Work Text:
New Year's Day
The two weeks you had spent with the Kazanskys in Lake Tahoe were both fun and relaxing, taking your minds off of the things that made Christmas different than years before, primarily the loss of Bradley’s mother, Carole. Your uncle Pete had made it out in time to spend Christmas with the two of you, only to leave the next day for another mission.
You were headed home in a few days, but before that Iceman and Sarah had agreed to let you go to a New Years Eve party Bradley had heard was going on at one of the hotels on the lake. It was specifically for high school students, so they were confident the two of you wouldn't get into too much trouble.
Bradley was in a pair of slacks and a button up shirt when he came down the stairs, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw you in your black sequin mini dress with bell sleeves. You were turned away from him, talking to Sarah and Ice, revealing the open back of your dress.
“Wow,” he smiled, making his way over and wrapping his arms around your waist from behind, kissing your cheek. “You look gorgeous.”
You smiled back and turned in his arms, giving him a chaste kiss. “Thanks, Aunt Sarah let me borrow it for tonight.” Smoothing your hands over his shirt, you looked into his eyes. “I like your outfit.”
“I'm underdressed compared to you,” he replied, looking you over once more before turning his attention to his surrogate aunt and uncle. “We’ll be quiet when we come home, promise.”
“It's fine if you’re not, but if you wake the kids, they’re your responsibility,” Ice warned, holding the keys to his SUV up and giving Bradley a pointed look. “No drinking, no drugs, clear?”
Bradley nodded, catching the keys easily when they were tossed to him. “Thanks, Ice. See you later,” he said, helping you into your coat before pulling his own on and leading you out the door. “Happy New Year!”
The drive to the resort where the party was being held wasn’t too far, and the roads were relatively quiet despite the holiday. Once you arrived, Bradley helped you out of the SUV and took your hand, walking inside with you and dropping your coats at the entrance to the ballroom designated for the party.
It was packed with teenagers dancing and sitting around the tables littered around the edges of the room, and as you stepped inside with Bradley at your side, you felt your anxiety building up. He felt you tense slightly at his side and his hand immediately found the small of your back, rubbing there gently in an attempt to calm you.
“It’s alright, Dimples, I’m right here,” he whispered, leaning in to kiss your cheek. “Why don’t you find us a table, I’ll get some drinks.”
Turning to him, you nodded and reluctantly stepped away from him in the opposite direction, finding an empty table near the corner of the room. Sitting in one of the chairs, you scanned the room, playing with the clasp on the small handbag Sarah had lent you that matched your dress.
“Is this seat taken?”
The unfamiliar voice interrupted your thoughts just as your eyes found Bradley across the room getting drinks at the buffet. “No, go ahead,” you looked up and gestured to the large empty table, offering a polite smile to the blonde teenager standing beside you.
He returned the smile with one of his own and sat in the chair immediately to your right. “Haven’t seen you around before, I’m Max.”
“I’m not from here,” you explained, introducing yourself. “I’m just visiting my aunt and uncle for the holidays.”
Max nodded, leaning his elbow on the table as he looked you over. “Ah, so that’s why. Where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Having lost track of Bradley in the large ballroom, you turned your attention back to Max, deciding that some conversation might help to calm your nerves. Crowds and unfamiliar people weren’t your thing, but you knew that Bradley had been excited to go out once he heard about this party.
“Virginia,” you answered, shifting your clutch to your lap to hide your fidgeting. “Have you always lived in Lake Tahoe?”
“Born and raised,” Max grinned widely, something that you associated with popular, sociable people from years of knowing Bradley. “So, are you gonna sit in the corner all night by yourself, or can I persuade you to dance?”
“I’m--”
“Who said she’s by herself?” Bradley asked, cutting you off as he approached the table holding two cups and a small plate of snacks. He couldn’t help the flare of jealousy that moved through him at the sight of you talking to another guy, so he leaned down and stole a kiss from you before looking back to your companion. “She’s got a dance partner.”
You looked up to your boyfriend with a slight glare before responding to Max, effectively sending him away. “Thanks for chatting with me, Max.”
The blonde muttered something you couldn’t decipher under his breath before vacating his chair, which Bradley promptly sat down in. “I got us some snacks too,” he offered, handing you one of the drinks.
“You didn’t have to be rude, Brad,” you commented, taking a sip of the drink. “We were just chatting until you got back.”
“He was hitting on you,” Bradley pointed out, popping a grape into his mouth. “You didn’t realize that?”
You scoffed, rolling your eyes. “You’re the only guy who looks at me like that. You don’t have to be jealous.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Other guys absolutely look at you like that. I just watched that guy look at you like that.”
“We were just talking. He wasn’t…”
“Why don’t you think he was hitting on you?” Bradley asked, cocking his head as he waited for your answer, curious as to your explanation. He knew you didn’t have much experience with flirting, spending most of your time studying and helping out around the house, but he couldn’t believe you didn’t realize that you were attractive.
“Because, I’m just… he wasn’t. I know he wasn’t,” you managed, continuing to fiddle with your purse in your lap.
He reached to still your hands, locking eyes with you when you looked back up to him. “Because you’re what?” he questioned gently, sensing that you were getting uncomfortable. “Dimples, you’re beautiful.”
You opened your mouth to protest, but before you could, Bradley leaned in and kissed you softly, a contrast to the possessive one he gave earlier when Max was at the table. Once you parted, you smiled and shook your head. “You’re the most jealous guy I know.”
“You know other guys?” he teased, a smirk on his lips as he stood and offered his hand. “Come dance with me?”
“Fine, but we’re gonna work on that jealousy thing,” you warned, taking his hand as you stood from your own seat.
He led you out to the dance floor and wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you close as a slow song started playing and everyone around you partnered up to dance. You wrapped your arms around his neck and rested your cheek on his shoulder, gently swaying in time with him to the beat of the music. The rest of the room faded away as you closed your eyes and breathed in his scent, so familiar to you like a security blanket.
When the song ended, you smiled up to Bradley and reluctantly pulled away from him. “Wanna keep dancing?” he asked, squeezing your hand gently. You nodded and he beamed, always happy to get you out of your shell a little.
Time passed quickly after that, with the two of you dancing with each other and even some groups throughout the night until they finally announced the midnight countdown. Everyone headed out to the large patio balcony just outside the ballroom as the countdown began, prepared to watch the fireworks over the lake.
10… 9…
Bradley wrapped his arms around you from behind, his body heat warming you as the two of you stood outside, a light snow beginning to fall around you.
8… 7…
You couldn’t help but smile, resting your arms over his and relaxing against him, closing your eyes as you stored this moment away to remember later.
6… 5…
“This year was not the greatest,” you heard him speaking quietly against your ear. “Too much happened. But next year… it’s our year.”
4… 3…
“The first year of the rest of our lives,” you replied, turning in his arms and looking up to him, your hands moving up to rest on his shoulders. “Together forever.”
2… 1…
Bradley didn’t hesitate to lean in and kiss you as the clock struck midnight, pulling you tight against him as your arms slipped around his neck and your fingers tangled in the hair at the back of his neck. Fireworks set off behind you, reflecting off the crystal clear lake and exploding the sky in a rainbow of colors.
Finally parting, you locked eyes with one another and smiled, speaking simultaneously. “Happy New Year.”