huddled together in silence, Finn's calloused hands rubbing comfortingly against Kurt's abdomen. Words were overrated in that moment – two-by-two their hands did the talking. They soon fell asleep, the silence lulling them into a peaceful coma.

Morning found them that way, hands clasped and hearts intertwined.