Blaine,

Merry Christmas. It is strange to not have you here for the Christmas season. Thomas and I are taking bets on weather or not Mama will make too much food. I think she will forget and make way too much food, because she knows that you must have a hallow leg to eat so much. 

I sent presents along with Mama and Papa’s. They are small, but there is also gifts for the Hummels. I do believe that they deserve something for putting up with you for half a year. 

I believe that Mama is going to send a fruitcake, and I am sorry. She has gotten better at making them, but I wish she would give up on them. They still sit like bricks in ones stomach. 

Johnny says he sent you a Christmas letter as well. I have had to be on him constantly to get it done and I practically had to write it myself. He has been working all the time trying to save up for our future. Please do not tell Papa. Johnny has not asked me to marry him yet, but he knows what Papa would tell him if he asked now. So he has been working as hard as he possibly can to save up money. I put the stamp on the letter myself so it should be in Lima a few days after you receive my letter. 

I know I should make my letters to you longer, but I know that Mama makes sure to cover all of the important social and political news in her letters and I do not want to bore you to death. Though things are getting a little tense out here. Papa says that President Lincoln will declare war on the South. I pray it does not happen because if it does I worry that all of the young Irish men will end up in the army. 

But enough of my worrying about  things that are up to God, let us talk about Kurt. It is Christmas, perhaps you could catch him under the mistletoe. It would be a good excuse to kiss him. Now that I am sure that I have made you blush, hopefully in front of our dear Mr.Kurt, I am going to end this letter. 

Happy Holidays,

Ophelia 

Ophelia,

You are not as funny as you think you are. Do you not think Mr.Hummel would throw me from his house if he caught me making any sort of romantic advance towards his son, mistletoe or not? Besides, I am sure that Kurt is having a flirtation with Mercedes. Sometimes when I come back from the shops more quickly than Kurt expects I hear them giggling together in the parlor. Perhaps I should try and put those two under the mistletoe. 

I knew that Johnny was working towards asking you to marry him. He told me in his last letter.  He does not write as much as you and Mama but he does write. And I am still his best friend so Johnny does tell me these things. He also asked for my blessing. Perhaps Johnny is confused, as he is prone to be, but should he not be asking Papa and not me. Ophelia, before you start panicking I should tell you that I told him I had no problem with it. I did leave out the fact that as children we were both infatuated with him, and I would be grateful if he never learned that fact. 

I also thought I should let you know that Papa thinks it is a good idea for me to buy a house out here. He says that if I am serious about making money by giving music lessons I should have a place where I can teach more pupils than Kurt. He even said that if I needed, he could loan me the money until I had the business going. Perhaps when I have a house of my own in Ohio you could come and visit. I do miss you even though I am making friends in Lima. Writing letters is not the same as having you. When I have decided on a house, I will write you and tell you when I am settled so you can come see me. 

Happy Holidays, 

Blaine. 

Blaine took the package that had come with the letter from his family downstairs to put under the tree with the rest of the gifts. Christmas was only a few days away and Blaine was glad that he had sent his own gifts for his family already. His mother seemed to be having a hard enough time not having him home for the holidays. 

“Blaine, what did you put under the tree?” Kurt asked as Blaine sat down at the table. Carol looked appalled that Kurt had asked. 

“Ophelia sent gifts.” Blaine did not mind that Kurt was forward. “And I think Mama sent a fruit cake.” He cringed. “I apologize in advance for it.”

“I am sure it is lovely.” Carol smiled. 

“I am afraid it is not. She tried every year and it is still awful.” Blaine laughed. 

“It was nice of her to send one anyway.” Carol smiled. 

The rest of dinner passed in polite conversation. In fact, the next couple of days passed quickly as the Hummel household got ready for the party they threw every Christmas eve. 

That day, Blaine helped Kurt decorate the house as Carol was busy in the kitchen with Mercedes, and Finn and Burt were out cutting fire wood. While hanging decorations, Blaine learned something new about Kurt. He was extremely particular on the placement of his decorations. 

“Blaine.” Kurt groaned as Blaine picked up his next ornament. “That cannot go there.”

“Why?” He looked at the bauble in his hand. 

“Because.” Kurt but his hands on his hips. “It does not fit in with the color scheme I am going for.”

“It is white.” Blaine said as if this explained what he had been thinking. 

“And this is the green and red room.” Kurt rolled his eyes. “Go put that up in the dinning room.”

“Alright.” Blaine shrugged and went to go put it up in the other room. “Whatever you want.” 

“Do not get smart with me.” Kurt called after him. “I will not let you ruin my vision because you are too lazy to walk into another room.”

“It is fine, Kurt.” Blaine shrugged. “I do not understand why, but it is your home.”

“It is yours too.” Kurt looked up at him. “In Lima, at least.” He quickly tacked on to the end. 

“I had been considering settling down here.” Blaine admits as he helps Kurt finish hanging the decorations in the parlor. “Buying a house and offering to teach piano.”

“Buying a house?” Kurt seemed shocked.

“Unless you think it is a silly idea.” Blaine ducked his head. “I have not looked that far into it. For all I know Lima could already have a piano teacher.”

“It does not.” Kurt assured him. “I was just surprised that you were considering moving here. I was under the impression that you had to planned to go back to New York after you were done teaching me.”

“There are a million piano teachers in New York.” Blaine shrugged. 

Kurt smiled. “We are very lucky to have you.”

“I am glad that you would not mind putting up with me.”

“You would have to promise to call. I think I would miss you quite terribly if I did not see you.”

“I promise I will continue to visit.” Blaine laughed.

“Are you going somewhere, dear?” Carol asked from the doorway, only hearing the last portion of the conversation. 

