Day 5: Emergency/Presents
"If you wait here, Mr. Anderson, I'll send a nurse back with your discharge instructions," the doctor said as she walked out the door.
"Thank you," Blaine replied politely, letting out a sigh after she'd departed.
"Are you okay?" Kurt asked. He moved from the visitor chair to sit beside Blaine on the exam table. "Does it hurt much?" He reached over and gingerly took Blaine's left hand in both of his own, lifting it to examine the bandage wrapped tightly around his finger.
"I'll live," Blaine sighed again, staring blankly towards the floor. "It's just a scratch, really."
"A scratch that needed four stitches," Kurt countered.
"Don't remind me," Blaine winced.
Kurt continued to cradle Blaine's injured hand and looked at him carefully. True, they'd been a bit scared when Blaine had slipped with the knife and given himself what, at first, appeared to be a serious injury, but it had turned out to be a pretty straightforward cut that the doctor assured him would heal perfectly. It was puzzling, then, why Blaine seemed so upset and sad.
"Blaine," Kurt began, waiting for his boyfriend to look up at him before continuing, "what's the matter? The doctor told us you'll be as good as new in no time. No nerve damage, nothing serious. You can't play piano until the stitches come out, but then you'll be fine, thank goodness." He paused and lifted Blaine's hand to his lips, kissing the back lightly. "So, talk to me."
"I know I'll be all right," Blaine answered after a moment. "But…Kurt, it's Christmas Eve! We're spending Christmas Eve in a hospital emergency room. You hate hospitals more than anything. I feel like…like I…"
"Blaine?" Kurt prompted.
"Christmas is ruined and it's all my fault!" Blaine all but shouted, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
"Oh, honey," Kurt admonished gently, releasing Blaine's hand and wrapping his arms around him. "You didn't ruin anything," he assured him, trying to hold back a chuckle. Poor Blaine. He'd clearly spent too much time with Kurt and Rachel – he was becoming as dramatic as they were!
"Seriously? Like this isn't the worst Christmas ever?" Blaine complained as he released Kurt. "Ugh, for years to come, this will be remembered as The Year Blaine Was a Klutz and Spent Christmas Eve in the Hospital."
Kurt couldn't stifle his laugh at that. "Well, we can't let that happen, can we?" he teased. "Let's see," he pondered, tapping his chin with his forefinger and scrunching up his face as if in deep in thought. "What can we do to make things better? I know!" he exclaimed, slapping his hands on his knees and sitting upright. "Presents!"
Blaine gave a weak smile, appreciating Kurt's efforts to cheer him. "Sure, Kurt. When we get home, we can open some presents. That might be nice, though I'll need a little help," he said, holding up his bandaged hand.
"I'll be happy to help," Kurt offered, leaning over to kiss Blaine's cheek and then hopping down from the table, "but I don't feel like waiting until we get home."
Blaine blinked in confusion. "But, Kurt, we don't have our presents here."
Kurt smirked. "Maybe you don't, but some of us come prepared." He paused and held Blaine's gaze for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and reached into his coat pocket. "Now, considering your injury, you might not be able to make proper use of it quite yet, but I see no reason not to give it to you now."
He produced a small box from his pocket that made Blaine gasp in surprise and tear up again, this time for a much different reason.
"I had a whole plan in place to give you this, you know," he continued, "and I still intend to do everything that I planned. You will be getting the full Kurt Hummel Proposal Experience once that bandage is off your ring finger and I can put this where it belongs. But it's Christmas Eve, and I can't stand to see you sad, not when I can do something about it. So, Blaine Anderson, my sweet, kind, amazing, slightly clumsy, wonderful true love and best friend," he held the box up and opened the lid to reveal a stunning platinum band, "will you marry me?"
Unbeknownst to Kurt and Blaine, they had drawn a small audience of nurses, doctors, and a few patients, all of whom cheered and applauded when Blaine enthusiastically said yes. From then on, that Christmas Eve was remembered by all as The Year Kurt and Blaine Got Engaged in the Emergency Room on Christmas Eve.
A/N: I think I used up all my actual creativity yesterday.