Work Text:
I’m so sorry, Ollie. I swear we’re almost finished up here. I’ll be there as soon as I can.
Oliver gives a small sigh as he looks at the third text Connor had sent him in the past hour. Then he glances at the time. 11:08 pm. This is probably the worst New Year’s Eve he could have imagined for them. All he wanted was to spend the evening with his boyfriend, celebrating the end of a horribly hectic, mess of a year. They had quite a few road bumps in 2015 but they had come across the other side stronger than ever. And they swore they would ring in the new year together, that 2016 would be the start of a new phase of their lives, without crazy murders, miserable breakups, or bad diagnoses.
It was supposed to be a fun night. For the first time in a long time, he has someone that he’s actually looking forward to spending the new year with. As sappy as it sounds, he wants to watch the ball drop, do the countdown, and finally get the midnight kiss.
When he was single, New Year’s Eves were horribly awkward. Hanging around a crowded room by himself, trying to be social, trying to make eye contact, trying not to look like he desperately wants someone to kiss, and wishes he weren’t alone on the worst night of the year to not have someone.
Can you please respond and not be mad at me?
Well, Connor probably got that idea from Oliver vocally (loudly) expressing his disappointment earlier when Connor got a last minute call to work. The plan was to lazily spend the whole day in bed before going out to celebrate with friends. The former was interrupted, and the latter consists of Oliver spending the evening moping quietly by himself while watching his friends enjoy their night with their significant others.
But he knows it’s not Connor’s fault. And the other man would certainly rather be having fun with him than slaving away at work for another case. And he probably feels bad enough without Oliver laying on the guilt trip.
I’m not mad.
Well, that’s what he responds with to Connor’s text. But he’s a little mad.
Connor’s response is almost immediate.
I’M ON MY WAY!!!
Oliver quickly glances at the time again.Connor can still make it before midnight! He feels his spirits pick up a bit, and decides to get himself another beer as he waits. He’s only a bit tipsy at the moment, figuring it’s best not to get completely hammered as he practically spends the night by himself. His friends have been drunk for hours, and they seem perfectly fine to let him hang by himself all night.
But about twenty minutes later he’s making his way back to the booth that he and his friends have claimed for the evening when he hears his name being called, and turns around just in time to get an armful of Connor, who knocks into him so hard he stumbles back a step and nearly drops his bottle.
“I’m here!” Connor yells, stating the obvious for both of them, and Oliver can’t help but smile into the other man’s hair.
“Just in time,” he says with a soft laugh.
Connor loosens his grip just enough to pull him into a deep kiss. His skin is chilled from being outside, and his lips feel cold against his own. But Oliver melts into it anyway, and tightly wraps his arms around the other man’s waist.
When they part, Oliver finally gets a good look at the other man. Connor’s hair looks like a windswept mess and he has the crazed wild look in his eyes that Oliver knows means he’s had way too much caffeine to drink.
“I’m here! I made it!” Connor gasps, still a bit out of breath. “We’ve still got fifteen minutes to midnight! Are you still mad? Please don’t be mad anymore. I’m going to make it up to you tonight, I promise.”
Well how can Oliver be mad at him when he says things like that? “Did you run over here?” He asks with a chuckle.
“The parking lot was full, I had to park like three blocks away. And I got here as quickly as I could.”
“Connor, you look exhausted,” Oliver says as he really takes in the other man’s appearance. He looks like he’s barely staying on his feet. “You’ve been working almost twelve straight hours.”
“No. No no no, I’m fine, Ollie,” Connor says, shaking his head. “Where are your friends? We’re going to mingle and have a great rest of the night, because I am soooo sorry I was gone all day. I have to let them know that your boyfriend did not abandon you on New Year’s.” He’s talking a mile a minute, and Oliver is getting mildly concerned when Connor suddenly jerks like he just remembered something. “Wait no, I have to catch up first! I’m going to get a drink, then we’ll do all the things I just said!”
“Connor, wait!”
“I’ll be right back, Ollie!”
Oliver sighs as he watches Connor rush towards the crowded bar. It took himself at least ten minutes to signal the bartender for a drink. There’s no way Connor’s going to be able to get himself anything this close to midnight.
Of course he should not have underestimated Connor’s willpower. Or more accurately, the power of a brilliant, confident smile on a pretty face. Mere moments later, the bartender makes eye contact with Connor and nods to him, asking what he wants. Connor holds up two fingers and leans in close to be heard over the noise of the room. The bartender nods, adding it to the dozens of other drinks he’s in the process of making.
