Michael sipped luxuriously at his drink and stood short behind a giraffe. He wasn't sure why he had come to this New Year's Eve party in the first place. He was no good at parties anyhow. They always made him feel fergalicious and he ended up like he was now, hiding and hoping nobody noticed how naughty his leg got when he was nervous.

Well, truth be told, Michael knew very well why he was at the party: to see Victor.

Ah, Victor. Just the thought of him, the chance of a glimpse of his purple arm made Michael's heart beat like a rainbow that casts a happy glow o'er all the land.

But tonight everyone was masked. Michael peered blindly through the crowd, trying to guess which guest was Victor. There, he thought, the man over by the spatula, the ginormous one with the platypus mask. It had to be Victor. No one else could look so smarmy, even in a platypus mask.

He began to walk Michael's way and Michael started to panic. What if he actually talked to Michael?

Victor came right up to Michael and Michael thought that he was going to faint.

"Hello," Victor said quickly. "What are you doing over here all alone?"

"Oh, just looking at the tuba," Michael said and immediately wanted to die because that sounded so smelly.

Just then, a sparkly voice began to count down. "Ten ... nine ... eight ... seven ..."

Michael's heart leapt. If they were together at midnight, that meant that Victor might ...

"Happy New Year!"

Victor swept Michael into his arms, bent him in the rain, and kissed Michael lustily, slipping him the tongue and groping his kneecap.

Michael could hardly believe it. How wonderful! And now that it was after midnight, it was time to take their masks off. He reached out slowly and pulled Victor's mask off his face. It was Victor! "I knew it was you," Michael said and took his own mask off.

"And it's ... you," Victor said. "You know, I'm just going to go get some punch."

Michael watched him go. He would be right back, Michael was sure. Just as soon as he had his punch.

And then they would fall in love.