Upon Kurt's reasonable request, I went Sunday morning to check on Pavarotti. At Dalton, Jeff had long since been dubbed the Warbler keeper. Mostly it was because Jeff was a generally phenomenal person, but I believed that he also had a certain affection to the fat little birds.

I knocked on Jeff's door to find not Jeff, but David, still in his pajamas, "What up, Blainers."

"Is Jeff here?"

"Yeah, he'll be back, he and Nick just went to check on Wes. You here for the bird?"

"Wait, what's wrong with Wes?"

"Came down with some cold flu thing, I don't really know. It's nothing fatal or anything," David tried to reassure my shocked expression, "he's just been in and out of the nurse's office all weekend."

"Oh," I hadn't seen Wes last night now that I thought about it, and his room was closest to mine, "So he'll be ok?"

"Yeah, honestly he's the one who's the most worried, with the Christmas concert in two weeks and Sectionals right when we come back from break. He spent about two hours yesterday giving Thad and I an 'official' talk about all the extra practices we would need to schedule."

"But he'll be ok?"

"Stop worrying Blaine, he'll be smacking you upside the head with his gavel again in no time."

"Hey B!" Jeff waltzed into his room.

"How's Wes?"

"Depressed that he isn't allowed to go to classes for the next two days, which I don't really get, that sounds awesome, but otherwise he's just Wes. Instead of saying 'I feel like crap' he told Nick and I that he had 'a simply dreadful affliction'. Honestly Blaine? I think he'll live if he can still talk like that."

"Ok ok, fine I'll go see him later, Kurt wanted me to check up on Pavarotti."

"Oh yeah!" Jeff turned around an waved to the two bird cages on his desk (he was apparently keeping Tino's Warbler), "Here's Pavarotti, he's doing fine."

"That's good, Kurt was worried."

"Yeah he really likes the little bird huh."

"Yeah."

"They help don't they."

"They're good company if that's what you mean."

"Good company when you're lonely..." He eyed me from across his room.

Oh yes

•••

"Oh, Blaine! Pleased to see you." Wow. Wes seriously was sick. His voice, for one, was really nasal and dry. He was sitting up against his headboard, blankets tucked up to his chin, still wrapped in fuzzy pajamas, hair still tousled.

"How are you."

"Absolutely hideous, but other than that fine." Wes tended to be quite snappy when sick.

"You want anything?"

"Nah, nothing really sounds good except applesauce, and Trent already brought me three bowls of it."

"Um...ok..." I didn't really know what to do, I just stood awkwardly in the door frame, hands deep in my pockets.

"Make sure David and Thad behave tomorrow during practice ok?"

"Ok."

"And remind everyone that they HAVE to attend all the extra practices."

"I don't think that's really necessary. It's pretty common knowledge that if they didn't attend you'd stab their vocal chords."

"True, true. Just-yeah, make sure they come."

"Alright."

"Now leave me in peace unless you want to join in my ailment." He swatted me weakly towards the door."

"Ok, I'm going. I'll check on you tomorrow?"

"If you must..."

"Bye Westly."

•••

"Yeah, so we all know that Wes is sick, therefore Thad and I are in charge. We don't have a gavel, nor do we want one, so just listen up ok?" David really could step up and be quite mature when needed, "We have two weeks before Christmas break, then only one week after to finalize everything for Sectionals. Personally I think we are totally there, but Wes disagrees. So, the last three days of Christmas break we have mandatory practices that are going to last from nine in the morning to five in the evening. If home is too far away for you to drive everyday, Wes somehow convinced the faculty to let us start second semester boarding three days earlier."

Pretty much every guy in the room started mentally cursing Wes.

Thad picked up from there, "On top of Sectionals, we have the annual Christmas party with Crawford Country Day, as usual, we will be performing two numbers. In Wes' absence, we have decided against a long vote and instead have decided that we will be singing 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' solo goes to Blaine, and 'Let it Snow' solo going to Cedric unless there are any objections." No one objected, the Christmas Party wasn't exactly the most important thing to have a solo in, it was mostly just to fill space. "Alright, we won't be doing any crazy harmonies or anything, just reading off sheet music, but yeah, we'll practice that later. Now our discussion about our annual Warbler Christmas Party will be led by Warbler Dane."

