A/N: I really wanted to do something romantic and fluffy. Just in that sort of mood. And after Lella aka Grunhilda made me a tiny ficlet for my xmas card, it was so thoughtful and I really wanted to give her something. So hunnie I picked New Years as a bit of the theme for this, which is dedicated entirely to you You deserve some Kiro love too!

And to anyone else. I really hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own this anime/manga, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

After the world danced, after it sung and drank itself into a silly stupor. A lowly soul walking down a quiet street sighed in sheer relief once surrounded by silence. The winter air was crisp and dry, and small puffs of tired breath could be heard and billowed out before his young face. It was New Years Eve, correction, New Years Day or rather very early morning. He had to admit to himself that he felt a little subdued by the alcohol earlier this evening. Not drunk or buzzed but the way one felt coming down from an alcohol high. He felt tired but not ready to sleep, he felt nostalgic. What was it about a new year that brought that feeling of contemplation? Of ideals and or of love, he wondered.

Hiro stopped walking towards his apartment when he noticed snow began to fall. 'Silence in the snow fall', he thought like a line of lyrics. Silence in the snowfall, melted on his skin in which he held out a warm bare hand to. Softly the tiny water crystals landed, pinpointing the tiniest jolts to his palm as they turned back into water.

"…like when you touch me."

He shivered physically, delightfully, but hearing his own voice seemed out of place suddenly. Hiro imagined he could talk right now and only the abyss would swallow it up. He could spill his deepest thoughts, as if the night were an endless well or some key-locked journal.

Hiro chuckled, "Maybe I'm just being sappy."

Walking along he felt as if he were walking through a dream, feeling all floaty like. As if he were a nomad that would just keep walking and walking, straight past his home and end up god knows where. Sometimes ideas like this were fun, it gave a momentary feeling of freedom and fantasy…but it was only just a thought though. Hiro like to think rather, that his freedom came out through his music. Truly he would never abandon Shuichi and his career with Bad Luck—he loved what he did very much.

"I think I'm in love…"

Hiro smiled coyly under the street lamp he was now passing, shrugging into his leather jacket, and sticking damp hands into the small pockets again. It wasn't the first time he'd said that out loud, and at moments like this he dared to. Just as he'd dared to dance this evening, he dared to watch; to smile…it caused laughter to escape past pink lips. The flowery scent of cologne still lingered, filled his head with images that made him laugh more, giggle even. Stupid things like lying on summer grass and staring up at stars, all while breathing in his dangerously intoxicating scent. He shook his head at the way he seemed to act like some foolish girl. It was amusing that he'd seem to put himself past such follies. But indeed he was just a smitten fool, a fool for a fool. Hiro, feeling silly with himself tonight stuck his tongue out to catch a few flakes of snow.

'Nakano the Child Guitarist Caught Catching Snowflakes on His Tongue'

That was the headline in his mind, but what would he say about that? Mind still lit up with nostalgia, each dash of snow that landed on his moist wet tongue, felt like gentle tip of another's. Too dream of such an invasion made his blood stir fiercely, rapid. Maybe if the snow was deeper a self inflicted snow job would remind him to stop this daydreaming.

It would take a miracle…unless I'm being too hard on myself?

The snow was now a fine blanket over the land, and Hiro's boots made the fine frozen snow dust creak a little with every step, tough wet packing snow. Good for a wicked snowball fight. He almost wished that everyone were here and this 'new year' morning could be celebrated with a heinous snow fight. But why did the vision end with only the two of them? Wet snow melting down one side of his face, staring into those eyes again…just before they kissed, a blush washed over his face and Hiro envisioned steam rising from his snow sprinkled head.

Wandering into the middle of the road, kicking up a plume of snow, no cars came by in the entire time he was on this street. A nice reminder of why he chose this area to live, it felt like home that's why. Everyone needed to feel as though they were going home, that was something important to him.

Balance.

Although in the last while balance was a thing to be considered. He had to ask himself if balance had anything to do with this New Year's resolution. If he'd had half the mind, he'd say it was completely gone. Hiro couldn't even blame it on the beer tonight. He couldn't blame it on lack of attention, nor could he blame his fellow friends. It was all his own doing, this tip of the scales he'd inflicted upon himself. Maybe it was curiosity? Like wanting forbidden fruit…teehee, he had to wonder what kind of fruit he was. An apple, that would be most politically correct Hiro mused, or maybe a coconut for its endless comparisons? A banana? Hiro chuckled loudly.

"Do not go down that route dude," he chastised himself.

All he knew was what his heart wanted. And often one had to wonder what was wrong with their hearts at times. How did a heart know what it needed? How could you be sure that the heart was not leading you towards your own insanity, and that nothing in medical authority could help you now? That when your heart aches for that someone, you can't even understand why.

But that smile burned into his mind, Hiro relished in it as he came upon a set of snow covered steps. He'd arrived home, but he didn't want this moment to end just yet. Instead Hiro brushed some snow from a perch with his foot and sat, taking out a cigarette from his jacket pocket. From the other pocket he grasped a pack of matches and in one skilled motion, ignited it to tend to the cigarette. Fire assaulted the paper and tobacco, making a quick crisp burning noise. Hiro inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for just a moment under the dim light given by the nearest street lamp.

