If Megan was honest, she'd admit that she was never a big fan of celebrating New Year's Eve.

She just didn't see the big deal, not every year would be different than the last. Well, except this year has definitely been more… unique than her last few years.

"Cookie for your thoughts?" Megan noticed that Hiro had walked over, a chocolate chip cookie in his hands.

Megan took it with a smile. "Thanks." But then eyed the cookie. "Did you put salt in this?" His aunt was serving cookies for the New Year's party in the Lucky Cat Cafe, so it felt suspicious…

Hiro was merely grinning. "Me? Give you a cookie that has salt instead of sugar? I would never!" His grin was so wide it was like he was mimicking the Cheshire Cat. "Unlike you, I am a proper friend that wouldn't feed their friends salty cookies."

He clearly was still not over that time she pranked him with salt-flavored cookies. "In my defense, it was my first time baking!" Megan pouted.

"You better put 'improve cooking' in your New Year's resolutions." Hiro grumbled, crossing his arms.

"When did someone actually complete a New Year's resolution?"

The robotics genius made a face. "Fair point."

Pop!

Another firework went off outside, the sound being dulled by the chatter of party-goers in the cafe. Megan caught a glimpse of the colorful pink and blue fireworks that glittered in the sky.

The bright colors made her think of a special someone she wished was here right now…

"You still hoping your girlfriend shows up?" Hiro apparently learned how to read her mind and had reached his hand over to tap her shoulder.

Megan nodded. "Yeah, it's getting really close to midnight." Only half an hour left… and the clock would tick to a new year.

Sure, Megan didn't like celebrating New Year's, but it would've been nice seeing her girlfriend at the party, enjoying cookies together and watching the fireworks.

The reporter still hoped she'd show up, but Hiro thought otherwise. "I don't think Juniper would enjoy showing up at a party." He argued. "You know she's not fond of parties."

"I know…" But the Lucky Cat New Year's party wasn't like Bridgeton's dance. "It'd just be nice having her around tonight."

"Fair, but if she doesn't show up, don't get mad at her over it." He frowned.

She sent Hiro a sharp look. "I wouldn't!"

He held up his hands in defense. "Hey, I'm not accusing you of anything, just saying."

Her glare softened a little. "Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to her." The idea of getting upset at Juniper for not showing up to the party was ridiculous.

Even if Megan wished for her company. Maybe she prefers a small New Year's celebration with her mom.

Ah well, not the end of the world, she took a bite of the cookie Hiro gave her. "Oh, I forgot to mention I added a little kick to it."

As soon as he said those words, there was a burning feeling in her tongue, and Megan immediately chucked the spicy cookie at the robotics genius. "Ow!"

"You're the worst, Hiro!" She grumbled, getting a glass of milk to try and soothe her poor taste buds.

Baymax waddled over, hearing the commotion. "I was alerted to your need for medical attention when you said-"

"I'm fine buddy." Hiro rubbed his nose. "Remind me to not prank my friends with cookies, it's not funny the second time."

"You don't say?" Megan was glaring at him again.

She loved her friend, but sometimes Hiro was a literal gremlin that was asking to get another taste of salty cookies.


The jingling of bells indicated another person entering the cafe. "Huh, wonder if it's Fred and Olivia?" Hiro wondered.

The two comic nerds had been on a date in the evening, and he wasn't sure if Fred was going to the Lucky Cat party.

"Maybe." But as the two teens glanced over to the door, that theory was quickly disproven.

Cass was already greeting the newcomers. "Hello, glad to see you made it! I hope traffic wasn't too terrible!"

"Oh, it was alright." The older of the duo waved it off. "Juni and I were fine."

It was Barb, wearing one of those colorful holiday sweaters despite Christmas being over for a couple days.

Megan glanced to the left and noticed Juniper, who thankfully wasn't wearing a holiday sweater. The dancer had been glancing at the bright fireworks flashing outside, but as her eyes went back to the cafe, she noticed Megan smiling at her.

"Hey!" Megan waved her over.

"Hey." Juniper smiled, she waved to Barb before walking over to where the reporter was standing. "Hope I'm not too late to the party."

"Depends on your definition of late." Hiro shrugged, holding a cookie. "Want one?"

Instantly, Megan's eyes widened, and before Juniper could accept the cookie, she snatched it and yeeted it half across the cafe, hitting poor Mochi in the process.

"Mrow!" The cat yowled, jumping up and falling off of his perch by the window.

Hiro gave the reporter a look. "Hey, that was another one of your spice cookies, wasn't it?!"

"Should've known you'd see through that."

"Hey fool me once you can't fool me twice."

Juniper had been staring at the direction the cookie was tossed in mild confusion, once hearing about the spiced cookies, she glared at Hiro. "Why would you do that?"

His smirk said it all. "Consider it a little 'thanks' for those salty cookies last week."

She lifted a hand to argue, but lowered it. "Fair…" It was her idea to prank Hiro with those batch of cookies in the first place.

"And to think all would be right in the universe." Hiro dramatically narrated. "I'd have gotten my revenge on you two for those terrible, terrible cookies! And I would've gotten away with it if it weren't for this meddling reporter!"