The slightly pudgy but good natured Senior stood up, "As per usual, we will be doing a crazy White Elephant, bring the weirdest thing you can find and bring it wrapped. Our party will take place at my house thirty minutes after the end of the school wide party, so that means it will startat 10:30, we are suspecting that it won't end until very late, so be prepared. Directions to my place can be found on the invitation," Dane handed out neatly folded pages of Dalton stationary.

The room started to hum with excitement, the Warbler Christmas Parties were about the best things that ever happened at Dalton.

After running through all our numbers for Sectionals a few less times than Wes would have liked, we all ran out of the room, ready to go thrift shopping or internet buying to find ridiculous gifts.

"What kinds of things are usually brought?" Kurt bounced up next to Trent and I.

"Well last year I ended up with a pair of fuzzy slippers that were supposed to look like Aardvarks. I don't even know what a real Aardvark looks like but I now have slippers shaped like them." Trent got out his phone to show us a picture of said Aardvark slippers, while excruciatingly ugly, they did look kind of comfy.

"What about you Blaine?"

"I got a giant gold medallion that was embossed with the picture of a half naked mermaid, it was disturbing." Kurt wrinkled his nose at that.

"I don't even know where to find that stuff."

"Ask the seniors, they always bring the weirdest gifts."

"Freshman year I got a rock."

"That's not even like a little useful!"

"Neither is a half naked mermaid!"

"That's just 'cause you're gay Blaine."

•••

Kurt, Simon, Carver, and I were all spread across the various surfaces of Carver's dorm, Simon came along mainly because I dragged him, but he seems to be enjoying himself. At least, he is enjoying Kurt's company, he spent the past half hour steamily ranting down Carver about why science was important. He didn't generally appreciate any kind of person lacking knowledge. Simon could be intense. While their debate raged on, Kurt and I discussed his budding relationship with the glee girls.

"So I finally texted them because I don't think they were ever going to text me."

"And?"

"Well they pretty much stuck to the same excuse as Santana, that they didn't want to be bullied any more. So essentially that they didn't care enough about me to risk a bit and protect me like a real friend."

"So what'd you say?"

"Well I spent about three hours yesterday yelling at them via text, they seem pretty sorry now."

"Remind me never to anger my roommate," Carver whispered in my ear.

"Yeah, so after my fingers were about to fall off from punching the screen so hard, we decided that Mercedes, Tina, Santana, Brittany, and I would get together over Christmas Break to start solving our issues. As much as they hurt me, and as much as I love everyone here, I really need some estrogen once in a while."

"Dude after what they did to you? You're just going to like, be friends again?"

"Well no, It'll take awhile I guess, but you know that I can't hold a grudge Carver."

"What about that bully guy, Dan or whoever."

"Ok, so I CAN hold a never ending grudge to Dave Karofsky."

"Where are you all getting together?"

"Brittany's house actually. Which really doesn't make since because she doesn't even know what's happening. She's only involved for Santana's sake."

"Maybe she invited you over so she could talk about her cat."

"Oh god...I didn't even think of that...she probably did..."

"Hey! I like cats," Simon glared at us from over the top of his book.

He would, wouldn't he. Simon, I swear...

"No, Brittany doesn't just like cats, Simon. She has an unhealthy obsession."

Carver had to butt in, "Kind of how you apparently like science."

"SCIENCE IS WHAT SOLVES THE MYSTERIES OF THE WORLD! Back off my love!"

"Your love? Really?"

Carver earned himself an eraser to the face.

•••

Even though we did have white elephant gifts to give, I always liked to give my own sensible (or at least more sensible than say rainbow socks) gifts. I spent much of Saturday walking around central Westerville looking for presents. Wes and Simon were easy, I just stopped by the bookstore and got a dictionary and some book about the physics of soccer, the other guys though, would take some thought. After much deliberation, I finally decided that both Thad and David could use gift cards to the local bistro, they had been needing to find a classier place to take their girlfriends. For Nick, Jeff, and Trent, I decided that they could all use a scarf, because who can't use a scarf? And honestly, what are you supposed to get any of them? At the last minute before trying to find the important present, I went ahead and grabbed a football for Carver, he counted as my friend now too right?

