It was actually the last thing Kurt expected to happen. He had assumed Blaine was safe at home, warm and out of the ice storm.
But you know what happens when you assume things.
Lima Public Schools had already cancelled for the next day, so Kurt was able to relax for the evening and not have to worry about homework. He was in such a good mood that he offered to cook dinner so Carole could relax after work, and he didn't object when his dad told him to do the dishes so that he and Finn could watch the basketball game on TV.
Once he finished, Kurt went up to his room to watch the home shopping network on his TV, and tried texting Blaine. His boyfriend normally replied instantly to him, but Blaine didn't even read the text, according to Kurt's iPhone. He sighed and focused on finding something good to watch instead. Blaine was probably just busy.
Kurt texted Blaine again an hour later when he still hadn't replied. He didn't want to seem clingy, but was a little worried with how bad the weather was and the fact that Blaine wouldn't answer him.
But it was soon forgotten when Kurt found a marathon of Pretty Little Liars on TV, and he quickly became absorbed in that.
He didn't realize how quickly the time had passed until he heard Finn retreat into his room next door. It was pushing eleven, and Kurt's show was almost over, so he went ahead and got ready for bed, still waiting on a reply from his boyfriend.
He was brushing his teeth when he heard the doorbell. Kurt didn't know who the heck would be out with it sleeting and icing like crazy, but he figured one of his parents would answer the door.
"Kurt!" he heard his dad yell. Kurt rinsed his mouth out and walked out of the bathroom. It sounded urgent.
He thumped down the stairs, still puzzled as to who it was. But when he finally did see the mystery guest, he froze completely.
Blaine.
Frozen, shivering, bleeding from his head, and limping, Carole helped him over to the couch.
"What…?" Kurt was at a loss for words. "What happened?"
"Come here," Carole told him. She draped a blanket around Blaine's shoulders and sat down on the coffee table across from him. Kurt hesitantly approached Blaine, nervous to touch him.
"Blaine, sweetheart, what happened to you?" Carole pressed gently, holding onto his hands to warm him up. "Burt, go make him some hot chocolate. He feels like ice."
Kurt saw his dad rush off into the kitchen, and Finn came downstairs to join them, but eventually disappeared into the kitchen as well.
"I-I was a-at McK-Kinley," Blaine stammered, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. "Ch-cheerios, and prom c-committee. My c-car wouldn't st-start, and my parents aren't h-home. I walked h-here, but I f-fell."
Kurt tried to remember how far away McKinley was from his house. Easily over two miles, almost three. No wonder Blaine hadn't replied to his text. He was out in the storm.
"Oh, honey…" Carole said, wrapping the blanket tighter around him. "You've got to be freezing. You should have called one of us. We could have come and picked you up. Here, let's get you out of these wet clothes."
Blaine nodded and shut his eyes, slumping forward slightly. Carole helped him to his feet, and Blaine immediately latched onto Kurt.
"Kurt, take him upstairs to your room. I'm going to try to take a look at his head," Carole told him. Kurt wrapped his arm around his boyfriend, and led up him upstairs one step at a time.
"You should have called me," Kurt said, setting Blaine down on his bed. He felt so guilty; he had been at home warm and safe, when Blaine had walked two miles to get to his house. Blaine's own house was five miles from McKinley. They both knew he probably wouldn't have made it.
"S-sorry," Blaine sighed. Kurt found some of his smallest pajamas and tossed them onto his bed.
"It's not your fault," Kurt reassured him, unbuttoning Blaine's shirt for him. Blaine's own hands were trembling too much. "Do you want to take a shower? That would warm you up."
Blaine shook his head, and Kurt got a good look at where he was bleeding. It was near his ear, and Kurt came to the obvious conclusion that he hit his head on the ice when he fell.
"Let Carole take a look at you, then you can make up your mind," Kurt told him, and pulled off his snowy shoes and soaked socks. He helped Blaine into warmer clothes, but couldn't help but notice how he was holding his wrist against his chest. Kurt took a look at it, and it was easily swollen twice the size of his other one. It was painful just looking at it.
By the time Carole finally showed up with the first aid kit and some hot chocolate for Blaine, he seemed to be doing a little better. He still shivered uncontrollably, but at least was calmer.
"I think you just have a scratch," Carole told Blaine, pressing some gauze against the side of his head to stop it from bleeding. Kurt kept him under his blankets and helped him take a drink of hot chocolate.
"Look at his wrist," Kurt told her. "It's swollen."
Carole gingerly moved Blaine's arm, but he didn't wince or show any sign of pain.
"I think it might be sprained," she told him. "Can you feel anything, honey, or are you just numb?"
"Numb," Blaine mumbled, leaning into Kurt. Kurt could feel him shaking, and nothing seemed to help warm him up.
"Sweetheart, go take a shower," Carole told him. "The warm water should help a lot. Is your sister at home? I can call her and let her know where you are, if you want."
Blaine shook his head. "She's w-with my parents. It's okay."
Carole smiled and squeezed his knee. "Go get cleaned up. I'll keep your hot chocolate warm for you. You can stay in here until you're ready to go to sleep, then you can sleep down the hall in the guest bedroom. I'll have Burt take a look at your car tomorrow once the roads are cleared up some."
Kurt helped Blaine stand again, and he nodded to Carole. "Th-thank you."
"You're welcome, honey. I'll look at your wrist again once you're comfortable."
Kurt took Blaine into his bathroom and started the shower for him. He got a towel from the closet and draped it over the bar.
"Here's a towel. I'll just be in my room. Do you need any more help?" he offered. Blaine shook his head, still not saying anything. Blaine wouldn't even look at him. Kurt decided to just leave him alone to shower. He was probably traumatized after the night he had had.
