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Ah, New Year’s.
A time where everyone takes the day off to sit around at home and host a group of friends and occasionally strangers to eat snacks and get too drunk to get home so it becomes a huge sleepover. A time where there’s loud music from every room you pass and there’s yelling loud enough for a noise complaint but the police are so busy trying to crack down on the other noise complaints to get to all of them in time. A time where friends and family come together to reminisce on memories of the past year, talk about the highs and lows, the regrets and rewards, the mistakes and the hopeful outcomes. A time where friends will announce they’re going to piss and then you find them passed out on the bathroom floor.
Ah, New Year’s.
With Sal, Larry, Todd, and Neil getting a new house, it was only logical to spend New Year’s Eve in their home. It was bigger than when they would spend New Year’s in Addison Apartments, and less likely for anyone to call any noise complaints on them. They were far out enough to not really have neighbors unless they went further down the block. Good enough for them, because things can get a little crazy once the group gets their hands on far too much alcohol for the likes of them.
Granted, of course, Sal was always there to watch over them.
You like that about him. He has his reasons for not wanting to get drunk, addiction running in his family and all, but you thought it was sweet how he looked after his friends. He is like the group dad looking after his rambunctious kids during a field day at the zoo. Neil, at least, also seemed to be taking it easy on the drinking, but so far Larry was downing the Vodka all on his own and Ash wasn’t too far behind him. Todd was taking his time and Chug and Maple couldn’t make it since they had to watch their baby, Soda. So that left you with the Four Horsemen and Neil.
You were nursing your fair share of drinks, not fully willing to try and keep up with the dark-haired members of the group. It has been quite the year for you; you kickstarted your college career, found yourself a job to help sustain living near the city, you’ve made up with your parents, and you’ve managed to convince everyone, Larry included, to not spill your secret about your crush on a certain Sally Fisher.
Larry was the hardest to keep under wraps. He tells Sal everything and if there was a chance that his best friend and now sweet step brother can have a chance at a relationship Sal didn’t think he could have, then Larry would have tried to clue him in the first chance he got. But it took some heavy convincing from both you and Ash to get him to keep things on the downlow. You didn’t like to sound cliché, but you didn’t want what you have for Sal to ruin your friendship. You’re both pretty independent, and you know Sal has his own insecurities and his own priorities, and you were pretty sure a relationship wasn’t one of them. Ash thinks you would be cute together, and Larry knows you both well enough to say you’ll be a great couple together. You appreciate that they want the best for you both, and that they think the best is each other, but you don’t wanna push Sal into something that’ll make him feel uncomfortable.
Sal looks great tonight, you think, as he stands there in his dark sweater and ripped jeans, hair pulled into a high half-ponytail, the other half of his hair down, draped around his shoulders as he talks to Todd and Neil about something. It’s nearing Midnight, about 2 hours out, and everyone is still doing their fair share of drinking and eating. You’re pretty sure Sal is talking about this new mod he found for his guitar, if that’s what you heard correctly.
“Ya got tha’ look on your face,” came a voice beside you, and it startles you enough to spit your drink back into your cup as you sputter. Larry laughs next to you, at your expense. Jerk.
“Shut up, what are you even talking about?”
“Th’way ya look at him, at Sal,” Larry says. His words are slurred together, but he’s calm, quiet. “Can’t believe ya kept it quiet this long.”
“After we convinced you to keep hush about it,” you say, snorting into your cup as you take another sip. You continue to eye your blue haired friend as he waves his arms, mimicking playing a guitar. There’s something about seeing him so excited about something even as small as a guitar mod that makes your chest flutter for him. Sal may not be ‘conventionally’ attractive, but everything about his personality was something you thought was far hotter than any face you could see. Sal Fisher is hot. There, you said it.
“Yeah, yeah, big mouth blah blah.” Larry waves his hand dismissively. “Still think ya should get with ‘im. Ya guys woul’ look greeaat.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“Ya gonna kiss him t’night? At mi’night?”
The question makes you hum, your finger tapping against the plastic cup. “You think I should?”
“O’course I do! IIIIIII think he would like it.” Larry draws out his words, giving off a sing-song tone as he speaks. You laugh softly in response. “I’m seriousus!”
“Yeah I know, that’s why you’re tripping on your words,” you say, turning your head to give him a playful smile. Still, the idea plays in your mind. A midnight kiss on New Year’s, surrounded by friends. And Larry is saying Sal may even like it? Which is weird but Larry is weird when he’s drunk anyway. This wasn’t new but who knows?
“Just think ‘bout it, yeah?” Larry says.
“LARRY! Round 3, let’s go!” Ashely cries then, pointing at Larry from the dining room table. She has shots surrounding her on the table, a few for each of them, you’re sure.
“Oh boy,” you hum, and Larry chuckles.
“The lady calls. She knows my true name and I must go to her,” he says.
“Just get outta here,” you say, laughing as you push him towards Ash.
“You too!” Ash calls, pointing towards you now. You quickly shake your head and hold your hands up.
“No no no nooo, guys I don’t wanna do too much,” you say; really you mean you don’t want to end up doing something you’ll regret doing, but Ashley is already coming closer to you, taking you by your wrist and pulling you over towards the table.
“C’mon, at least do one with us.”
You end up doing 3.
It’s 30 minutes until midnight and you’re on the couch alone, watching as Ash, Larry, Neil and Todd all play Twister together. You weren’t feeling up to it, choosing to snack to soak up the shots from before. Besides, someone’s gotta keep track of the clock.
The couch sinks next to you and you look over to see that Sal has plopped down at your side, a bowl of snacks between you. “I saw you were getting low, so I just brought the whole bowl over for us,” he says.