The only problem left was Kurt. I stood in the snowy grass at the square between Main St. and Lincoln Ave. not having any idea what to get the boy whom I liked more than ice cream, a cappella, and Pink combined. I guess I stood their looking lost long enough because eventually a little grandmotherly lady, who was wrapped in one to many floral layer, approached me.

"Excuse me dear, but are you lost?"

"Um no ma'am, I'm fine."

"Well you look lost to me."

"I guess I'm just, well mentally lost?"

"Oh dear, that sounds awful. Are you ok? Why don't you get out of the cold." Oh god no.

"I'll be fine, really, sorry to bother you."

"Oh no dear, this is the most interesting conversation I've had all day. What can I do for you young man?"

Should I go for it? Honestly, what can a little old lady do? Well she could yell. If I don't ask, I'll stand here all day long. Fine. "Um...so..I guess-um..."

"Yes?" She was so tiny and innocent looking. Just go for it.

"Do you," I stuffed my hands in my pockets and huffed, "Do you have anything against, well, against gays?"

Her face lit up in comprehension, "Oh! Is that it? No, gosh no I don't, my sister has had a girlfriend for sixty years, she just got married in Boston recently."

Wow. Not expected. "That's, ok, um, tell her congratulations then?"

"I will, I will. So that's it?"

"Well no, actually. I don't know what to get the boy I like for christmas..."

"Oh, that's not to bad. Come on dear, you like coffee?"

"Um, yes ma'am I do..."

"Let's go get some then and discuss this boy of yours."

"I couldn't possibly..."

"Yes you can, come on. I'm Eloise by the way."

"Blaine, pleased to meet you."

Eloise led me across the street to a Starbucks, "Now I know it's not local or anything, but it's coffee."

"It's wonderful thank you." We both ordered and I payed, of course (there is NO way that I would ever let any lady, especially this nice one, pay), and then we headed to a pair of armchairs near the window.

"So tell me about this boy and we'll see what we can figure out."

"Um, ok, well his name is Kurt, he likes singing, fashion, and fancy foods. His hair is gorgeous, well actually, he himself is just generally gorgeous, and I'd like to ask him out sometime." It was nice to be able to get this out. Really it was something I should be discussing with my own grandma, not with someone else's, but that would never happen, Eloise would do.

She smiled at me softly, "I bet there's more to it than that, keep talking."

So I did. I told her about how we met, how he looked (stunning), how he made me feel (like I was melting and suffocating in a vat of caramel), how we loved coffee, about his audition song, his voice, our sporadic duets to radio songs in our dorm rooms. I told her everything I could think of. I guess she sensed that I needed to let this all out, so she just sat back and listened warmly as I babbled on about the wonders of Kurt Evan Hummel.

Finally I stopped, out of breath, and blushed at all I had said to a lady I barely knew. She looked thoughtful, "While I ponder all the gift ideas in my head, we can discuss that coffee issue of yours."

"Ok?"

"Well, for one, you are perfectly correct. Westerville tends to have generally awful coffee. But are you familiar with the Columbus area?"

"Yes, I actually live there. I'm just in Westerville for the Academy."

"Oh a Dalton boy! Well that DOES explain the exquisite manners."

More blushing.

"Well then, if you're familiar with the area, then I bet you can find it if you look it up, I don't know the actual address. It's this little tea parlor, and they have the best coffee I have ever tasted in my whole long life."

"Really?"

"Oh yes. It's called Ceai Mistic, the lady who owns it is Romanian, it's wonderful."

"I'll have to go sometime..."

"Definitely. Now that your date problem is solved though, lets think of what we can get your dear boy for christmas."

"Thank you so much."

"It's nothing, this is the most interested I've been in anything for about the past week." Eloise sat for awhile sipping the remains of her coffee when she suddenly shot up, eyes glinting, "I have the greatest idea!"

