The one thing Blaine hated most about Christmas was the crowds. He thought the mall in Westerville was chaos until he was met with Macy's in New York City on Christmas Eve. Snatching the last Ice Blue Cashmere Sweater in Kurt's size from a snotty middle aged woman with way too much makeup, Blaine couldn't wait to finish his shopping and go home. The young man wanted nothing more than to get home and finally begin their Christmas celebrations. This year was a special year, it was Kurt and Blaine's first Christmas with each other living in New York together.
The last year had been hard on both of them. It was a time where they both had to learn to adapt. They had to embrace change and try to live without each other. It was not the best year in either of their opinions but they both grew as people. They were able to discover who they really were as individuals, grow up and realise that they were true soulmates. Blaine did his best to move on but no-one was as beautiful as Kurt, as funny as Kurt or as compatible with him as Kurt was. While Kurt found Adam and liked him a lot, he too couldn't help but realise that he just wasn't Blaine.
Sometimes two people just have to face the fact that they're made for each other. They fit together perfectly and compliment each other perfectly. That was Kurt and Blaine.
Trying to condense his shopping down to only a couple bags, Blaine knew just catching the train back to their apartment in Bushwick was going to be a task in itself. He had stopped at the market for everything he'd need to cook Christmas dinner with Vegan options for Rachel and picked up the last couple Christmas presents he'd forgotten about earlier. Blaine was pretty sure he had absolutely everything. Blaine hoped he had absolutely everything. He didn't really want to brave Manhattan again that day.
Blaine pushed his way off the train, heaving a thankful sigh when he was free of the metal confines. Their little Bushwick wasn't anywhere near as busy as Manhattan. Everyone was either still at work like Kurt was or inside keeping warm as the snow started to lightly fall. Making his way toward his apartment, Blaine made a mental checklist of everything he picked up. He would rather remember any last minute item before he got inside and out of the chilly weather. Satisfied that he could do without anything he'd possibly forgotten but couldn't come up with in that moment, Blaine headed up to their apartment. He opened the door and was pleasently surprised at the scene he was met with.
"I thought Isabelle was keeping you from me til late tonight" Blaine smiled as he entered the apartment and put all his shopping down on the coffee table. Walking into the kitchen, He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist. Kurt was making his famous gingerbread cookies making their apartment smell like Christmas heaven.
"She said I was so glum that I looked like an elf on the day after Christmas. She let everyone go early" he chuckled and slapped Blaine's hand away as he tried to grab a warm cookie off the tray "You can wait til they're decorated"
Pressing a soft kiss to Kurt's favourite spot, right under his left ear, Blaine managed to snatch away a cookie and racing from the kitchen before he got caught. He emptied out his shopping bags, hiding the presents he'd picked up for Kurt and moved around his boyfriend with ease to put everything in their place. The pair stole quick glances and kisses as they moved around each other effortlessly. Slipping his iPod into the dock, Blaine let his Christmas playlist echo through their apartment adding to the Christmas cheer.
Blaine later dissapeared into their bedroom to wrap the last of Kurt's Christmas presents. He didn't really need to pick up anything extra for his boyfriend because there was already a small package as well as a rather large one under the tree for him. Blaine had been holding onto the smaller present since last Christmas but with everything about Burt's cancer, it just wasn't the right time to give it to Kurt.
"Knock, knock" Kurt chuckled as he rapped on their door an hour later. He had a feeling Blaine was wrapping presents so he gave him time "Can I come in?"
Quickly checking he'd wrapped everything, Blaine clared the excess paper and ribbon off the bed before letting his boyfriend enter. Kurt walked in with a tray of decorated gingerbread men and two mugs of steaming hot cocoa.
"This has to be my favourite thing about Christmas" Blaine smiled as Kurt sat down beside him and handed him a mug.
Snuggling close to his boyfriend, Kurt rested the cookies on his lap and looked up at Blaine with a smile. "Wrapping presents at the last minute?" he smirked "Or the cookies?"
"Definitely the cookies" Blaine chuckled and held Kurt closer "Snuggling with you when it's snowing outside comes in a close second"
"Second, huh?"
"It would have been first if your cookies weren't so amazing"
"Oh the curse of the famous Hummel recipe" Kurt laughed and picked up a cookie and took a bite. Smiling to himself, he was proud that he could finally replicate his Mom's recipe perfectly. They tasted just like she would make them and for Kurt remembering those memories made Christmas special.
