AN: You guys have no idea how happy it made me that you liked Britt. I love her, and I always wanted to write her, but I didn't want to mess up, she's such an interesting character. I'm so, so glad you enjoyed it!

This is it! This is the end! I had a lot of fun writing this, and I'm very glad many enjoyed it so much! Happy new year to everyone! May the 2011 bring us lots of Klaine and happiness, even if that's redundant, cause, if you have Klaine, you HAVE happiness, right? Right.

Love you all!

EDIT: Nessie, you're right. But next time, try to sign in when you reply something like that, because it was a language problem, so I would have liked to explain what the problem had been, instead of just leaving me with no oportunity at all to talk to you. But thanks for pointing it out, I didn't realize the different connotations the word had in english, and I changed it to something more acording.

Home For Christmas

ComplexlySimpleKiddo

"You're gay, right?"

For the second time in less than twenty four hours, Blaine had to wonder if he was being too subtle in his sexuality. Short of wearing a rainbow flag, he wasn't sure what he had to do for Kurt's friends to believe him.

"I though I had made it clear" He explained, nevertheless, politely. If there was one person he would never like to anger, it was probably Mercedes.

"Just checking. Look, if you were straight, this would be a lot easier. Let me ask you something…"

Blaine braced himself. She was Kurt's best friend. She had every right to warn him, or tell him whatever she saw fit, or even be angry with him. She could very possibly disapprove of him, he was expecting anything…

"Is Kurt pushing you?"

Anything except that. His thunderstruck expression must have shown because Mercedes launched into an explanation.

"He is my friend, and I know that, when he wants something, he wants is badly. And he's been very lonely lately, with his father's arrhythmia, and the fiasco with Sam. And now he met you, and it's more than possible that he might feel attracted to you. I know you are too polite to tell him, but please, you should just tell him you're not interested in him that way before he builds up any hope. I don't want to see him heartbroken, even more so because you were even a viable option. And I'd hate for you guys to lose your friendship because he's too forward"

The girl looked at him fixedly, almost demanding an answer with her attitude alone, and Blaine tried to make his brain work faster in order to please her, but he was still trying to understand what was going on.

"Hold on. You are… Worried that I might be feeling uncomfortable with him flirting with me?" Mercedes raised her palms slightly, as if silently asking what part did he not understand, and he was tempted to laugh. "But why would I?"

"You act like he's just your friend, I just figured you're not interested" She said, shrugging, making it seem like it was the most obvious thing. And after a few silent seconds, Blaine actually started to wonder. Maybe Mercedes had a point. He had no idea how it looked from the outside, but maybe Kurt felt the same way she did, that he didn't feel anything more than friendship. He had sent Kurt signals, right? He had made it clear?

Or maybe not. He replayed in his mind every time he had said something even remotely flirty to Kurt, or touched him in a special way. Surely he already knew?

No. Blaine felt like smacking himself in the face. After doing anything remotely flirty, Blaine had done one thing. Run. He could never hold Kurt's gaze for too long, he had taken his hand away from any touch far too soon, and pretended like it was normal to touch him anyway, and he had left the room after their duet in the commons. He could see what it looked like from the outside now. He was giving mixed signals.

It was strange for him to curse out loud, but the worlds left his mouth before he could think about it.

"I'm such an idiot" Mercedes seemed to be surprised at the word too, but she didn't say anything, waiting for Blaine to explain "I was… unsure. I felt like showing him, but at the same time I thought it wasn't correct, that I shouldn't be showing those kinds of feelings, that he needed space, he needed to adapt to Dalton first, he needed…" He stopped listing the things he had felt, because he saw the look of amusement in the girl's face. "I do have feelings for him, Mercedes. Any advances he might make, they are definitely not unwanted. But he hasn't made any, and I felt I shouldn't either. There are certain things…" He stopped before he spilled more, but the girl rolled her eyes at him, completing his sentence.

