"This is all bullshit you know" a handsome man called from the sofa. The man in question, Ethan, was lying sprawled before the television of his luxurious apartment. All the technology to be had was his, all the girls, or even boys; but of all that, he valued the company of his friend the most; the one who at the present moment was making himself very useful and preparing them drinks.

Ethan threw his head back on the arm rest of the sofa to get an upside down glimpse at his friend. "You've been working out hmm?" He grinned. Gianne did look much better than the scrawny teenager he used to be. He was still slender, but he was tall, tanned, confident…Ethan chuckled at his own thoughts and ran a hand through his blond hair, sighing and settling back on the sofa.

"You did not answer me on my first question."

"It was not a question" Gianne answered, looking over his shoulder with a smile. "You simple said 'it's all bullshit'."

"But it is!" He moved so that his friend could sit beside him and took one of the drinks from his hands. "Caipirinha… lovely. I do love these exotic drinks."

"It's not exotic, it just wasn't created here." The dark haired man smiled and rolled his eyes at his friend. "But go on with your story before you get sidetracked and I have to listen to a repeat of it when you get drunk" They both grinned, knowing it was quite true, and sipped their drinks.

"Well…time is an invention of men. They divided the globe in meridians to control the flow of time, of day, and hours so we could have a more organized life or God knows what other reason they had. So why all this fuss around New Year's Eve?" Ethan was a business man, but he was not hardened and cold by living in a world that was quite cruel at times. He did tend, however, to have some extreme views on things, and right now he was about to pout to make his point. "You see… Christmas, all right, its religious, other religions celebrate it in other ways. Birthday…sure, I mean you are getting older and people hate that, but we do need a excuse to party and get some presents every now and then…but new year's? Can you tackle that Ginny?"

"Hey hey…Please no girl nicknames alright? Its Gianne!" He arched a threatening eyebrow at his friend, who seemed rather amused.

"Right…sorry, Gin"

He got a smack on the back of his head and a bit of spilled drinks on his couch before the younger man settled back. "I do like New Year's Eve. It can be a bit depressing I guess, when you have no one to spend it with…" His expression saddened slightly and he sighed, thinking of how his own evening would be, alone in an empty apartment, watching those beautiful fireworks from his window; but still, alone.

Ethan seemed to notice that. "But new years is not like Christmas, you don't really have to spend it with your family! Friends get reunited for real big parties and stuff like that. I know I always have done it that way. Some big clubs throw parties on New Year's Ever and everybody is out there on the street" He remembered well how much he had partied, and he still did, but for some reason, that year nothing had turned out how he planned. He simply did not feel up to going to a crowded place, getting drunk and whatever it was that he always thought of as fun, but now just seemed like a way to escape reality. He had one less year to live, to save money to do all the things he wanted, to actually do all the things he wanted.

"And you were the one dissing this holiday a moment ago huh?" Gianne shook his head, shifting and settling his feet on Ethan's desk with a manic grin on his face, just because he knew his friend disliked that. "Are you going to a party tonight?"

"No…I am feeling old and without perspectives. And I was just saying that it's a pointless holiday. I mean, it could actually happen at any other day of the year if men had established it that way. After all, don't kids here start school in what…August? And on the other hemisphere they start in February? Same thing…"

"It's not the same thing." Gianne smiled while watching his friend, his green eyes slanting. "And you are not old, creature! You are thirty three years old. I am 29, I am the one who should be going through a crisis of going thirty. You had yours…actually you have yours every six months when you buy something extremely expensive and go to some exotic country with a woman you have never seen before." He sounded almost jealous, and truth was, Gianne was; but that was simply out of the question.