•••

Dalton boys were generally famous for wanting (and usually getting) girlfriends, but that was nothing to the Crawford Country Day girl's obsession with obtaining boyfriends. It was only about five minutes in to the Dalton/Crawford Christmas Party, and already the girls were batting eyelashes and twirling curled hair. The cafeteria had been converted into a sort of hollywood wonderland, every type of tinsel, ribbon, and wreath sprouted from the old wood paneled walls, and the girls were constantly trying to drag boys over to what they claimed was a patch of mistletoe (in reality, it was a pine branch). Of course, many boys did go to kiss a pretty girl under the "mistletoe", but I think I broke about ten hearts in the first five minutes of the party. The sad part was that it wasn't even a dance, just a banquet. We talked and ate, I charmed too many hearts that I would never date, and watched Kurt do the same...sort of.

At first, Kurt would let the girls talk, ask if anyone was sitting by him, try and charm him, and Kurt would politely turn them down. After about thirty minutes of this though, I was on his right side dying of laughter, while girls came up on his left asking to sit by him, complimenting his hair (not his clothes, we were required to wear uniforms, much to Kurt's dismay) and trying to get a date. After this long, Kurt was steaming with annoyance, instead of politely turning down the hopeful girls, as soon as one approached him he would just go "I'm gay!" and wave them off. It was hilarious to watch the poor girl's faces.

Thad came up behind me as Kurt swatted off another girl, "I told you they were crazy about him."

"Oh my god, you were right," my voice was breathy with laughter.

"I know! It's so unfair! The gay guy is stealing all the ladies!"

"Thad, how many girls have you kissed tonight?"

"Um..."

"Thad?"

"Three...?"

"You really are an awful person. Stop taking advantage of all the girls!"

"They agreed to it!"

"Oh my god...you're hopeless..."

"Well I've got more kisses than you have tonight." He whispered coyly in my ear.

"Shut up, I have a present for you in my car, but that doesn't mean I actually have to give it to you."

"You got me a PRESENT! YES! Best friend EVER!" My arms were suddenly full of Thad, who was hugging me with reckless abandon.

Wes (who had finally stopped being sick, which meant he had stopped being grumpy, we were all quite glad of his recovery) came up and tapped Thad on his shoulder."Thad, get off Blaine. It's time to sing."

"Oh! Christmas carols! Hey Wes, did you know that Blaine got us all presents? Blaine's the best."

"That's nice Thad, now since you somehow ended up as a council member, please help me round up the Warblers, I've only found twelve so far."

"Right, of course."

As Thad sauntered off, I swooped in and saved Kurt from a conversation with a girl who was wearing too much makeup. The two of us made our way over to the makeshift stage.

"I am sick of private school girls."

"Yeah, I could see that."

"After this performance, I'm going to go hide for the rest of the night."

"If you insist."

"I do."

"Alright, I'll join you then."

"I wasn't trying to rope you into ditching the banquet! You don't have to come!"

"I want to."

"Oh."

Suddenly Wes was back, trailing behind him were the last of the missing Warblers, "Alright, are we all ready? Blaine? Cedric?"

"Yes."

"Lets do this."

Wes turned around and tapped the microphone twice, "Good evening ladies and gentleman. I hope you are all having a wonderful time, "A couple of boys let out whoops, receiving a very disapproving eye from the Head Warbler, "Right, so lets begin, please welcome the Dalton Academy Warblers." A ribbon of applause ran through the crowd.

I stepped up to the mic, all the worries and panic seeping out of my pores until I could smile my most easy, bright smile. The harmonies started to build behind me until it was my turn to come in. In that moment, nothing mattered. I sang, I danced, I let go. It was splendid, just to be ridiculous and musical all at the same time. I was glowing like radioactive waste, I could tell, and I didn't care.

For the moment, life was perfect.

All too soon, the moment was over, I was left standing, out of breath, in front of a festive crowd. I backed up to let Cedric take the mic, as I joined the chorus, I caught Kurt's eye as he stood at the other end of the tenor section. He gave me a glorious smile.

Life WAS perfect.

Cedric finished his solo and we continued the chords for a few more seconds before it was all over and silence curtained over the hall. As we began to file off the makeshift stage, cheers and applause suddenly erupted, causing us to high five and fist bump whoever was closest to us.

"That was awesome Blaine."

"Great job man," David patted me on the back before spinning off towards the buffet line for what I assumed was another piece of cake.

