Whether it was Blaine’s charm or the fact that Kurt’s foot seemed to be swelling more by the minute, for whatever reason the two men only had to wait for half an hour before they were called into the E.R. A nurse directed them towards a bed at the end of the ward and reassured them that the doctor would be with them shortly. Blaine helped Kurt hop up onto the waiting bed before taking a seat in the chair beside him.

“So Mr Fashion Assistant at Vogue.com, why the change in career path? Did you end up reapplying for NYADA?”

“No, I just sort of fell into the job. I was assistant to the editor, Isabelle, for about a year and then the position opened up and she recommended me for the job. I still love to perform but I feel like I’m where I really belong”

“Well you were always the most stylish boy in the whole of Lima, Ohio”

“Oh I don’t know, some of those hockey players made for some fierce competition”

Blaine snorted “Remember that guy with the mullet? God, what was his name...”

“I have no idea. Funny, five years and I’ve completely forgotten the names of half of the people I saw almost every single day” 

“I feel honoured you remembered me” Blaine said with mock passion holding his hand over his heart. 

“You’re pretty unforgettable Blaine” Kurt replied quietly.

Their eyes met for a brief second before the moment was interrupted by the arrival of young man with a stethoscope around his neck and a clipboard in his hand. The doctor was gorgeous- there wasn’t any other word to describe him. He was tall with broad shoulders, his arms were strong- not too bulky and not too lean, his head of sandy hair was styled neatly, the haircut accentuating a jawline that could quite possibly chisel granite. 

 “Kurt Hummel? I’m Doctor Baker”

If this man wasn’t the definition of a walking wet dream before he had just sealed the deal when his voice revealed an English accent.

“Why hello Doctor Baker” Kurt responded, his voice this side of breathless.

Blaine coughed a little beside him jolting Kurt back into reality. Doctor Baker’s gaze drifted to the other man and a smile tugged at his lips as he held out his hand.

“Doctor Everett Baker”

“Blaine Anderson, pleased to meet you”

“Likewise” Doctor Baker let his hand linger a little in Blaine’s before pulling it away to return his focus to his patient.

“Well Kurt, I’ll have to get you in for an x-ray to know for sure, but I’m quite certain that you indeed have a broken ankle”

“Great” Kurt pouted and Blaine refused to let himself acknowledge the feelings that pout incited. 

“Come on now, it can’t be all that bad. Look at this handsome young man you have to wait on you hand and foot for the next six weeks”

“Oh, Blaine just an old friend, he’s the guy that knocked me over, my boyfriend’s name is Seth; he will be here soon. Blaine’s waiting with me ”

Blaine felt like someone had kicked him in the stomach and all thoughts of Kurt’s pouty lips flew from his mind. How quickly he had let himself forget the only reason he was there with Kurt was because of a bizarre coincidence. Kurt was not his, not anymore.

“My that’s awfully kind of you” Doctor Baker smiled somewhat knowingly

“The least I can do really” Blaine replied, trying to avoid the doctor’s gaze.

“Hmm. Well Kurt let’s get you in for that x-ray, I’ll send a nurse around with a wheelchair” the doctor’s gaze flickered to Kurt’s leg with was encased in the tightest of jeans “oh and you’ll need to remove your pants to ensure the x-ray is clear” he added.

“Um, ok. I’ll just do… that” Kurt looked more than a little put out at his predicament. His was wearing the kind of pants that usually needs more than a little wriggling to get on or off, a feat that seemed rather difficult to accomplish given the intensifying pain searing though his ankle.

“Your friend might have to help you out” Dr Baker noted realising Kurt’s dilemma. “I’ll be right back with that wheelchair”. With a subtle wink in Blaine’s direction the doctor exited pulling the curtains close behind him.

‘Fantastic’ thought Blaine. What kind of terrible sin did he commit in a former life to warrant such a punishment? And where did that doctor get off with his winks and insinuations?

“Um, Blaine? As awkward as this is would you mind giving me a hand? I really can’t do this by myself, not to mention my hand is still stinging”

Blaine looked down at Kurt whose face and neck were flushed a lovely pink, obviously embarrassed by the situation.

“Uh, sure. Ok, I’ll just umm…” With shaking hands he reached down and fumbled with the button of Kurt’s jeans. Trying desperately to conjure thoughts that weren’t inappropriate but coming up with nothing. The situation worsened significantly when he finally released the button and slid the zipper down causing Kurt to gasp almost inaudibly but Blaine definitely heard it. Blaine’s head shot up to Kurt’s face which was flushed even darker than before.

“Sorry” Kurt said almost breathlessly.

“It’s ok” Blaine whispered before clearing his throat and returning to his task.

With an almost clinical nature Blaine pulled the jeans off of Kurt’s hips, silently congratulating himself for only hesitating very slightly when Kurt’s tip black briefs were exposed leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. There in plain sight was the bulge of Kurt’s cock and Blaine thought he might just pass out. Instead of succumbing to his more primal instincts he instead averted his gaze to a spot on the cheap hospital blanket, focusing intently on the thread as he removed the rest of Kurt’s jeans as quickly as possible without further hurting his ex-boyfriend.

Thankfully at that moment a voice called to them from the other side of the curtain.

“Mr Hummel? Mr Anderson? I’m here with the wheelchair, shall I come in?”

“Ye-“ Kurt’s voiced was more high-pitched than usual as he tried to reply after a moment he tried again “Yes, that’s fine”

The curtain was pulled aside and a pretty young nurse appeared with a kind smile.

