Chapter 67: A Gift of Love

"Nigel, I just got my exam schedule and it sucks!" Even without looking at the screen, Nigel could tell that Kurt was upset. It was all there in his voice. "All my exams are in the second week, and I've got two on the last day, Friday, the 21st." Kurt ran a hand through his hair, his eyes suspiciously bright as he stared at his boyfriend. "I may not be able to get out of here until the 22nd. Nigel, I'm sorry, I just don't see the point of going to Boston only to turn around and head back to Lima."

"No, that doesn't make any sense. The bank's closed on the 24th. I'll take an evening flight out on the 23rd. You can pick me up at the airport."

Kurt nodded, still looking dejected. "I wanted to be there, Nigel. I miss you."

"I miss you too, babe. Don't laugh. Sometimes, I take my laptop to bed with me, so I can fall asleep to a slide show of you."

"I go to bed every night, and wake up every morning counting the days until you." Kurt blinked back tears that he refused to let fall. "I guess we're both pathetic losers."

"Pathetic maybe, but not losers, not when we have each other." Nigel flushed with embarrassment. He waved a hand in front of the screen, trying to erase his words. "No matter what you think you heard. I did not just say that. It's too soppy even for me."

"Nuh-Uh." Kurt grinned. "I'm going to ask Carole to embroider those words onto a pillow."

Nigel frowned fiercely, but his laugh ruined the intimidating effect he was going for. "Kurt, you tell anyone I said that and you're not getting near this ass until you're old and grey."

Kurt smirked and patted his hair complacently, eyes teasing. "Like I'm ever going to let this go grey!"

"You might as well, because I'm pretty sure I'm going to be bald."

"No problem. I'll just design a great hat for you, and no one will ever know."

"And that makes me feel so much better!" Nigel laughed with Kurt, and then sat up suddenly.

"Hey, where did you go?"

"Sorry!" Nigel changed the angle on the laptop so Kurt could see him again. "Since you can't come to Boston before Christmas, why don't you come back with me after Christmas? We can spend New Year's together before you start school again in January."

"Yes! Nigel! That's even better. New Year's just us."

"We can go out if you want. That dance club probably does something spectacular for New Year's."

"No. No way, Dennison. New Year's you and me, just you and me."

"Okay, Hummel." Nigel smiled as he stressed Kurt's last name. "Just you and me."

The month of December raced by in a flurry of project deadlines, term papers, and studying. Kurt wanted to believe that of the two of them, Rachel was the more stressed out, but if she was, it wasn't by much. They passed each other in the apartment, balancing cups of coffee, or tea with honey in Rachel's case, complaining of exhaustion, and unreasonable professors, and impossible deadlines. Rachel spent hours in the studio practicing dance moves in the hope that she could actually pass Cassie's class. Kurt spent hours in the lab with Sarah and Denis, working on their end of term digital design project. Every night he fell into bed, consoling himself with the fact, that he was one day closer to seeing Nigel.

"Hey, bro. How's it going?" Even on the relatively small laptop screen, Kurt could see that Finn had lost some weight.

"I'm freaking suicidal, that's how it's going!"

Finn laughed. "You're colouring dresses, how hard can it be?"

"Nice Finnegan! Don't come crawling to me when you need a decent suit."

Finn snorted. "Yeah, like a show choir director in Lima needs couture!"

"What's happening with the New Directions?"

"It's a joke. We're now the No Directions. Sue's making my life a misery, as usual. We don't have a choir room to practice in anymore." Finn looked frustrated and hopeless. "Rachel called me after that Showcase thing. She said there was more to Glee than competition, but Kurt, without regionals to aim for there just doesn't seem to be any point."

"Can you get around the disqualification thing?"

"I don't know, maybe. Blaine and Sam are looking into it." Finn literally shook himself. "Enough about me. When are you coming home?"

"Saturday, the 22nd, I'll text you the time."

"I'll pick you up, and you can tell me what I should be buying everyone."

"How would I know? If you don't count Thanksgiving, I haven't been home in months."

"Nice try, Kurt. You could pick out presents in your sleep, and still get something better than I ever could."

"And why is that, brother mine?"

"Uh, you have a better eye?"

"Well that, yes, but also because I don't go out and buy everything in plaid!"

Finn smirked at his brother. "Ah, and I wanted to surprise you."

Kurt grinned. "If there is anything under that tree in plaid Finn Hudson, it better have an Alexander McQueen label on it!"