"You'll have to teach me how to bake them one day. I'm keeping my promise to bake you cookies twice a year" Blaine smiled as he pressed a soft kiss to Kurt's hair. He meant everything he said two Christmases ago when he gave Kurt the gum wrapper ring. Even though they'd spent time apart, he intended to keep every promise for the rest of their lives together.
"Nope, Hummel family recipe. You'll have to marry me to get that recipe" he smirked jokingly not seeing the smitten look on Blaine's face. If he had to take one for the team and marry Kurt, he would... although he'd marry him no matter what. It was only a matter of time.
Lying in comfortable silence eating their cookies and drinking their cocoa, the pair enjoyed time together like this. They didn't need to talk, they were comfortable just being with each other. Their comfortable quiet didn't last long once Rachel burst through the door announcing her presence.
"You would not believe what happened to me on the Subway today" she began even though both Kurt and Blaine really weren't all that interested. Telling her story of the handsy old man she'd sat next to, the coughing child and the crazy homeless couple singing 'Jingle Bells' off key and at the top of their lungs, Rachel didn't seem to take a breath for a good 20 minutes. "Ooh cookies, are they vegan?"
"Nope full of all the good stuff" Kurt chuckled as he sat up and collected their now empty mugs and tray. "There are vegan brownies in the kitchen"
"You're the best Kurtsie" she beamed, kissed his forehead quickly and skipped from the room still oblivious to the private time she'd interrupted.
"You're the best Kurtsie" Blaine chuckled knowing how much his boyfriend hated that nickname. Earning himself a sharp dig in the ribs, Blaine couldn't help but laugh "How come I didn't get any brownies Kurtsie?"
"Because they're horrible" he laughed "I wish Rachel would just eat normal chocolate. It's easier that way. Plus, I'd rather not give you a stomach ache. I have other plans for you tonight"
Intrigued, Blaine followed Kurt out to the kitchen begging to know his boyfriend's plans even though he had an idea. Living together definitely had a lot of perks when it came to their sexual relationship. The only interruption they needed to worry about was Rachel and she was too busy with Brody to worry about them too much. Santana on the other hand knew never to disturb them if they never disturbed her. She knew better than to walk into their bedroom unnanounced. The Latina was spending Christmas with her family back in Ohio so the apartment was a little less chaotic, not by much though.

XXXXX

"Ok Berry family tradition" Rachel sung as she squeezed herself in between Kurt and Blaine on the couch. The pair had hoped for some private time after their 'Berry family tradition' of Chinese food for dinner but with Brody still at work, they had to entertain Rachel.
"Didn't we just do one of those?" Kurt mumbled softly as he moved onto the arm of the couch so he didn't have Rachel on his lap.
"But this is another one" she beamed as she bounced on her seat "Tradition states that we all get to open one present tonight"
Kurt groaned softly. He never liked this tradition especially with Rachel. She was Jewish and shouldn't really be celebrating Christmas anyway but for her it was all about the gift. She made a list every year as a 'guide' for them all to follow. It was basically a list of what she wanted and if you didn't buy something off it your gift was returned to exchange for another item on the list anyway. One of Kurt's favourite things to do as a child was to make gifts for others. He and his Mom would spend hours knitting mittens or painting mugs for their family and friends. It was a personal gift and now that he was a struggling college student, he liked it more for the financial aspect. He couldn't wait for the classic Rachel berry sigh as she opened the cardigan he had knitted for her.
"Now Kurt this might be fun" Blaine chuckled knowing that Kurt disliked this tradition but his theory was simple, a grumpy Kurt was easier to deal with than an upset and offended Rachel Berry.
"Yes Kurt, it will be fun" Rachel giggled and skipped over to the tree to choose a present. Making her way back after a couple minutes, she handed Blaine a small rectangular box. "This is from Brody and I, well I picked it out but Brody wrapped it"
"It's wrapped beautifully"
"Just open it"
Blaine did as he was told and carefully untied the ribbon from around the box and opened it. Smiling, he pulled out the silver bowtie that was decorated with white snowflakes. "I love it Rachel, thank you"
"It's not exactly Christmassy so you could wear it any time through the winter"
"It'll definitely get worn, it's great" he smiled and pulled her into a gentle hug. Blaine still loved his bowties and this one would add to his ever growing collection. He was actually surprised he didn't already have one like this.
