(Yeah! More Irish accents. This Part is from Ryan's point of view)
The city of New York bustled under me' finger tips as I gripped onto the railing of our hotel balcony. The snow drifted down from heaven and covered the world below sending happiness through all of us as we realized christmas was tomorrow.
"Gra'im thu'.(I love ye')." The gaelic slip through Neil's lips sweetly as he wrapped his arms around me' arm and resting his head on me' shoulder."Dinner's ready." I smiled down at the love of me' life.
"I love ye' more" I stared into his eyes and wished I could explain what a beautiful color of brown they eyes were almost a liquid gold color but sweeter then chocolate and more alive then a tree. I lightly placed a kiss te' the top of his head and laced me' hand through his,and I pulled him out of the cold, snowy New York night and into the warmth of the nice suite Neil, Emmett and I were sharing. Emmett was lounging on the large couch by himself as Keith and Damian secured the loveseat to themselves. I'm not really sure how George came across this amazing hotel but we managed te' get two suites with four beds, now considering there are six of us ye' would think it would be a problem but it really wasn't. See about half-a-year ago Damian had a terrible fall in LA which made Keith realize that they should be together, and I was involved with Neil so both couples only needed one bed. Tonight was George's night te' cook dinner for all of us so George was working dilligently in the kitchen. Emmett was pouting down at his phone.
"What's wrong, Emmey-whemmy, Cam-Cam not text ye' back yet?" I asked as he pulled his eyes up from his screen. I had felt proud of the fact I came up with nicknames for Emmett and his old friend Cameron, which they both say their not together, but I see the truth.
"Po'g mo tho'in! (Kiss me' ass!)" Emmett growled at me as I was right, like usual.
"Emmett!" My serious tone shocked Emmett's eyebrows to go up and pulled Keith and Damian from their make-out session "Don't tell me what ye' want Cameron te' do te' ye'!" Emmett's face bleed bright red as Neil, Damian,and Keith laughed deeply. Emmett reached behind him and chucked the pillow he was laying on at me. I caught it with ease and tossed te' the other side of the couch as I pulled Neil te' the dining room. We all took our spots around the table, Neil sitting next to me as Damian sat next to Keith, both Emmett and George taking each an end of their own. As I looked over the amazing looking food before me george cleared his throat.
"Hey guys." He waited till he had all of our attentions. "We've had an interesting year with what happened in LA, Ryan's loss, and with Emmett's denial." Emmett's face got red with anger as George was more subtle with his joke then I was. ",but I think we can agree we made it here together. So merry christmas!" George raise his glass and we all raised ours with loud and gleeful 'CHEERS!'. Everybody had red wine in their glass except for me. It was hard to be a recovering alcholic especially in moments like this, Neil was always supportive though and always would asked if I wanted a little bit, but seeing his beautifull eyes always made me feel a little guilty if I said yes, and on the rare occasion I actual drank Neil was never afraid to tell me I had enough. It was hillarious, however, when in an all-wine toast me' cup was filled with eggnog(non-alcholic obviously). We ate our meal with funny stories and laughter, that was never forced or faked nothing but good feeling circled us and kept us in good spirits. It was moments like this that made me not miss home, because this was all me' family who actualy cared.
"Hey Ryan there's only a little bit left do you want it?" Emmett poked his head out of the kitchen with bottle of wine in his hand.
"ummmm..." I hesitated and looked to Neil.
"It was really good." Neil smiled and nodded. I smiled back.
"Sure." Emmett walked back into the dining room and handed me a wine glass that only had about 1/10 of it full of a beautiful crimson wine. Damian and Keith collected our dirty plates and took them into the kitchen then sat back down te' watch me take me' sip. The last time I had a drink of anything alcholic was right after Damian's injury in LA. Damian fell into a coma then as he awoke Keith, Neil, George, and I took him out to celebrate with drinks. I literaly only had one beer. I gently let the wine slip down me' throat as I remember the taste, it was amazing.