"You have to give NYADA an answer soon, don't you?" Nigel sprawled on his bed, on his stomach, chin resting on his folded arms.

Kurt wanted some Sci-Fi magic, so he could blend into the pixels on his screen, and coalesce in Nigel's room, preferably in Nigel. He blinked away the image and forced himself to focus on what Nigel had said. "Yeah, the deadline was yesterday, actually. It took me awhile." Kurt shook his head, laughing at himself. "I wrote a pros/cons list, I read the course catalogue, I even tossed a coin."

Nigel laughed. "So, Parsons or NYADA?"

"Parsons. I like it there, and I think I could be really good at it. It just feels right." Kurt grinned into his screen. "Besides, sharing this apartment with Rachel is more than enough drama for me. I don't need to share a school with her again, been there, done that." Kurt shrugged. "I watched what Rachel went through this semester. NYADA has lost a large part of its allure for me. Do you think I'm making a mistake?"

"No, I think you know exactly what you want. You just have to listen to yourself."

Kurt smiled, and his hand reached to touch the screen. It was a stupid habit, he couldn't actually touch Nigel, but it made him feel that he could. "Have I told you lately, what a perfect boyfriend you are?"

Kurt scanned every person who streamed through the Arrivals C doors. No, no, no, Dior! Where was he? He paced a few laps and checked the arrivals board again. He turned and …. Nigel!

Two days before Christmas, the Arrivals Concourse, was awash in holidaying humanity. As Nigel tried to wind his way through passengers and family, he didn't see Kurt at first. The tap of a decisive step, ringing out on the floor, had him tilting his head to see around a portly gentleman. Long legs in ridiculously tight jeans skirted people and luggage carts. Ridiculously tight jeans, in a color so bright you wanted to shield your eyes. Nigel didn't have to look any further. He would recognize that stride and those hips anywhere. Wearing a smile as bright as his boyfriend's jeans, Nigel moved towards Kurt.

Arms locked around each other, they didn't say anything. They didn't have to say anything, holding each other was everything they needed to say. Eventually, the rest of the world filtered back in and they realized they were blocking traffic. Nigel put a hand up, fingers tracing the line of Kurt's face. "Hey, babe."

Kurt turned into Nigel's hand, lips pressed against his skin. "I love you."

Nigel grinned. "I know."

Kurt laughed, and stepped out of Nigel's arms. "Come on." He steered them out of the crowd, towards the exit. Passing a Starbuck's he paused. "You want a coffee?"

"I can wait till we get home."

Kurt fidgeted with the car keys in his hand. "Let's stop." He looked at Nigel, tension pulling his eyebrows tight. "I want to talk to you before we get home and my family monopolizes you." His smile wasn't quite right.

Nigel nodded. He found two seats at a small table in the corner, while Kurt ordered. He took his winter coat off, and draped it over the back of his chair. He had a feeling this was going to take a while. He already knew what his boyfriend was going to say. Not the details exactly, of course, but he knew. Only one thing made Kurt this uncomfortable.

When Nigel looked askance at the caramel drizzled whip cream sitting atop his coffee, Kurt laughed. "It's Christmas, live a little." He handed Nigel a spoon, and sipped his own coffee. He smiled when Nigel did exactly what he knew he would. He ate the whip cream first before it had a chance to melt and contaminate his caffeine. He loved that he knew this man so well, that they knew each other so well. He loved… Kurt put his cup down.

"Nigel, I wasn't trying to hide anything, I just didn't want to tell you over Skype." Kurt grimaced. "That didn't work out so well, the last time."

Nigel couldn't stand to see Kurt this tense. He twined his fingers through his boyfriend's. "Kurt, it's okay."

Kurt's mouth slipped into a half-smile, as his eyes locked on Nigel's. "Let me tell you, anyway?"

Nigel nodded, and Kurt took a deep breath. "Remember, the night of the Showcase, I told you Brady took us out to celebrate?" Kurt steeled himself, and then blurted the words out. "I made out with a waiter in the coat check room."

The sheer incredulity of the idea forced a bark of laughter out of Nigel. "You did not!"

"I did. I don't know what happened. I can't even…" Kurt air quoted his next words. "Blame It On The Alcohol. I was drinking diet coke. We were all so happy, so excited. I was so high on the residual rush of my performance. I never expected Tibideaux to do that! I felt like I was floating, and the waiter was just part of the magic."

