"So you gonna be nicer in the new year, Cartman?"
"No."

Kenny shook his head, a grin eminent upon his lips.
"Go figure." He muttered, leaning back in his chair. Eric frowned and leant his heavy form across the table with his head leaning on his hand.

"Dude, be careful. You'll break it." Kenny chuckled, prodding Cartman between his shoulder blades. Eric grunted and sat back up to prevent Kenny from any more reasons to mock him. He folded his arms and looked around, scowling.

"Why do people get so excited about New Year?" he grumbled. Kenny looked to the large boy to his left, his brow low and a confused expression plastered across his pale face.

"Uh... because it's New Year?" Kenny suggested, smiling lightly.

"It's just another year." Eric shrugged, "Another year full of them complaining about their problems and me not caring."

"Well, what's to complain about then?" Kenny asked, "If you don't care, then act like it."

"I am acting like it! I just hate it when people make a big deal of it." He grumbled, sinking into his chair slightly.

Kenny looked around too.

A bar was the typical place for nineteen year olds to be at New Year. Thanks to Stan, the whole group was here. Typically, Kenny had sat next to Cartman. After all, he was the only one who would without a bribe.
Kenny seemed the only person Eric wasn't a icomplete/i ass towards. Sure, he was still mean to him, but it seemed not as mean as he could be. Sometimes, Kenny would brace himself for an insult to only be met by a blank look from the brunette.

"Kenny, you think you could give me a hand with these?"
Kenny looked up to see Stan, gesturing to four drinks set down on the counter.
"Sure, thing." Kenny smiled, slipping out from the wall and the table. He sauntered over to where Stan was standing, but then stopped and turned.
"Hey, Cartman? Look after this for me?" he asked, unzipping his parka and shed it quickly.

Eric looked up at the blonde and nodded, blankly. Kenny grinned, tossing the garment over to him.
"Thanks, man." he beamed, turning back to Stan and helping him with the drinks.

Cartman looked at the orange coat in his hands.

i'What am I supposed to do with it? It's not like anyone will want to steal it...'/i

He laid the fleece on the table and examined it. There was a small rip close to the hood, another on the chest and dirt smudges all over it.

However, he could still feel how soft the fabric was. Regardless of all the scrapes and dirt, the parka bfelt/b like new.

Eric sighed and picked the garment back up. He folded it at the shoulders, then over by the stomach. He then placed the parka in Kenny's empty seat.

i'Stupid poor boy and his stupid soft jacket.'/i

"Dude, you really didn't need to fold it up all neat." Kenny chuckled, moving his parka to sit down. Cartman shrugged.
"You asked me to look after it. And you probably don't know how to fold things, anyway."

"That's me." Kenny snickered, sipping his drink through a straw. "Thick as a post."

Eric rolled his eyes, leaning with an elbow on the table again.
"Fuck... What the hell is this stuff, Stan?" Kenny asked, his eyes watering as the drink fully hit his taste buds.
"A Screwdriver." Stan smiled as he sat down across from Kenny and Eric.
"Pardon?" Kenny asked, blinking. Stan laughed and held up his glass.
"Half vodka, half fresh squeezed orange juice and a teaspoon of lemon juice." He informed them, running his finger up the side of his highball glass.
"Oh... That'd explain why I thought it was just orange juice then." Kenny laughed. Cartman surveyed his own 'Screwdriver' and dipped a finger into it.
"It's not that bad." He muttered.
"It is when you expect it to be a refreshing non-alcoholic drink." Kenny said, defensively. "Although I would have gone straight back to the bar once I'd have drunk this." He added, grinning.
"Kenny is not going home sober." Kyle muttered, returning to the table and sitting next to Stan.

"Do I ever?" Kenny asked with a shrug. "Besides, it's a special occasion. Give me a break."

Cartman made a noise of irritation and folded his arms.
"What's wrong with you, fat ass?" Kyle asked, furrowing his brow and sipping his own drink.
"He's being the New Year Scrooge." Kenny muttered, looking at Cartman from the corner of his eye.

"I just think New Year is overrated." Cartman grumbled.

"Only half an hour to wait, now." Kyle said, looking at his watch.

"Providing that your watch hasn't stopped." Kenny giggled into his glass.

"Now, that would be unfortunate." Stan laughed, "New Year ruined all because of Kyle."

"Be serious. We could always just follow those guys." Kyle gestured to the massive swarm of people at the bar with a thumb. "They're gonna know what time it is, even if we don't."

"Good tactic." Stan said, giving Kyle a swaying thumb up.
"I don't think Stan's going to make it home." Kenny laughed. "Your alcohol tolerance is really low. You've only drunk a glass." He said, gesturing to the empty container in front of Stan. There was a half empty glass before Kyle, the empty highball glass that had contained the screwdriver before himself, as well as three finished bottles. Cartman's however, was barely touched.

"Just because I don't drink as often as you, Kenny." Stan said, narrowing his eyes which were already drooping. Kenny rolled his eyes and looked to Cartman.
"Come on, cheer up. You can at least try to enjoy yourself – even if you don't like New Year."
Cartman huffed and sat up again.

"Time is going really slow now.." Stan complained, looking to the clock.

"There's only three minutes to go." Kyle said.

"New Year is awesome..." Kenny slurred having finally been hit by the alcohol. Cartman had now only worked half way through his glass, taking a half-hearted sip every now and again.

