2034

'Dad, do you still have something else from back then?'

'What do you mean Ava?' Kurt asked. His daughter had never really been interested in their lives before she was born, but she was sure learning a lot now. 'We got tons of pictures, you've seen some.'

'No, no, I mean, like actual stuff.'

'I'm sure we do. The apron, obviously, and yes, those big Tupperware bowls I use for salads, we got those when we got married.'

Rachel laughed and pointed to herself, to indicate that she too still had some Tupperware she got at her wedding.

Carole added 'I think I even got some Tupperware bowls when I married Burt, and we both already had everything then. It's a classic wedding gift I guess. I bet you'll get some too.'

Eli rolled his eyes at his cousin. Why were they talking about marriage, and about bowls?

'But I'm guessing you mean something with a bit more meaning, don't you?' Blaine asked. 'I've never thrown anything away Kurt gave me. Nothing. Except for the scarf, but your Dad threw that out, not me. And I'm sure that the same goes for your Dad, except for clothes. I'm pretty sure he's thrown out things I've bought him that went out of fashion.'

'I have', Kurt nodded. 'I can't keep all my clothes, honey. Our closet is already too small.'

'Your closet is massive, you just have too many clothes.' Ava joked, although she was quite right.

'Watch it missy. And to think I was going to tell you about Horton.' Blaine stood by his husband.

'Horton?'

Blaine smiled: 'Yes, Horton, that's something we'll never get rid off.'

2014

'And where do you think you're going?'

Kurt looked up from the sofa where he had been skipping through a magazine. His boyfriend froze at the door.

'Uhm, out?'

'I thought you had a bit of a cough. It's really cold and windy outside. You should stay in.' Kurt patted the space next to him as he turned and removed his feet from the couch. 'With me. Come on, you don't want to be sick during the holidays.'

Blaine laughed as he walked up to his boyfriend. 'You know I'd love to, but I have to go, I'm meeting some people in the library for a project.'

'Just don't go saying I didn't warn you. And to think I was going to let you wear your silly Christmas sweater.' Kurt put on a comical pout.

'You're the best.' Blaine leaned in for a kiss, but Kurt turned away and Blaine kissed his temple instead.

'I don't want your germs.' Kurt playfully pushed Blaine away.

'But don't you want my thousand sweet kisses?'

'Oh you. Don't pull the musicals on me! Come on, get out!' Kurt patted Blaine on the butt and chased him out of their apartment.

'Oooh men, what is it about them?' Kurt sang as he heard their front door fall shut. He shook his head and grabbed his iPod off the coffee table.

That afternoon Kurt sat with feet propped up under a blanket, listening to the Rent soundtrack, reading a magazine on the sofa as the weather outside gradually got worse. Kurt would have called it a perfect afternoon if Blaine had been there.

They would be celebrating their second Christmas in New York together soon. Kurt wondered where time had gone. He could not only remember the day he met Blaine like it was yesterday, it honestly felt like yesterday. He smiled at the memory of Blaine singing Teenage Dream. Blaine sang it on every anniversary of the day they met and Kurt was pretty sure he would never tire of hearing it.

How had they even gotten here? Kurt had always hoped for this. He had a lot of dreams, but growing old with Blaine had always held the number one spot. But first loves never last, do they?

Blaine had told him that didn't count for them. That they fit together like two puzzle pieces. Sure, that they'd found each other so early in life was exceptional, but that he was pretty sure they would not only share their firsts together, they would share everything. Blaine worded it that way, Kurt thought "I love you" summed it up pretty nicely.

'Ow!'

Blaine rubbed his shoulder. 'What was that for?'

Kurt supported himself on his elbow so he could look at Blaine's face.

'You were coughing really bad. I'm surprised it didn't wake you up, because it sure woke me up! It honestly sounded like you might choke. Are you okay?'

'You're abusive.' Blaine joked. He rolled over, so he didn't have to strain his neck to look at Kurt. 'I'm fine. Really. I'm sorry I woke you up.'

'Are you sure you don't want something to drink? I've got some water here. ' Kurt only turned to take the water bottle from his nightstand but when he looked back, Blaine had already fallen asleep.

'Typically.' Kurt sighed as he put the bottle back.

