It’s December 31st and Harry is sitting on his bed in his flat. He’s halfway dressed, his trousers on but his blouse laying on his bed behind him. He’s leaning forward, resting his chin on his hands. He looks defeated. He hears the jingle of a bell and looks up as his cat Mr. Frecklebottom walks in.
“I don’t know, Mr. Frecklebottom. Should I go to the party? What’s the point, anyway?” Harry says, looking at the cat like he’s going to say something in response.
Harry’s had the worst luck on New Year’s Eve. He’s 29 and has had several relationships, but something has always turned out wrong every December 31st. His hope has always been to be kissed at midnight but somehow it’s never worked out. Some years he’s single, one year his girlfriend at the time got sick and ran to the bathroom to throw up right before midnight, another year he had a boyfriend that was out of town on a work trip. This year is no different. He’d been on a few dates with a guy that he liked and they were supposed to go to his friend Niall’s party together. Harry had thought this year might be the year, but the guy called him an hour ago and said that he’d decided to see someone else instead. Now Harry can’t decide if he even wants to go celebrate. Sure, it’s been a while since he’s seen Niall, and he’d like to catch up, but they could always meet for a drink another time.
“Come here, Mr. Frecklebottom,” Harry calls out, patting his lap.
Mr. Frecklebottom jumps into Harry’s lap and lays down. Harry strokes the cat’s fur, trying to come to a decision.
Ding
Harry picks up his phone and looks at the message. It’s from Niall, saying how excited he is to see Harry. He sighs and types out a message telling Niall he’ll be there in half an hour.
“Why am I such a good friend?” Harry asks Mr. Frecklebottom. The cat hops onto the floor and pounces on a toy mouse.
Harry grabs his blouse and puts it on. He stands up and gathers his stuff, patting Mr. Frecklebottom on the head before leaving his flat.
Harry arrives at Niall’s house. He can hear loud music coming from the back garden so he goes around the side of the house and through the gate. Immediately he locks eyes with Niall.
“Harry! I’m so glad you made it!” Niall exclaims, scooping Harry into a crushing bear hug.
“I’m glad to see you too, Ni,” Harry says, chuckling.
“Where’s that guy you were bringing? Ah, what was his name…you know who I’m talking about,” Niall asks when he finally lets go.
“His name doesn’t matter. He found someone else and decided he liked them more,” Harry says, sighing.
“What a dick! Fuck that guy. You can do way better than him,” Niall says.
Harry offers Niall a weak smile. Niall squeezes his shoulder and goes to greet more people that have just arrived. Harry scans the crowd, trying to find any familiar faces. He recognises a few people, but either he only vaguely knows them through Niall or they seem so engrossed in their own conversations that Harry doesn’t want to approach and be the third wheel. He makes the decision to get a drink and sit by the outdoor fire pit by himself. A few minutes later Harry gets up to get some food and accidentally bumps right into a handsome man with brown hair and blue eyes. This causes the man to spill his drink all over himself which makes Harry go so pale that you’d think he’d seen a ghost.
“Shit! I am so, so sorry. Let me get you some napkins!” Harry stammers, rushing over to get some napkins for the man.
“Thanks. It’s really no worries,” the man responds, accepting the napkins from Harry.
“It’s ruined now, isn’t it? Fuck!” Harry rushes out.
“It’s okay, really,” the man says, setting his now empty cup down. He does his best to clean himself off with one hand, putting his other reassuringly on Harry’s shoulder.
“At least let me help you,” Harry says.
The man agrees and the two of them go inside the house and into the loo. Harry prepares a flannel and hands it to the man.
Harry stands there awkwardly for a moment while the man works at scrubbing the stain out of his shirt before rambling, “I’m really sorry about this. I’ll totally pay for the dry cleaning. Or just replace it entirely. How much was it? Name the price and I’ll give you the money. Or go get it myself. I just don’t know where you got it but if you tell me-”
“It’s really okay, love. I promise,” the blue-eyed man chuckles with a soft smile.