"Do you not think we should call our parents? Wish them a Happy New Year?" Kyle asked, checking his cell phone.
"Don't be such a dork, Kyle. Your parents, like everyone else's, are probably just staring at the TV." Cartman said, sitting up straight.
"Woah, I think Cartman's getting back to normal!" Kenny laughed. "Feeling in the spirit, Eric?" he asked, leaning on Cartman's shoulder.
"No, I'm just happy that it's nearly over." Cartman shrugged. Kenny made a 'tut' sound between his teeth as he gulped the rest of his drink.

"You took your time." Kyle laughed as Kenny squeezed back through the crowd.

"I needed to go real bad." Kenny said, sitting down next to Eric and his empty glass. "How long now?"

"About eighteen seconds, including the 10 count down." Kyle said, glancing at his watch.

"Awesome. That gives me time to move this," he set his parka down at his other side, "And this." he moved the empty bottles and glasses from in front of him, but leaving one with some still left in front of him.
"You planning something?" Stan asked, looking at Kenny with his head cocked to the side, slightly.

"No, I just want to be able to get to the bar quickly once the countdown is-"

"Ten!"
"Shit it's starting already?" Stan asked, looking around.
"Nine!"
Kenny looked to Cartman and nudged him to join in.
"Eight!"
Cartman didn't budge, he just stared at his empty tumbler with a look of intense morbidity.
"Seven!"
"If you don't cheer up, I'm gonna make you." Kenny said, poking Cartman's arm.
"Six!"
"And how are you going to do that?" Cartman asked, scowling at the blonde.

"Five!"
"I don't know yet, but it will totally make you sorry you were such an ass."

"Four!"

"I highly doubt it.." Cartman said, leaning on the table, facing Kenny.
"Three!"
"You challenging me?" Kenny asked, grinning.

"Two!"

"Maybe." Cartman asked raising his eyebrows but with no change in expression.

"One!"

Kenny took a hold of the spur of the moment. His blood was pumping around his body like a high speed train and his head was warm from the effect of alcohol. He had no idea what he could possibly do, so when his lips crashed against Eric's... both boys were shocked.

For some strange reason, neither seemed willing to part.

All Kenny could hear was his own heart hammering against his ribs. He could slightly make out the crowds cheering at the prospect of their new year, but with his eyes closed and his arms around a certain brunette's neck, he didn't care.

They only broke, when Kenny was pulled away and off his seat.

"Ouch! Kyle, what the hell?" he said, standing and rubbing his behind where he had fallen on the floor.

"What the hell? I think I should be the one asking that!" The auburn said, poking Kenny's shoulder with a skinny finger.

"Kyle, don't be an ass." Kenny said rubbing where Kyle's finger had prodded him. Kyle looked slightly betrayed.

"I'm not being the ass here! Do you realise what you just did?"

"Well, obviously I do." Kenny sighed, sitting back down next to the frozen Cartman. Kyle sat back down next to Stan and looked at the centimetre of orange in his glass with an astounded look on his face.

"I think you knocked Cartman out, Kenny." Stan said, attempting to hold in his giggles.

Kenny looked over to Cartman. He was glassy eyed, staring at the table and shaking slightly.

"His eyes are open, Stan." Kyle said.

"He still looks ill. Are you that bad at kissing?" Stan asked as a giggle escaped his lips.

"No, I'll have you know I'm an awesome kisser. Besides... that was hardly a kiss." Kenny shrugged, gulping down the rest of his drink.

"If that was hardly a kiss, then I'm a girl." Stan said, laughing.

"Well, I've always said you were rather feminine." Kenny grinned. Stan looked about to answer, but Kenny cut him off.

"I'm think I'll go take him out for some fresh air." He said, pushing Cartman out from the seat and putting the large boy's arm over his own shoulder to support him.

Kenny pushed the door open with his back and shivered as the cold air hit his un-covered arms.

"Come on, I'm not dragging you all the way." Kenny said, pushing the form on his shoulder over to an outside table and chairs.

Cartman staggered over to the nearest one and crashed down into it. Kenny followed all the while watching the brunettes empty-looking eyes.

The pair stayed silent for a while. Kenny's head and heart were still racing, while Eric seemed just to have slipped out of living.

"Look, Cartman." Kenny sighed as he leant his eyes on the cold metal table. "There's no need to be a zombie about it. You're seriously making me think I bam/b a bad kisser."

"You're not." Eric muttered, glancing up to Kenny.
"I'm not?" Kenny asked, grinning widely. He then cleared his throat. "Well, thanks."

"So, what made you do it?" Cartman asked, running his finger in a circle on the table-top.

"I wanted to shock you, and I think that did the trick." Kenny laughed, leaning his head in his hand.
"That's the only reason?" Eric asked.

"Well, I guess so. I mean... it's not like I've got a crush on you or anything."
"Why? Is that such a bad thing?!" Eric asked, somewhat annoyed by Kenny's last response.

"Well, you've said yourself. You hate all that stuff." Kenny frowned, "Besides, there's no way you could handle me." He winked.

"Oh you think so, do you?" Cartman asked, raising an eyebrow and grinning.

"I don't think so." Kenny muttered, standing and looking at his grubby nails. "I know so."

"You're on." Cartman said, standing up. "My turn."

Before Kenny could even furrow his brow in confusion, Eric had grabbed him around the neck and brought their lips together again.

Kenny smiled into this second kiss, knowing that this time – it was wanted on both parties.

And he considerably enjoyed it more..