#frayed-symphony

“I just got a couple of things! Like those cool party poppers, and the store was selling really cheap candy… oh, what is it?”

Colette couldn’t stop her giggles. Half of Lloyd’s face was obscured by the 2019 plastic glasses he wore, their entire surface covered in red glitter that was definitely going to get everywhere in the apartment, even more than Noishe’s fur. “Did you get one of those for me?” she asked, pointing at it.

“Of course I did!” He finally unhooked the bags from his arms and took one such glasses from one of them, handing it over to Colette. “I got one in blue, if that’s okay.”

She nodded, already fitting it on her face. It was wide enough for her to see well for the most part, though her side vision was now a bit obscured. Lloyd was grinning at her with his own party glasses, hands on his hips. She loved it when they matched, even on such silly things.

“Thanks, Lloyd! Though, you didn’t need to get these. We were only missing the wine..”

“I know! But these looked neat!” He took out another party item from the bag, a little noisemaker that was wrapped in bright green foil. It looked like a tiny flute almost. He blew on it, and the end of it unfurled, tapping Colette on the nose. “Oh, sorry.”

“That tickled!” She couldn’t help but laugh more, knowing he also bought plenty of these. “You’re really excited for New Years, aren’t you?” She now saw why he took a while – the stores would be putting out every colorful thing they could display for last-minute sales and Lloyd would have been drawn to nearly every one of them.

He smiled a little shyly. “Yeah, just I’ve never had it here in the city. There’s supposed to be a bunch if fireworks, right? I only ever saw it on tv.” That smile widened, and even his eyes must have twinkled a little at the anticipation of it, helped out by those bright glasses. “My dad sometimes set off fireworks but he always had to be careful so there was never a lot… also Noishe got too scared of them anyway, so we don’t do it too much.”

“Oh, right.. I wish he could be here though.” Noishe was staying at Dirk’s home back out in the calmer countryside. She had thought about going there for celebrating New Year’s, but Lloyd had mentioned before about the city. She had seen it each time, so it wasn’t anything too new for her. Maybe that was what Lloyd felt about his home, too.

“He’d be hiding under the bed for hours if he heard any fireworks,” Lloyd explained. “But we can get him tomorrow!”

Colette instantly grew excited. However, while still staring at Lloyd’s silly headwear, she then remembered. “Oh, we only have like 10 minutes left! You took a while, I was.. getting worried.”

“Wh- It’s that soon?!” Lloyd instantly reached for the wine bottle, along with multiple party poppers and noisemakers in hand. “Um, maybe we can drink after… Do you think they’d start early?”

Colette was already putting on her jacket, clasping the silver buttons, smiling softly at the red material of the clothing. She saw the same with what Lloyd wore now too, which would be helpfully bright against the dark of outside. “Maybe people with their personal fireworks… but the big ones always start at 12!” She reached for his hand, taking a few of the party favors for herself. “So we should hurry.”

“Yeah, alright! Let me just, uh-” He shoved the wine and other quick foods across the kitchen counter, nearly uptipping the bottle but saving it at the last second. But he grasped her hand back, already going out the door with her. “Okay! Wanna race again?”

“N-not if you’re gonna cheat!” she said back, grinning. They just rushed off together to the stairwell instead. The night would be cold, but the skies would be bright. Colette had never felt as excited for this as before… but Lloyd always made everything more exciting.

Luckily no one was on the rooftop as she had been afraid of. It really did feel like a special place, even on this day. By the time they reached it, she could already hear the soft whistle of a firework arching through the air, ready to ignite. An early one, but not the main event yet.

Lloyd swiveled his head towards the sound, looking up wide-eyed as one firework exploded, showering lights through the air. “Whoa… is that it?”

“It’s gonna start soon!” Colette reassured. The night was still cold, and she bunched her jacket tighter to herself. The sleeves still went over her wrists, but she liked it that way. She really did. Adjusting her party glasses, she took one noisemaker, and blew it behind Lloyd’s head.

“Hey!” Lloyd jumped, grinning as he turned around. He blew his own into her face. “Bet I can do it longer!” And he proceeded to do just that, the sound so harsh but making Colette nearly double over in laughter. He just looked so silly, and it made her want to do what she promised herself before it was time…

Then finally, the real fireworks started.

Lloyd noticed, and turned back towards the skies, the noisemaker still in his mouth but silent. Some fireworks did the usual spreading out of lights, while others formed pictures – of hearts, of stars, and even of words! ‘Happy New Year’ was lit up against the dark, like briefly formed stars, before falling away, trails of smoke following after them.

“Wow!” he said aloud, dropping the noisemaker from his lips and catching it in time with a fumble. “There’s way many than I thought.”

Colette was watching too, but her hands fidgeted with themselves a little. It was midnight right now, and she wanted to help make it count before the seconds ticked by too fast. It was just hard to make Lloyd turn away, he looked so happy…

Still, maybe this would make him happy, too. “Lloyd?”

She was surprised he could hear her through the constant booms and crackles of the fireworks. She had taken off the party glasses, and then reached out to take his own from his face. It looked so cute on him, but it would only get in the way.

“What’s up? You feeling okay?” he asked her, but then she leaned in quickly to kiss him. Lloyd’s lips felt chilled from his time outside, but still soft, drawing her even closer.

I always wanted to share this moment with someone, she thought, hands gripping his shoulders tight.

She only pulled back once she felt it was enough – he probably wanted to go back to looking at the fireworks. “H-happy new year, Lloyd,” she whispered, eyes lowered. “It’s.. been a really a good year, meeting you and…living together and everything. I want.. more of that for next year, too. I…” she paused, suddenly feeling shy. “Sorry, you should go back to watching! There’s still a bunch more.”

But Lloyd was moving forward, kissing her more deeply than she had. She opened her mouth at that, hands reaching up to thread her fingers through his hair. His tongue rushed through her, and she felt him press their bodies even closer.

She still heard the fireworks, could see their lights through her shut eyes as she kept kissing him, her face feeling so hot from his closeness.

The kiss lasted so long that once they finally moved apart, the night wind felt biting without his mouth to cover her in warmth.

“Colette,” he whispered, lips still so, so close. “I love you.. This has been the best year for me.” He kissed her again, his breath quickening against her lips. “I want you for every year.” His kisses grew desperate, moving from her lips to her chin before halting. “Ah, sorry… got carried away.” She felt his grin at her ear.

His hands moved to wander across her sides. They hadn’t even drunk the wine yet, and already she felt Lloyd wanting her so much. It made her feel so comforted, not alone in her feelings.

“It’s okay… we can.. keep going.” She wanted to celebrate with him the best way she could. “If that’s okay..”