You smile. “Sal Fisher, ever so thoughtful,” you joke, reaching into the bowl and pulling out a couple of pretzels.
“Heh, guess so.” You watch him unclasp the bottom of his mask, moving it to the side slightly so he can slip the snacks into his mouth. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” you admit. “Shouldn’t have done 3 but the dark haired duo had me on a roll.”
Sal lets out a soft laugh of amusement. “Yeah, they can really rope you in when they get together. I knew something like this would happen for New Year’s but I didn’t think they’d get you into it.”
“Nah, no worries, it ain’t New Year’s if I don’t get roped into one of their weird shenanigans.” It was true; when it came to weird plans and funky situations, Ashley and Larry had a good habit of roping you in. Sal likes to play your common sense, but more often than not, once you’re roped in, then you usually can get the masked boy in on it too. You all just like to rope each other in to weird plans. It was just a thing.
“That’s true. Speaking of,” Sal says, pausing to reach over and grab the remote to pull up the countdown for the new year. You take a moment to pull your legs up under you as you lean in a little closer to Sal, resting your head on his shoulder. It’s gesture no one in the group was unfamiliar with. “We should probably pay attention, it’s almost midnight guys.”
As the group in front of you stop their game, mostly due to Larry exclaiming ‘Really?’ and promptly dropping on top of Ashley, ruining the game in its entirety. When he glances to the TV, and then to you and Sal on the couch, you catch the slyest thumbs up. Way to be subtle, Larry.
The countdown reads a minute and you realize then everyone’s paired off; Todd is sat with Neil on the chair, Larry has his arm around Ash’s shoulders, and you were sat on the couch with Sal. You can’t tell if this was purposeful, but it’s mildly convenient. You had been mulling it over after your three shots, and decided that maybe Larry was right. Maybe tonight is the night you can just take a chance. It’s not like Sal will end up hating you or anything; he’s never one to let a friendship die so easily. He always gives second chances.
The timer runs down to zero, and cheers move throughout the living room. It’s a brand new year, ready to be filled with brand new adventures and brand new tales and brand new woes and loves and everything that comes in between those things.
And it’s a brand new year for all your friends to be making out in the living room.
You see the two couples kiss on the floor as you keep your head against Sal’s shoulder. “Damn, I guess everyone’s paired off,” you say. “I should’ve seen this coming.”
“Heh, yeah I guess so,” Sal says. “Guess that just leaves us two, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess it does.”
You pause. You’re both quiet and it is so clear that one or both of you is sheepish about this whole ordeal. You wouldn’t call what you were hoping to do a risk, per se, but it’s certainly a new territory for you both. The couples get their kisses, why can’t you?
“You wanna do it too?”
“Huh?”
“The midnight kiss. We can do one too. Y’know. If you want to.”
“Oh.” You can practically feel the heat coming from Sal’s blushing cheek. God, what an absolute dork. “I-I-I mean, uh, yeah, I uh… Yeah we can. Yeah. Totally.”
You can’t help but let out an amused snort, even if your own chest was fluttering. “C’mere, Sally Face,” you say, moving your head and sitting up a bit better. You move the bowl of snacks from between you two, setting it down on the floor. He’s nervous and so are you.
You don’t try to remove his mask, best not to make him uncomfortable. Instead, you use it to your advantage, leaning in close and pulling it in such a way that it hides when your lips touch. It’s the weirdest experience you’ve ever felt, but not… bad. You would do it again. And probably again. Yes, definitely again.
Sal is gentle when he kisses you, like he’s tentative and worried. You’re not too surprised; it’s not like Sal goes around kissing everyone, or anyone, for that matter. But you still think it’s cute, the way he presses his lips to yours, turning in to you so you don’t have to strain too much. Sal, Fisher, ever so thoughtful.
The mask hides your kiss, but you’re pretty sure none of your friends really take notice anyway. You were just planning a quick peck, in case Sal wasn’t into it, but with the way he turns towards you, actually kisses you, it makes you a little less nervous and kind of glad you banked on Larry’s words being right.
When the two of you pull away, you smile and so does he. “That was kinda neat,” you say, letting out a soft laugh.
“I guess it was,” he agrees. He pauses. “Do you, uh. Wanna do it again?”
“Hm?”
“Kiss. Again. Do you wanna?”
You can practically feel the way his face heats up as you snort out a laugh. Dude sure does have a way with words. “Totally.” You lean in again and the kiss feels… different, somehow. It feels like more. You’re not really gonna complain because you’ve only wanted this for, y’know, awhile now. You’re happy to take whatever Sal wants to give you.
And if he wants to give you another kiss then dammit, you’re going to take it!
The two of you pull away again and he’s smiling and you’re smiling and it’s just a boatload of smiles beneath this prosthetic. “We should, like, do that again more often,” you say, just throwing it to the wind.
“Yeah, I think we should,” he agrees. Maybe your heart flutters, but who knows?
When you pull away, the rest of your friends are looking at you. There are knowing smiles everywhere . “Hey, hey! This ain’t no free show!” you say, waving them off, trying to sound tough despite the heavy flush in your cheeks. You didn’t think anyone was gonna watch! “You guys are mackin’ on each other any other time, quit staring! Bunch’a freaks!”
Sal is laughing beside you, and Larry whistles. You feel a hand creep over to yours, fingers sliding between your own, and with Sal’s cold hand covering yours as you yell at your friends about being peeping Tom’s, it’s weird, don’t watch your friends kiss you bunch of weirdos, you decide this was going to be an incredible year.
1999, here you come.