"There are certain things he hasn't told me, yes, and those things put him in a funk. I know he told you, and I'm not mad. I know there are some things he'll feel far more comfortable talking with a guy who actually gets it. But boy, you need to stop treating him like he's made of porcelain. Even if Sue insists on calling him that. If you have feelings for him, then I don't have to worry about you, or him. But don't do things by halves. Either you like him, and you show it, or you make it perfectly clear than you're nothing but friends."

"I just thought it would be better for him to have some space"

"Yeah, well, you think too much" The girl said, and Blaine had to give it to her, she was absolutely right. "Look, I understand that you saw Kurt in a very difficult time for him, but don't be delusional. He is strong"

"I know that" He started to argue, but the girl raised a hand, stopping him.

"He is also stubborn, and refuses to ask for help when he needs it. But he knows perfectly well what he wants, and what he doesn't want, and he won't hesitate to tell you. So stop thinking so damn hard, make up your mind, and be honest with yourself. Either you want the boy or you don't, but if you do want him, then stop being such an idiot and let Kurt decide if it's too soon for him or not. You don't have all the answers, Blaine, don't delude yourself that you do, because you'll make a lot of mistakes."

The silence stretched for a while, and Blaine was frozen in place, his eyes not really seeing what was in front of them. His mind was going a mile a minute, trying to process everything that was said to him, and the things he was thinking.

"Mercedes…" he started, almost in a daze, but he recovered and really looked at the girl, smiling widely "He's so lucky to have a friend like you"

"Oh, I know that" She said, with so much sass that Blaine couldn't help but laugh.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Hudson-Hummel home was a very loud one when there was a match going on in the TV, and even more so now that Blaine had joined the small cluster of spectators. Burt and Finn cheered and shouted and made all kinds of noises. Blaine joined them in the slightly quieter chat of stats and facts, and Kurt made sarcastic comments once in a while, which made Carole and Blaine smile. It was amidst a particularly heated discussion between Burt and Finn about a doubtful move in the match that Blaine stood up, taking his vibrating phone and excusing himself to the kitchen. It wasn't until he was there, shielded from the noise, that he actually stared at the screen, the caller id flashing his mother's name.

"Mum, hi" He answered, and he could see from the small window in the kitchen door that Kurt was looking at the way he had left with a worried expression.

The conversation wasn't very long. His parents had gone back to their hotel to wait for the airport to open flights again, and there were still no news, so there was a high chance they wouldn't make it for new years. They asked where he was, asked him to behave, and that was that. He pressed the red icon on his touch screen feeling particularly empty, and it actually surprised him. His relationship with his parents had always been the same, and it wasn't the first time they would be somewhere else for the holidays. So what was so different now?

It wasn't that hard to guess, he thought. Just one look at the sight that offered the kitchen window was enough to understand. It had always felt normal, what he had at home. He didn't know any different. All his friends had similar situations, if not worse. He had felt pretty lucky himself. And it wasn't really that bad, if he thought about it. It just wasn't…

Special.

Kurt's family was something completely weird. He had lost his mum, Finn had lost his dad, and their parents hooked up, and married, and they only started living together just recently. If you looked at it that way, Blaine's family was the most normal.

He realized now how much he hated that word.

"Is everything ok?"

He had been so distracted by his thoughts that he never even noticed Kurt opening the Kitchen door. He was just standing there, looking at him with those glasz eyes, delicate raised eyebrows, and questioning look, so caring. After that phone call, it felt surreal to have someone so focused on him.

"Yeah, it was just my parents. Looks like they're stuck till January, they said they might get their flight on the second or third. Is it re…"

"You can stay here for as long as you want" Kurt interrupted, and Blaine just laughed embarrassedly and looked down. He had asked Kurt if it was ok for him to stay for so long, so many times, that the boy had grown tired of hearing it.

"Thanks"

"Is everything ok?" Asked Kurt, and it felt slightly like a déjà vu, if it weren't for the slight change in his tone, and that small step closer to him. Blaine thought about saying yes. He was being stupid, childish. He was old enough now not to need those kinds of things from his family. He shouldn't really say anything other than yes. It was the first time in what felt like ages that he noticed his heart and his mind disagreeing.

