When Phil decided it would be a good idea to host a New Year's party in their apartment, he didn't really factor in the fact that a New Year's party would involve strangers.
Of course he didn't. Nobody expects strangers at their party. If they did, then these strangers wouldn't be strangers at all. Rather, what Phil didn't factor in to his party plan was that the non-strangers he was inviting personally into his home would know strangers. And they would mention this party to these strangers. And these strangers would say something like ''Hey, can I come with you?'' or ''Sounds like fun, mind if I tag along?'' or other generic phrases that Phil imagines a faceless stranger would say. And these strangers would come into their home and their faceless forms suddenly gained faces, and names were attached to these strangers and suddenly they weren't strangers anymore, they were guests and Phil was now required to say ''Can I take your coat?'' instead of ''Who are you and why are you in my house?''
All of these thoughts streamed through Phil's mind as he leaned back on the couch and watched the mingling happening in his lounge. If he was sober, he probably would be worrying that the snacks were running low, or checking that he locked his and Dan's bedroom doors, but he had alcohol swimming around his veins and coursing through his brain, and so he would much rather sit here and think about strangers. And he did so quite happily.
Phil's eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, until they settled on a target. Dan. Phil smiled. His brown-haired, brown-eyed friend was standing across the room, fixed in his automatic party position - standing up straight, holding a cup. Phil watched him chatting to a guy he didn't know - another guest, formerly known as a stranger - talking quickly, his lips moving at top speed, forming words Phil knew were as eloquent as they always were, his constant stream of words sometimes interrupted by small chuckles. Phil knew he was staring at Dan with a dopey expression on his face, could feel his lips turning up in a smile, and if he was sober, he probably would have quickly averted his gaze and swept his fringe out of his eyes, but he was drunk, and so he would much rather sit here and stare at Dan's pretty mouth.
The guest Dan was talking to stepped a little closer to Dan, leaning his forearm against the wall and swayed forwards drunkenly, towards Dan. Phil's smile faltered a little. He didn't like this guy. He was too close to Dan. He shouldn't be that close to Dan. Phil's smile turned sour. He didn't like this guy at all.
Phil's attention was brought away from Dan and the guest as a unanimous cheer bounced around the room, as the presenter on TV announced there was a minute until midnight. Phil realised that now was the time almost everyone in this timezone would be finding someone to kiss at midnight. Phil's stomach swooped.
He stood up a little shakily. The alcohol made things a little blurry. He went to walk towards Dan. He wanted to get that guy away from Dan. He wanted to do something dramatic, like punch the flirty guest square in the jaw, before grabbing Dan and pulling him down into an epic kiss as fireworks exploded. Before he could do just that, Dan spotted him. Soon he was at his side.
''Hey!'' he shouted over the music, grinning as if he hadn't seen Phil in weeks.
''Hey!'' Phil shouted back. He looked over to where Dan had been previously standing. The flirty guest was still staring at Dan with a hungry look in his eyes. Phil frowned.
''Who was that guy you were talking to?'' Phil said.
Dan turned to glance behind him at the flirty guest, and turned back with a grin. ''Oh gosh, that guy. Way too forward, isn't he?''
Phil nodded. ''Yeah. Way, way, way.'' he mumbled.
Dan's grin grew wider. ''What?'' Phil said, giggling a little. Dan's smile was so infectious.
''You're jealous,'' Dan explained. ''And drunk. And adorable.''
''I am not jealous.'' Phil retorted. ''You just-You shouldn't.''
''I shouldn't what?'' Dan said, raising one eyebrow, his smile never faltering.
''You shouldn't-You shouldn't kiss that guy at midnight!'' Phil exclaimed. He wondered idly why his inner thoughts were coming out of his mouth.
''And why not?'' said Dan teasingly. He tilted his head to one side, pursing his lips slightly in a small knowing smile. His eyes were twinkling, and Phil could hear the people around them counting down the seconds till midnight, and Dan was so close to him all of a sudden and he had never looked more beautiful, so Phil pressed his lips to Dan's.
Phil was somewhat aware of a cacophony of sound erupting around them, but not really, because his hands were on Dan's waist, and Dan's arms were slipping around his middle, his cup falling to the ground. Their lips and tongues moved together, and Dan tasted like rum and fireworks.
Dan pulled away first, his mouth still slightly parted, his eyes still closed, his arms still wrapped around Phil. Phil studied him carefully, looking for any traces of regret or anger, and hoping he didn't find any, because he had been counting down the minutes until that kiss for a very long time.
Dan's eyes fluttered open, and they were shining with affection. He smiled sheepishly. Phil smiled back, and leaned his forehead against Dan's.
''Happy new year.''