'You're lucky you're so pretty when you sleep.' Kurt whispered to his sleeping boyfriend as he stroked one of his curls behind his ear. He let his own head fall back down on the pillow; but it took a while for him to join Blaine in dreamland.

'Blaine!'

'B, come on! Get up! We've got Emily's Christmas brunch today, remember? '

They always celebrated Christmas early with their New York friends so everybody could return home for the actual holidays. They had places to go and parties to attend from Thanksgiving on through to the actual holidays.

Emily had been in some of Blaine's classes last year but she was more Kurt's friend. They had first met when Kurt ended up in the same coffee shop as Blaine and some of his classmates. Blaine immediately introduced Kurt to his friends. Emily was the only one interested in some of the fabric samples he had been able to snatch during what he referred to as 'fabric hunt'. They had somehow carried on from there.

Kurt walked from the bathroom into their bedroom, loudly announcing: 'The bathroom is all yours.' to the bed that still held his boyfriend.

When Kurt had put on his shirt and Blaine still hadn't moved, Kurt figured that he would have to step up his game. He snuck into the living room, grabbed a pillow and snuck back into the bedroom on his tiptoes. He then threw the pillow straight at the little patch of unruly hair sticking out from on the covers. Blaine still didn't move. Kurt was starting to worry. He had expected to be redoing his hair by now. Blaine loved pillow fights. Blaine loved everything involving a little tumble with Kurt.

'Baby?' Kurt asked as he started shaking Blaine's shoulders. Some might say Kurt was prone to overreacting, but this was not funny. Kurt had never been so relieved to hear Blaine mumble something. It took him another coughing fit before he could produce something more coherent than a couple of rough sound: 'Kurt, tired, stay in a bit longer. Please?'

Kurt touched Blaine's cheek and was surprised by how hot it felt. 'Sure honey, we're not going anywhere.' He tucked Blaine back in, because despite being so warm, he looked cold.

Kurt went into the living room and called Emily to excuse them both and then made another phone call, to the doctor's office.

He returned to the bedroom and placed the cup of tea he had made for Blaine on his bedside table. He ignored the pair of dress pants he'd planned on wearing, and quickly slipped into his loosest pair of jeans. He then plopped down on the armchair they'd put by the window, so he could stay by Blaine's side, without staying too close. The window looked out onto the back of another building but it let in some light, very valuable in New York. It was one of Kurt's favorite places in their apartment and he had no idea why.

'No, no.' Blaine whined from his place in the bed. 'No pants today.'

'You're awful!' Kurt laughed.

'I feel awful.' Blaine responded and to be honest, he didn't look too good, at all.

'Aw, baby.' Kurt cooed, but he really felt bad for his sweetheart, he looked so vulnerable. ' I'm going to get you a cold washcloth for your head. We've got an appointment at the doctors in two hours. I just called them.'

Kurt urged Blaine to hold the washcloth against his forehead and drink his tea before he dozed off. He woke his boyfriend again just in time to get cleaned up a bit and dressed. When Blaine was all wrapped up they set off for the doctor's office. Kurt had never been so thankful that it was just around the corner. Those coughing fits had Blaine doubling over Kurt hoped he would be seated when the next one occurred.

'I'll give the prescriptions to Kurt. The only thing you need to do is rest.' The doctor now turned from Blaine to Kurt. 'And he really shouldn't go out. You should however air out the room now and then. If he takes his antibiotics, he might just be okay in time for the holidays. Take good care of him. Of each other.' He added, looking between the both of them. Kurt suddenly remembered why he liked this doctor; he somehow reminded him of his father.

They walked back to their apartment and Blaine leaned on Kurt even more this time. He didn't pretend that he just had a cold anymore. Kurt made sure Blaine was tucked in nicely and had everything he might need within his reach before he popped out to the pharmacy.

When he got back in Blaine had fallen asleep again and had kicked off the covers. Kurt didn't have the heart to wake him for his pill but tucked him in again, stroking his cheek lovingly. He installed himself at Blaine's bedside - as he dramatically referred to it in his head-, just in case his baby needed something. While Blaine slept, he read or did some Christmas shopping online, cause he wasn't going anywhere.