"Blaine, Blaine, Blaine, she's coming for me!" Kurt hissed as he began to yank my arm out the door.

"Ok, ok, come on, you can help me with something." We left the noise-filled hall and walked side by side through the dark silence of the rest of the school until we made it out to my car in the parking lot. The street lamps illuminated the quietly falling snow like fireflies, casting a halo-like glow over all the cars. Neither of us felt the need to disturb the peace with talking loudly so we kept our voices to hushed whispers.

"Blaine, what are we doing?"

"You're going to help me carry in gifts for the guys."

"Oh! Was I supposed to get stuff?"

"Nope, I was just bored last Saturday."

"Oh, ok, that's good."

"Alright," I unlocked my car, "We'll bring in all we can carry and then we'll come back for the rest ok? And sorry, but this does mean that you will have to brave the cafeteria again." Kurt huffed at this, his breath freezing in midair, but he grabbed some of the gifts.

We managed to actually carry everything, well everything except Kurt's gift, that was for later. By the time we got back inside, Kurt was shivering and blue, so I made him go fetch his coat while I started to search out the recipients.

I found David easily, he had permanently stationed himself by the dessert table, "Hey David."

"What up Blainers? Having fun?"

"Yeah!" I held out his gift, "Merry Christmas!"

"Ohmygod! It's a present! Yes!" He ripped of the shimmery paper with reckless abandon to reveal his gift card to the bistro, "FOOD! B you're the best guy ever!"

"It's not just for you, it's to have a nice place to take a girl."

"Or it could just be for me, and I could buy like ten brownies."

"Fine, whatever, Merry Christmas David." I smiled widely as I went off in search of other people.

Thad was flirting with two redheaded girls at one table, so I just handed him his present with a quick message to be respectful and went off again. I found Wes, Trent, Nick, and Jeff all at one table with a couple of seniors.

"Hey guys, "I waved them over to the side of the room so as not to be rude, "Here's for christmas."

All of them except Wes ripped of the paper, Wes tore at it carefully, folded it, then put it nicely into his pocket (oh Wes). "It's a scarf!"

"Yeah!"

"I'm going to be gorgeous like Blaine."

"Shut up Nick."

"This is wonderful, thank you SO much Blaine, I'm so grateful."

"Of course Trent." Always so perfectly nice.

Wes was looking at me with huge eyes, "it's the brand new addition of the Webster's Dictionary."

"Yes it is."

"Oh my god."

"So you like it?"

"I like it so much that I actually want to do some PDA and give you a hug."

"That's serious then."

"Yeah it is."

"You can hug me you know, I don't actually mind." And for the second time that night I found my lungs crushed by a Warbler Council member, albeit that Wes' hug was much shorter than Thad's.

"Get a room boys."

"Oh shut up and let them hug, Nick." Jeff smirked over at Wes, "This is probably the most intimate we are ever going to see Wes be."

"I think it's cute."

"Of course you would, Trent. You would think a zombified squid is cute."

"Maybe it's a cute zombie."

"One, squids are ugly even when alive, and two, where have you ever seen a cute zombie?"

"It could happen."

"Right, guys I still have to pass out some more gifts, I'll see you later ok?"

"See ya, B."

After much searching, I finally found Carver sitting with a couple of the athletes, "Hey man."

"Oh hey! What's up? Kurt just stopped by and asked where you were."

"I was trying to find you..."

"Ah, well he'll be fine for a couple minutes, what's up?"

"Merry Christmas."

"You got me something? Dude, you are like the best person ever!" He opened the awkwardly wrapped package (how are you supposed to wrap a football?), "Thanks man! This is a REALLY nice ball! I can't believe you got me something!"

"You're Kurt's friend, so now you're my friend. Merry Christmas."

"We totally need to hang out more."

"We hang out a lot."

"Yeah, but like, we should hang out with just the two of us. Kurt said you like football right?"

"Yeah."

"I would say we should go to a game, but I have no money of my own so maybe sometime you can come watch a game with me on my TV."

"How do you even keep that TV in your room without getting caught?"

"If they ever do room checks I hide it behind all the clothes in Kurt's closet. You could hide a car behind there."

"If he knew you touched his clothes..."