"Hey, easy there…I am not an old pervert; I just like to keep my options open"

They snorted and just kept on drinking, each looking at the other every now and then. Ethan was a bachelor; he liked it that way, but as of late he had been wanting to settle down. Not marry a young girl and have kids, no, no, he did not have the energy for kids, or at least not for enduring a woman through pregnancy. More and more he liked the idea of a male companion, someone who was easier to understand and be with…who was not so jealous and sentimental. And if he ever got paternal needs, he would just find some teenager in need, already raised and help him become a decent man instead of a beggar or a bandit. Gianne was young and handsome and the blond had to admit he had always been interested, intrigued…and there was a point along the way where he decided he was simply in love. It did not befit him, he did not look in love at all, but he felt it, and he liked it. He just liked the chase too much to get what he wanted too fast…so he waited.

"Anyway…" Gianned downed the last of his drink and sighed. "What are your plans for tonight?" He looked into Ethan's eyes with a soft smile, but he still looked sad.

"Oh…I am not sure. I thought of having some friends over but its too much work"

The younger man frowned hearing those words. Ethan had never been like that before. Yes, he hated cleaning after those friends left, but he loved entertaining people…and Gianne had always stayed back to help him clean. That was what both liked most of those parties as of late.

"Are you sure you are ok?" The dark haired man drew closer ad touched Ethan's bow for a fever. "You are acting so odd"

"I'm fine, Gin" Ethan grinned, his head lowered and hiding the satisfied expression at hearing his friend grunt.

"I only don't pick a fight because you are getting old."

"Ha!" The blond sat up straight "I can take you anytime!" There was a moment of silence in which Gianne coughed and then stood up.

"Uhn…well…more drinks?"

The dark haired man stood and picked up the glasses on the table and headed for the kitchen. The apartment had a nice loft style, and Ethan had but to turn his head to keep watching his friend. "Hey, Gianne, what about you? Any plans for tonight?'

"No…no plans."

Ethan frowned as the younger man's head hung slightly. Gianne missed his family, his country, and friends were not the proper replacement sometimes. He worried for the other, being young and yet so lonely, no girlfriends, boyfriends, lovers…just work and the occasional party. "Well…" The blond man had a contemplating look on his face for a moment before he smiled. It seemed like a good moment to speed up that chase.

He stood and walked over to the kitchen counter where Gianne stood. He stood behind him for a moment then stepped closer, placing his hands on top of those of the man that had been chopping lemons for their drink and whispered to his ear. "Why don't you stay?"

"What?" Gianne tensed and shivered slightly.

"I love this game…but looking dumb does not suit you, Gin… don't you know tha I like you?" He smiled predatorily at the soft shiver that ran down Gianne's back.

"Ethan… I know that you can 'take' whoever you want, but it does not work with me" He turned around, still between the older man's arms, a slightly reproving smile on his face. "I have always been the younger one of the group…not by much, but still…I admire you for your lifestyle, so carefree and full of life. But it's also empty. My life is different"

"But it's just as empty" Ethan pointed out.

"Yes…yes it is, but I want to change that. You don't. You like things the way they are."

"Bullshit!" Ethan slammed a fist on the wooden cutting board. "What have I been telling you the whole day long? I am growing tired of this life…I want changes too."

"That's what this ritual is all about, Ethan. Wanting changes, having faith in them and expecting that this slight change, a change of day, month, year…all in one second…gives people some mysticism to believe that their wishes will have more power. Is this your New Year's wish?" He asked with an amused face, his green eyes taking in the details of Ethan's handsome face.

"Yes…My new year's wish. Just as having you is my New Year's resolution."

"That makes me feel very wanted and…merchandise-like, thanks" Gianned rolled his eyes and pushed Ethan away. "Listen, we are no girls, we are men, so I will be straight with you

"For the first time eh" They stared at each other and snorted.

'Shut up, see you are impossible. But listen…you know…or if you did not you know now, that I like you. Like the British say…I fancy you." Gianne chuckled. "I like you as a friend, I'd like to have you as a lover…but that something extra that comes along with being together. Ot just sex, not just friendship. You on the other hand, want an experience, to know if you really wanna change lifestyles. I am not up to be an experiment."