In the evening he called Carole, who almost hopped on the first flight to New York when she learned that Blaine had pneumonia. She was only convinced when Kurt held his phone to Blaine's ear for a moment and they talked a bit, so that she knew he wasn't dying. Blaine felt like it though. Usually he wasn't the one to whine when he was in pain or sick, or the one to complain in general. But this was really getting to him, there were times when it even hurt just to breathe. He knew it wasn't a severe case of pneumonia though, so he'd be just fine. 'You're no Satine, don't worry baby.' Kurt joked. Blaine just wished he'd be able to breathe decently again soon, that would make everything better.

It went on like that for a couple of days. Blaine in bed and Kurt by his side. On the third day Kurt even had some groceries delivered. It was an enormous waste of money, but Kurt had decided that since it was almost Christmas time, they could splurge a bit. By the fifth day, however, they were both fed up. Blaine was now sitting up in bed, reading or even working on his laptop but he still needed Kurt, in a way only slightly sick men can. So Kurt stayed close. He needed to do things though, he wasn't the kind of guy that sat around idly all day. He had to buy the last gifts of his list, go grocery shopping for their dinner on the 22nd, when they celebrated Christmas by theirselves before they left for Lima. There was always room for more Christmas decoration in the apartment and he needed to finish the bow tie he was making Blaine without him seeing it. Kurt was just the kind of person that would always find something to do.

Don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy

'Kurt what are you even doing?' Blaine called. His boyfriend was in their tiny living room while he was in bed, flipping through a copy of one of Kurt's magazines.

'Putting up some Christmas lights.'

'More?'

'You know, you shouldn't talk so much, is not good for your throat.'

'I'm-'

'Don't say you're fine or I won't bring you tea anymore! ' Kurt waited for Blaine's reply but when nothing came, he smirked and shouted 'I won!'. Blaine still didn't reply, if you didn't count his little chuckle, that was. Kurt continued putting up even more decoration and got back to singing his song.

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas

Only a hippopotamus will do

No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses

I only like hippopotamuses

And hippopotamuses like me too

Mom says the hippo would eat me up, but then

Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian

When Kurt crawled into bed next to Blaine that night the younger boy kissed his head. 'What are the plans for tomorrow? I'm going to help you.'

'But you're still on your antibiotics, you should rest.'

'Kurt, I've been in bed for six days now. Besides, I'm-'

'Fine. Damn fine.'

Blaine laughed and pulled Kurt closer. Winter was, after all, the perfect season for snuggling.

'Besides, ' he said, his head resting on Kurt's, 'you need other songs to sing.'

'Why?' Kurt asked, not really getting the point.

'Because it's cold outside.'

'Oh.'

'Blaine, baby, you ready?' Kurt shouted up the stairs to his old bedroom. He didn't wait for an answer before he started climbing them.

'Yes, I'm almost dressed.' Blaine answered as Kurt opened the door.

'Oh looking good.' Kurt said as he gave him the once-over a few times.

'Don't be silly, you picked this out for me.' Blaine buttoned up the cardigan that had been on the bed. 'Thanks for that, by the way.' He kissed Kurt on the cheek. 'Oh wait, I just took the last of my antibiotics, I can do this now.' He kissed Kurt full on the lips this time and his boyfriend smiled into the embrace. 'Any day.' Kurt said when they let go.

'Ready for dinner?'

'Not just yet. I have something for you first.' Blaine wiggled his eyebrows at Kurt.

'For me? But you already gave me something back home.'

'Is there some kind of rule that I can only give my boyfriend one present a week or something? You should have told me about that earlier then. Close your eyes.'

'Okay.' Kurt closed his eyes and he heard Blaine open his suitcase. That was weird. Why did he bring it all the way here if he was just going to give it to him without anyone around.

'Stretch out your hand, please.' Kurt did as he was asked and felt something soft being placed on his hand. 'Can I look yet?'

'Yeah, sure.' Blaine replied.

Kurt opened his eyes and was a bit confused by what he saw, it was cute, but he didn't really see the point. 'What is that?'

'A hippopotamus.'

2034

'But isn't Horton supposed to be an elephant?' Finn asked as Blaine had almost wrapped up the story.

'Yes. It's just a joke I guess.'

'Sometimes I don't understand the two of you.' And at that comment the entire table started laughing, giving a Finn another thing to be confused about.