Day 8: Thunder
At the tender age of six years old, Blaine Anderson knew what happiness was. Snug in his bed on Christmas night, he was perfectly content. Santa had been very good to him, even if Cooper had called him silly for still believing. He spent the day playing with his toys and being doted on by his grandma, who had given him the soft teddy bear he was currently cuddling. The bear was his favorite gift of all, mostly because it came from his grandma, but also because it had a little bowtie that Blaine thought was very special. As he drifted off to sleep, he reminded himself to ask Santa for a bowtie of his own next year.
At the age of eighteen, Blaine Anderson knew what happiness was. Unfortunately, his appreciation of the meaning of happiness was brought about by its absence from his life. Just a year earlier, he had been singing and dancing with his boyfriend in a Christmas special on local public television, certain that he could hear the thunder of applause from households all over northwestern Ohio. Now here he was, approaching an ice skating rink in New York City late on Christmas Eve to surprise Kurt – who wasn't his boyfriend anymore. He had graduated and moved to New York, and despite their promises to not let the distance make a difference, it had. Yet here he was, heart in his throat, hoping to help in a difficult time even though they weren't together anymore. Oh, how he wished they were. But still, they sang and skated together, and if Blaine wasn't completely deluding himself, he thought he saw a little of the same light in Kurt's eyes that used to shine upon him. So, while Blaine might not have happiness this Christmas, he had hope. Hope would be his happiness this year.
At the age of twenty-five, Blaine Anderson-Hummel knew what happiness was. It had been a long time since he had written a letter to Santa, but late on Christmas night, he couldn't help but think that his Christmas wishes had all come true. The bustle of the day was over, with presents exchanged, families fed, and all of the usual festivities come and gone. Now the house was quiet, with Kurt and Blaine cozy under a blanket on the couch, and their baby softly asleep in her crib. The lights from the tree cast a familiar glow over the room, while a light snowfall hushed the city streets. Yes, Blaine Anderson-Hummel truly knew what happiness was.