Nigel squeezed Kurt's hand. "What was his name?"

Kurt's eyes went wide with dismay. "I have no fucking idea."

Nigel laughed again. "If this is what happens when you perform, Kurt. I think it's a good thing, you're staying at Parsons."

Kurt felt himself relax, when he saw that his Nigel was still there. He hadn't morphed into that frozen mask. Dior! He never wanted to see that look on Nigel's face again. "You okay?"

"You were safe, right?"

"Of course!" Kurt was indignant. "I may be a bit of a slut, but I'm not an idiot!"

"Hey, that's my boyfriend you're talking about."

Kurt smiled, his fingers gripping Nigel's. "I wouldn't risk my health like that, and certainly, not yours. Besides there are some things I don't want to do with anyone but you."

Green eyes smiled into crystal. "Good to know." Nigel stood and grabbed his coat. "Come on. Your Dad's going to start worrying if we're late."

Walking to the parking lot, hand in hand, Nigel pushed his hip into Kurt's, knocking the younger man off-stride. He grinned at his boyfriend. "I should have known. In the dictionary, under the word 'player', it says anyone who agrees to meet a guy in a dressing room."

Kurt smacked his arm, laughing. "Shut up! That guy was you."

"Kurt! Nigel!" Carole beamed at the boys, and practically dragged them into the house. Hugging both of them, she called out. "Burt, the boys are here."

Finn popped his head out of the kitchen door. "I'm making hot chocolate, you guys want marshmallows?"

Kurt shrugged out of his coat, and looked at Nigel. They both called out, "Sure."

Burt walked down the stairs into the foyer. "It's about time."

Kurt checked his watch. "We're not that late. We stopped for coffee."

Burt hugged his son. "Because we don't have any coffee here!"

Carole elbowed her husband. "Burt!" She took Nigel's coat.

Burt hugged Nigel. "You're staying with us, right?"

"Yeah, my sister's been wrapping the kids' gifts and hiding them in my room. Apparently, I don't have a bed anymore."

They talked late into the night, sitting around the living room. Finn stretched out in Burt's lounger. Carole tucked herself under her husband's arm on one side of the couch, and Kurt claimed the other side. Nigel sat on a cushion on the floor, his arms wrapped around Kurt's legs, his head on Kurt's thigh. The lights on the Christmas tree mimicked the warmth that flowed between the five of them.

Kurt climbed into bed, and curled up behind Nigel. He tucked his head into the curve of Nigel's neck, and wrapped one arm around his waist. "Tired?"

Nigel covered Kurt's arm with his own. "Yeah."

Kurt kissed a line across Nigel's shoulders. "Too tired?"

Nigel laughed softly, and reached back over Kurt's hip, splaying his hand over his boyfriend's ass. "If you don't fuck me, Kurt, you're going to be minus one very nice present come Christmas morning."

Kurt smiled into the darkness, and sent one hand gliding down Nigel's back. He spread Nigel, and traced a finger slowly over his entrance. "Am I going to like it?"

Nigel thrust back into the curve of Kurt's body, against the teasing finger. "Yes."

"As much as I like this?" Kurt inserted the tip of one finger, and pulsed it gently.

Nigel sighed, turning liquid in Kurt's arms. "Probably not."

They weren't in a hurry, not tonight. Tired in the early hours of the morning, warm and comfortable wrapped in the blankets and each other, and just so damn happy to be exactly where they were; they took it slow. Hands stroked, and lips heated skin. Kurt nestled his cock in the crease of Nigel's ass, one arm over his boyfriend's hip, his hand warm and perfect on silken hardness of Nigel's shaft. He pressed his thumb around the edge of the crown, and over the head, his fingers gliding on heated tears that kissed his fingers.

"Kurt, please." Nigel breathed the word out softly. "Please."

Those words from this man broke Kurt. He opened his mouth over Nigel's shoulder, and bit down, claiming Nigel all over again. "I missed you. I missed us."

"I thought I remembered what we felt like." Nigel moaned pushing back against Kurt. "Not even close. God, you feel good." Nigel reached back, dragging his hand over Kurt's thigh. "Under your pillow."

Kurt found the lube under his pillow, happy not to have to climb over Nigel to get to the drawer in his night table. He slicked two fingers, and opened Nigel. His Boston Banker rode his fingers, but when Kurt switched to three, Nigel looked over his shoulder. "No, now. I'm fine."

