I loved the winter time. I know a lot of people prefer the spring for the flowers and the warm weather or summer for the freedom and range of activities or fall for the beautiful foliage, but winter was always my favorite. Seeing the trees looking so bare and dead, knowing that the green was only hiding made them seem somehow more beautiful to me. When the snow fell, coating everything in a blanket of pure white it would take my breath away.

Christmas was only a few days away. Classes were done for the semester leaving me with loads more free time to spend with my family and my boyfriend. The only obligation I had was working three days a week in the shop so I could have a little extra gift money. Dad tried to just give me the money but I refused, I wanted to earn it, and he already helped me so much by letting Jude and I live there. I refused to let myself be one of those kids that mooch off their parents all their lives.

I hadn’t told Dad yet, but I was planning on looking for an apartment in the spring. I had never been much of a saver in high school, but when I brought Jude home, that changed. I realized just how much it cost to care for a baby and I wasn’t even paying for rent or utilities. So I started putting back money from every one of my paychecks. Sometimes it wasn’t much, but I always put at least fifty dollars into savings each week.

Last time I checked my balance I had a little over twelve thousand saved. I moved half to a separate account for Jude’s college fund and moved the other half into a new checking account that would draw interest on everything over the first thousand. I finally had enough to find Jude and me an apartment.

I’d researched a few places not too far from the house and planned out a budget. I knew it would be tight and that I would either need to pick up more shifts at the garage or find another job to keep us afloat, but this was something I needed to do. With Jude starting kindergarten the following fall I wouldn’t be paying out as much in childcare, so I could adjust my budget there, too.

There was only one thing that I was unsure about with the whole situation.

Blaine.

I knew he loved me and Jude, and I loved him so much, but I was worried about how he would react if I asked him to move in with me. As much as of a commitment dating a guy with a kid is, living with a child that’s not yours is a whole different thing. Yes, he already practically live with us on the weekends and Dad had let the whole ‘significant others sleep on the couch’ rule slide knowing we wouldn’t be doing anything inappropriate with Jude in the room, but actually living together, sharing the responsibilities of a home with bills and cleaning and grocery shopping and the whole lot? I didn’t know if he was ready for that.

A snowball to the head shook me from my thoughts. I turned in the direction it had come from, seeing no one, but a deep chuckle gave Finn’s position away. I crept over to the rose bushes, doing my best to be stealthy. I could hear Finn’s whispers and knew I had caught them both. I scooped up some snow, packing the perfect snowball and waited for the right moment.

I had just reached the bush when I was blindsided from behind. I hit the ground with a loud grunt, the snow stinging my face.

“Yeah! Good job, buddy! We did it!” Finn’s whoops of victory sounded loud after the whispers I’d heard. I rolled onto my back to see Jude grinning from ear to ear and doing a little dance.

“You were talking to yourself,” I said dumbly. Finn nodded and Jude just continued to dance, kicking snow as he twirled. “You tricked me.”

“Ha! Don’t pout. All’s fair in love and war,” Finn said. “Did I say that right?”

“Yes, Finn, I’m very happy to say you did,” I chuckled. I pushed myself off the ground, grimacing at the dampness of my clothes. I snuck up behind Jude who was still doing his happy dance and grabbed him around the waist, flinging him over my shoulder.

“Time for us to go in and get ready!” I proclaimed as Finn laughed.

I was taking Jude to see Santa at the mall. Blaine was working there as an elf, something that I was teasing him endlessly about, and had told me when the best time to bring Jude so we wouldn’t have to wait in line forever.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I navigated the icy roads. Luckily there wasn’t much traffic between the house and the Lima mall.

Jude was pulling against my hand in his excitement to see Santa as we pushed our way through the throngs of last minute shoppers. Normally I would scoff at waiting until the last minute to buy Christmas gifts, but I was in the same boat that year. I had been buying here and there for Jude all year but that was the extent of it. Carole was watching Jude the next day so I could finish my shopping and then Blaine was taking the two of us to dinner at McDonalds. Not exactly the most romantic date, but Jude would love it and Blaine would get to spend time with both of us, something that hadn’t really been possible the last few weeks between work and school. I’d missed him and so had Jude, asking about him each day.

We were in sight of the North Pole display when Jude tore out of my grip. I started to yell at him but saw Blaine waving enthusiastically to the boy who was running like a gazelle towards him. Blaine held his arms open as Jude leapt the last three feet between them, man and boy both spinning and laughing like mad.

I shook my head as I took my place in line, beckoning them over to me. Jude tightened his grip on Blaine, shaking his head when I held my arms out to him. Blaine pried Jude’s arms from his neck explaining that he had to go help Santa but they would visit for a bit afterwards. Jude pouted but relented and Blaine made his way back to his post at the camera, snapping a picture of a chubby girl with tears in her eyes on Santa’s lap.

When our turn finally came, Jude bounded up to Santa and jumped in his lap, hands flying.  Blaine laughed and began translating for him, ‘Santa’ dividing his attention between the two.

