Prompt used: Midnight

Kiss Me at Midnight

"Five minutes!" Luis yelled, turning up the volume on the television. It was set up outside in the yard. The weather was mild enough – not too humid, as Miami could be. An excited babble rose through the crowd of people packed into the large yard. Luis turned the volume up more.

"Dónde está mi novio?"

"Él está aquí!"

"Aquí, hermano!"

"I'm over here Lance!"

Lance squeezed through relatives and family friends, holding a hand above his head in order not to spill his drink. Most people held champagne flutes, but Lance McClain was not a champagne person, not even on New Years Eve. No. If he drank something it had to be sweet and contain rum, or it wasn't worth drinking. He had no idea what was in his glass, only that his sister mixed it for him and it was delicious and helped to soothe the nervousness coursing through his body.

Ugh, how did he have so many family members? He'd never get to Keith on time. Curse Tia Rosita for talking his ears off. She babbled on to him about New Years' Eves past and hookups she'd had. He certainly didn't need to hear any of it or picture his wrinkled and stooped little great-aunt banging her way through Cuba every New Year's Eve.

Definitely did not need that image in his head.

But, he guessed, kudos to Tia Rosita for her…um…stamina.

He hadn't been able to be by Keith's side for the entire evening, it seemed. Every relative wanted to talk to him. It was nice, of course, but he didn't drag Keith down to celebrate New Year's in Miami to leave the poor boy with his sisters. Of course, when he did catch a glimpse of Keith when the partygoers parted enough, he seemed content. Smiling and talking with whomever it was that latched on to him.

As Tia Rosita recounted the glorious New Year's Eve of 1956 in Havana where she managed to find herself in an orgy to celebrate the evening, he gazed at Keith over by the grill. Marco flipped burgers as he and Keith chatted. Keith looked so relaxed and at ease, such a change from the shy boy he was at the beginning of their relationship. Over four years ago, Lance thought with a little shock. It seemed only last month when he twirled Keith around on the quad of their college and shyly confessed his feelings for his roommate.

Four years? Where did the time go? It went to four years of living together in college, visiting each other's family and homes during breaks, small and cheap vacation getaways they couldn't afford but still took, fights and makeup sex, constant support and love, Shiro and Adam's wedding, his sister's wedding, the death of his Abuelo (his dad's dad who had taught him to play guitar), internships, graduation, a long vacation afterwards, job hunts and employment and settling into a new place in a new city – Chicago – where opportunities for both of them abounded, setting up a happy life full of love and support of each other.

So much crammed into four short years.

"There you are!" Keith said with the special smile he saved only for Lance. After four years, it still sent Lance's heart into his throat. He wondered if he'd ever get over winning the love of this amazing man. He doubted it. Keith often told him he couldn't believe Lance loved him, but Lance felt the same way. How many playful arguments had they had over the years about who was the luckiest?

It showed whenever they said goodbye. "I love you!" - "I love you more!" - "I love you most!"

Lance even found a small wooden sign painted with "I Love You More" on it and it now hung in the living room of their new apartment in Chicago.

Yes, they were corny. And they loved it.

Lance reached his free hand to entwine his fingers with Keith's in a gesture well rehearsed by both of them. Whenever they were near each other there had to be a touch. Some tactile contact to ground each other. It wasn't a mere gesture; it was a confirmation and assurance of their love. Usually holding hands, or a brush of a finger against the back of a hand, or a shoulder bump, or a little gentle kick to the other's foot. Any sort of gesture to say "I'm here".

"I couldn't get away from Tia Rosita!"

"Was she telling you about her sex life?" Marco asked.

"Fucking Christ that woman was a nympho!" Lance exclaimed over Marco's roar of laughter.

"Tia Rosita?" Keith asked, his expression confused. He glanced over at the little woman, dressed in bland conservative clothes, a hand-knitted shawl, and her white hair teased into a beehive. "Sweet little Tia Rosita?"

"Yes. Tia Rosita. Who apparently participated in an orgy when she was eighteen! I didn't even lose my virginity until then," Lance said and Keith blushed. They both knew to whom he lost it. "And here she is banging a dozen people! I feel like I missed out!"

