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Dwight had found a spot at a small window bench, hidden by curtains, that had seemed perfect until the first small child had found him. And then the second. And the third. And a fourth. Fortunately, it seemed that most had burned themselves out on excitement and sugar. Unfortunately, that meant they had fallen asleep. On him.

He was trapped.

"Help," he whispered softly, not daring to wake them up.

Lucky patted Robert lightly on the back a few times, around the arm that threatened to pop one of his lungs like a balloon. He probably wouldn't have been able to withstand a full hug without breaking a few ribs. "I'll hold you to it."

Mimsy's question stopped him in the middle of polishing off another glass of free champagne. The happy if spacey look seemed to disappear for a moment as he set the empty glass down, and grab two more from another passing tray. Mimsy and her new boyfriend looked so happy together...

"Just catching up with people," he explained vaguely, the pleasant look returning with a little less enthusiasm this time. "Speaking of which-"

Maybe it was the festivities, or maybe it was the copious amount of champagne he'd been drinking instead of dealing with his problems that night. But he felt long overdue for a change.

"I have one last thing to attend to this year."

"Have fun, you two. Call me if you need to borrow the runic rocket launcher, Mimsy! See you both next year!" He offered a three finger wave from around the stem of one of the glasses, and made his way through the crowd. At least Jack would be easy to find - nearly seven-foot giants with green hair didn't hide that easily anywhere.

(( EXIT ))

It was hard not to focus, with rapid intensity, on the way Mimsy was shifting closer and closer. Each time she moved, it triggered his attention, and immediately after the thrill of realization came a very calm, very soothing sense of happiness. This happened at least four times as she continued to scoot just a little bit closer, until he finally took the hint and wrapped his other arm around her body.

"Dating." It would have been a hard question to answer, filled with flusters and awkwardness, if she hadn't just injected him with multiple doses of reassurance just by the way she moved. In that moment, it wasn't even a question. Of course they were dating. Nothing else felt right.

"No plans." He answered roughly, around the same time Ramona started to climb off of Allan's shoulders. "Just spending the New Year with the people who matter." It reminded him of Ramona, and it reminded him that he hadn't seen one of those people yet. So he raised a glass to Lucky as the man left, calling out a barking howl of a farewell before he stood back up and collected his daughter. "Thanks for looking out for her, Allan." Robert murmured, grinning gratefully. He gathered Ramona up in one arm, and turned back around, just in time to hear the first countdown."

"Oh s**t s**t s**t s**t-"

"DADDY!"

"I'LL PAY YOU BACK LATER!" Robert had ten seconds to find Clarice, and no idea where to look. He flustered as he realized some of the children were still in his care, and whistled a high pitched sound. The few that did not have someone looking out for them came over, and he took Mimsy's hand, rushing into the other room.

"Sorry about this, but it's an emergency!" He huffed out, as he dragged Mimsy into the next room, and turned to face the children. His face looked possessed.

"Okay kids. Your parents are in here. SEARCH AND DESTROY."

The next second of New Years countdown was filled with the screeches of children left to go wild.

"Oh god Jordan, please don't, please don't even joke about that." His hands where over his face again flustered and sighing in frustration about the whole thing before peeking at Jordan as he shot a text between another friend. He took a moment to snag more food when suddenly his mother was behind him.

He let out a sad little whine for a moment, "M-mom please not now...." he hardly meant it, he loved his family, but ohgod Jordan wasn't just a friend now he was a date!

Nio Love

prolixity

Julio came around and threw his arm over Ro's shoulder.

"Indeed. Quite a catch, you've got here, Ro .But I think it's time to show a little amor. "

[

Nonononono dad was here now too.

Sylvia was chuckling softly in the back of his head.

"I... I hear the count down, couldn't you two have just... just not shown up till... after?" He shifted about grabbing a drink from the tray, he sipped at it quickly, yes it was for the toast but he needed it now!

His cheeks where blood red and he was squirming in his seat between his parents. "Told you meeting them wasn't going to be good..."

"Hey, now don't talk to your mother like that."

With a shrug, he went and followed Em away. With a smile, he held her close.

"True. We should make every moment like this count, isn't that right, my little mariposa?"

There was a twinkle in his eyes, then he went on and swept her off her feet to plant one hell of a kiss.