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Harry, Chris, Shannon, and Becky were all tucked in Shannon and Becky’s living room to celebrate the last day of the year.
They ordered pizza from a place down the road, and Chris notices a cup of sauce tucked into the bag.
“Shan, what’s this sauce?” Chris asks, picking up the cup.
“Oh, that’s ranch,” Shannon says. “I’ve never tried it before, so I wanted to get it.”
“I haven’t either,” Chris says. “Obviously I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never tried it.”
“It’s good,” Harry pipes up. “I need to have it anytime I go to America.”
“What should I try it with?” Chris mutters to himself, looking at the options. He settles for a potato wedge, and dips it into the ranch. His eyes widen as he looks at the ranch. “Oh, my God.” He says.
“You alright?” Harry laughs.
“This is…the best thing I’ve ever tasted,” Chris says, going back in for a second bite.
“Okay, it’s good, but it’s not that good,” Shannon says after she’s tried it.
“No, you don’t understand. The ingredients of ranch, whatever they are, were put on this earth by God just for the sole purpose of becoming ranch,” Chris takes another bite. “How have I gone so long without this?”
“Right,” Harry says. “Totally normal reaction.”
“No, Harry,” Chris says, grabbing Harry’s arm. “It’s like us.”
Harry blinks. “What?”
“Just like the ingredients of ranch were put on this earth to be together, so were we,” Chris says, taking yet another bite of whatever he put ranch on.
It’s silent for a moment, before Shannon starts laughing.
“There’s no way,” Shannon says, wiping her eyes. “No actual way you just compared your relationship to ranch. Even saying that sentence out loud sounds unbelievable.”
“Well, believe it,” Chris turns to Harry again. “We’re a ranch metaphor.”
Shannon bursts out laughing again, Becky laughing silently beside her. Harry just looks at Chris fondly.
“Yeah, okay,” Harry says softly, putting an arm around Chris. “We’re a ranch metaphor.”
After they ate, with Shannon teasing Chris asking about what other foods he was going to compare him and Harry to, they decided to play a board game, one that needed two teams.
Becky and Shannon, of course, teamed up immediately.
Harry puts his arm around Chris. “Guess we’re stuck together, then.”
“Don’t sound too excited,” Chris teases.
Chris knew how competitive Shannon gets at any type of game, and her being combined with Becky, he knew they weren’t going down without a fight. So, he wasn’t going to either.
At least, that’s what he thought.
He noticed at about the halfway point that Harry wasn’t exactly trying. He was pretending to struggle during his turn, and kept conveniently “forgetting” basic rules. Chris wasn’t mad or upset, just confused.
By the time Becky and Shannon eventually won, they let out a loud cheer as they jumped up, Shannon throwing her arms around Becky and Becky twirling her. Shannon gives Becky a kiss when she’s put down. Their joy was infectious.
After watching their celebration, Chris turns to Harry. “How come you let them win?” He asks curiously.
Harry just simply nods towards Becky and Shannon. “Just look at them, look at how happy they are.”
Chris takes a glance back at them still celebrating their win, and can’t help but smile. Yet, he turns back to Harry. “Yeah, so?”
Harry didn’t answer immediately, just looked at Chris for a long moment, something soft and warm in his gaze. “Look how happy you are.”
His answer catches Chris off guard. He realizes that he is happy, not just because Shannon and Becky are, but also because Harry had chosen this quiet act of kindness, had chosen to put joy into the room for their friends.
Harry continues. “You’re happy when they’re happy. That’s just who you are. You care so much about the people you love. It’s one of my favorite things about you.”
Chris’ face softens, and he looks at Harry with affection. He loves Harry, always has, but it still catches him off guard sometimes. How effortlessly he makes the world seem softer.
Chris leans forward, softly pressing his lips to Harry’s. “Thank you,” He says against his lips. “I love you.”
Harry responds by kissing back, pulling Chris closer. “I love you,” Harry says. Chris leans into Harry, laying his head on his shoulder.
He can’t wait to spend forever like this.
Later in the night, close to midnight, when the night grows softer and quieter, Chris is sitting on the couch, Becky and Harry talking in the kitchen as they get more drinks. Shannon was very drunk now, the kind of drunk where emotions came rushing in, big and messy.
She sits next to Chris on the couch. “Chris,” She starts, her speech slurring slightly. “I gotta tell you something.”
“Alright,” Chris chuckles, expecting something trivial. “Go ahead.”
She leans forward slightly. “I still feel guilty,” She says in an almost whisper. “About how I ended our relationship.”
Chris’ smile quickly turns into a frown. “Oh, Shannon,” He says, putting his drink down on the table to give his attention to her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer.
“I feel like I stole six years of your life,” Shannon says, her voice wobbly now. “Six years you could’ve spent with Harry, or someone else who actually loved you romantically.” She wipes her tears. “I think that’s part of why I was rooting for you two so much. I needed you to be happy. Because in the beginning with Becky, I felt like I was flaunting my new relationship. Like, ‘look, I’m happy now. Sorry you weren’t enough for me. Look what I have now, look at how easy it was for me to find the right person’, while you just got left behind. I hated that. Hated that you were smiling anyway while hurting. Hated that you let me go so gracefully. I was so happy when you and Harry got together, it felt like the universe finally stopped being mean to you.”
“Shannon,” Chris whispers, his heart aching for her. “No, Shan, you’ve got it all wrong. You didn’t steal anything from me. I don’t regret a single second of our time together. You were my best friend then and you’re my best friend now. You helped me grow into the person I am now. Those years gave me you, those years gave me us, what we have now. You’re not just my ex, Shannon. Platonic soulmates, remember?” He gives her a small squeeze at that, which she gives a small smile back. “And you and Becky, I’m so happy for you. I can tell how happy you are with her. Seeing you happy has never hurt me, you deserve Becky and you deserve to be happy.”
Shannon wipes at her eyes again, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Thank you,” She whispers. “For everything. For not hating me.”
“I could never hate you,” Chris replies. “You’ve rooted for me and Harry since the beginning. I probably would’ve never confessed if it wasn’t for you. You always gave me a safe space to learn and grow. That’s love, Shan, and I love you for it. I wouldn’t trade those years with you for anything.”
Shannon sniffles. “I love you, too.” She stands up. “It’s almost the countdown, I’m gonna go find Becky.”
Shannon crosses paths with Harry as she goes into the kitchen and Harry comes to Chris on the couch. “Is she okay?” Harry asks Chris as he sits down.
“Yeah,” Chris says, making himself comfortable on Harry's side. “Just emotional.”
Harry nods, pressing a kiss to the top of Chris’ head as the countdown starts.
They all cheer when the countdown ends, and Chris hears the familiar starting notes from New Year’s Day by Taylor Swift, no doubt Shannon’s doing.
He looks to Harry, and they meet with a kiss.
“Happy New Year,” Chris whispers to Harry.
“Happy New Year,” Harry whispers back, pulling Chris impossibly closer.
As Chris looks around the room, at Harry, at Shannon and Becky swaying in the kitchen. He knows he created a family that he won’t ever regret creating.