"That's.." I looked over at Neil "pretty amazing." Neil and I smiled at each other. Half of me' body screamed that I wanted more while the other half scream back that I didn't. Neil wrapped his hand around mine as Keith told a story about one of his surfing trips, Damian watched and idolized every word with love. We sat around that table until midnight talking and laughing with stories and conversation finally we all checked our phones at the same time. George, Neil, Emmett, Keith, and Damian's phone seemed te' go off in synch with different 's little girl and wife called him while Emmett's parents called him. Damian's parents call him te', as Keith got a call from his old buddy's back in Ireland. Neil's mother was calling him. I was the only one who wouldn't be getting this christmas, me' father didn't approve of Neil and I told him till he except Neil I wouldn't talk te' him,and as for me' mother, father called me a few monthes ago saying she had passed away and the fenural had already passed. anger filled me' head as I remember that, and I excused me'self from the table. I found me' way back te' the balcony again where I gripped the freezing metal in me' hands. We had a christmas show in a couple days here in New York, so I went over me' songs in me' head as I watched the cars rush through the snow turning it te' slush. There was a hotel bar down stairs, and nobody would notice if I left. I mentaly hit me'self as the idea appualed me. Why would I think that? I couldn't controll alchol, sad fact, but if I had even one more then I need with nobody there I might just fall off of the tower I was trying te' build up for Neil's sake. A snowflake landed on me' hand and I just watched as it melted in oblivion. I went back inside and sneak te' the room Neil and I were sharing. I slipped out of me' sweater and button down and changed into me' spare white t-shirt. I was starting te' get tired so I changed quickly and slipped into bed, Neil wouldn't be in for while so I took up as much space as I could, enjoing it. Through the walls I could hear them talking te' each of their families. I honestly was very happy that they all stayed in touch with their family, but I did kinda envy the fact I didn't have anyone to call. I slowly let me'self fall into a deep sleep with a tear in me' eye. I don't think I had a dream, but maybe I dreamed and didn't want te' remember, and the next thing I knew I was laying on me' side facing the window with the clouded light steaming over me while me' phone was playing a quiet tune telling me to get up, because I always took a short walk about this time everyday. I could feel Neil's weight behind me and at first I didn't want te' move for fear of waking him. I rolled onto me' back so I could look at him. He was laying on his side facing me with his hands under his pillow, he looked so percious and innocent. I could watch him sleep forever, but I needed to be alone right now, and I didn't want to bring Neil down, and not not on christmas day. I lightly kissed his cheek and at first Neil's body seemed to awake,but he just rolled onto his other side and kept sleepin'. I got dressed quickly into me' usual outfit (button-down, sweater,and jeans) then walked into the livingroom, Emmett was sleeping on the couch and I had to assume that everybody else went back te' their own rooms. wrapping paper was spread everywhere in thin shreds except two stacks of red and green presents that littered the table. I checked the labels and half of them were for me, while the other half were presents were for Neil. Last night when they opened presents Neil must have wanted te' wait for me, he was the sweetest person on earth, ever. I almost considered not leaving, but I silently promised Neil that I would be back before he woke up. I put me' scarf on and me' heavy wool coat and went out down te' the lobby of the hotel. On a normal circumstance I would give Damian half-an-hour to join me, but he was probably still sleeping. SO I only gave him ten minutes.
"I'm surprised you woke up. I honestly thought ye' were gonna sleep till noon." Damian came out of the elevator wearing winter clothes like mine and surprisingly he didn't have bags under his eyes.
"Yeah, I wanted te, but I need te' talk te' ye' and now is the best time." Damian looked down at the floor as he got closer te' me. I looked him over, he seemed fine physically so it probably had te' do with either Keith or parents. So I had to let him come, despite the fact I wanted to be alone. A lightly flurry of powder snow greeted us as we walked outside te' the frozen city of New York.
"So I told me' parents last night." Damian's voice was meeked as we passed several people. Even on christmas day New York's streets still always had people on them.
"And? What did they say?" I asked as a spiral of snow blew past us.
"umm..." Damian looked down "Mom doesn't care, dad...doesn't approve, but he says he will try te' accept it."
"That's great, right?"
"Yeah, it was me' big brother who didn't approve..." Damian frowned "I'm sure he'll come around, Damo." I lightly gripped his shoulder and released it in the same second. we rounded the first corner of the block and I realized by the time we made our way around a New York block Neil would already be awake. "Hey do ye' mind if we turn around I kinda wanted te' be back te' the hotel when Neil wakes up."
"Sure." Damian smiled "That reminds me. Look what Keith got me." Damian held out his wrist and I saw the insanely nice-looking watch Damo was wearing.
"Damn that is nice." I lightly gripped his arm so I could get a better look. "Did he get ye' anything else?" I released his arm.
"Keith? He also got me a teddybear." Damian smiled and for a second he looked just like a little boy.
"Aww how cute." I smiled. Damian looked down at his shoes as another blast of snow pelted us. After I fun little hike we finally found our way back te' the hotel and back te' out respected room. Neil was still sleeping as I hoped and quickly found me' way te' the presents. I knew that soon Damian, Keith and George were going te' come over and we were going te' have breakfest so I needed to find it. I found the box that was address te' Neil from me (it was one of three) and was about to put it in me' pocket then I realized. Where's Emmett? Nobody could know I was hiding one of Neil's presents, me' eyes scanned the room and seeing he was gone I hid it perfectly in me' coat and then hung up me' coat with the box completely out of sight. I was going te' give that present te' him later tonight when we were alone, it would save me a ton of emmbarresment. As expected there was a light tap on the door and upon opening it I saw George and Damian standing there.