“Oh good, you’re all ready. I have a gown here that you can just put over your shirt to cover you up a bit while we wheel you to x-ray”

“Thankyou Nurse”

“Oh, Rose is fine Mr Hummel”

“Well then call me Kurt, please, and this is my boy-“ Kurt stopped himself suddenly, eyes widening with horror at his slip-up.

“His friend. Blaine Anderson, pleased to meet you”

The nurse let her eyes wander quickly between the two men who were looking at anything but each other, but both had cheeks stained red. Friends indeed.

“Well Blaine, I’m just going to pop Kurt down to x-ray, you’re welcome to come along, though you’ll have to wait outside. Or you can just stay here and wait for us”

Blaine glanced quickly at Kurt who gazing intently at his fingernails.

“If it’s ok with you Kurt, I might just pop out to make a quick call. I should let my roommate know where I am”

“Sure, do what you have to. You really don’t to stay if you need to go. I’d say you have more than sufficiently filled your role as remorseful accidental ankle-breaker”

“Nonsense, I’m just getting started! There’s so much more I can do for you”

Blaine winced immediately, praying that everyone within earshot would just ignore the accidental innuendo. Kurt apparently decided that would be for the best and replied with a simple “thanks”.

Nurse Rose looked to be biting her lip to stop a giggle as she took hold of Kurt’s wheelchair and steered him out of the room.

Blaine collapsed on the bed as soon as they were gone feeling the impulse to slap himself across the face. Had he completely lost his Dalton mannerisms? Flirting with your ex-boyfriend, who was in a stable and loving relationship of his own, while he was in hospital with a broken ankle? Classy Blaine. Thinking of Dalton reminded Blaine to call Wes and so he made his way out of the ward and outside into the cooling evening air.

“Hey roommate, what’s happening?”

“Hey Wes. I’m just calling to let you know that I won’t be home for a while”

“Oh, cool. No biggie, I was just going to heat up some of that left over pasta for dinner anyway. Where are you?”

“At the hospital actually. It’s a long story”

“Oh. Are you ok?”

“Yeah I’m fine, I’m here with a friend, he broke his ankle”

“Oh, that sucks! Too bad, is it somebody I know?”

“Um yeah actually. It’s the weirdest thing”

“Oh? I’m intrigued”

“It’s um, it’s Kurt”

“Kurt? As in Kurt Hummel? As in love of you life Kurt Hummel?”

“Hmm, the one and only”

“Jeez, how did this even come about man? I thought you hadn’t even seen Kurt since… that event”

“I haven’t, I kind of ran into him in the street and, well, broke his ankle”

“Wow, of all the gin joints, in all the towns hey?”

“Yeah, something like that”

“Well, maybe this is good. Lord knows you’ve been pining over the boy for years”

“He has a boyfriend Wes”

“Oh. Well...  maybe he’ll be so overwhelmed by the charm and charisma of Mr Blaine Anderson that won’t be a problem”

“No Wes, that isn’t going to happen. I’m not even to try pulling out the charms, Kurt is happy. I’ve already hurt him enough to last a lifetime. I won’t try and take him away from a loving, stable relationship just because I blew my chance”

“Blaine… you’ve been beating yourself up for years. Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to atleast try?”

“I don’t deserve anything Wes! I made my choice and now I have to live with it, and without Kurt, and it kills me but I won’t try and change it”

“Well if you’re sure”

“I am”

“Ok well I’m going to heat up dinner and watch Idol, do you want me to leave you some pasta?”

“No that’s ok. I think I’m going to dry my sorrows in pizza tonight”

“Fair enough, see you later Blaine”

“Bye Wes”

Blaine sighed as he turned to return inside. He had barely taken three steps before he almost ran into the second person that day. As his eyes searched upwards to find the eyes of his second victim he saw a very attractive man looking back at him.

“Oh, sorry. God, I’m making a habit of running into people today”

That stranger turned around and smiled slightly at Blaine.

“No problem, I’m actually here to see my boyfriend, someone ran into him today too!”

“Wait…Seth?”

“Um yeah- have we met?”

“Oh... no. I’m Blaine. I’m Kurt’s friend and incidental injurer”

“Blaine? As in the Blaine?”

“I guess? It’s not a very common name”

“No… it’s not. Kurt has mentioned you before. The high-school boyfriend, the first love”

“And you’re Seth the current boyfriend and current love”

“Yes, that’s me. Pleased to meet you” Seth’s handshake certainly didn’t linger like Doctor Baker’s.

“Well, shall we?” Blaine nodded towards the hospital doors.

“Sure, lead the way”

Seth and Blaine made their way through the E.R, stopping in briefly to get Seth’s ok from the nurse at the desk. The poor flustered nurse barely nodded at them before turning her attention to one of the hundred other things she was preoccupied by.

Blaine couldn’t help but compare himself to the new man in Kurt’s life. He was tall and broad, he clearly worked out. Blaine had never felt more like a hobbit than in that moment. His hair was effortlessly neat, nothing compared to the mass of barely-contained curls sitting atop of Blaine’s head. Even the way he walked was superior, Blaine felt like he had to job to keep up with Seth’s effortless strides. The further they walked the more Blaine just wished he could turn around and run away, the last thing he wanted right now was to see Kurt looking at this man they way he used to look at Blaine. It might just break what was left of his heart.