Kurt was delivering the last piece of equipment to the AV Club members at the stage when he felt it. A feeling like bubbles exploding in his stomach made him start, and stand up sharply from where he’d been kneeling by the steps, unpacking equipment. This was not going to be pretty, he thought. One of the AV clubbers looked up from where he’d been helping him.
“You don’t look so good, Kurt. Are you okay?”
“Of course, I’m fine. It’s just a headache.” This was only partly true, but he didn’t want to get yelled at again for not finishing out his punishment. He shook slightly as he bent down to pick up a forgotten microphone case by the stage, setting it upright.
“Are you sure?” the AV club member sounded skeptical as he watched Kurt’s shaking fingers. “Maybe you should just sit down for a minute.” Kurt glanced up the AV clubber, nodding, before mobbing to gingerly sit on the stage steps, mindful of his upset stomach. He sighed, “I’ll just sit for a minute, and then back to work. There’s still a lot to do before the performance.” His stomach gave another angry grumble.
“It’s okay, Kurt” the AV clubber said cheerfully, walking past Kurt on the stairs to the stage, “It’s nothing we can’t manage.” Sighing, Kurt put a hand to his temple, feeling the beginnings of a truly spectacular headache forming.
For a few minutes, the various members of Dalton’s AV club came and went, passing by Kurt on the stairs as if in a haze.
***
“Kurt, hey, you think you wanna go to the first aid tent or something? You don’t look so good, dude.” Kurt snapped out of his daze, looking up to find the same AV clubber as before, concern evident in his expression.
“No, I don’t need to go to the first aid tent, I’m fine. And don’t call me dude.”
“Woah, Kurt calm down. I’m just trying to help you.” Kurt felt guilty for snapping at the kid like that, but couldn’t bring himself to apologize just then; over his stomachache and the raging drum solo going on behind his eyes. Sighing, he reached out, as if seeking help getting up.
“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to snap at you. Let’s get back to work then setting up the amps.” The AV clubber grinned faintly, apology accepted, before grabbing Kurt’s hand and pulling him to his feet.
Kurt knew there was something wrong immediately when his vision blurred and he stopped breathing, dragging in a lungful of air that didn’t materialize. He clutched onto the AV clubber’s hand, eyes wide. The AV clubber looked at him curiously as the world tilted strangely, revolving on its axis once….twice….
“Guys, get me some help over here! It’s Kurt…”

“I’ll call the medical team!”

“Come guys, help me lift him…”
Everything went dark.
***
“Okay guys, slide him up here…easy now.” He could feel himself being moved, slowly sliding up onto what felt like a cot. He realized faintly that he was quite sick. A raging headache made opening his eyes unthinkable, and his stomach sloshed uncomfortably as the sliding motion stopped.
He groaned softly, hearing the soft sounds of footsteps retreating, the AV club members who had no doubt carried him off to god-knows-where. And then a voice spoke, one that he never would have expected to hear in his condition.
“Kurt, Kurt can you hear me?” He could feel a familiar, slightly calloused hand gently smooth his hair back from his sweaty forehead. He could only moan dizzily in response to the voice sounding close by his head.
“It’s okay Kurt, you’re going to be alright.” Kurt drifted, unable to focus on much of anything, except for the realization that the voice by his head most definitely belonged to Blaine.
Kurt was roused slightly from his almost-slumber, feeling the cooling wetness of a washcloth pressed to his forehead. He hadn’t realized he’d been burning up. The sensation was lovely, and Kurt sighed softly in relief, eyelids flickering, threatening to open. With a massive effort, he forced his eyes open, and when his blurry vision cleared he could see Blaine’s concerned face peering down at him.
“Hey”
“Hey”
Blaine smiled then, the dimple in his cheek evident despite his worry. Even in Kurt’s weakened state, it was impossible for Blaine to see him as anything but completely and mesmerizingly adorable.
“How are you feeling, Kurt?” Blaine murmured, moving a low stool up next to Kurt’s cot.
He sighed softly, “Bad. My head feels like it’s about to explode, and I feel like I’m about to throw up.” He moaned again as his stomach churned uncomfortably.