He was. He absolutely was. Nigel opened around him, and Kurt was home.

They never did disengage. They fell asleep still connected; Kurt's hand curled around his lover's sleeping cock.

"Oh, I don't think so." Nigel poured syrup over the waffles Carole had made. "December 24th, in a mall, no way."

Kurt turned piteous eyes on his boyfriend. "You're going to leave me all alone on the day before Christmas?"

Burt laughed, and Finn looked up from his cereal. "You won't be alone, you'll be with me."

Kurt shot Finn a glare, and Nigel grinned. "I bought everything three weeks ago, just to make sure I didn't have to go anywhere near a store on Christmas Eve. No one, not even you, is going to get me into one."

Kurt grumbled as he slotted his plate into the dishwasher. "Okay, fine. Come on, Frankenteen. Santa's little helper will take you shopping."

Finn grabbed a warm biscuit, and pushed out of his chair. "You're not that little anymore."

Nigel's eyes twinkled behind his glasses, and Kurt held his hand out to stop the words he knew were coming. "Don't say it."

Finn looked between the two of them, and smirked. "Yeah, I don't want to know."

Burt cut into his waffle. "Me neither."

Nigel stepped out of the ensuite, surprised to see Kurt sitting on the bed, robe belted over his sleep pants and T-shirt, slippers on his feet. He tilted his head slightly and grinned as he reached for Kurt. "Oh, good! I get to unwrap you."

Kurt stood, and backed away, a teasing smile in his eyes. "Maybe later." He turned and started for the stairs. "We've got an appointment with Finn first."

"What?"

Kurt leaned over the bannister and grinned at his bewildered boyfriend. "We have to put out cookies for Santa."

Nigel blinked. "What?"

Kurt laughed and disappeared up the staircase. Nigel shook his head, and followed. "You know he's not real, right?"

Christmas morning started earlier than anyone wanted it too, but it was impossible to sleep with Finn yelling all over the house. "It's Christmas. Get up. It's Christmas!"

Nigel groaned and hid his head in Kurt's chest. "Who is he, the town crier?"

Kurt stretched and dragged himself out of bed. Feeling for his slippers, he tugged his robe on. "He's only nineteen on the outside. On the inside he's about three."

Carole opened her present from Finn, and smiled at her son. "Thank you, Finn. Kurt always knows just what to get."

Burt laughed, and Kurt grinned. "He picked the wrapping paper himself."

"And it's beautiful, honey." Carole reached up and kissed Finn on the cheek.

Burt opened his gift next, a winter hat that looked just like a baseball cap, but with ear flaps. "Carole, this is great. I love it."

Carole smiled. "Just don't wear it in Washington."

Nigel watched as Kurt unwrapped his present carefully, unfolding the paper slowly. He opened the box, and pulled out the softest of cashmere sweaters. The style was different, but the heather colour was exactly the same. Kurt's eyes glowed as he looked at his Boston Boy. "You remembered."

Nigel leaned into Kurt, and spoke against his ear. "Like I could forget."

"Nigel, that's beautiful. The colour works wonders with Kurt's eyes." Carole smiled at the both of them.

Burt grinned at his son. "Looks like you're going to lose your title as gift sensei, Kurt."

"I think not!" Kurt put his sweater aside, and reached for a square box, which he handed to his boyfriend.

Nigel ripped the paper off and tore the box open. His eyes went wide, and he reached in carefully, removing the little metal replica gently. "Kurt!" He breathed the words out, awe in his voice. "I didn't even know they made these. Where did you get it?"

Finn looked at the metal thing that seemed to be all eyes. He couldn't see what all the fuss was about. "What is it?"

Nigel turned to Finn; geeky passion written all over his face. "It's Kismet, the social robot at MIT! This is a smaller replica, of course."

Kurt smiled, watching as Nigel stroked the small bits of metal. "It's programmable, Nigel. You can teach it sentences, in your own voice."

And Nigel was gone, lost to them, as he scanned the instruction booklet. Kurt looked at his father, and smirked. "I rest my case."

Nigel waited until all the other presents were opened. As everyone talked and laughed, and started to clean up the mess of ribbon and wrapping, he touched Kurt's arm. "There's one more."

Kurt looked at the envelope, and sat down again. He lifted puzzled eyes to his boyfriend. "You already gave me a gift."