"You'd be a lovely guinea pig" The blond insisted, touching Gianne's face. "But I don't want one. We can have one as a pet though…I want you, Gianne. I love you for being like that….all square and full of principles, but also with a sarcastic humor that scares people that think you are an angel. I want you to be with me."

The dark haired man smiled and shook his head. "I don't start something just before the New Year unless I know that it will reach the next new year…"

Ethan made a horrified face "Are you serious?"

"I try to. But then again I do not have that many lovers in my history so keeping them for a longer while is the solution to justify the short number."

They both arched their eyebrows at the obviously made up and preposterous excuse.

"So…New Years is just creating a conflict see? It's a terrible holiday" Ethan pointed out.

"Well…it gives people another excuse to party and have fun despite all their problems, because no one will judge them for it. We all need that sometimes." Gianne was still speaking when he noticed is friend advancing on him quite determinately.

Ethan held Gianne close and firmly so he would not move away. "If you are not staying, I want that damn New Year's midnight kiss at least."

"But its not midnight"

"Shut the fuck up, boy"

"Oh wow…you are almost convincing my masochist side to stay" They grinned.

"I know" Ethan closed the distance between them and claimed Gianne's lips in a heated kiss, exploring the sweetness of it for the first time. It tasted like something forbidden, risky…but so good and right.

There was a wet sound that made them both pull a disgusted look when they parted and a few moments of silence as they looked into each other's eyes.

" I have to go now…traffic will get bad soon"

"Alright…" Ethan looked disappointed but had no other complaints. At least he had his kiss, and he had the rest of the year to keep trying. But it would be a lonely night.

"Bye, Ethan" He came up to the blond and hugged him tightly before walking out.

o o o o o o o o o

"Argh…crap…" He looked at his watch. It was eleven thirty and that was positively the most horrible night he had ever had.

Ethan had watched old movies al night and realized he was really turning old, most of all when he heard himself saying out loud that a video clip by 50 Cent, full of naked ladies dancing was "indecent".

He shook his head and went to the bathroom to take a bath. He still had a naggining feeling that this just wasn't right, it was simply not how his night was supposed to go, and yet, the year was almost over. Ethan, the one who claimed it all to be a silly excuse for superstition was now displeased with the idea of entering a new year with such a negative, bored and lonely energy about him.

"I have to after him…" That was decided.

He dressed in a hurry, looking at the watch at every other second until he burst out the door….and turned around.

"Gianne?"

He looked down at the dejected looking man sitting by his doorstep. "What are you doing here?" He knelt down before the man.

"I…well…I knew that I was going to regret leaving…" He looked up hesitantly. "But my home is too far away and traffic is hell…so I'd never make it in time by the time I decided to come back." He smiled a little at the broad smile on Ethan's face and his laughter before he was pulled into a kiss.

"I do love you" Ethan said happily. "Did I tell you that?!"

"No…you said you love me for being this way"

"Well…I do both ways" They smiled and stood up, Ethan's hands possessively trying to rid Gianne of the vicious clothes on his body. "I want to end this year…and start a new one…with you on my bed…doing very naught things" He grinned as he nibbled on the man's earlobe, leading them back into the apartment.

"E-Ethan…what time is it?"

"Hmm…" The blond pulled back and looked at his watch. "A quarter to twelve"

Gianne arched an eyebrow questioningly.

"Oh come on! I last much more than that! You'll pay for that one…" Ethan was beginning to understand what it meant to need good vibrations to start off a new year, and it was a lovely start to have the colorful reflections of the fireworks upon Gianne's skin.

"Happy New Year" He whispered into his lover's year as he shifted on the bed moving slowly into his lovely body, dragging out the moment, enjoying the feel of Gianne's arms holding him close.

Gianne's own greeting of a good new year came in the much more interesting form of moans and sighs as they made love through the night.