Chapter Four: New Years

Levon wanted to laugh at the whole situation, but mostly at Todd. Todd had always mocked the slumber parties Levon had had with Aisha and Cash. He used to laugh at them and make jokes with Betto about how unwilling he would be to join in on the 'girly' sleepovers. Yet here he was, wearing pajamas and huddled down with them all in the pillow fort, discomfort clear on his face.

It was Cash's idea. Usually, the group of friends had a party with a bonfire and maybe even some fireworks, but since Cash had her falling out with her father, she didn't have access to the firepit and had instead asked if everyone would be willing to have a little party at her and Parker's apartment. A slumber party for six grown adults. Levon was loving it.

The evening had been filled with card games, music, cocktails, melted chocolate with fresh fruits and all kinds of other snacks. They had banded together to build a huge pillow fort that took up the majority of the living room, they were all pretty buzzed on the funky cocktails Aisha had been mixing and they've been keeping themselves very entertained with the use of games and fighting.

Todd was across from Levon, slumped lazily on the thick blanket floor, with Betto to his left, and Parker to the left of Betto. Cash was leaning heavily against her boyfriend with her laughter, and he was holding her with the smile that just screamed how utterly in love with her he was.

Levon thought they were a stunning couple. She was small and curvy, Mi'kmaq with thick black hair, darker skin and warm brown eyes that crinkled with humour. He was a taller, broad-shouldered ginger, pale and covered in freckles. They had been together since high school and had been friends for much longer.

Levon was next to Cash and had Aisha on his other side. She and Todd had demanded to be at the mouth of the fort; Todd so he could escape faster, and Aisha so she could leave frequently to refill their drinks.

They had just ended a game of Uno in which Parker had absolutely demolished Betto and kicked all of their asses. Levon's face hurt from laughing and he was pretty sure he was starting to feel the cocktails. He found it was getting harder and harder to stop himself from staring at Todd with a mixture of affection and frustration.

Todd and Levon had been on very good terms since Christmas. They hardly even bickered. It was all laughter and hanging out. They exchanged gifts. They visited Levon's grandparents and his Uncle Matt, and Todd had been unbearably pleasant on both trips. It was probably the friendliest they'd been with each other since they'd become not friends. Levon laughed at his idiotic terminology and lack of title for his relationship with Todd.

Todd, who he would love to call his boyfriend, but the stubborn shit had yet to acknowledge their kiss in any way. Since it had happened it hadn't come up again. Levon had tried to broach the subject, but the attention always got diverted. He wasn't even sure if it was Todd doing it on purpose or if the idiot boy wasn't thinking about their kiss at all.

"Come help me get more drinks," Aisha slapped Levon on the arm and he snapped his eyes to her, realizing he had been pretty much glaring at Todd. But of course, Todd didn't notice. He was talking to Betto.

"Sure." Levon crawled out of the fort after Aisha, grabbing some empty glasses that were handed to him. They went to Cash and Parker's tiny kitchen/dining room and she got to work mixing up another fruity cocktail.

"What's up?" Aisha was a very tall and pale blond with a smile nearly too wide for her face. She peered at Lev, a brow arched and amusement in her eyes. "Because you were looking at Todd like you were about to start kicking his ass."

"So you admit that I could kick his ass?" Levon smirked and Aisha rolled her eyes at him, but he was accepting the admittance as truth. He may not be as bulky as Todd, but he was in good shape. Shape enough to kick ass.

"Idiot," Aisha stated, and he hopped onto the counter to watch her work. She had an affinity for alcohol.

"I'll try to be less obvious with my dissatisfaction over my unrequited love," Levon told her with a dramatic flick of his wrist. He had told Aisha and Cash about his having kissed Todd. It appeared that the two of them were even more excited about the possible romance than he was.

"How about you go in there and kiss him again? Use some tongue? Give us a show?" Aisha grinned at him with a suggestive wiggle of her brows and Levon scoffed loudly.

"How about I just punch myself in the face and save Todd the trouble?" Levon retorted with heavy sarcasm and she chuckled.

