Snowflakes swirled down from the sky, softly landing on Kurt's scarf as he walked down the street. They seemed to sparkle in the light illuminating from the elaborately adorned Christmas tree, but Kurt hadn't noticed. He was too busy gazing at the boy next to him, eyes reflecting the multicolored lights from the tree with a childlike wonder Kurt had grown to love. His hand instinctively tightened his grip on the other boy's, mimicking the feeling growing in his chest – his heart seeming to fill until it could no longer fit inside him. The city bustled around the pair as they strolled along, taking in the sights of the place they could finally call home.

It was their first Christmas together in New York. Before graduation, they'd made a pact to stay together after high school; despite their separate dreams – Kurt's to study fashion, Blaine's to go into theatre – they knew it wouldn't be difficult to find a place where both could be content. It had taken some convincing, yes; neither of their parents were thrilled at the idea of their sons moving so far. And yet after months of begging, of insisting this was the best option for both of them, they finally caved.

And they were finally here.

Kurt still couldn't comprehend how quickly it had all happened. They'd been living here since late August, and yet he still woke up each morning in awe at the fact that he had made it. It didn't matter that he was only in his first year of school, that he had years of hard work in front of him in order to make it to where he wanted to be. He was here. In New York City, the one place he'd always wished he could call home.

And he was with Blaine.

He couldn't take his eyes off of him. Even with the city of his dreams all around him, Kurt had no desire to look anywhere else. The light snowfall had dusted the other boy's dark eyelashes, slowly melting and turning into tiny drops that clung onto each lash. He was beautiful, and he was Kurt's.

This was the most surreal part of what Kurt's life had become. It wouldn't have made a difference where he was, what school he chose, whether he was in the most famous city in the world or back in Lima, Ohio – Blaine would have made it all worthwhile. He was the reason Kurt had made it through his first few months of school; looking forward to coffee dates at their new favorite shop, being surprised with picnics in Central Park, simply walking around and taking in their new home – all of it took his mind off of the people he'd left back in Lima. He couldn't have done this without Blaine.

A light tug on his gloved hand brought Kurt out of his thoughts. His eyes moved to meet Blaine's, still glowing with that never-ending love for life Kurt couldn't help but envy.

"Come on, Kurt, let's go see the carolers!" The other boy led Kurt to where a small crowd had begun to gather, his winter boots springing across the ground in an effort to get there as quickly as possible. Kurt was beginning to hear the increasingly loud chorus of voices coming from inside the crowd. He sighed at the sound – he may not celebrate it in the traditional sense, but there was something about the music around Christmastime that made everything feel more magical. Blaine pulled Kurt through the crowd, easing him through the other spectators until they had reached the front.

The two boys stood still, taking in the sight before them. The carolers were formed by a group of students just barely younger than the pair, expectedly dressed in their most festive holiday sweaters and scarves – a high school choir. Neither boy could help the wave of nostalgia that washed over them at the sight; they had yet to see any of their glee club friends since the move and missed them terribly. Blaine glanced over at Kurt, offering a small smile just barely laced with sadness at the memory of their old group. Kurt returned it, the comfort of Blaine's presence enough to drive away any homesickness he had begun to feel. A strong arm wrapped around Kurt's waist, and he leaned his head on Blaine's shoulder as they listened.

The soft tickle of Blaine's breath on his ear caused Kurt to look away from the choir, eyes casting downward as he heard Blaine's voice sing softly into his ear.

"Through the years,
we all will be together,
if the fates allow."

Kurt shivered at the words, turning into Blaine and wrapping his arms around his waist. He looked up to meet Blaine's eyes, still glowing as always, but now with infinitely more to say. It was impossible to concentrate on the event in front of him, eyes trained only on Blaine. He could feel Blaine's warm breath against his lips and see it mixing with his own in the cold air. Kurt pulled him in as close as possible, never wanting to let go.

"And have yourself
a merry little Christmas now."

The choir continued the song, but Blaine stopped his singing, focusing only on the boy in front of him as his final note trailed off. Kurt couldn't help the rapid beating of his heart as he took in Blaine's expression. It was one he would never be used to, no matter how often he saw it; this expression of pure love would always have the ability to take his breath away. Blaine's eyes dipped down to glance at Kurt's lips before trailing back up his features. Both their breathing was shallow as they stood in each other's arms, mouths only a breath away from touching. Blaine turned so his nose touched Kurt's, gently nuzzling them together before speaking in what could barely be called a whisper.

"I love you."

He leaned in, their lips finally meeting in a gentle kiss. They each instinctively moved toward the heat coming from the other, Kurt's hands sneaking up to play with the curls that had escaped from Blaine's hat. When they pulled away, both boys had soft smiles etched across their features. Blaine lifted one of Kurt's hands off his neck to intertwine their fingers. They didn't know how long they stood there, smiling at each other, relishing in each other's presence as long as they could. It was Blaine who finally broke the silence, feeling Kurt shiver lightly against him.

"Let's head home. It's getting late," he said, using the arm still wrapped around Kurt's waist to gently steer him away from the crowd.

"Hey Blaine?" Kurt stopped them for a moment, turning to face the boy next to him.

"Yeah?" Blaine gazed at him expectantly, eyes soft as they locked with Kurt's.

"I love you, too," he spoke, almost bashful under his boyfriend's gaze. Blaine's grin was unmatched by any as he leaned in to kiss the blushing boy before him.

He slowly pulled back, adoringly watching Kurt's growing smile. His grip tightened on Kurt's waist, and he began leading them home, snow falling gently on the couple as they went.