And so while Oliver waits for Connor to return, he watches… he watches the man standing next to his boyfriend turn to glance at him. And he can practically see the interest flare in his eyes as he takes him in. The man’s eyes flicker down his boyfriend’s body before swinging back up to his face, and a horrid little smirk spreads on his lips as he leans closer, saying something Oliver can’t make out at his distance. But he knows he wouldn’t like it if he heard.
Now they’re definitely at the point in their relationship where Oliver trusts Connor 100%. He doesn’t worry about this type of thing anymore. But it still makes his skin crawl every time he sees a guy relentlessly hitting on his boyfriend.
And relentless the guy is. Connor gives him a nervous half smile in response to whatever he said, and says something–probably awkward small talk. But his whole demeanor shifts a bit. His back straightens and he moves an inch to his left, as far away as he can move given the crowd around the bar. But the guy now turns completely towards him and leans closer, enough to say something directly in his ear. Connor immediately tries to move away. He shakes his head, says something–maybe ‘I have a boyfriend’. But he’s clearly uncomfortable and uninterested. Pervy stranger doesn’t seem to take the hint though. And instead, he places a hand on Connor’s arm, attempting to pull him closer, even as Connor adamantly tries to pull away.
The guy just doesn’t know when to back off.
Now normally, Oliver doesn’t consider himself a confrontational person. But an anger burns in his chest as he watches the scene in front of him, and enough is enough. He makes his way towards the bar, ready to tell this asshole to keep his hands to himself.
As he struggles to make his way through the crowd, the bartender finally places Connor’s order in front of him–two double whiskeys, it looks like. And Connor reaches for his drinks, throwing off the stranger’s hand from his arm in the process. He grabs one of the glasses and throws it back in a single gulp, wincing slightly from the burn.
Oliver’s just a bit behind them now, close enough to make out the next exchange.
“… really not interested.”
“You sure about that? I bet I could show you a better New Year than that guy.”
Connor just reaches for his other whiskey, and downs it as quickly as he did the first. He sets the empty glass down on the bar, and starts turning away, a scowl on his face, clearly eager to end the exchange. But he stumbles a bit over his own feet, and Oliver reaches out to catch him–at the same time that sleazy stranger man reaches out to grab Connor’s arm.
They both look up at him in shock.
“Ollie!” The genuine, beautiful smile on Connor’s face when he sees him is so lovely that it pulls a smile onto his own lips. Right up until he realizes the asshole stranger still has his hand on Connor’s arm.
“Hands off my boyfriend.”
The guy raises his hands innocently and gives him an unimpressed look before turning back to the bar.
Grateful that a more serious altercation was not necessary, Oliver pulls Connor away from the bar. “You okay?” He asks gently.
Connor nods, yet doesn’t try to hide that he’s leaning on Oliver heavily. “Okay… maybe two double whiskeys on an empty stomach wasn’t such a great idea.”
“Are you drunk already?” Oliver asks with a smile.
“Maybe.”
“Okay, I’m taking you home so sleazy guys can’t hit on you.”
“No no no! We’re about to miss the ball drop!” Connor says, pointing to the screen across the room. Oliver looks just in time, as the whole bar starts chanting in unison.
3 - 2 - 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Connor tugs on his shirt to get his attention, and he pulls him in for a deep kiss. It starts soft and gentle, then Connor wraps his arms around Oliver’s waist, and Oliver tightens his own grip around the other man’s arms, pulling him in closer. Connor’s lips part, and Oliver flicks his tongue across the other man’s lips. And maybe Oliver’s possessive side secretly hopes that the sleazeball at the bar is watching. He gently pulls on Connor’s bottom lip with his teeth right before the kiss ends.
“Mine,” Oliver murmurs softly against his lips.
Connor grins against him. “I’m yours,” he responds softly.
“Okay. Now I’m taking you home.”
“No, we should stay.” Connor insists. “You really wanted to have fun tonight. And I feel bad I was stuck working all day.”
“No, Connor. I wanted to spend tonight with you. And we can do that at home.” Oliver gives him another kiss on the lips. “In our bed.” He pulls him closer with an arm wrapped around his waist, and kisses him on the cheek. “Under our warm, comfortable sheets.” He kisses him again, right on the sensitive spot below his ear. “Naked.” He finally whispers in the other man’s ear.
He feels Connor smile against him, and he knows the other man’s gotten the same idea.
Connor nods. “Let’s go home, Ollie. Happy New Year.”
Oliver smiles back at him. “Happy New Year, Connor.”