"Oh god, I know, you can't tell him."

"We're cool."

"Awesome man, have a good break ok?"

That's not gonna happen, I know that for a fact, "You too."

Now I only have to find Simon.

After asking around for awhile for a kid with glasses and mousy hair, some girls finally told me that they thought the guy I was looking for was hitting on their friend.

What? Simon? Hitting on a girl? Oh snap.

I walked over to where they were pointing and-oh my god-they were right. Simon was sitting by a dark skinned girl with long, fashionable braids pilled stylishly on top of her head, "Um, hey, sorry to interrupt this, uh, thing...but yeah...here you go..."

Before I could hand Simon the package, the mocha girl gave me the most sparkling smile, "Hi! I'm Luci! Are you Blaine? If you are, Simon speaks very highly of you."

"I am Blaine, pleased to meet you," We shook hands gratefully, "Simon is quite wonderful."

"Aw, gee thanks Blaine. Luci? If you don't mind, I'm gonna talk to Blaine for a minute."

"That's fine! I'll be here."

"Ok," He dragged off out of her earshot, "Oh my god, Blaine! She asked me out! ASKED ME OUT! We're going to dinner sometime over christmas break! I'm so happy! Oh my god! I have a DATE!"

"Congrats!"

"I am saved from a life of solitude!"

"Ok, slow down, you just met her..."

"I don't care! I'M SO HAPPY!"

"Well then I'm happy for you."

"YES!" Simon was jumping up and down, his muddy eyes glinting through his glasses.

"I have a present for you."

"Ooh! Yay!" He opened the book, "It's soccer AND science! My dreams have come true!"

"I'm glad you like it! Look, I'll let you get back to Luci ok? Have fun, and have a nice holiday. Don't let all the little children kill you."

"I'll try not to, but we'll see. Bye Blaine." He skipped off (SKIPPED, Simon has never skipped).

On my way through the hall to find Kurt, I passed Wes again, his nose was already buried in his book. What is wrong with my friends? They ENJOY reading dictionaries. Well, at least one does.

"Blaine," I recognized Kurt's high pitched hiss.

"Oh hey! Alright, you have your coat?"

"Um, yeah? Why?"

"You didn't think I had got you nothing did you?"

"Um..I don't know?"

"Come on silly, let's go." And suddenly it was like we had gone back in time, because once again, my hand was clasped tightly into Kurt's. we were running through the still halls, jumping over long shadows and light from the tall windows until we reached the outdoors again. Kurt put on a pair of gloves and a warm scarf as the winter air pricked his face. I stopped Kurt when we reached a pool of light cast from the street lights high above, "Wait here ok?"

I left Kurt standing in the swirling fireflies of snow as I went to fetch the two packages out of my car, "ok, here is this one first." I handed him the rectangle that was swaddled in cream paper and tied up in a purple rose bow.

Like Wes, he tore it open carefully, like every moment he was trying to breathe in the perfect folds. First he found the box of cookies, "Blaine...are these what I think they are?"

"Well they aren't your toffee nut sandy things or whatever they are, but they had both caramel and toffee, so I figured they would work."

"They look delicious," his eyes were already wide with stark wonder, his voice quiet. Next he found the card, "You're promising me ten free coffees?"

"Yes, that way I can always be the gentleman and pay."

"That means ten more coffee dates."

"Well I was kind of hoping that we could go on more than ten."

Kurt smiled shyly at that, but his blush was bright in the yellow light. He found the last thing in that box, a pair of light grey knitted mittens, "they're so soft."

"Can I, um, can I put them on?"

"Of course," I set my other package down carefully behind me where Kurt couldn't see it. I slowly took of Kurt's gloves, holding both of his pretty hands in one of my own. They were so soft, it was so intimate, we were both holding our breaths. I slipped each little mitten onto each of his little hands, then I just held them, looking at them for a minute. Melting into the domesticated thing we just did. It was so simple, yet so beautiful. I just wanted time to stop and let us stand like this forever.

"Thank you Blaine."

"There's still more."

"Oh?"

"Of course," I pulled the bouquet of purple roses and white daisies out from behind my back.

"Blaine...they're beautiful-oh my god! Is that a bowtie?"

"Yes."