Keith frowned while Marco shook his head, muttering "wrong thing to say, hermano."

Realizing it, Lance backtracked, "I mean, not that I wanted to be slutty. I am happy, Keith. Happy! I can't imagine wanting to be in a gang bang!"

Keith hummed to himself and Marco continued to jibe Lance for pissing off his boyfriend. Lance knew Keith wasn't really pissed, but he loved when Keith pouted and acted mad because then he could be sweet to him enough to get him to smile.

"Tio Lance! Is it time?"

He felt a tug on his shirt and looked down. His twelve-year-old niece, Nadia, stood there with her brother Sylvio. They looked up at him expectantly and he shook his head. "Not yet. At midnight."

"What's at midnight?" Keith asked.

Lance's heart sped up and went up into his throat again. Shit. "Um, midnight. New Year, you know. They want New Year's kisses from their Tio," he stammered.

"No…" Sylvio started to say, but shut up when Nadia punched his arm.

"Don't forget, Tio Keith gets the first kiss," she said.

"Two minutes!" Luis yelled. He was much closer to them. In fact, Lance noticed all his immediate family were gathering close to them. As was Shiro and Adam, with their daughter in Adam's arms. Everyone was talking and laughing. The volume of the party rose, drowning out Ryan Seacrest as he counted down to the start of the New Year.

"Remember our first New Year's?" Keith whispered in his ear.

He shivered from Keith's breath and nodded. Lance had spent the holidays with Keith, Shiro, and Adam. He wanted to tell Keith he loved him on New Year's Eve at the stroke of midnight, but accidentally said it on Christmas Day. It turned out great, because they spent the week between Christmas and New Year's saying it to make each other blush.

'I love you''s also drew them closer physically. Not sex yet. Not that week. They saved their first time for when they were back at their dorm. Well, there was one day Adam and Shiro went grocery shopping, leaving them alone with enough time for a heated hour in Keith's childhood bedroom. Lance knew he'd never forget the first time hearing his name in Keith's breathy moans, or the way Keith's fingers pressed into his thighs as his mouth…well…he'd never forget it.

Their first New Year's was quiet. Just the four of them downing champagne (Fuzzy Navels for Lance), playing games, dancing, and counting down to midnight. When Ryan Seacrest counted down from ten that year, Adam opened the front door for a blast of frigid air, announcing they should let the New Year in. Keith and Lance wrapped themselves around each other, lips meeting exactly at midnight, warming each other from contact though they both shivered from the sudden cold.

"The first New Year's I was in love? Of course I remember it," he replied. Keith let go of his hand and slipped it around his waist, pulling him close.

"One minute!"

Lance put his drink on the low wall his father built around the yard so he could drape his arms over Keith's shoulders, facing him and nuzzling close. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest he thought Keith might become alarmed for him. His hands hung in the air behind Keith, so Keith didn't see or feel Marco silently pass a small, velvet box into those hands.

He pressed his forehead against Keith's and swallowed through the lump that was his heart in his throat. How did his heart hurt his chest when it was currently stuck in his throat? Ah, biology was never his strong suit in school. Behind Keith's head, his hands fumbled to open the little box.

"Ten! Nine! Eight!" and everyone shouted the numbers. Everyone except for Keith and Lance. They pulled apart to look into each other's eyes. It was something they did every New Year since the first. Look into each other's eyes as the New Year came in.

"Seven! Six! Five!"

Lance could see, as he could always see when he looked there, his future in Keith's eyes. Oh, the love, affection, desire were all there. But the most precious to him was their future.

"Four! Three! Two!"

He knew he would look into these eyes until the day his closed forever. He knew he would look into these eyes through every victory, every tragedy, every happy time, every sad time for the rest of their days. He knew he would look into these eyes through job changes, adoptions, new homes, challenges, and successes. He could read all of it there, and all he wanted to do tonight was to secure that future.

"ONE! FELIZ AÑO NUEVO! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

The shouts rang though the backyard, drowned out in Lance's ears by a soft-spoken "Happy New Year" before those lips pressed his as they'd done four years in a row now.

"Tio Keith! Tio Keith!"