"Can I help ye?" I asked pretending not te' know them.
"Yeah ye can open the door so I can come in." George was clearly in no mood for being slaged (teased) today.
"Damn don't be so touchy." I said letting them in. Now ye' might be wondering why they were in me' suite when they have their own with a kitchen? Well it was because mine had a dining room and theirs didn't.
"Sorry, just couldn't sleep." George brushed past me, and I realized one of the three from the other room was missing.
"Where's Keith?" I inquired as I shut the door behind Damo.
"He wanted te' take a shower first, and he told me te' wait over here." Damian shrugged and took off his shoes and sat on the loveseat. I made me' way to the kitchen and quickly worked on making breakfast. Over the course of me' cooking Keith decided te' join us, well more like join Damian on the love seat, and just as I was almost done Neil emerged from our bedroom. "Mornin' babe." Neil was clearly unresponsive as he mindlessly walked te' the coffee pot. I chuckled as he tried to searched for a mug, I walked up te' him and handed him one I left out for him.
"Mornin'." He whispered under his breath as he took the cup from me. "thanks..." He tried te' pour himself some, but when he almost poured it into the toaster I slid up behind him and gently took the pot from him. He rested against me' chest as I poured his coffee from behind him. I thought it was so cute when Neil couldn't wake up, and I would have handled it by doing something I know would wake him up, but there was witnessess so I decided against it. I gently placed a kiss te' his neck as I handed him his cup. I pulled me'self away from Neil unwillingly, but I didn't want breakfast te' be ruined. Neil took his spot at the table along with Keith and Damian.
"Where's Emmett?" I asked as I sat down with George.
"This mornin'...Emmett said somethin' 'bout hotel bar..." Neil answered bearly opening his eyes. I chuckled at his adorableness.
"I'll go get him after breakfast." I said as Damian laughed about something Keith said. Breakfast ended way sooner then I would have thought possible, and as I put the last dish into the sink I remember I had te' go get Emmett.
"Ryan..." Neil whispered as I was about te' leave. "Yeah, babe." I walked over te' where he sat on the couch and kissed the top of his head.
"Emmett might be...drinking..." Neil said looking up at me with tired eyes.
"Don't worry. I won't drink anything,I promise." He smiled and closed his eyes as he rested against a pillow. George was talking te' somebody on his phone while standing on the balcony. Damian and Keith claimed the love seat, again. I left me' four best friends and went down te' the hotel bar te' find me' fifth, with a very un-eventfull elevator ride with a little old man who looked like he skinned dinosaurs for fun when he turned thirty. I found Emmett sitting at the corner near the doot staring at his drink in hand.
"Ye' alright?" I sat next te' him since there was only us and the bartender here.
"Cameron told me he loved me..." Emmett said finding the bottom of his glass interesting.
"and?" I was hontesly confused. I thought they were together.
"I don't know what I feel...and I know you don't believe it, but I never was with Cameron." Emmett empty his glass into his mouth then ordered another.
"Okay, dude I think ye' need te' stop drinkin' alone and get back upstairs. George will-" I started but Emmett interupted "Ryan, I know ye' are sober and what not, but please drink one drink with me?" Emmett's eyes were pleading, and I knew what I needed te' say.
"Only ONE!" I emphazed as I ordered the same drink as him. We tipped our glasses together and we both drink them quickly. The liquid burned in me' throat with the best feeling in the world, one more wouldn't hurt right? That would be the worst mistake I would ever make.
One drink turned te' two then te' three and progressivly got higher as two hours passed us, and by the fourth hour Emmett and I were really tipsy. Finally the bartender had enough of dealing with us and stopped serving us. With stumbling feet we tried te' find our way te' the elevator. I knew I would have te' deal with Neil and I realized how much I screwed up, but I was tee' drunk te' really care. As we got te' our floor Emmett and I were tripping into each other.
"Ye'know!" I said with a little tee' much volume. "ye'don'teven needCameron." I shruged as I tipped into a wall.
"Iwouldagreebut, I'minlovewith himand I know he'sadude and whateverbut." Emmett's words were slured worst then mine.
"Thenye' needte' gobackte' LAandkiss him." I ordered trying te' open the door. "Idon'tknowhow." Emmett admitted as I knocked beause I couldn't get the door open.
"Willye' showme?"
"No!nononoi'm withNeil." I defended pounding on the door a bit more.
"Hedoesn't havetoknow."Emmett pointed out.
"no."I shook me' head and turned te' face Emmett and before I could react I was pressed against the wall with someone's lips (who wasn't Neil) pressed against mine. I was sober enough te' try and push him off,but he was a strong guy and kept me pinned.
"Ryan?" I could here Neil's voice floating from past the door as the doorknob was turned, and the door was pushed I realized I fucked up!