"Not really. I mean, yes, nothing bad happened or anything, it's just, I don't know" He rambled, finishing lamely with a shrug.

Kurt didn't say anything, and he was thankful. It had been a weird thing to admit he was not ok with his parents being so careless about leaving him alone for the holidays, that he didn't think he could handle actually talking about it. And besides, it seemed like Kurt already understood as it was. There was really no need for words.

"My dad was actually asking for how long you were going to stay. I think he wants to turn you into a little mechanic by the time you leave" He joked, smiling and actually jumping a little on the balls of his feet, his hands at his back. He looked adorable, and he made an effort to refrain from saying it aloud. And then he heard Mercedes voice inside his brain.

"You look adorable" The pleased shock in Kurt's face was worth finally gathering some guts to actually say what he really felt. He had to remind himself of sending a thank you card to the girl. "And I'd love to know as much as your father can teach me about cars" He continued, but instead of deflecting into a serious face, he just kept staring at Kurt's eyes in the same way he did when he admitted he looked adorable.

The huge smile on the face of Kurt was so worth it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finn had suggested to go outside, but it was really too cold, and none had quite the energy to do it. Burt and Carole had gone out to dinner, leaving three highly bored teenagers to fend for themselves. After they had exhausted their options in games, and Finn started to doze on the couch, Kurt got up, fetched a DVD from the pile on the right, and put it on the player. Blaine, fighting the sleep that was also overcoming him, managed to ask without sounding slurry.

"What are we watching?"

"Only the best Christmas movie ever"

"Miracle on 34th street?"

Kurt froze for a second, looked over his shoulder at Blaine, and raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"Try again, but this time, think on Technicolor"

The first images started to play and Blaine had to laugh, pleased.

"I always had a hard time figuring if it was a Christmas movie or a Halloween one" He said, making room on the couch for Kurt to sit down, but not a whole lot so he would end up in the other end and far away from the boy. Kurt didn't even doubt, plopping himself in the seat and saying, seriously.

"Christmas, definitely" Their knees were touching, and they were sitting as close as usual, but Blaine, instead of pretending it was normal, just stared at their knees and smiled.

"Is that The nightmare before Christmas?" Said Finn suddenly, sounding like he was fighting an epic battle against sleep. He was rubbing his eyes so much, Kurt wouldn't be surprised he actually managed to dig a hole in them.

"Yes. If you don't like it, you're welcome to go to our room to watch something else. I always watch this movie on Christmas" Said Kurt, defensively, and Finn stared at him, still fighting sleep and trying to keep up.

"What? No, dude, I love this movie!" He sat up straighter and started to drum his fingers against his knee with the music "But we're like, three days away from Christmas already"

"Yeah, well… I forgot"

"Best reasoning ever" Said Blaine seriously, and Kurt just elbowed him.

The chatter died down soon enough, because even though neither would admit it, the three of them actually loved that movie with a passion.

They loved it so much that, slowly, without noticing what they were doing it, they started to sing along. It started as merely humming, and then Finn suddenly started to sign the lyrics perfectly, and Both Kurt and Blaine looked up from the movie to stare at him. When the boy actually noticed what he was doing, he frowned, slightly embarrassed.

"What? I really like this movie, ok?" he said, defensively, and Kurt was about to say something, when Blaine started to sing the song too, a smile very poorly hidden in his face.

It didn't take long for Kurt to join them, and by the middle of the movie, they had naturally picked the characters, Blaine claiming Jack, because only he could have such theatrical effect and charisma, Finn enjoyed himself playing evil characters such as Dr. Finkelstein, and Kurt did the higher screams, and, much to his chagrin, Sally. When Oogie Boogie's song came around, they were already laughing hard and having so much fun, goofing around with the acting too. Kurt took Oogie's part, and Finn played Santa, actually running around the living room as if they were actually playing the scene, while Blaine sat down on the couch, amused, and offering the random chorus voices. And then the story continued, and they settled down in the couch again, trying to finish the movie without getting out of control, and fighting sporadic sprouts of giggles.