"I'll probably enjoy seeing that just as much," she admitted, and he blew sigh from his nose and glared at her without malice. "What time is it anyway?"

"Quarter to eleven," she answered after a quick glance at her watch. "Maybe you can steal a new years smooch from the lover boy?"

"Maybe you can shut up?" Levon threw out just as enthusiastically. He slid off the counter. "I'm gonna go hang out with Cash. She's nicer than you."

"You sit your ass back down. I need help carrying these."

"But I don't want to be around you," Levon whined playfully and Aisha threw some cut fruit at him. Most scattered to the floor.

"Sit your ass down and I'll tell you more about the professor I'm fucking," Aisha bargained, and he laughed loudly.

They went back to fort soon after with their arms full of drinks. The other four adults seemed to have taken to reliving old memories of their childhood and Levon smiled fondly at the group. There were bowls of chips, popcorn, and pretzels that were being tossed around. Levon took his seat and drank a hearty amount of his cocktail. Todd  looked very handsome in the dim lighting.

Levon looked to Cash as she laughed almost hysterically about the time in middle school when Parker had broken his arm trying to break into her treehouse. Levon remembered that and still felt a little queasy at the remembrance of Parker's misshapen arm and having to run for help.

"Literally one of the funniest things to ever happen to me," Cash gasped and Parker frowned playfully.

"I'll just keep quiet about how much that fall actually hurt," Parker said, and she slapped his shoulder like he had told a hilarious joke and he had to laugh.

"It's funny how differently we all remember things," Todd said, smiling crookedly at the couple.

"Yeah, like I still think the time we egged Levon's car was hilarious," Betto said and Levon immediately glared at him, though his lips betrayed him when Todd roared into laughter.

"Oh my God he was so mad at me!" Todd cackled and Levon chucked a couple pretzels at him.

"I'm still mad at you, dickhead!" Levon snapped. "That was awful. The eggs fucking cooked!"

"It was a work of art!" Betto smiled and Levon sent some snacks flying his way too.

"It smelled so bad," Cash grimaced at the memory and Parker shook his head at her.

"That's not important. The eggs cooked. It was awesome," Parker told her and she rolled her eyes at him.

"I promise not to do it again if you admit that it was pretty hilarious," Todd said and Levon met the gaze with narrowed eyes.

"You won't do it again because you know I'll actually kill you if you do," Levon said and Todd smirked.

"You don't scare me," Todd said and the tone of his voice sent a wave of heat through Levon's stomach.

"I should," Levon said. "I'm pretty crazy in a fight."

"Give yourself more credit, Lev," Aisha butted in, pulling Levon into an uncomfortable and forceful hug. "You're pretty all the time!"

"Fuck off, Aish!" Levon's muffled protest came, his face squished against her breasts. "You're smothering me!"

"Can you at least pretend to enjoy my tits?" Aisha grinned down at him. "You're hurting my feelings."

"I'll pretend to enjoy them for you," Betto offered, throwing a hand up and laughter scattered. Levon was released and he crawled away from her, shoving himself between Todd and Betto.

"You can have her," Levon told Betto. "I'm way too gay for that shit."

"You wanna stick your face in my tits then?" Betto asked, smirking down at Levon and Levon gave him a once over for show.

"You're not really my type," Levon grinned. "Too macho."

"Too macho?" Betto scoffed and flexed his muscular arms. "How is that a bad thing?"

"He likes to fuck the pretty little twinks he finds on Grindr," Parker pitched in and winced when Cash pinched him.

"You slut," Betto gasped and Levon shoved him.

"You can't judge me when you and Todd have been banging chicks left and right at Uni," Levon retorted and Betto laughed, tilting his head in admittance.

"I don't bang chicks left and right," Todd argued and Levon turned around to face the man with an arched brow.

"You must get laid pretty often though?" Levon asked and Todd just rolled his eyes and leaving the fort with his empty glass. Levon watched his back, mild confusion on his face. Todd was very handsome and had had quite the time partying during his high school and first year of Uni. Levon turned to Betto. "Is he serious?"

