The lights were all off when Blaine came down the stairs and not a creature was stirring – not even Kurt. He was reclined on the old overstuffed Hummel sofa, silhouetted by the dying firelight and the twinkles from the Christmas tree. When he noticed Blaine hovering on the last step he held out his arms in an invitation that Blaine was only too happy to accept.

“Is Willa finally asleep?”

Blaine hummed an affirmative as he settled in on the couch with Kurt. “She made me tell her three stories before she'd let me leave.”

“Well you are her favorite uncle.”

“And you're Annie's, so we're even.”

“Annie has excellent taste for a three-year-old.”

Blaine laughed against Kurt's chest. “Did Finn and Nic go up?”

“Are you kidding? With us on kid duty? They flung those presents under the tree then disappeared like my dad when he hears the opening credits of The Sound of Music. I had to rearrange everything, of course. Santa has a reputation to keep up.”

“Well you can hardly blame them. You know the girls will be awake before dawn.”

This time it was Kurt who hummed a little yes. Blaine twined their fingers together and pulled Kurt's arm more snugly around his waist. The platinum band on his right ring finger clicked against its mate on Kurt's left. “Is it weird to have Finn and Nicole and the kids here, instead of your dad and Carole?” he asked.

“A little,” Kurt said. “But my dad's so happy at Villa Gardens. The antique car club alone – I'm amazed Carole ever sees him.” He twisted a little under Blaine and reached for his phone on the coffee table. “She texted me by the way. They'll be here at seven. So we have to hold the monsters off from the presents until then.”

“I hope she makes French toast casserole.”

Kurt laughed and held up his phone so Blaine could see the screen.

And tell Blaine I'm bringing the French toast casserole!

“She loves me,” Blaine sighed.

“Are you kidding? You're her favorite son.”

“No. She's just trying to make up for the fact that my parents are in Los Angeles this year.”

Kurt hummed again, and for a while they were silent, holding each other and watching the lights twinkle.

“I'm so happy,” Blaine finally said.

“Well I hope so.”

“I'm serious! God, it seems like just yesterday we walked through that door together for the first time. I was scared out of my mind.”

“You?! I thought I was going to throw up.”

“But look at us now. And in fifteen more years tonight's going to feel like yesterday. And fifteen after that –”

“Okay, slow down, Father Time,” Kurt said. He tugged on Blaine's hand, pulling him around so they were lying chest to chest, face to face. “I have lot of plans for all those years, so how about we actually live them before you start getting nostalgic for them?”

“Okay.” Blaine smiled at Kurt and Kurt smiled back. It was one of what Kurt would call their puppy love moments, but Blaine didn't care that he was technically too old for things like puppy love. He bumped his nose against Kurt's, which made Kurt giggle like the sixteen-year-old he never seemed to be able to completely banish, no matter how hard he tried. A fact for which Blaine was constantly grateful. “I'm so happy,” he said again, fervently, because he really, really wanted Kurt to understand.

Kurt kissed him with soft and achingly gentle lips.

“Merry Christmas, Blaine.”

Blaine answered him with his own kiss, then tucked his head under Kurt's chin and whispered against his skin. “Merry Christmas.”