Harry takes the opportunity to really look at the man’s face, and he is gorgeous. Harry also realises in that moment just how bad his luck is. This is possibly the hottest guy that Harry has ever laid eyes on and he’s just made an awful first impression.
“Gosh, I feel like such a fool,” Harry says.
“Don’t beat yourself up over it. I meant it when I said it was okay. I never really liked this shirt anyway,” the man responds. “What’s your name?”
“Harry. And you are?” Harry says.
“Louis. It’s nice to meet you,” the man says with a warm smile.
“Are you sure about that? I ruined your shirt,” Harry says, cringing.
“Harry, enough about the shirt,” Louis says, laughing.
The door to the loo opens and the two men turn to see Niall standing there.
“Oh hey, guys! Sorry to interrupt,” Niall says, grinning and clearly drunk.
“Interrupt? Oh no, you’re not interrupting anything. I’ve just made a fool out of myself in front of this gorgeous man. There is nothing to interrupt,” Harry replies, blushing.
“So you think I’m gorgeous?” Louis asks, flirtatiously.
“Great, still making a fool of myself!” Harry squeaks, turning an even deeper red than before.
“You’d be a cute pair. Plus then you’d have someone to kiss at midnight,” Niall says to the two of them.
“Kiss? I just met him! Who said anything about a kiss?” Harry replies, frantically. The truth is, he’d love to kiss Louis at midnight but he’s worried that between his foolishness and Niall’s drunken forwardness that Louis won’t want anything to do with him.
“I said something about a kiss!” Niall slurs unhelpfully.
Harry puts his hands over his face and groans.
“Hey, I wouldn’t mind a kiss,” Louis says with a wink.
“You wouldn’t?” Harry asks, surprised.
“Why would I?” Louis responds.
“Well, for one thing, we just met,” Harry says.
“It’s just a kiss, Harry. And if we like it we can get to know each other afterwards,” Louis says before adding, “As long as you’re up for it, that is.”
Harry blushes.
Niall burps.
“Well, Harold? What do you say to kissing my dear friend, Louis? You up for it?”
Harry considers it. Of course, he wants to, but he’s trying to get his emotions in check before formulating a coherent response.
Louis’ face turns suddenly serious. His brows furrow. His voice drops. He makes steady eye contact with the green-eyed boy.
“Harold, up for it?”
Harry can’t hide his smile any more. He knows his dimples are popping.
“I’m up for it,” Harry replies, still blushing.
“Yay I helped!” Niall says, cheerfully.
Harry and Louis both laugh.
“Ten minutes!” someone shouts from outside.
Louis and Harry look at each other as the crowd of people cheer. Louis nods toward the door and the pair walk back out into the garden. They find a good place to stand to watch the upcoming fireworks and start chatting. They learn little things about each other like what they do for work and how many siblings they each have. Harry was just about to tell Louis about Mr. Frecklebottom when the people around them begin counting down.
“Ten!”
Harry looks at Louis.
“Nine!”
Louis is already looking at Harry.
“Eight!”
Harry takes a step towards those gorgeous blue eyes.
“Seven!”
Louis reaches out and puts his hands on Harry’s hips.
“Six!”
Harry tries to stop himself from smiling. He fails miserably.
“Five!”
Louis gently pulls him closer.
“Four!”
Harry grabs Louis’ biceps.
“Three!”
Louis tilts his head up and looks into Harry’s eyes.
“Two!”
Harry cups Louis’ face and pulls him in.
“One!”
Louis closes the distance and places his lips on Harry’s.
The fireworks explode into dazzling displays of colours behind them.
Their kiss is soft and tender. Chaste and sweet. Full of happiness and hope. When they pull away, Harry curls into Louis’ side and they watch the fireworks together.
“That’s the first time I’ve been kissed at midnight,” Harry says to Louis when the show ends.
“Well I doubt it will be the last,” Louis says, smiling.
By the time the party ends, the pair feels giddy at the prospect of getting to know each other more. They make plans to meet at a park the next day and Harry smiles to himself as he drives home, hopeful for the future.