"You're really interested in his sex life," Betto pointed out instead, an arch to his brow and Levon pushed Betto's head so he fell into Parker, laughing. Levon crawled out of the fort and went to the kitchen where Todd had gone.

"How many people have you actually had sex with?" Levon asked and Todd jolted in surprise, spilling the Pepsi he had been pouring on the little kitchen table.

"Fucking hell, Lev," Todd cried, turning to glower at Levon. "You can't just sneak up on people like that!"

"I'm a ninja," Levon stated with a shrug and grabbed the paper towel roll and chucked it to Todd. He started cleaning the mess, looking quite unhappy. "Can't help but sneak up on people."

"You're an idiot," Todd stated.

"So, how many people?" Levon asked, leaning on the counter and watching Todd work. A pink blush had spread over Todd's neck and he scowled, chucking the soiled paper towel in the trash. Levon let out a breath, marveling at the fact that he'd seen Todd blush twice now. Todd rarely blushed. Levon thought it was adorable.

"That's really none of your damn business," Todd snapped.

"I'll give you my number if you give me yours," Levon bargained.

"I really don't want your number," Todd told him. "I really don't care how many twinks you've fucked."

"Aisha was exaggerating that," Levon assured him but Todd still looked quite annoyed. He finished cleaning and leaned on the table, sipping his soft drink.

"Why are you so interested in this?" Todd finally muttered and Levon grinned.

"I wanna know all the places that mouth has been," Levon answered rather honestly, and Todd glowered at him. "I've kissed that mouth and I want to make sure I haven't caught anything."

"I don't have any STI's," Todd rolled his eyes, ignoring the mention of the kiss.

"Nine," Levon said and Todd met his gaze, eyes as blue and beautiful as ever, lips pink and kissable. "I've had sex with nine guys."

"Two," Todd grunted after a painfully long pause, eyes flicking away briefly. "Two girls."

"You've only been with two girls?" Levon repeated in disbelief and Todd glared.

"I dated a girl at the Uni and there was that girl I met in high school," Todd explained reluctantly. Levon hadn't heard much about the girl at Uni but the second girl he had never liked. A chick Todd had met at a college party who was three years their senior and thought Todd was adorable. Levon hated her.

"Why not more? You're not an ugly guy," Levon said and Todd snickered at the compliment.

"I don't know, Lev. I'm just picky I guess. I'm not interested in every girl I see," Todd shrugged his shoulders. "And I think this conversation is over now that it's been one of the most awkward talks of my life."

"I didn't find it awkward," Levon told him and Todd eyed him.

"I think that's because you're a little drunk."

"That's fair," Levon agreed. They both moved to the exit but Levon stopped Todd with a hand on his elbow. "You haven't fucked any guys, right?"

"What?" Todd's brows furrowed. "No, I haven't fucked any guys."

"Good, 'cause if you ever decide to try the gay thing I want to be your first," Levon said and Todd's face went red, eyes wide and innocent, despite the glare he was forcing. Levon smile, reaching up and patting one of the heated cheeks.

Todd smacked his hand away. "Not everyone is gay, Lev."

"Look me in the eye and tell me you're completely straight," Levon challenged. Todd met his gaze and Levon felt his heart rate pick up, afraid that Todd would do just as he asked.

"You annoy the hell out of me, Levon," Todd said instead. Then he brushed past and made his way back to the fort. Levon was still for a moment. Then he was grinning, a wide and goofy grin. His night was made. That was an admittance. Todd wasn't completely against the gay. Wasn't completely against Levon.

Levon made it back to the fort and slotted himself between Cash and Aisha, ignoring the questioning smirks they sent him for the dumbass smile on his face.

"Now that everyone is back and it's getting close to midnight, I'd like to say something," Parker spoke up. He grabbed his cell phone attached to the speakers and shut off the music.

"Are you pregnant?" Cash asked him, lips twitching with humour. "I told you I would leave you if you got pregnant."

