Chapter Text
“Why is the snow so much prettier here than it is in Utah?”
Carlos rubs the back of Seb’s hand through their gloves and turns to briefly look at him before quickly turning back to make sure he doesn’t bump into anyone around them. “Everything in New York is prettier than it is in Utah, to be fair,” he concludes. “You’ve got so much snow on your eyelashes. You should’ve worn your glasses.”
“I’m not wearing glasses out here just to get snow all over them so I can’t see!” He exclaims. “You just wish I’d have made the same bad idea that you did.”
“I don’t make bad ideas, Seb,” Carlos says above the crowd. “I had the idea to come here in the first place!”
“That you did,” Seb says, glancing up at the sky. “Are we close yet?”
“Not if you keep complaining!”
“I have the feeling you have no idea where you’re actually going,” Seb says. “You should’ve just sucked it up and used Google Maps.”
Carlos takes another glance over at Seb, squinting his eyes at him. “I think you need to have more faith in me.”
“I have plenty faith in you,” Seb retorts, “just not your navigational skills. As we’ve seen from almost being late to both shows we’ve seen so far. And nearly our flight.”
“Look, one of those was not my fault!”
Seb just shakes his head at Carlos and follows his lead. Truthfully their trip thus far has changed Seb’s life — he knows he’s only sixteen and that he still has an entire life ahead of him to look forward to, but he’s felt freer here, surrounded by people who don’t look twice at him as he holds his boyfriend’s hand down a busy street, people who are like him, than he has maybe ever in his life. Every night the last few evenings, he’s fallen asleep in Carlos’s arms to daydream of what it’s going to feel like when this’ll be their every day, when this’ll be more than just a week out of their busy high-school lives. What it’ll feel like to come home from a long rehearsal and collapse into Carlos’s arms, in their probably tiny New York City apartment that’s probably going to be way too expensive and a total rip-off for its square footage, but still, it’ll be theirs, which’ll make it perfect either way.
He’s fallen asleep peacefully every night since.
His whole life, he’s been afraid of himself, of what he’s always wanted to be but has been too afraid to become, afraid of what others have to say about him, afraid of the power he could hold, but here...his passion is endless. Here, holding Carlos’s hand as they walk through an overflowing, freezing-cold Times Square to see the ball drop in person on New Year's Eve, he feels unstoppable.
The crowds surrounding them begin to cheer, which pulls Seb out of his head to pull out his phone as he glances down at the time. “Oh my God, Carlos!”
“What? We’re—” Carlos exclaims, but turns around quickly when Seb repeatedly hits his arm to show him his phone. It’s 11:58, and they’re probably still at least a few blocks away. “Oh, God, I’m so sorry!” He exclaims, standing still now amongst the bustling crowd. “I know you wanted—”
“Carlos! Forget about the stupid ball drop,” Seb exclaims again, pocketing his phone and grabbing both of his boyfriend’s gloved hands in his own, interlocking their fingers down by their sides. “I think, like, nothing this whole school year has gone right, okay? None of this has been perfect,” He shouts, trying to make sure Carlos can hear him above all of the bustling crowds surrounding them, “but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Even if we always get lost and miss our times and mess everything up. ”
Carlos wraps his arms tight around Seb and buries his head in his neck. “This year’s going to be better,” says Carlos loudly, pulling back from Seb as the crowd begins to chant the countdown to the new year. Both of them excitedly count down, holding each other tighter than they ever have before, surrounded by eager New Yorkers.
Finally, the clock strikes midnight. Seb pulls down Carlos’s scarf over his chin and holds his face with both of his gloved hands so delicately, resting their foreheads against each other’s just for a second. “Happy New Year, my love.”
Carlos wraps both arms around Seb’s waist and pulls him in close. “Happy New Year, honey.”
This year’s going to be better.
This promise is sealed with a perfect kiss.