"You tied the flowers with a bowtie?"

"Yes."

"That's so cute! Oh! It has little ferris wheels on it! I love it!"

"I'm glad! I wasn't sure if it was a little much, the ferris wheels and everything."

"It's perfect. It's all perfect. I love it. I kind of don't want to ruin the moment with my gift now..."

"Oh come on!"

"Anxious a little?"

"I like presents, what can I say?"

"Haha, ok, here we go. It's not wrapped, I couldn't fit a whole package inti my coat, but yeah..." He extended his hand, in it were two prices of paper.

"Tickets?"

"Why don't you read them."

"For RENT?!"

"Yeah, it's just the Lima area community theater, but it's still Rent"

"I love Rent! Thank you so much!"

"Merry Christmas!"

"I can't wait until..." I looked back at the ticket, "Oh it's right after Sectionals!"

"Yeah!"

"I can't wait!" Rent! Omg!

"So we still have like thirty minutes until we have to leave for Dane's house, and I don't really want to go back into the banquet yet..."

"Are you ok staying out here for awhile?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Alright then," I grabbed his free hand and pulled him over to the hood of my Lincoln. We hopped up onto the hood, "Would you like to have some cookies?"

"Um, duh," he took a bite, "Ooh! These are good!"

We sat on my car, silently eating glorious cookies for awhile before Kurt spoke again, "So how did you think of all that stuff?"

"Um, well, I actually kind of got some help..." So I told Kurt all about Eloise (well not ALL, there are some things that he doesn't need to know...not yet). He laughed at me, or her, or both.

"So you got advice on present buying from a seventy year old lady?"

"Hey, she was a nice seventy year old lady. And you kind of admitted that she had good taste."

"She did, though I am assuming that the bowtie was all you."

"Well yeah, obviously, who else could find a bowtie with ferris wheels?"

"Only you."

•••

We probably all showed up at Dane's house way before anytime that was socially acceptable, but he lived like five minutes from the school, so what were we supposed to do? Anyways, I don't think that Dane's parents really minded, he had the coolest parents ever. I mean, they CHOSE to invite 28 teenage boys over to their house in the middle of the night, that's pretty awesome.

Their basement had been turned into some kind of temporary den, with blankets and pillows and places to sit. On the side of the room, there were heaping plates of appetizer-like foods, because even though we had just been to a banquet, we were teenage guys, we would be hungry again in five minutes. We all set our packages in the middle, most of them awkwardly wrapped with way too much tape, and many packages of really weird sizes.

Throughout the hours we ate, sang out of tune mash ups, talked, and played White Elephant. I drew one of the last numbers, so for now I just watched as a freshman got a crazy hat, that was then stolen by a senior, and then lastly claimed by Thad. I watched as someone got a back massager shaped as a creepy looking octopus. I watched as a freshman was convinced to try one of his prices of spicy mexican candy, as Wes got those aardvark slippers (apparently they had been recycled from last year...Wes' face was priceless), as Kyung Ju received my gift of a purple stripped jumpsuit that I found in a thrift shop. Kurt got a lovely salt shaker, it was plastic and looked like it had been stolen out of a pizza parlor.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Nothing, that's kind of the point."

He just sat there and looked at it, completely befuddled by it's lack of use. Finally it was my turn, I went and shook all the presents (because who wouldn't?) and opened the heaviest one.

I won an overly large sack of corn flour.

Yay.

It was the most fun I had had in a long time, by the end our eyes were all wet and our abs ached from laughter. At two in the morning, we all thanked Dane's parents profusely, and then stepped out into the elements.

Kurt and I said our goodbyes and then stepped off to the side, "Can we meet over christmas?"

"We'll see, I'll text you ok?"

"I'll miss you."

I really wanted to kiss him. My eyes were permanently fixated on his lips, I could feel all the emotions from the past months bubble up inside my chest cavity...

No.

No. I can't kiss him now, I can't.

I can't have the memory of our first kiss, my first kiss, tainted by the terrible events that were sure to come as soon as this night ended.

So I stepped back with an, "I'll miss you too." And let him go.

So I was alone, out in the darkness, the snow, the too early morning. And I was trying very, very hard not to break down.







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