"You would abandon your pregnant boyfriend?" Betto asked in false outrage. "Just knock him up and leave him? Is that the kind of woman you are?"

"Shut the fuck up, all of you," Parker said, but he was grinning as they all laughed. He shoved a bunch of bowls aside, spilling snacks everywhere, and knelt in front of Cash, taking her hands into his pale, freckled ones. Levon's eyes widened and he grabbed Aisha's hand to stop himself from shrieking when he realized the situation. Aisha started slapping his leg.

"Cash," Parker started, and Cash smiled up at him, obviously unaware. "I don't want to go into the new year with you as my girlfriend."

"Excuse you?" Cash's brows shot up and Betto let out a bark of laughter.

"I don't want you to be my girlfriend anymore because I want you to be my fiancé," Parker smiled, and Cash's mouth fell open in shock. "You're my best friend. You're my first kiss and my first time. You're the first person I want to see in the mornings and the last person I want to see at night. You mean the whole world to me and I am so completely in love with you that I can't even breath sometimes."

"You should probably get that checked," Cash choked out and he narrowed his eyes.

"Can you cut the jokes for like two minutes here, Cash. I'm trying to have a moment here," Parker scolded, and she gave a shaky laugh, nodding her head for him to continue. "Here, in front of our closest friends, I ask you, Cashew Pattles. Will you do me the absolute honour," Parker pulled the small silk box from his pocket and opened it in front of her. Levon and Aisha leaned forward to see the ring. "Of being my wife?"

"You realize 'Cashew' isn't my name?" Cash sniffled and Levon covered his mouth in awe.

"Marry me, Cassandra," Parker spoke softly, lovingly.

"Please," Cash suddenly shot forward and was kissing him. Aisha was screaming, Levon was cheering. Betto wolf-whistled and Todd clapped, a wide smile on his face.

The couple broke up. Cash was crying, and he put the ring on her finger. It was silver with little green gems on it and a small ribbon of gold. It was beautiful.

"I can't believe you made me cry, you fucker," Cash said to Parker and he laughed, pulling her into his arms and just holding her. Both of them were grinning.

"That was so fucking adorable," Levon told them then he leaned up and hugged them both. "So fucking happy for you losers."

"Get out of here," Parker laughed, shoving Levon's face so he fell back on Aisha.

The air felt like it was buzzing. They checked the time then got champagne and flipped on the TV for the countdown. Everyone was laughing. Cash seemed like she was in a whole other world, clinging to Parker's arm and he kept kissing her. Levon felt like crying it was so adorable.

They filled up mugs with champagne because none of them owned proper champagne flutes. They moved closer to the TV and Levon ended up standing next to Todd as the TV counting down the last minute. Levon peered at Todd's face, eyes dropping to the pink lips and wondering if he should really take Aisha's advice.

"Kiss me and I will end you," Todd murmured, eyes bright and Levon smirked.

"That might be a risk I'm willing to take," Levon told him.

"Can't say I'm shocked. You've always been a little off," Todd said and Levon chuckled.

"If you two plan to kiss, please use some tongue," Aisha said. "Momma needs a show."

"Fuck off, Aisha," Todd snorted.

"Yeah, didn't you get enough of a show from the lovebirds?" Betto asked, nudging Aisha with his shoulder and smiling teasingly at Parker and Cash.

"You guys are just jealous," Parker grinned, squeezing Cash against him. "I've got this beauty all to myself."

"You called her Cashew when you proposed," Levon said. "I can't believe you."

"I thought it would be cute," Parker defended with a goofy smile and Cash laughed. "It's what I called her when we were little.

"It was so cute I puked in my mouth," Aisha mocked.

"Ten! Nine! Eight!" Cash started counting loudly and they all joined in. They hit the new year cheering and toasting and hugging. Parker and Cash kissed very passionately. Aisha hugged everyone. Levon stared at Todd and Todd stared at him. Then they toasted and shared a small smile full of warmth and Levon had never felt so much hope for a new year.

***

Sorry a tiny bit late! I got caught up in life, but I hope you still enjoy!