Just a BBRae drabble to ring in the new year! Have a great 2018! - LB

The vintage hotel entrance glowed with the twinkling of white Christmas lights that lined the gothic architecture of the six-story building. The dark red overhang blinked with the festive lights and the skinny Christmas trees that sat on either side of the entrance way glowed along with them. The streets, though not crowed, still filled with cars and passerby's heading back home after a late night out. Though it was the city, the only reason for this much bustle was for the special occasion this night brought.

A rowdy group of single women stumbled up toward the glass doors of the entrance way, their loud and obnoxious cackling being heard from blocks down. The doorman posted at the entrance looked annoyed, but kept his lips closed as he soundlessly grasped the door handle and held it open as each lady clumsily passed. Unbeknownst to the party and the doorman, a young woman sitting up in a silver Lexus ES observed them with a disapproving, violet glare.

"Civilians." She muttered from her black lips, like a curse. Her arms crossed her chest as she laid back in the passenger's seat with a huff.

The sound of the car door opening made her body tense, but she quickly relaxed when her eyes picked up on the familiar green hue of her boyfriend's skin.

"Okay, so I got one box of dark-chocolates for the lady, one bag of Swedish Fish for yours truly, and of course, one bottle of BP's finest Champaign." He listed with mock enthusiasm as he sat in the driver's seat and pulled out each item from the brown paper bag he held in his hands.

The woman rolled her eyes in dismissal of her lover's silly behavior, but she still accepted the box of chocolates and without a word, took out a truffle and plopped it into her awaiting mouth. A delighted moan escaped her lips, but the smirk on her boyfriend's face as she chewed made her internally scolded herself.

After she swallowed, she turned to him with her signature glare. "Wipe that stupid grin off your face and hand me a glass."

The green man's grin fell to a smirk and with a nod of his head, he reached behind him and pulled out two Champaign glasses.

"Here ya go, my dear…" He said as he handed her a glass, then popped open the bottle. The clear, bubbly liquid squirting out of the bottle, before it died back down. "One for you…" He said as he carefully poured her drink, then moved on to his own. "And one for me."

"I still don't understand why you brought two Champaign glasses, but no Champaign." She commented as she stirred her drink in her hand.

"I was in a rush, okay."

The woman's lips titled upward as she brought the glass up to her lips, but a hairy arm blocked her path and pulled her hand away. She opened her mouth to chastise him, but he beat her to it.

"Stop Rae! You have to wait until midnight!" He exclaimed.

"Then why did you pour me a glass?"

"Because you asked."

An annoyed snort came from her nose as she lowered her drink and glanced over at the clock on the car's radio.

"It's 11:59 Gar." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Then let the countdown begin." He said with a grin, his fangs glistening from the glow of the nearby lights. "Ten, nine, eight…"

"Gar, I really don't think a countdown is necessary."

"Five, four, three…" He continued. Raven scowled at him, but his jovial tone became contagious.

"One." She finally joined him, although her counting was less eager then his. With a ghost of a smile on her part, and a boyish grin on his, the pair raised their glasses.

"Cheers." They both cheered before clanking their glasses together, then each of them taking a celebratory sip. Gar was the first to finish, and as he looked up to watch Raven enjoy her beverage, he couldn't help the feeling of guilt that washed over him.

"Happy New Year, Rae. Sorry we had to spend it on a stupid stakeout."

Raven glanced up from her glass to meet his sullen expression. Lowering her mental barriers, she felt a pang of regret. With her free hand, she reached over to cup his cup. His head instinctively leaned into her gentle touch and his emerald eyes met hers.

"Hey, if I'm with you, then I think this is the perfect way start to my year." And with that she leaned forward, and their lips molded together as they fell into their normal pattern. Neither noticing the suspicious man with a brief case leaving the hotel.