“I was thinking about buying a house in Lima. Offering piano lessons.”

“That would be lovely.” Carol smiled. “Not that we do not like having you here, but I do know that you could be teaching a lot more people if you had a place of your own.” She smiled and then turned to Kurt. “Come help me hang this mistletoe.”

“I will be right there.” Kurt smiled at Carol and finished hanging the bauble in his hand and then went out into the hall. 

Blaine had gone pale when Carol had held up the mistletoe. His sister’s letter was fresh in his mind and he was worried that he might subconsciously find Kurt there. Later, when Kurt and Carol were finishing up in the dinning room, Blaine would go and mark the place the mistletoe so he could avoid it through the night. 

People started to arrive in groups of twos and threes. Blaine knew most of the people by name, but only a few by face. It seemed that the Hummels had invited the entire town and most of them were going to show up tonight. 

Blaine had been cornered by Ms.Berry, the girl that Finn had been courting. She was talking about how wonderful her voice was and how she would have to sing for him later.

“And you can play the piano for accompaniment!” Rachel beamed at Blaine. “I have not met anyone yet who could keep up with me here in Lima.”

“Alright.” Blaine nodded. “I would be happy to accompany you, Ms.Berry.”

Rachel smiled and then saw Finn across the room. “I am going to go talk with Finn.” She smiled. “He is courting me you know.”

“I had heard that.” Blaine smiled tightly. “It was nice talking with you, Ms.Berry.”

Kurt smiled at the blonde he was talking to, touched her elbow, and then made his way over to Blaine. He had to stop to a few different people on his way over, but eventually he was leaning against the piano next to Blaine.

“Enjoying the party?” Kurt smiled.

“It is nice.” Blaine smiled back.

“I see that Ms.Berry was talking to you.”

“Yes, She really is... enthusiastic.” 

“Enthusiastic is one word for it.” Kurt whispered. “And I could think of a couple other not so polite words to call it too.”

Blaine laughed. “You might want to wait until there are not so many people around to hear you say them.” He whispered back. 

“Then I will have to tell you when we are cleaning up and Finn disappears.” 

“Do you think Ms.Berry will really have me accompany her?” Blaine looked at the large number of people loitering around the Hummel house.

“Undoubtably.” Kurt laughed. “Hopefully she will pick a short carol.”

“Hopefully.” Blaine sighed. He was suddenly tired and wished he could go to bed without having to walk under the mistletoe.

Rachel did make Blaine play the piano while she sang. To her credit she sang very well, but she did not seem to know when enough was enough. 

“You do play wonderfully.” She told Blaine when they were done and most people were filling out of the Hummel house.

“Thanks you, Ms.Berry.” Blaine ducked his head to hide his annoyance. 

“Perhaps you could teach me when Kurt is done being selfish.”

“Perhaps.” Blaine was not sure he wanted to agree to that. 

Rachel was the last person to leave. Finn left with her under the guise of making sure that she arrived home without trouble, but Kurt had whispered that it was really so he could sneak a few kisses in without chaperones into Blaine’s ear. Blaine sat on the piano bench with the cover over the keys. Mr. And Mrs. Hummel had gone to bed after all of their guests had left. 

Kurt sat down next to Blaine. “Did you have fun tonight?” He asked.

“It was very nice.” Blaine smiled softly at the younger man. 

“I am glad. I know we cannot replace your family, but hopefully we dulled the ache a little.”

“You did.” Blaine leaned over and bumped Kurt’s shoulder. “I think it will be harder tomorrow, but I am sure Mrs.Hummel will not let me have a moment to think about it.”

Kurt laughed. “She is good at that is she not?”

“Very good at it.” 

“I think that is why I did not mind so much when my Father married her. She told me that she could not and did not want to replace my mother, but she hoped that we could be friends. Of course, I was seventeen when they got married, so I did not need Carol to help raise me.”

“She really is a wonderful woman.” Blaine agreed.

The clock struck one. Both Kurt and Blaine started at the noise and the lateness of the hour. “I did not realize it was so late.” Kurt muttered. “We should go to bed. Finn will want the whole house up early for Christmas.”

“Finn does strike me as that kind of man.” Blaine laughed and stood up from the piano bench. “Shall we?” He smiled and offered Kurt his arm. It was hard for Blaine to restrain himself from flirting with Kurt when they were alone together. Kurt put his hand on the crook of of Blaine’s elbow and allowed Blaine to lead him to the stairs. 

“Oh.” Kurt’s voice was soft and Blaine followed his line of sight. They were standing under the mistletoe that Kurt had helped Carol hand early in the evening. 

“Oh.” Blaine mimic Kurt. He had forgotten all about the mistletoe, but now that he was under it with Kurt, he hoped the other man would say something. Hopefully deciding that they should kiss. “We should just...”

“We should kiss each other’s cheek.” Kurt said, his voice soft and his cheeks a little pink. 

Blaine swallowed hard and nodded. Both men leaned forward at the same time, and tuned to kiss the other on the cheek. Neither of the men noticed that they were both turning in the same direction until their lips were touching each other’s. They stayed like that for a moment in shock. Blaine was desperately trying not to reach up and cup Kurt’s cheek to keep their lips together because he knew how the other boy would react to being kissed by another boy. But he stood still, waiting for Kurt to pull away first because he was not throw away what was freely being given. 

They stood their for a minute. Each man taking in the texture of the others lips, and then Kurt pulled away, blushing and ducking his head so he did not have to look Blaine in the eye. Blaine’s tongue darted out of his mouth to lick his lips and catch the flavor of Kurt’s lips. 

“I... I am sorry.” Kurt muttered and started up the stairs.