“—And a transformer truck and an easy bake oven and paints for Grandma and me to make pictures with and tools for me to help Grandpa with cars and a voice so I…can…sing.” Blaine’s voice was choked as he repeated Jude’s last request. My own throat was closing at Jude’s words and I moved to take him from Santa, but he was still signing away.

After a moment of confusion at the stricken faces of his helper and myself, Santa laughed jollily and patted Jude’s head, telling him he would see what he could do and reminding him to be a good boy.

Blaine and Santa had a short conversation which ended with Blaine putting the ‘Back In Fifteen Minutes’ sign up at the front of the line, causing much grumbling from the waiting parents and children.

Blaine motioned for Jude and I to follow them to the oversized gingerbread house that served as their break room.

Jude was wriggling with excitement as we entered and I was surprised that the inside was actually decorated to match the exterior. Blaine noticed my preoccupation with the interior design.

“We let parents bring thier kids in here sometimes to calm them down,” he explained.

“Jude, how about you get yourself one of those candy canes over there on that table and let me talk to your daddy for a few minutes.”  The man waited until Blaine had distracted Jude with the treat and the mural on the opposite wall before pulling his beard down to his chin and gesturing for me to take a seat in one of the three folding chairs in the room.

“I want to have a talk with your son, if you don’t mind Mr….”

“Hummel,” I supplied.

“Mr. Hummel. This isn’t the first time I’ve had a child come up to me with a, er, difficult request.”

I stared at him curiously. He gave me a grim smile before going on.

“I’ve been doing this Santa gig for a lot of years. I’ve had kids asking me to cure their parent’s or sibling’s illnesses, a few to bring them back deceased loved ones or pets, and one,” he took a deep shuddering breath, “who asked me to make her daddy stop coming into her room at night after her mommy fell asleep.”

“Oh my god.” I felt bile rise in my throat at that. The man’s expression of disgust matched what I was feeling as he nodded

“Yeah. So in all those cases, except for the last, I have a little speech I tell the kids about how Santa’s magic can only do so much and how sometimes we just have to be thankful for the gifts we already have. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to give your son that speech.”

I nodded silently, still disturbed by what he’d told me about that poor girl. I’d never imagined being a department store Santa could have such implications. You were almost a therapist for toddlers in a way.

I grabbed his arm before he could turn from me. “What did you do? About the girl?” I had to ask. I didn’t even want to think about something like that, but I had to know that he had at least done something. Surely no one could just let something like that go, knowing what was going on.

“I had her tell me her last name and address, so I could be sure find her house on Christmas Eve,” he chuckled darkly, “then I took my break and called social services. I don’t know for sure what happened, but I’d like to believe that she’s safe now. I have to.”

I watched him as he took a seat next to Jude and began his well-rehearsed speech. Blaine moved over next to me and slid his hand into mine. I gripped it fiercely, my thoughts swirling into a nonsensical storm.

“You okay?”

I looked at him then, his eyes full of worry, and realized that I needed to pull myself together. I had perfected a mask in high school to make myself look fine when I really wasn’t and it was time to pull it back out.

“Fine,” I lied, my smile not quite right but there nonetheless.

“Okay,” he whispered. He knew I was lying but let it go. I was glad he did.

Christmas Eve was insane. That is the only word I can come up with to accurately describe that evening.

The house was much more crowded than usual with Puck, Finn and I each bringing our significant others with us. We made a strange family, but it worked.

Despite their complete opposite personalities Lauren and Jess got on like they’d been besties for life, which delighted both Puck and Finn more than either of them would admit.

After his initial wariness in the beginning, Dad had become fond of Blaine and in return, Blaine had begun to gravitate to him when we are all gathered together. Between his love of football—which I still loathed with a passion—and his genuine interest in classic cars Blaine had earned himself a spot in my father’s heart that had nothing to do with me or Jude. I was glad. Blaine hadn’t ever had a real father figure in his life and despite my bout of jealousy in high school, I was more than willing to share Dad’s love.

And deep down, I knew I would never have been able to be in a relationship with someone my father didn’t like. It had been him and me for too many years and I was still a daddy’s boy even if I was an adult.

After dinner, which was loud and long and full of laughter, we gathered around the tree to open one present apiece. It was a tradition in the Hudmel family and Dad and Carole had made sure that each of our guests had something, too, so they weren’t left out.

Jude opened his first, overjoyed at the robot dog Dad and Carole had gotten him. It took us a few minutes of passing around the instructions but we finally got it turned on and performing tricks. He settled into my lap, sleepy now that his present had been opened, and watched with half-lidded eyes as the toy yipped and mechanically trotted around the room.

Dad stood then and began passing almost identical gifts to the rest of us, telling us to wait so that everyone opened them together. When he was done, he settled back into his chair and Carole snuggled into his side from her perch on the arm.

“Alright, now everybody open.”

Shreds of wrapping paper littered the floor as everyone tore into their gifts. Finn was the first to speak.