Sally's song came soon enough, and Kurt started to belt the lyrics, with exaggerated dramatics.

"I sense there's something in the wind, that feels like tragedy's at hand" he sang, standing up and giving a spin much like the character was doing on the screen.

"And though I'd like to stand by him, can't shake this feeling that I have…" And then he actually noticed that Blaine had sung all Jack's lyrics on the movie, and he was singing something incredibly embarrassing. He missed the following sentence, and he started singing again at Finn's amused shout of 'go on', but he abandoned the theatrical tone and looked anywhere but at Blaine.

"And does he notice my feelings for him? And will he see how much he means to me?" Oh dear god, of all the things he could sing, this was terribly cheesy, embarrassing, and... too damn close. He had sung this song thousands of times, but it was the first time that he was actually sympathetic with the lyrics. It was good that the song was pretty short, and then they got distracted again with the story, or at least, Finn did. Kurt was feeling awkward now, and he could almost swear Blaine had a small smug smirk in his damn face. Why, though? It wasn't like he knew what he really felt.

Right?

The end of the movie was close, and Blaine stood up, turning around and dramatically facing Kurt. Finn smiled, enjoying the acting, but Kurt felt his face getting hotter. Blaine's eyes were fixed on him.

This was no acting. Kurt could tell. Sure, he was being theatrical for the sake of the joke, but his eyes were serious, and even if Finn couldn't notice –thank god for that-, the lyrics where being said in honesty.

"My dearest friend, if you don't mind, I'd like to join you by your side, where we can gaze into the stars"

And now he was supposed to join in. But if he was reading Blaine wrong, he would make a total fool out of himself. Well, he had to take a chance, and if everything went wrong, he could always claim it was very good acting.

"And sit together, now and forever. For it is plain as anyone can see. We're simply meant to be" There, he had sung it. And now, surely, Blaine would look away, awkwardly, and laugh, and deflect. Like he always did.

But he didn't. He just kept staring at Kurt, even when the credits started rolling, and Finn smiled at the TV, then at them, and then his smiled turned into Finn's patented 'I don't know what's going on so I'll just smile and pretend there's nothing happening'.

"How about going to the park now?" He asked, shattering the moment, and it was Kurt's turn to look away this time, smiling forcedly at Finn.

"Sure, why not?" he agree, even if an hour ago he had claimed it was too cold to do that.

XXXXXXXXX

"I feel like a parent taking out his four year old son to play outside" Kurt said with bite, but actually smiling at Finn's childish actions. The boy had started to build a snowman and soon a bunch of kids had joined him. He was getting along so well with the little kids that, for a moment, Kurt thought that he would have made a great dad for Beth.

But any thoughts he had in his head disappeared when Blaine took his hand and placed them inside his warm coat pocket. He looked at his hands and then at Blaine, smiling daringly, questioning.

"I'm really cold" Said Blaine, smiling and getting closer to Kurt "And you're warm"

"Oh" So it was just a practical thing, right? It had sounded like that, but Blaine's smile was saying something else.

"And I really like holding your hand" Ok, that wasn't practical. Kurt couldn't take his eyes away from Blaine, and he was starting to wonder if he looked retarded, because he felt like he was sporting a terribly stupid and dumbstruck expression, but Blaine's eyes were so close, and his hand felt so nice, that he really, really couldn't care less about looking smart. And then Blaine looked down for a second, smiled embarrassedly, letting out a small laugh, and looked up again. Kurt had not moved, not even a millimeter "Because I really like you, Kurt"

"Like, as in…" Started Kurt, feeling like he needed to hear it, in very precise terms. Because he had made mistakes before, and he really didn't want to make anymore.

"Like as in, I can't stop staring at you. Like as in I think you're beautiful. Like as in it would make me really happy if you wanted to go out with me. Like as in I'm feeling terribly embarrassed in being so direct right now but I still want to tell you all these things." The pleading look in Blaine's face was hilarious, and he laughed, partly because of that, and a lot because of the happiness he was feeling.

