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New Year's isn’t something, the two of them celebrate spaciously. The evening of the 31st December looks like any other evening does; Nice is lying on the couch watching DVDs he borrowed from either Seo or Birthday (he’d have to ask them later because he honestly didn’t remember) and Murasaki is sitting next to him, reading a book or the newspaper or whatever he finds interesting at the moment.
At some point, Nice puts his legs on top of Murasaki’s lap because his legs really start cramping when he bends them for too long. And because Murasaki always starts stroking them absentmindedly.
From time to time one of them comments on whatever Nice has put on. Nice sometimes wonders if Murasaki actually reads or just pretends to, because he doesn’t want to admit he’s watching. He doesn’t care either way because Murasaki’s presence is calming and his hand on Nice’s leg feels grounding and his low voice sounds a bit like music.
The evening, or rather night, starts feeling different about twenty minutes to midnight. Murasaki gets up from his spot on the couch. He lifts up Nice’s legs the tiniest bit and then just slides out from underneath them. Nice knows Murasaki can lift his whole body with one hand and sometimes it sends thrills down his spine.
But not tonight. They’ve got the routine down now, after several years of living together and at least a handful of New Years spent together. During their first year, they went to the shrine with everyone to listen to shrine bell being rung 108 times. It was very cold that year and Hajime soon began complaining that she was hungry so they didn’t even mention it the year after.
Instead, Murasaki starts brewing tea 20 minutes to midnight. Nice knows he’s got a few minutes left before he has to start moving and get things ready so he enjoys the end of the episode he’s currently watching. As the credits start rolling, he turns the TV off and sits up. He stretches and he knows Murasaki is glancing at him and catching the way his shirt reveals the tiniest bit of his stomach. Nice grins.
When Nice finally stands up, Murasaki pours hot water in two small thermos mugs. The tea will be finished just by the time they go outside. He digs under the couch until his fingers close around the familiar fabric of their spare blanket. If one of them ends up sleeping on the couch for some reason, they use this blanket.
Nice spreads the blanket and shakes it out two, three times before he walks over to their shared bed. They gave up on pretending they needed a second one very soon after settling in together. At first, Murasaki had permanently slept on the couch (he was the “intruder”, after all) but he soon complained that it was bad for his back and his spine. They discussed a second bed for a total of 40 minutes before they decided they did not have enough money and sharing Nice’s bed was the most efficient solution. It was awkward, at first, but once Murasaki had worked up the courage to kiss Nice everything felt natural.
Armed with three covers (they still have two blankets in their one bed because apparently Nice tends to be a hogger), Nice waits by the door until Murasaki throws away the tea bags and joins him with two steaming hot thermos mugs in his hands. They put on slippers in the entryway.
It’s five minutes to midnight.
They settle on the floor against the wall of their trailer. During their second New Year’s together they noticed that from the roof their home was set on they could perfectly see most of the countdown events that were illuminating the night sky with beautiful fireworks.
Fireworks on New Year’s were still a rarity in Japan but the one at the Minato-mirai ferris wheel was just in their line of sight. And if they were really quite and the wind blew in the right direction, they could even hear the very faint bells of the shrines.
They put their thickest blanket on the floor to sit on it. It’s Nice’s blanket so tonight he’ll either have to use the one from the couch or cuddle up to Murasaki. They both know which option he’s going to choose.
Once they make sure not to get bladder infection or the likes from the cold floor, Murasaki takes the other two blankets from Nice and spreads his arms. He sits down, his arms still as far apart as possible. It’s cold again, this night. Even in the dark, they can see their breaths fog up. It’s never actually dark in Yokohama.
Nice sits down in front of Murasaki and as soon as his bum hits the floor, Murasaki’s arms wrap around him like wings of a bat. Or of a bird. Or a dragon that’s protecting its most precious treasure. Nice leans back against Murasaki’s chest, lets himself be pulled closer. It’s warm like this, wrapped in blankets and strong arms. Their breaths mix together in the cold night air.
They can see the big ferris wheel from where they’re sitting, so they can count down with the rest of the crowd. Nice watches the seconds tick by, then closes his eyes. Time seems to fly faster with every year that passes. Sometimes he wonders if his years last a little longer than other people’s, because of his Minimum. Does time pass for him faster or slower?
He wants to take a sip of his tea, but the mugs stand forgotten behind Murasaki’s back. It’s too comfortable and warm, so Nice can’t be bothered to move. Instead, he watches as the last few seconds of the old year pass as if they’re just like the seconds at any other time of the year. They probably are. Murasaki pulls him even tighter.
Together, they whisper the last parts of the countdown, “3, 2, 1.”
The sky lights up in countless colours. They hear the bangs a second after they see the fireworks go off. Nice thinks about how it would take him the same time to get from there to here.
Then, he feels pressure against the back of his neck. Murasaki plants feather-light kisses against the skin, where Nice knows he knows he likes it best. Nice keeps his eyes on the fireworks as he leans a tad forward to give Murasaki better access.
“Happy New Year,” Murasaki mumbles and Nice can feel it on his skin as much as he can hear it. He smiles and turns around to meet Murasaki halfway.
Just like they always do.