It was that time of the year again.
The time when a thick layer of snow covered the ground and the air was alive with the magic of the Christmas lights. It was the time when the carols were played repeatedly, and there was no shortage of tinsel in any way, shape, form or colour. When shop windows were permanently lit up and children pressed their noses against the cold glass and looked on in wonder at the toys in the displays.
Even the big children.
"Jeff, come on." Nick glanced at his watch, noting the large amount of time that had passed for the small amount of things they had done.
Jeff waved his hand dismissively without even glancing in Nick's direction. "I'm almost done."
Nick shook his head at his hopeless friend. They were standing outside Toy Kingdom, in the same spot they had been for ten minutes, while Jeff looked over every single thing in the window display. He didn't seem to care if each item in there was aimed at ten year olds, and Nick had even seen him browsing over the bright pink side of the display at the girl's toys. For what, Nick didn't know.
"I'm looking for my little sister's present," Jeff had said when Nick asked him.
"Jeff, you brought her that My Little Pony set back in October."
"Oh," he'd looked over at his best friend, "yeah, I did too. Thanks Nicky."
Nick had rolled his eyes fondly at Jeff, knowing very well how excited he got about the whole Christmas season. It was one of the many things he loved about him. He usually ended up with several gifts from the blond every year, with Jeff claiming that the reason was because he couldn't make up his mind what to get him.
Nick loved Christmas too. How could he not, when he was roommate and best friend to Jeff? It was a title he'd held for four years, and even though it was their final year of school, next year they would still be roommates, this time at university.
Over the four years, they'd worked up a Christmas tradition. Every year, without fail, on the first of December they would decorate their dorm room. Tinsel, lights, singing and dancing Santa's, plush reindeers and a tree far too big for their small room had all crept their way in over the years. It was a room their friends had either come to love or hate, depending on the festiveness of each.
It was also, of course, a tradition that Nick and Jeff would decorate the buildings with mistletoe. The Warbler Hall, the hallways, friends' dorm rooms, the cafeteria and even the bathrooms would all become green with true Christmas spirit. This undoubtedly led to awkward, embarrassing – and sometimes surprising – moments in the large brick buildings of Dalton Academy. Most of the boys avoided the plant like a plague, but they had all become accustomed to the sight of Kurt and Blaine making the most of it, regardless of the location.
Nick and Jeff were legends in the Warbler Hall because of the amount of fun they brought those who couldn't go home for the holidays, or those who chose not to.
Christmas Eve was always the same. They would be up early and off campus doing last minute Christmas shopping before most normal people had even opened their eyes. For lunch, they would stop at the RSL club, where there was a fundraiser for local deaf children held every year. They would each buy something to put in the sack that the Santa would hand out to the kids, and it made it completely worth their time seeing the joy on the children's faces when they received their gifts.
The two boys would then wander around the tinsel-filled streets for a couple more hours to fill in time, and Jeff would spend large amounts of time window shopping, but not actually buying anything else. And Nick would buy them both a donut and a hot chocolate to keep them warm as they walked about, their breath clouding around their faces. Later on that night, Jeff would pay their five dollar donation/entry fee to the Smith Family in repayment as they entered the large hall where they would sing Christmas carols late into the night with many others.
They both had their reasons why they would stay at Dalton right up until Christmas morning, when they would first go to Jeff's house for his family lunch, and then to Nick's place for dinner. Having been best friends for years, they were always welcome into each other's home, and would even call each other's mother "mum".
The reason was because of their tradition. They both knew, even in future years, that they would be back each time to attend the fundraiser for the deaf children, and they would return to sing the carols with the other families until the children became bleary-eyed and yawning.
Because that was what Christmas was about. It was the time of giving. It was the time for traditions, friends, and family. It was the time to stuff yourself full of rich food and think about all of the good things in life.
For Jeff, the reason he loved Christmas was because of Nick. It was the way his eyes would sparkle beneath the fairy lights, and the way his cheeks would turn red from the bite of the cold wind but he would not once complain while Jeff looked into windows. He'd instead stand there and watch the blond with an amused smile on his face and drink his hot chocolate as the light dusting of snow fell down on both of them. He loved Nick for it, amongst the million other things he loved him for.
"Alright," Jeff turned from the window, a smile on his face, "Let's move on."
Nick raised his eyebrows. "You're ready?"
Jeff didn't know if it was because it was Christmas, and because of the snow and the tinsel and the fairy lights, or if it was just time. It had been four years. It was definitely time. So he said it.
"I'm ready."
It definitely wasn't part of the tradition. But it could be.
And he took a step towards his best friend and put his hands on his waist and pulled them together. And he kissed him.
And Nick dropped his hot chocolate, and the rich brown liquid seeped its way into the snow. And Nick forgot about it. He forgot everything, except for the here and the now and the beautiful boy who he'd called his best friend for years as he wrapped his arms around Jeff, returning the kiss in the best way he knew how to.
And he thought, finally.
It was Christmas, after all.
And two years later, it would be the night when Jeff would get down on one knee in the snow in front of that very window where they shared their first kiss and propose to his boyfriend.