Kurt went to get some more blankets for his bed so Blaine would be comfortable. Carole met him in the hallway while Kurt went out to get a second pillow for Blaine.
"Your dad said Blaine could stay in your bed for the night," she told him. "Just because of the circumstances."
"Okay," Kurt replied, grateful he didn't have to be separated from Blaine when he clearly needed him. "Tell him thanks."
Carole nodded at him and went back downstairs, and Kurt tried to get his bed set up for an extra person. He tried not to think about how scared he had been when Blaine first showed up. At least he would be okay.
Hopefully.
When Blaine got out of the shower, Kurt could tell he was completely wiped out. He jumped up from his bed and wrapped his arms around Blaine's tiny waist.
"You stopped shivering," he noticed. "That's good. Do you feel better?"
"I can feel it now," Blaine confessed, pulling away from Kurt and holding his wrist against his stomach like he had earlier. The bruising looked more pronounced, and had definitely swelled more.
"Blaine, that looks horrible," Kurt gasped, trying to look at it. "Let me get Carole. She can wrap it or put a brace on it."
"No, it's okay," Blaine insisted, grabbing Kurt by the arm before he could leave. His weaker arm fell to his side limply. Kurt took a second look at him, and went ahead to get his stepmother.
"Carole?" Kurt called. He found her in the kitchen, heating up some chicken soup. "Blaine's wrist looks worse. Can you look at it?"
Carole frowned and nodded. "I'm making him some soup to eat before he goes to bed. He has to be starving. I'll grab the first aid kit again and be up there in a minute."
"Thank you," Kurt told her, stomping back up the steps quickly to get back to his boyfriend.
"Here, get in bed," Kurt coaxed when he found Blaine nearly falling asleep standing up. He walked Blaine to his side of the bed and helped arrange the pillows so he could sit up comfortably. "Carole is bringing you some soup to eat, and she'll look at your arm, so don't go to sleep yet."
Blaine whined, but stayed awake. Kurt tried to make him comfortable and got him a glass of water from the bathroom, but all Blaine seemed to want to do was doze off.
After what seemed like hours, Carole came in with a bowl of soup for Blaine and her first aid box.
"Here, you go, honey," she said to Blaine. "Kurt, help him. Let's take a look at your wrist."
Kurt tried to help Blaine eat, but he didn't want to be fed, and insisted on doing it himself. Kurt sat back and watched Carole maneuver Blaine's wrist.
"Ow," Blaine whined, wincing and shifting uncomfortably as she pushed it back.
"Does all of that hurt?" she asked him. Blaine nodded hesitantly, and Kurt saw tears in his eyes. He held Blaine's good hand, and tried not to think about him being in pain.
"I don't want to think that it's broken, but going to a doctor once the roads are a little better wouldn't be a bad idea. If it's worse in the morning we'll take you no matter what. For tonight you can take some Advil and keep some ice on it for a little while before you go to sleep. Eat all of your soup, then just try to get some rest. Okay? Is there anything else you need?"
"I'm fine. Thank you, Mrs. H., I'll be out of your hair tomorrow," Blaine assured her.
"No, don't worry about it," she said, standing up and smoothing down the covers. "We'll go to the doctor and let you stay here until your parents are back. Now finish your soup, and I'll bring you some ice and Advil."
Blaine nodded and shut his eyes. Kurt was fairly certain he didn't want to eat anymore, so he put his nearly-full soup bowl on the nightstand.
"Do you want to lie down?" Kurt offered. Blaine shrugged, so Kurt took that as a yes. He rearranged the mountain of pillows behind his boyfriend's back, and tried to ensure that he was as comfortable as possible.
"I'm glad you're safe now," Kurt said. Blaine looked at him, exhausted, and smiled a little. Kurt moved a pillow under his bad arm and turned off his lamp.
"No, stay here," Blaine panicked, grabbing Kurt by the hand. Kurt couldn't help but notice how cold his hands still felt.
"Cover up," Kurt told him. "I'm just walking around. You need to relax if you're ever gonna be able to sleep."
Blaine exhaled loudly, and Kurt climbed into bed next to him. Once Carole had him take some pain medicine, he quickly became drowsy.
Kurt didn't just want to go to sleep and leave Blaine on his own, so he stayed awake with him for what felt like hours. As sleepy as Blaine was, he just couldn't doze off.
"My wrist hurts," Blaine whined, draping his good arm across Kurt's stomach.
"Go to sleep and it'll feel better in the morning," Kurt told him, running his fingers absently through Blaine's non-gelled hair. "I could go get Carole right now, if it's that bad."
"No!" Blaine pleaded, clinging to Kurt like Velcro. "Keep me warm. I'm still cold."
Kurt sighed and complied. He didn't want Blaine to be in pain all night, but he couldn't very well move.
"Just close your eyes and at least try to sleep," Kurt said, making sure Blaine was completely covered up. "It's almost midnight."
Blaine whined a little, but eventually settled down enough to go to sleep. Kurt was thankful; and as tired as he was from taking care of Blaine all night, Kurt was just so relieved Blaine was safe and warm and nearly unharmed, not out wandering the streets of Lima trying to get back to his own house.
"Don't scare me again," Kurt whispered to Blaine. "I was so worried about you."
Blaine was falling asleep, but managed to reply before completely drifting off.
"I'll try," he murmured, snuggling closer. Kurt laughed a little and kissed the top of his head, content to take care of Blaine for as long as he needed to.
Author's Notes:
Well it's finally spring break and I have updates! I wrote about three new chapters for this story, as well as a separate three-parter fix that I'll put up in a few days. Can't wait for everyone to read them! I've still got my huge list of prompts I'm going to tackle, but if you have any then just leave them in a review and maybe I'll have them up something this week!