"Ok, I think that made it clear. I really like you to, Blaine. For a while, actually"

"I know, I've been an idiot. I'm sorry"

"You've been honorable. And quite dapper. And frustrating. And adorable" He listed, smiling all the time, and suddenly he remembered their joint hands and he squeezed Blaine's fingers gently, daring to get closer to him. Their faces were now merely inches from each other, and it was warm, and nice, and different. There was no looking elsewhere embarrassedly, no deflecting of the topic, no evasiveness at all. Then suddenly Blaine laughed.

"I you don't kiss me now, then I don't know how much longer I can keep staring at you without being consumed by my embarrassment."

"You're awfully shy" Chided Kurt, finding that side of Blaine too adorable.

"It's your fault. You're just too brave"

"And you actually have no game"

"You're unfairly taller than me"

"You have your damn charisma to compensate"

"Will you kiss me already?" He honest to god pleaded, and Kurt raised an eyebrow, looking around discretely, amused, and lowered his voice to a hushed and amused whisper.

"What, here? In the middle of the park?"

Blaine moved his head closer, their noses were almost touching.

"Who cares? We'll cross that bridge when we get to it"

"I don't know if to be shocked, scandalized, or proud" sentenced Kurt in a deadpan voice, and Blaine groaned.

"How about you just pick o-" but he never got to finish the sentence, because that small groan of frustration was all it took for Kurt to lose his patience, and reduce those remaining inches. Their lips just touched, warm compared to their freezing skin, and slightly chapped from the cold, and it lasted barely a few seconds, but it was what they needed. For Kurt to kiss him first, as simply as that. There would be time for longer, more intimate kisses, but not now, and not there. They parted, both staring at each other as if waiting for the other to say something, but it turned into an exchange of smiles, small laughs and lots of staring.

"I know I'm really bad at moments like these, and I made it awfully anti-climatic, but I really hope it made up for not being your first, Kurt" Said Blaine, finally breaking the silence. Kurt laughed then, and took their hands away of Blaine's pocket, but kept a firm grip, pulling him towards where Finn was still trying to build a huge snowman.

"I think I had enough drama these months to last me a lifetime. I rather have it this way. And to answer your question, no, it didn't made up for anything" Before Blaine could think anything of that, he looked at him and smiled widely "Because, as far as I'm concerned, this one was the real first."

Then a snowball landed in the side of Kurt's head, and it was the start of an epic snow fight between brothers, leaving Blaine highly amused.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Starting the year with a cold must mean something awful. Google it, or something, you'll see" Complained Kurt, sounding nasal and annoyed. Blaine just handed him another paper napkin for him to blow his nose, and tried not to smile too much, but the truth was that Kurt's voice and his reddened nose were being so adorable that it was hard not to.

"I think it only means that you should not get into snow fights with Finn" Offered Blaine, wining a glare from the countertenor, and a laugh from Burt. They were all at the table, except for Carole who had gone to the kitchen to fetch the champagne to toast. Kurt had set his phone in the table with the countdown flashing on the screen, and Finn was trying not to sneeze on the food.

"Or that you should learn not to trip when you run away from me" Finn said, feeling particularly happy about the whole thing.

"You were holding a damn pile of snow in your hands, and I knew your plans of shoving it under the neck of my coat. I had no option!"

Finn just smiled triumphantly, but he sneezed again, ruining the moment of gloating.

"At least you're as bad as I am" Murmured Kurt, but the conversation got interrupted by Carole bringing the bottle and a couple of tall cups.

"How much longer?"

"Only three minutes" Said Blaine, looking at the clock and reaching out his hand to grab Kurt's, over the table. Burt just smiled knowingly, but didn't say anything, and took the offered cup from Carole.

The slight beep of the phone was unheard by the cheering, and the glass clinking against each other, and the words and congratulations, sharing the first seconds of the new year in the Hudson-Hummel home with each other.

Blaine thought, in that moment, that he didn't care that his family was less than perfect, or that he had a lot to fix of himself, because he had finally found his place. And he was right there, receiving the New Year with Kurt.

It didn't get any better than that.

END