"Rachel, why don't you open the present there from Kurt and I? It's the red one with the gold ribbon"
"From both of us?" Kurt whispered as Blaine took Rachel's spot on the couch once she'd raced for the Christmas tree. She really was like a little kid when it came to receiving gifts at Christmastime.
"I just picked up something the other day, no big deal"
Rachel sat down on the coffee table and ripped their paper to around her present to shreds not caring if she made a mess. Opening the small box, she gasped at the sight of the contens. Craining his neck to see what was inside, Kurt was curious as to what item Blaine had crossed off their roomates list.
"They're not the Diamonds like you'd specified on your list but they are real Emeralds. Green goes better with your complexion anyway" Blaine smiled his most dapper smile. Gay or not he knew how to treat a girl and make her swoon no matter how much of a diva she was.
"Emeralds?"
"Oh Blaine, Kurt they're exquisite. Thank you" the young woman exclaimed as she pulled them into a tight hug. "I have to go try them on" she giggled and raced off to her bedroom. Sqealing the whole way there, she couldn't wait to see them sparkle on her ears.
"They're stunning" Kurt commented once rachel had left the room "And real Emeralds? They couldn't have been cheap"
"Combine a Christmas sale with store credit from the horrible cufflinks my Mom gave me for my birthday and a friend that works behind the counter, they weren't all that expensive. Plus they're silver not white gold like she specified on the list. That girl has very expensive taste"
"Why do you think Brody works so much? He has to save all year just for her birthday present" Kurt laughed "You're a crafty one Mr Anderson"
"I try" he chuckled and pulled himself off the couch. Picking up a present from under the tree, he handed it to Kurt with a smile "This one wasn't quite so easy to get. I will admit though, I've been holding onto it for a while"
"You didn't need to get me anything, Blaine. Just having you here with my for our first official New York Christmas was a gift in itself" Kurt insisted as Blaine sat back down beside him. He couldn't have asked for anything more than to have Blaine sitting there with him. Everything felt right when he had Blaine there in his life.
"It took me a year to get this and I've held onto it for another year after that, I'm not taking it back" Blaine laughed and pushed the present toward his boyfriend. He'd worked too hard to find this particular item for Kurt not to open it and enjoy it.
Intrigued as to what had been two years in the making, Kurt unwrapped the paper slowly and carefully. He finally got to the bow and opened it slowly. The second he saw the contents, he shut the box once again. Blaine was beyond confused especially when Kurt just stared at the closed box.
"You...This...I..." Kurt gasped not knowing what to say. He wanted to thank Blaine a thousand times over as well as tell him off for spending his money on something like this. He just couldn't believe what he had in his slightly shaking hands. "You bought me the Liz Taylor Edith Head Ivory Necklace"
"Do you like it?" Blaine asked warily. Two Christmases ago, Kurt was obsessed with the Liz Taylor online auction. He wanted to put his bid in for this particular item even though there was no way he could ever afford something like that. One of the cheaper items on the list, it still went for a couple thousand dollars at the close of the auction.
"Like it? I adore it but it's too much. I know how much this is worth" he insisted and opened the box once again to look at the stunning piece of jewellery. "How did you find it? You didn't buy it at the actual auction did you?"
"I didn't get it at the auction and it took me nearly a year to find it. It was pure luck when I did come across it"
"Where did you find it?"
"You would cringe if I told you..."
"You have to tell me now" Kurt chuckled and cross his legs up on the couch. Resting the box on his lap, he still couldn't believe Blaine had given it to him.
"I looked everywhere for this necklace. I contacted the auctioneer and whoever I could think of to try and find it. I thought all hope was lost when after about 6 months, I couldn't find it anywhere" Blaine began "You know my Mom has a love for antique jewellery so last Christmas when I came to see you I looked in a few pawn shops hoping to find something she might like. I found Liz Taylor's necklace in a pawn shop in Brooklyn. Apparently the owner of it passed away and it ended up there" he continued as he watched his boyfriend's jaw drop lower with every word he spoke "It's Liz Taylor's real necklace, I got it checked and certified but it really was luck that I found it. Like I was meant to have it fo you"
Blaine left out how much he paid the pawn broker for the necklace once he did find it but the money was worth it. To see that smile on his boyfriend's face was enough. Pulling Blaine isn't a deep, passionate kiss, Kurt executed his plans for Blaine a little earlier than intended. The necklace was carefully placed on the coffee table as Kurt straddled his boyfriend's lap and rocked their hips together slowly. They moved it to the bedroom before Brody got home and warned Rachel not to both them until the morning.