"That represented our past." Nigel nodded at the envelope. "This is our future."

Kurt stared at his boyfriend. "You're making me nervous."

At the word 'nervous', Carole and Burt turned their attention to the two boys.

Nigel smiled at the worry in Kurt's voice. "Just open it."

Kurt opened the envelope, and unfolded a single sheet of paper. He looked up at Nigel, he didn't know what he had been expecting, but this wasn't it.

"Read." Nigel stood quietly, looking down at Kurt.

Kurt stared at the corporate letter head, the official form, and it didn't immediately make any sense to him. He scanned the page and Nigel's name leapt out at him. Then the words in bold, 'Transfer: Manhattan Branch'. His hands started to shake, and words whispered past his lips. "Oh, my sainted Christian Dior!" He looked up at his boyfriend. "Nigel, is this?" Kurt had to swallow, his throat was too tight. "Is this what I think it is?"

Nigel's smile grew till it hurt his face. "Depends, what do you think it is?"

Kurt launched himself at Nigel, arms locking around his Boston Boy's neck. No, not Boston Boy, not any longer!

Carole grabbed Burt's arm, tears threatening. Finn looked at Burt. "What the hell just happened?"

Nigel touched Kurt's arm, and the look on his face stopped Kurt in his tracks. He vaguely heard the others move into the kitchen, getting breakfast ready, but all his attention was on the worry in Nigel's face. "What?"

"You sure you don't mind?" Nigel searched Kurt's eyes.

"Mind what?"

Nigel looked down and shrugged before meeting Kurt's eyes. "I promised that you would have your freshman year on your own, and I know it's too early, but this transfer came up and I didn't know when the next one would …"

"Nigel." Kurt interrupted his boyfriend's rambling. "You're not seriously apologizing for coming to New York?"

"Well, you've only had one semester, and I wanted…"

"Exactly, you wanted. You're the one who thought I needed time on my own." Kurt reached out and grabbed Nigel's hips, towing him close. "I didn't need it then, I don't need it now." He spread one hand at the small of his boyfriend's back and pushed Nigel forward, until there was no space between them. "I want you with me." He nudged his head beside Nigel's, and spoke low against his boyfriend's ear. "You belong with me. You belong to me."

Nigel wrapped his arms around Kurt, and dropped his head on the younger man's shoulder, relief and contentment flowing through him. "Yes."

Hah! Kurt laughed at himself as he brushed his teeth. He had thought he was happy after his audition at the NYADA Showcase! Wrong! It might be possible to be happier than he was right now, but he didn't believe it. Nigel in New York! They had spent the day making plans, talking about where they could afford to live, and whether they would share the loft with Rachel while they looked around for their own place. Two weeks after Kurt started the spring semester at Parsons, Nigel would be in New York!

Apparently, an analyst in the Manhattan office had to take an unexpected leave to deal with some health issues, and Nigel had applied for the position. He hadn't told Kurt anything, just in case it didn't happen. The best Christmas present ever! Nigel had known for a week now, he had known and …

Kurt bolted out of the washroom, toothbrush forgotten in his hand. "You knew!"

Nigel looked up from his 'conversation' with Kismet. "I told you that. I got approval for the transfer last week."

Words blasting through his mind, Kurt opened his mouth to rain them down over his boyfriend and stopped short. The damn toothbrush was still in his hand. He stomped back into the ensuite, rinsed his mouth and his toothbrush, and placed it in the slot next to Nigel's. He switched the light off, and paced back into the bedroom. Hands on his hips, he stared at the man in his bed. "You knew you were coming to New York. That's why you didn't freak out about the waiter thing!"

Nigel put Kismet on Kurt's night table, and leaned back against the headboard, stretching his arms out over his head. "Well, it certainly helped!" He grinned at Kurt. "Hope you had a good time, because I'm rescinding your single status, as of now."

"Really?" Kurt pulled his T-shirt over his head, and shucked his sleep pants. Naked, he climbed onto the bed and straddled Nigel's legs. His hands branding Nigel's hips, Kurt smirked down at the man in his heart. "What if I haven't had enough 'experimenting'?"

Nigel shoved a hand into Kurt's chest and pushed him over. He rolled on top of the man with the eyes that Nigel intended to live in for the rest of his life. "Oh, you're done; no more waiters, no more French-Canadian lab partners, no more anyone but me!"

Crystal eyes laughed into green. "Yes, sir."

The End