“A ticket to see the Buckeyes?” His brow furrowed in confusion and Dad just laughed.

“Yep. And theatre tickets for the ladies. And Kurt. We’re all going to Columbus first week of January.” He was grinning like crazy as everyone began murmuring amongst themselves. “I’m closing the shop for a week for vacation and before you ask, Kurt, I already talked with Mrs. Bellvue about keeping Jude for a couple days so you can go. We’re going on a family vacation for the first time in years and I for one can’t wait.”

I was torn between elation at the thought of getting out of Lima for a few days and not seeing Jude for that length of time. I knew I needed this, and Mrs. Bellevue was wonderful with him, but I couldn’t help but worry about the separation anxiety.

I peered at the boy who was now sleeping peacefully in my lap. He was my world. But he was also growing up, and would be starting school soon enough. I had to start letting go a bit.

“Burt, I can’t even begin to say thank you for this,” Blaine said once the room had quieted. “It means a lot to me that you would invite me to a family event like this and then to extend that to a family vacation. I don’t have words.”

His eyes were shining with emotion and I could tell he wanted to say more, but he knew enough about my father to know that grand displays of affection weren’t his thing. For his part Dad grunted and nodded.

“Hell, kid, you’re practically one of us now.” He paused before continuing a bit grudgingly, “You, too, Puckerman. I swear, sometimes it feels like I’ve got four sons instead of two.”

“Thanks, Mr. H. And what Blaine said, totally.” Puck’s heartfelt, albeit poorly worded reply earned him a smack from his wife. Everyone laughed at that and the seriousness in the room quickly dissipated.

“Well, I’m gonna get this one into his bed and me into mine. Goodnight all.” I shifted Jude so he was securely on my shoulder and Blaine held his hand out to pull me from the couch.

As Blaine followed me up the stairs, I heard a loud wolf whistle followed by another smack.

“Shut it, Puckerman,” Dad growled.

I laughed quietly to myself as I tucked the blankets around my son. That kid could sleep through anything.

Blaine was leaning against the doorframe watching us, a small smile and a far off look gracing his features. I smiled back at him quizzically, but he just shook his head and grabbed his pajamas from the dresser. About a month back he had brought a set to keep there, as well as a few changes of clothes for when he spent the weekends so he didn’t have to worry about packing a bag. He also had a red Snoopy toothbrush to match Jude’s blue one in the holder on my sink. In some ways, it was almost like we were already living together.

I let him have the bathroom first, changing into my own night clothes while he was out of the room. Things had progressed some physically between us but we still hadn’t gone all the way yet and as such were still somewhat modest with each other about complete nudity. Add in the factor of the sleeping four-year-old in the room and yeah, we dressed separately.

Settling into bed with Blaine was one of the greatest feelings ever. It was a chilly night, but I knew that with Blaine’s cuddle-bug tendencies I would be plenty warm. I was already in that comfortable half-asleep state when Blaine spoke.

“Kurt?” he whispered. “Can I give you my present early? I don’t want to wait til morning.”

I was pretty sure I must have already been asleep because that seemed like an odd thing to say, but I went with it, humming an affirmative as I snuggled closer. He kept one arm wrapped around me as he reached blindly into his backpack that was next to my nightstand. After a few minutes of fumbling he stilled. I was still half convinced that I was dreaming when he grabbed my hand. My left hand.

The cool slide of metal on my ring finger woke me up completely and my entire body tensed. Blaine felt me stiffen and was quick to speak.

“It’s not an engagement ring!” he proclaimed a little too loudly. He continued, softer, “It’s a promise ring. I know that may seem kind of silly, like a high school romance or something but I wanted to get you something to show you how much you mean to me and how much what we have means to me and I know we’re both still in college so marriage is a ways off but I want you to know that I do want that. With you. And Jude. I love you both so much and you’re crazy family, too. I don’t want you to ever doubt that so I thought that maybe this ring could be sort of a placeholder, you know? For another type of ring in the future?”

He sounded almost desperate as he ended his rant. I was still reeling from the feel of the ring and it seemed he was taking my silence as rejection.

“Kurt? Please say something,” he said, pain and panic in his voice.

“Move in with me.”

“What?” I could vaguely see him in the dim light coming from the window, his eyebrows raised nearly to his hairline in confusion. “I don’t know if Burt would—“

“In the summer I’m moving Jude and I into an apartment,” I interrupted. “I want you to live with us. If you want to.” I spoke the last part hesitantly, still unsure of how he would react, ring or no ring.

“Yes,” he breathed out, pulling me closer to him. His lips met mine in a bruising kiss that left me more than a little dazed. “I want to so much, Kurt.”

I kissed him again, twining my hands with his. I could feel his fingers running along the band on my third finger and I smiled against his lips. I felt him smile too, and we pulled apart, foreheads resting together as we both reveled in what had just happened. I’d been given a ring, and a promise for more rings, and he’d been offered a new home, the start of a new life with a new family.

Best Christmas ever.