Prompt: Finn and Rachel decorate the nursery for their first baby.
Prompt given by: finchelkisses
She hears his key turn in the door and she's already standing there waiting for him, bubbling with excitement.
He opens the door to find her wearing one of his old t-shirts over her growing belly, smeared with green paint. She's holding a paintbrush and she has a crazy look in her eyes.
"Finn," she begins exuberantly, taking him by the hand, "Finn, just wait until you see what I've done. I finally came up with a theme for the nursery."
"Rachel!" he exclaims, concerned, "should you be around paint? Is that even safe?"
"Don't worry, I checked with the doctor's office, it's totally fine," she chatters wildly, "she just said to make sure the windows were open, and not to get up on a ladder, so I just did the bottom half of the room, so you'll have to finish it, but oh my gosh, Finn, you've got to see this."
"Rachel, are you sure you haven't been inhaling too many paint fumes?" he asks worriedly, as she leads him to the nursery, "you seem totally insane right now."
"Oh, Finn," she chuckles to herself, "I'm fine. I'm just nesting, that's all. The baby's going to be here so soon, I just have this intense need to make sure everything is completely ready."
"Okay," Finn replies uncertainly as Rachel opens the door to the nursery.
His uncertainty turns to shock as he's nearly blinded by the lime green of the half-painted walls.
"Whoa," he replies, glancing from the walls to Rachel's dazzling smile. Desperately searching for the right thing to say, he finds himself weighing his concern for his unborn child's retinas and his hesitance to dampen his wife's spirits.
"Isn't it amazing?" she asks before he can speak, "and look at this!"
She holds out an object she's been hiding behind her back, and it takes him a good thirty seconds to process the fact that she's made a mobile out of a black witch's hat and some rainbow-colored ribbons.
"Get it?" she asks giddily, "It's a 'Wicked' theme! Isn't it fantastic? It's so unique, don't you think?"
He tries to smile and nod, but it ends up as more of a cringe, which she picks up on immediately.
"You hateit!" she gasps, bursting into tears, "it was such a stupid idea!"
Now she's sitting on the floor, sobbing with her face in her hands. Her tears are mixing with the paint on her fingers, turning her cheeks green. When he tries to sit down beside her, she tries to run away, only to find that she can't get up without help. It would be kind of funny if he didn't feel so awful right now.
"Hey," he says gently, rubbing her back, "I—I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, baby. I—just—I mean, what if it's a boy?"
She snaps her head up and looks at him with big, wet, brown eyes.
"Well, why can't our son have an appreciation for one of the greatest musicals of our time?" she reasons quietly.
"You're right, Rach, there's no reason why not," he whispers, "I'm sorry I didn't have the best reaction. I'll make it up to you, I swear. Come on, let's get you cleaned up, okay?"
She nods as she lets him help her off the floor, then pauses for a moment and looks around.
"I think the green may be a little too bright," she admits sheepishly.
She shakes her head and wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand.
"I can't think anymore about this today," she mumbles wearily, "I just need a good night's sleep right now."
"Good idea, babe," he says, squeezing her hand tightly.
She's awoken early the next morning by the phone ringing. She rolls over when she hears Finn answer and walk out of the bedroom.
"Rach," he says gently, returning a few moments later, "that was Kurt. He wants you to go to have a ladies spa day or something?"
"Oh, no," Rachel shakes her head, "I don't want to leave you alone on your day off."
"It's okay, babe," he says smiling, "I think you could use some stress-relief, don't you?"
"I guess it wouldn't hurt," she admits shyly.
"You go ahead," he grins, "I'll find something to do to keep busy."
"Like video games," she smirks, poking him in the ribs.
"Maybe," he laughs, tickling her.
She walks into the apartment several hours later, feeling rejuvenated. Finn is nowhere to be seen, but the lights are on and music is coming from the nursery.
"Finn?" she asks, "where are you?"
"In here!" he calls, "come on in!"
She walks into the room to find Finn standing in the middle of it, grinning proudly.
She looks around, unable to believe her eyes. The walls are painted the perfect color green. An enlarged, framed Playbill from "Wicked" is leaning against the dresser. And lined up in the crib are the most adorable stuffed toys of Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow.
She just stands there, completely speechless.
"I found your Playbill," he smiles, "they matched the paint color for me at the store."
"It's just— it's exactly right," she marvels, looking around in awe.
"And those guys," he said, gesturing toward the crib, "they were just staring at me from a toy store window…I know they're not technically from 'Wicked,' but I couldn't resist—"
She cuts him off with a passionate kiss that nearly knocks him off-balance.
He smiles, placing his hands on her waist.
"You," she says to him, poking him in the chest, her eyes welling up, "you."