Page 34 of Decorated

“Mr. Spears, Mr. Spears, did you see us?” the Christmas fairy asked.

“I did,” Alfie lied with a smile, crouching to be closer to the girl as she ran to him. “You were wonderful.”

She surprised him by flying right into his arms for a hug. Despite the rules and protocols for physical contact with kids, Alfie hugged her back before setting her aside, though he continued to smile warmly at her.

“Do you need help with your costumes?” he asked all of the kids that had gathered around him.

“I do!” one of the boys called out.

“Can I keep my fairy wings on?” the girl asked.

“You can absolutely keep your wings on,” Alfie said.

He crouched again to help some of the others with bits of their costumes. As he did, he turned to smile at Blaine.

Blaine watched him with a look of absolute wonder, as though he were the Christmas fairy.

“We can help, too, if you need it,” Lucy said, moving forward to help one of the older girls untangle her sash from her long hair.

It was exactly the sort of end to Blaine’s drama that they all needed. All was forgiven, it turned out there wasn’t really a problem in the first place, and they could all immediately move on to sweeter, better things. Even Blaine joined in, helping kids out of their costumes, then taking a group of them over to the refreshment table.

Alfie gathered up the costume pieces and took them back to the box in the corner, which, fortunately, wasn’t that far away, then joined Blaine and the other near a pile of cupcakes.

“Good job,” Alfie told Blaine with a wink once everyone had what they needed. “You’re alright.”

He meant that both in terms of the danger being passed and Blaine being a wonderful, interesting, vibrant, good person.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” Blaine said, finally seeming to relax as he pulled the paper off a cupcake.

“So I’ve been told,” Alfie teased him. “You might want to consider keeping me around to manage your occasional crisis.”

He was teasing, but Blaine said, “Seriously. I was terrified. I never would have said any of that if left to my own devices.”

“I know,” Alfie said. “You would have dragged things out way longer than needed, and you never would have seen that you didn’t have anything to worry about to begin with.”

Blaine dropped his face sheepishly. “You must think I’m completely useless.”

“Not at all,” Alfie laughed. “I think you’re passionate and that you think and act from your heart.”

“And it’s rubbish,” Blaine added.

Alfie shook his head. “It’s brilliant, and it’s a refreshing change from the way people are in the world I’ve been part of.”

“I should be able to function like an adult without you managing it for me,” Blaine disagreed, shaking his head.

Alfie set down the cupcake he’d picked up but not started eating. He rested one hand on the side of Blaine’s face and stared deep into his eyes. “You are who you are, and I happen to really like who you are. Don’t you dare go changing your eccentricity to fit something you think I might want. I want you just as you are.”

Blaine gave him a watery smile. “There you are, going all Mark Darcy on me again.”

Alfie’s smile grew. “Does this mean I get to call you Bridget?”

Blaine gasped, his face lighting up. “Youdoknow the reference.”

“Of course I do.Bridget Jones’ Diaryis a masterpiece of literature and cinema,” Alfie said. “I’m not just a pretty face in a hot uniform, you know.”

Blaine laughed. Then he threw himself forward, cupcake still in hand, and planted a big, wet kiss on Alfie’s mouth.

Alfie wrapped his arms around him, pulling Blaine closer. He loved seeing Blaine happy and impulsive. It was exactly the way things should be. He didn’t even care that they were standing in full view of the room.

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