Nadia's insistent voice at their sides drew them apart slightly, and they looked down at the young girl and her brother. Instead of annoyance, Keith's voice only held affection for them. "You want your Tio's attention now?"

"No," she said. "I want to ask you a question!"

Keith's brows drew in together and he glanced at Lance, but he quickly looked back down at Nadia. "Ok."

"Will you be our real Tio?" Nadia asked, lifting her clasped hands in a pleading gesture. "Please?"

"Please, Tio Keith!" Sylvio begged, copying his older sister.

"Your real Tio?"

"Yeah, Keith," their father piped up. Keith glanced at Luis. "I'd like to have you for a real brother-in-law."

"I don't…"

"Si, mijo," Lance's mother said and Keith turned his head to the other side to stare at her. "You're already my son in my heart. It shouldn't matter that it's not official, but it would be nice."

"Keith is already a member of this family!" from Rachel.

"I think of Lance as my brother-in-law," Shiro added.

"It's been too long since we've had to plan a reception," Adam said.

"Unca Lance!" screamed the little girl in Adam's arms.

Keith's gaze returned to Lance, who was grinning back at him. "Lance?"

Lance slid his arms off Keith's shoulders as he stepped back. It was too crowded to do the traditional drop to his knee – their family was too close to them – but it didn't matter. He took Keith's hand and lifted it, then showed him the simple silver band tucked into the velvet bed. He didn't say anything, but let their families speak for him.

"Keith will you marry Lance?" everyone shouted.

Lance was incredibly impressed with himself. The look on Keith's face was worth everything at this moment. It was a mixture of disbelief, shock, embarrassment, and love. He darted his gaze up and down from the ring to Lance's eyes for a good minute, then looked around at everyone around them – Shiro, Adam and their daughter, Lance's large family, everyone all smiles and excitement. Lance knew he'd overwhelmed his boyfriend-hopefully-soon-to-be-fiancé, but he also knew Keith would consider this insanely romantic.

"You should give us an answer, Keith," Shiro prodded him with a chuckle.

Keith laughed and relief shot through Lance. He didn't really doubt Keith would say 'yes', but it was still nerve wracking to propose. And to propose to his shy boyfriend in front of their entire family was a risk. "Yes! Yes! I'll marry Lance!"

With shaking hands, Lance somehow managed to get the ring on Keith's own shaking hand. He lifted the hand to kiss the ring, then looked up to smile into those eyes. He could see that future, as always, promised. He couldn't wait to see it sealed and secured on their wedding day. Another kiss, chaste and short from necessity because now all of those family and family friends now had to congratulate the couple and they were pulled away from each other for hugs and kisses from everyone there.

It was past four when the last of the partygoers stumbled away from the McClain house. Rooms were full of people who had passed out or planned to stay, and Lance assured Keith this was normal. Mamá would 'punish' those crashers by making them clean the yard and house when they woke up – not the fun thing to do hungover on the first day of the New Year.

They sat on the front steps of Lance's childhood home, watching the occasional drunk stumble by, invariably lifting a hand to wish them a 'feliz año nuevo!' as they passed. It was a beautiful night, quieter than hours earlier when fireworks rang out over the neighborhood over the sounds of salsa and dance music, shouts and cheers. A slight breeze ruffled their hair as they leaned on each other on the top step, holding hands and smiling every time Lance lifted Keith's hand to kiss the ring.

"I can't believe you had your family propose to me."

"I was too nervous myself," Lance said.

"Why on earth would you be nervous? You knew I'd say yes."

"I thought you'd say yes. I didn't know."

Keith gave him a little nudge with his arm. "Oh, come on."

"Seriously, Keith! You're unpredictable!"

"I'm the most predictable person in the world," Keith argued.

"Let's not argue on our engagement day!"

"Our engagement day…" Keith whispered. He laid his head against Lance's shoulder and Lance tilted his head enough to rest against Keith's.

"Our engagement day…" Lance affirmed, one more time lifting Keith's hand for a kiss on the ring. He smiled when he felt Keith's chuckle. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"I love you most."

A/N: Find me on Tumblr at devooshawrites