Work Text:
Three stared down at her mug, lazily swirling the hot cocoa inside. After spending the last couple of hours battling, combined with how late it was? She was finding it harder to keep her eyes open than she wanted to admit. The only reason she was still fighting sleep to begin with was because Eight wanted to watch the fireworks show that was happening at midnight. Three had seen the display more times than she could remember over the years, but they were still something fairly new to Eight. She didn't want to spoil his fun just because she was a little tired.
Three perked up a bit as the glass door behind her slid open and Eight stepped out onto the balcony, having returned from bringing his own, emptied mug back inside.
"Did they start yet?" He asked, sitting beside Three on the bench. She set her drink down before checking her phone for the time.
"The show isn't for five more minutes, love." She responded with a small laugh.
His gaze lingered on the sky regardless of Three's announcement. "I cannot wait to see them. They will probably look pretty from up here, yes?" Eight turned to her with a smile, his eyes practically sparkling with anticipation.
His excitement was infectious - Three couldn't keep herself from mirroring his grin. "I think so," She answered.
They'd gotten an apartment in Splatsville at the beginning of the year, when they finally decided to move in together. Their apartment was near the top of the building, which gave them a perfect view overlooking the city. Down below, Inklings and Octolings alike were still enjoying the Splatfest festivities. Deep Cut was up on stage doing their final performance of the night, Anarchy Rainbow booming over the speakers placed around the main plaza. Three never imagined that she'd be living here of all places, but she certainly wasn't complaining about it. Especially because Eight was here with her.
She moved a bit closer to him and leaned against his side. "Splatfest was fun," She said softly, resting her head on his shoulder.
He wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. "Indeed. You are getting quite skilled with using a charger... I almost felt sympathy for our opponents." He chuckled.
"What can I say? I'm learning from the best." Despite playing it off, the compliment made warmth bloom in her chest. "You're getting better with your brella too, y'know." There were more than a few times during their battles today that he leapt in front of her just in time to save her from getting splatted.
"Perhaps my training sessions with Miss Marina are finally beginning to pay off. Although... I still feel as though I am not as skilled as her yet."
"You're getting better a little at a time. You'll get there eventually." Three said before going quiet for a moment. Her mouth quirked into a lopsided grin. "Remember when you first tried using the brella?"
Eight tilted his head slightly, waiting for her to go on.
"That girl using the roller, the one who ran into you while you had the shield up? When you were right on the edge of some water?" Three couldn't hold in her laughter at the memory. "You should've seen your face when you got pushed in."
Eight groaned and looked away, his ears lowering. "Yes, I remember... At least I now know better than to make that mistake again..." He said with a sheepish grin, the faintest hint of a blush appearing on his cheeks.
"Hey Splatsville!!" A shout came from the city below.
The pair turned their attention down to the stage. Neither noticed that the song had wrapped up while they were talking. Frye was now standing at the forefront of the group. "Who's ready for the grand finale?!" She called out, eliciting roaring cheers from the gathered crowd. The three members of Deep Cut did their signature pose before raising their arms up towards the sky, the lights on the stage dimming.
Several trails of light shot up into the air before erupting into bursts of color with a large boom. The fireworks were coordinated with the colors of the festival: blue, silver, and gold. The audience continued cheering at the display.
Three glanced up at Eight to find him marveling at the sight before him. His smile was wide, eyes bright. Each time the fireworks lit up the night sky, the light reflected in his eyes, making them look like they were glittering. Again, Three felt warmth wash over her. She'd always taken celebrations like this for granted, never giving them much of a second thought. Being around Eight - who didn't get the chance to experience any of this until just a few years ago... It gave her a different perspective than what she was used to. She certainly learned to appreciate things a lot more now than she did when she was younger.
The show went on for a while longer. Some fireworks were just simple blooms of color, sparkling remnants fluttering down through the air before fading away. Others formed different shapes when they burst in the air: mostly stars and snowflakes. When it was time for the finale, the sky was practically lit ablaze with shimmering hues of azure and silver. Booms echoed throughout the city, drowning out the applause of the crowd.
After the last of the fireworks had gone off, the cheering tapering off with them, Eight took Three's hand in his own. He slowly rubbed circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. "Happy New Year, my darling." He murmured sweetly.
"Happy New Year," Three responded in kind, smiling softly as she leaned in closer.
The two shared their first kiss of the year, both of them already looking forward to whatever the future might hold for them.