Blaine made a sympathetic noise in the back of his throat as he rose and quickly moved out of Kurt’s line of site. In front of him he saw more cots, most with people in varying states of illness occupying them, as well as many members of the medical team moving about frantically as they tended to their charges. As Kurt didn’t dare move for fear of his most recent meal reappearing in all its glory, he simply listened, eyes closed to Blaine’s movements above his head. What sounded like a pill bottle rattling and glasses clinking alerted him to Blaine’s return to his spot at Kurt’s bedside.
“Okay Kurt, you think you can sit up? Or would you like me to help you?”
Kurt slowly opened his eyes, looking up at Blaine blankly for a moment before answering.
“I think… some help maybe.”
Blaine smiled once more before setting down the bottle of Tylenol and water glass, along with a thermometer like the ones they used when Kurt went to the doctor; and leaned slowly over Kurt’s prone form, seeming to hesitate only briefly before slipping one arm around his shoulders.
Immediately, Kurt could feel him. The warmth his arm and fingers produced, tracing a burning trail across his back. It felt so good, so right that Kurt’s protests at being moved even the slightest bit from his current vertical position were forgotten as Blaine slowly raised him so that he was leaning against his pillows.
“I’m just going to take your temperature Kurt, then you can have some pills, okay?” Blaine smiled reassuringly before turning the device on and inserting it gently into Kurt’s hear. He could hear the pounding of his heart, sped up slightly due to Blaine’s presence, thrum in his eardrums. As they waited for the device to beep, Kurt felt rather than saw Blaine’s hand reach up to gently brush Kurt’s sweaty bangs from his forehead again. His hands were cool and slightly calloused and just how he remembered them and the words spilled from Kurt’s fever-flushed skin before he could think it through.
“I’m so sorry Blaine, I never meant to hurt you.”
Blaine looked slightly surprised at the sudden declaration, but his eyes were full of tenderness as he looked at Kurt, one hand still holding the thermometer to his ear.
“I’m sorry too, Kurt. I promised myself that I would never hurt you like that, but it happened anyway, to both of us.” He looked slightly hesitant as he continued, “Can you forgive me Kurt? I’ve been missing you a lot, and…and I think you have too.” He looked at Kurt seriously, a gleam of hope in his eyes, waiting for him to respond.
The thermometer beeped then, startling them both. Blaine gently pulled the device from Kurt’s ear and glanced at the screen, making an adorable tutting noise.
“Just what I thought, 102.9�F”
“What, is that bad, Blaine? What do you mean 102.9�F!”
Blaine looked taken aback, gently pushing Kurt back into his pillow from where he had half-risen in panic.
“Relax Kurt,” Blaine said soothingly, eyes softening in concern, “I’m here and I’m taking good care of you. You just need to lay back down and go back to sleep again. You’ll be fine.” Kurt exhaled, his arms going limp from exertion as Blaine gently helped him into a more comfortable position.
“Now,” Blaine said firmly, “do you think you can handle taking some medicine?”
“Yes, I think so.” Kurt said, slightly breathless from his outburst. He had been truly frightened for a moment. He’d never really been this sick before in his life.
Again, Blaine placed one hand around Kurt’s shoulders, holding him up before reaching down to retrieve the pill bottle which he proceeded to open, shaking out two large pills into his cupped palm before setting the bottle back down.
“Here, take these. They’ll make you feel better.” Blaine spoke softly, as if he and Kurt were alone. Kurt reached out a shaking hand to take the pills, fingers brushing delicately in Blaine’s palm, sending a thrill up his arm. The pills tasted bitter, but Blaine quickly handed him the glass of water, which helped to alleviate the taste.
It was surprising how little it took to wear him out, Kurt realized, as just the simple act of sitting up made his head pound anew and his eyelids droop as Blaine moved to lower him gently back onto the pillow.
Blaine sighed, “Get some rest Kurt, I’ll wake you up when the fair’s over.” Kurt smiled blearily up at Blaine, half asleep as he answered.
“I forgive you, Blaine.”
Kurt was already asleep, and so didn’t hear Blaine say tenderly, “ I love you Kurt, and I’ve never stopped.”