As he gestured to Megan, she rolled her eyes. Hiro was so dramatic sometimes… "Are you planning on becoming a cartoon villain next year?"

"Eh, things have been peaceful in the city since Noodle Burger Boy and his sisters stopped being evil." Hiro shrugged. The robotic siblings weren't at the party, wanting to see the fireworks in person.

Cass said they could go as long as they came back after midnight hit, he thought about going, but Hiro wasn't a fan of the bright and loud fireworks, and simply preferred a calm party like this.

"Only you would cause chaos out of boredom." Juniper shook her head. "You planning on any heists?"

"Oh yeah! I'm gonna steal all of the city's phones and they all have to buy Krei-Tech's slow running ones!" He then did a fake but dramatic evil laugh.

Megan sighed, but it was good fun anyways. "Maybe you should be a comedian."

Hiro chuckled. "Very funny, now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go see what Honey Lemon and Karmi are up to."

The two bio besties were chatting away, enjoying the frosted sugar cookies that Cass had baked for the party. "Have fun you two!" He winked, then left the duo alone.

"Hope he doesn't do that spicy cookie prank on them." Megan noticed he still had the bag of cookies with him. "Karmi would not be happy."

"That's an understatement, she'd probably get him back with an even spicier cookie." Juniper smirked. "Like with a ghost pepper, or a california reaper!"

"Oh my gosh no he would die from that."

The dancer shrugged. "Well Karmi's a scientist, she'd test that theory out."

Megan snickered, she glanced over to Hiro, thankfully he didn't seem to take any of the cookies out of the bag, and was simply chatting with his friends.

"So, you excited for the new year?" She turned back to her girlfriend.

Juniper bit her lip, hesitant to respond. "Not really… just hoping it's better than last year."

"Oh."

They were silent for a few moments, Megan internally facepalmed. Of course she wouldn't exactly be in the partying spirit you idiot! Considering what happened to her this year!

"Yeah… me too." Though, Juniper wasn't the only one who had a couple rough patches this year.

Suddenly, the quiet party felt very crowded, like there wasn't enough room to breathe. "Do you wanna step out for a bit?" Her girlfriend noticed her distress.

Megan nodded. "It's a little too toasty in here."

"Are you saying that because you were given a really hot cookie?" She teased.

Words could not express the betrayal she felt, as Megan glared daggers at her girlfriend, Juniper nearly cackled at her reaction.


Outside, the fireworks were louder than they were in the cafe, but the cool air was calming. "We had a really eventful year, didn't we?" Megan looked up at the fireworks, still showing bright colors of pink and blue.

"It definitely was." Juniper reached over to grab her hand. "Were you thinking about the city takeover?"

"Yeah…" Even though it had been many months since Trina's attempt at the robot revolution, it still haunted the reporter. "Were you thinking of Bridgeton?"

Juniper's darkened expression said it all. "I wish I was still over that by now."

"Well, they say time heals all wounds." Megan gently squeezed her hand. "Maybe it just needs more time."

"Maybe…" But the dancer was skeptical, there were a lot of things that still bothered her, things that had been years in the past.

She had a lot of regrets from her crime-dancing history, regrets that she couldn't simply shove in a box, put in the back of her head and call it a day.

"But out of all the things that happened this year, meeting you was the best part." She looked at Megan's eyes, her amber-brown eyes that glittered with warmth and comfort.

"I… same." Megan stuttered, a fluttery feeling in her chest making her words trip up. "I l-"

BOOM!

A very loud firework startled both of them literally into each other's arms, neither of them spoke for a moment, just trying to calm down, their breathing in sync.

"I think that was the indicator it's midnight." Megan spoke after the rattling feeling in her chest went away.

"It didn't scare me." Juniper muttered. "I was just worried you were."

"Sure."

The cafe door opened as Hiro hopped out. "Hey it's midnight now!"

"We noticed." Megan pulled away from her girlfriend's arms to face the robotics genius, but he had noticed their closeness and was grinning.

"Did I interrupt your New year's kiss?" He teased them.

Immediately, both of them started blushing. That… hadn't been on their minds.

"I- we weren't-" Juniper stammered, her face pink as a strawberry.

Seeing her girlfriend's stuttering face, Megan got an idea on how to get back at Hiro for that joke, and the cookie prank. She turned away from him, walking back to her girlfriend, and firmly pressed her lips against Juniper's.

Immediately, Hiro looked sheepish. "Uh okay I'll just leave you two alone, sorry-" He stammered an apology before closing the door.

"Meg…" Juniper's voice trailed off. "Did you do that just to make Hiro leave?"

"Maybe." She was not sorry about it, considering he had been a gremlin the entire night. "But I guess you could say I was correcting the mistake of not doing a New Year's kiss."

The dancer blinked for a few moments, then laughed, a lighthearted laugh that warmed Megan's heart. "You dork." Juniper chuckled. "I love you."

Megan smiled at her. "I love you too."

Even though last year had it's rough patches, it had been the year where they had met, and gotten together.

Who knows what next year will bring?


AN: Happy new years everyone! This year was honestly emotionally draining and I'm glad it's over. Thought I'd write something cute and wholesome with my favorite rarepair to end the year!

Have a great 2022 everyone!