Greetings, all! Disclaimer time – I will not be able to write and post every day for the Advent Challenge. I'll write when I can and post when I can. If I get done before Valentine's Day, I'll consider it a win. I miss writing very much, and though it's difficult on a number of levels, I want to try. I hope you will bear with me.

Day 1: Team

"There are two kinds of people in this world, Blaine," Kurt explained as he walked briskly down the hallway, Blaine hustling to keep up. "Those who participate in tacky, clichéd office nonsense," he glanced over at a secretary's desk bedecked in silver and gold garlands and several strings of lights flashing in wildly unsynchronized mayhem, "and those who have taste."

"Aw, come on, Kurt," Blaine teased, following his fellow intern into the office that served as their shared workspace. "The office holiday decorating contest is a tradition! You know, you could show everyone how classy and tasteful decorating can be."

Kurt rolled his eyes and sat at his computer, pretending not to hear Blaine's pleas. Blaine took his own seat across from Kurt's and set to work, but not before adding a final, "It'll be fuu-uuun," in a sing-song tone.

xoxoxo

It wasn't that Kurt disliked the holidays or with decorating. Far from it. Kurt loved Christmas. In his childhood and teen years, he had always been the one to eagerly implore his father to get a tree as early as possible in the season, and the older he got, the more thought and effort he put into his decorating. Themes, color schemes, motifs – he'd deny working on a Christmas mood board in September, but that didn't make it untrue.

However, this year found Kurt out of Christmas spirit. His father and Carole wouldn't be able to make the trip to New York, as Carole was recovering from knee surgery. She was doing well, but would not be able to manage the travel. Kurt, a college student strapped for cash, couldn't afford the airfare to Ohio. Burt had offered to fly him home, but Kurt knew Burt and Carole had their own expenses. They'd agreed to meet up in late January when Carole would be well enough to make the trip.

It was going to be Kurt's first Christmas away from his father, and the situation had effectively destroyed all of his interest in the holiday. He was determined to ignore its existence entirely, if he had his way. Stringing up lights and tinsel in his office was out of the question. He just wanted to get through the month of December and forget all about the fact that he spent the "most wonderful time of the year" alone.

Imagine his surprise, then, when the day after he expressly told Blaine in no uncertain terms that he was not participating in the decorating contest, he arrived at the office to see a list of decorating teams posted in the staff kitchen – including "Team Klainemas," consisting of one Blaine Anderson and one Kurt Hummel.

He found Blaine already in their shared office, a box of decorations at his feet and an expression of hope tinged with fear in his eyes. "Please?" Blaine asked, pouting a bit.

Kurt sighed, shook his head, and walked over to his desk. He dropped his messenger bag, looked Blaine square in the eye and said, "So help me, if you try to put up any plastic reindeer or a dancing Santa, I'm out." The grin that broke across Blaine's face was so warm, Kurt swore he could almost feel a little bit of the ice that had built up around his heart begin to melt.

xoxoxo

*A week later

"Congratulations, teammate," Blaine crowed. The two sat side-by-side on the edge of Kurt's desk, surveying their award-winning decorations with satisfaction. Blaine held up his cup of hot chocolate, tapping the mug against Kurt's own in celebration of their win.

"Yeah, yeah," Kurt replied, smiling in spite of himself and venturing to bump his shoulder lightly against Blaine's. "I'll let you keep the trophy on your side," he said, handing over the plush reindeer and accidentally pressing the button that caused it to wiggle around and play "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

"At least it's not a dancing Santa," Blaine laughed, and Kurt joined him. As if suddenly aware of their close proximity, a brief, shy silence overcame them.

"You know," Blaine offered, clearing his throat awkwardly, "if I get to keep the trophy, it's only fair that you should get something, too." Reaching over to the edge of his own desk, he produced a white, letter-sized envelope, festively decorated and bearing Kurt's name.

"What's this?" Kurt asked, puzzled.

"It's a present. You have to open it to find out," Blaine prompted.

Kurt put down his mug and took the envelope, his gaze flickering from it to Blaine and back a couple of times before opening it. Inside was a piece of paper, folded carefully. When Kurt removed it, he saw that it was a paper airplane. He was about to ask Blaine what it meant when he noticed that the paper wasn't blank. Unfolding it, he read the contents.

"I…I don't understand."

"I thought I might have to explain a little," Blaine said softly, taking the paper from him. "You know, a few years ago, this would have been a lot easier. I could have printed off a ticket and put it in the envelope, but nobody does paper tickets anymore."

Realization began to dawn on Kurt. "Blaine," he gasped, "I can't. I couldn't…"

"Yes, you can, Kurt. You see, I've got all these airline miles, and you have family in Ohio and no way to get there, so…" Blaine shrugged.

Kurt stared at the page, which was a printout from Blaine's airline account showing a considerable number of unused miles – more than enough for a round-trip ticket from New York to Ohio, even at last-minute rates.

He lifted his suddenly teary eyes to Blaine's once more. "How did you know?" Kurt's voice cracked with emotion.

Blaine chuckled. "We share an office, Kurt. You sit three feet away from me – I couldn't help but hear when you talked to your dad on the phone about it. I saw how sad it made you to miss seeing your family. It was as if your Christmas spirit died right in front of me." He reached out and put a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "I wanted to help you find your spirit again."

Unable to hold back his emotions any longer, Kurt threw his arms around Blaine, who caught him and just barely kept them both from falling off the desk onto the floor. Laughing, they righted themselves, but stayed close.

"I don't know how I can ever repay you," Kurt murmured.

"You never have to repay me. It's a gift. However," Blaine continued slyly, "if you don't mind flying into Columbus, I happen to know of an empty seat on a flight next to an award-winning office decorator."

Kurt wiped away a final tear and smiled. "I think that sounds perfect."