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You and Steve had let the kids convince you into joining them for a little new years celebration. You had originally planned on going to a party with one of your friends, and Steve was likely to have just stayed home, but they insisted, and you couldn’t say no to their pleading eyes.
Little did you or Steve know, the kids were planning something. They all noticed how often Steve stared at you, or blushed whenever you said something nice to him, or seemed to lose his concentration whenever you walked into the room. And it wasn’t like you were any different. You were always looking for an excuse to see Steve, or invite him over if you were with the kids. You had made up the excuse that you didn’t want to be the only almost-adult there, but they knew better than that.
So the plan was all strategically placed out, they would somehow get both you and Steve to convene in a doorway, where they had hung some mistletoe. They thought they were absolute geniuses because finally, they would be able to get you together.
You noticed right away, however, the mistletoe hung right in plain sight. Steve was more likely to miss it, but you had just assumed it was something for the kids to enjoy, maybe tease Lucas and Max about the fact they liked each other or something.
Steve came in and didn’t say a word about the mistletoe, and so the kids thought their plan would be an absolute success. You and Steve hung about together, allowing the kids to spend time with each other and play some party games.
They were so caught up in one that they almost forgot what time it was.
You and Steve were taken out of your conversation when you heard Dustin shout “shit” from across the room.
“Language!” The two of you said in unison. You both looked at each other and laughed at the fact you were so alike.
“What’s the problem, Dustin?” You asked, ready to get up from your seat and aid him with whatever the problem was.
“It’s nothing! It’s nothing. You just stay right there.” You raised an eyebrow at him but settled back in your chair. You were about to start talking to Steve again when Dustin interrupted a second time.
“Wait! [Y/N]! I do actually need to talk to you, can you come here a sec?” Dustin stood up from his chair and began to walk over to that doorway.
“Is it that important?” You asked him, shuffling to the edge of the sofa.
“Yes! It is! Very important!” He grew impatient and you gave in.
You went to meet Dustin in the doorway, making sure to stand clear of the actual mistletoe. You didn’t know what these kids were up to but it sure hopefully wasn’t this.
“Ah wait, shit! It’s almost the bells! Let me get something.” He said before you could even get a word in. Dustin pushed you right underneath the mistletoe and then disappeared into another room.
Seconds later, Steve appeared and came up to you, and suddenly you knew what the kids’ plan was. You tried your best not to look directly up at the mistletoe that was merely a foot away from your head.
“Dustin said that you-” he was cut off by the sound of Mike.
“Guys look! You’re standing right underneath the mistletoe. That means you have to kiss!” You thought normally Mike would be against these kinds of plans, but apparently not.
You looked at Steve nervously as he turned to see all the peering eyes of the kids. He then looked up above his head to see the mistletoe that he so plainly missed.
“It’s a tradition! You have to do it.” El piped up.
“Actually, it’s a Christmas tradition. It’s not Christmas anymore so-” you didn’t get a chance to finish your poor excuse.
“Shut up and kiss already!” Dustin shouted, making both you and Steve flinch a little.
You rolled your eyes and kissed Steve gently on the cheek. “Are you happy now?” You turned back to the kids but Steve was still looking at you.
Dustin threw his hands up in the air. “Jesus, you guys are fucking insufferable. I give up. Let’s go guys.” One by one, the kids shuffled out, giving you and Steve privacy.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Steve said to you, looking at you with his brown eyes. You could see that he didn’t mean what he was saying.
“It’s a tradition. And besides, how else would I get them to leave us alone?” You smirked at him and leaned up against the doorframe.
He hummed in thought. “No. Tradition is on the lips.” Steve gestured vaguely to his face before letting out a laugh. “But if you don’t want to…” he trailed off, switching his eyes from your face to somewhere behind you.
“Well, we can’t disobey tradition, can we?” Steve’s eyes shot right back up to yours and you reached out to him, pulling him closer.
Steve shook his head ‘no’ and leant down to kiss you, properly this time. You heard a bell from the grandfather clock in the other room signalling midnight, and the beginning of the new year.
Steve pulled away from you but kept close. “Looks like we got that new years kiss they were looking for after all.” He whispered to you. He turned his head around when you could hear footsteps running from the other room
“Guys! They did it! They actually kissed!” You and Steve both rolled your eyes and the sound of Dustin’s voice, followed by the voices of the other kids.
“Ew, Dustin, you creep. I can’t believe you were spying on them!”
“You were there, too, El. You’re not getting out of this.”
“Jesus, you’re both awful.”
“You can’t say anything, Mike, you helped us.”
“We all helped!”
“I think you’ll find I didn’t.”
“Max, you’re the one who found the mistletoe.*
“Shut up! You told me where to get it, Lucas.”
The kids all erupted into a fit of laughter after their petty argument, and you and Steve couldn’t help but laugh too. You couldn’t have started the new year off in any better way.