Down the street the purr of a car engine got louder as it got closer, ruining his perfectly silent moment. Frowning slightly, Hiro opened his eyes to check it out. Concern about how fast this driver was going in the thick new snowfall, made him wonder how some ever got their license. Probably someone was rushing home from another party. He watched the car, go past and suddenly stop with a skid, red brake lights glowing angrily almost. It did a three point turn out of someone else's drive way and came back his way. The little beige car stopped on the curb close to his house, it was awfully familiar. Quickly the engine was shut down, and once more silence filled the night. Sucking casually on his smoke, Hiro gave a quick peek up from his boots to see who got out of the care and came walking towards him, was he dreaming? He couldn't stop his heart from skipping a few beats. Forcefully he tried not to smile in that goofy way he did at the party tonight.

"Why…why are you here?"

The tall blonde, lips curving into a swift smirk, walked up the small path leading to the apartment. He stood looking down at him in his three-quarter length black coat and a red scarf. K's face was slightly flushed from tonight's festivities, cheeks a rosy hue which made Hiro's eyes fall to the man's shoes with chagrin. "Oh, I don't know," K started easily, "I was on my way home, when it began to snow. Then I thought about you walking home by yourself…I wondered if I could catch you before you got to your door. Seems like you beat me to it."

"Sure looks that way. But I told you I didn't mind walking, I needed the fresh air after that party," Hiro divulged. "Anyways, it's the start of a new year. I wanted to actually stop to enjoy it for once." Sometimes he just felt so busy, that it felt like life was going on without him sometimes.

K, who took a moment to look up into the falling flurries, blinked quickly as a snowflake landed in his eye.

"Its better if you catch them on your tongue," Hiro suggested without care and took a slow drag from his cigarette. Face unreadable, Hiro watched K do just that, he aimed to catch a few snowflakes with his tongue.

Then they chuckled.

"I've always loved the snow," K said finally when he stopped playing and looked down at Hiro again. "Even when everything seems crazy, chaotic, a snowfall like this on a night like this makes it all feel right. You know?"

Surprised, Hiro regarded K carefully. To judge a book by the cover is the biggest failure one could make. He loved how wrong K made him just now but he loved how right his instincts were. Hiro betrayed his cool exterior with a smile as K took a seat next to him on the cold step. K dug out his cigarettes and Hiro leaned over to light it for him with a match.

"Still buzzing?" Hiro asked, casting a look to the man next to him. He could feel K's hip next to his, both of them sitting there as if they were old friends

"Not really."

"Me either."

Silence came again, blissful and actually peaceful. It was pleasant sitting here breathing the fresh cool air—that scent, a warm body next to his. Lining the finished smoke up on the tip of his thumb and middle finger, Hiro flicked the thing across the lawn. It bore a snowy hole before winking out. And still K didn't speak. He just sat here notably quiet for once and calmly watching the snowfall. As peaceful as this was, Hiro knew that the man's attendance was the highlight of the moment. His nostalgia was now episodic. But tonight Hiro didn't feel like he had anything to hide and maybe…just maybe K didn't either. Maybe it was simple.

He looked over to the man next to him.

Blue eyes darted in his direction, meeting his gaze.

It was almost as if K was waiting for him to say something. Hiro grinned at the dusting of snow that lay on top of blonde's head. "Dandruff," he said and flicked some off from K's mantle. Quickly the blonde swiped over his head, Hiro huffed with a small laugh. Still amused Hiro asked, "Don't you have somewhere else you'd rather be? Or you are planning on sitting out here in the cold all night?"

"Well, I sure hope you're not leaving me out here alone. Anyways, who says I'm not already where I'd rather be?"

You don't say…

"You don't mind, do you?" K asked.

"Not at all, I think—"

"—tell me Hiro did you make any New Year resolutions? I made a couple," K informed, sending his finished cigarette in the same direction as Hiro's.

Blinking, Hiro stumbled, "Well, I…yea I might have made one." He dared. "What was yours?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Y-yes," Hiro breathed.

K dug in his pocket for a moment and offered Hiro a piece of gum. "It's sugarless…you know beer and cigarettes…"

Well, when he put it that way. "Thanks," Hiro said took a piece of peppermint gum. He un-wrapped the item and popped it into his mouth. "So about that—"

"—New Years thing, hmm, got your curiosity eh?" K teased interrupting Hiro once again. "I made a promise to not to spend so much on weaponry, you know instead saving a little."

Hiro guffawed, "I highly doubt that will come true. What else you got?"

K looked over and smiled coyly. "Well, this one that I didn't really expect to make tonight. But, I thought just for one night I had to find out and see for myself."

Confused a little by K's words, Hiro studied the man's face silently for a moment. Only the man began to stand up, Hiro followed his movement and asked quickly, "You aren't leaving?"

Standing there looking down at Hiro once more, K shook his head 'no'. Instead he held out a hand to Hiro as if for a dance.

Chuckling softly, Hiro wondered what the man was up to. "Is this part of your resolution that you have yet to clarify?" He couldn't help but smile up at K, even if a small huff of incredulity escaped him suddenly.

"Take my hand…if you don't want to, then I can walk away. Do you want me to Hiroshi?" K offered quietly, not taking his eyes off of Hiro.

It was as if the night had brought him, swept all rights and wrongs away and answered. Hiro was surprised but not overwhelmed, tonight felt different anyways…he was ready in his heart for anything, if only for one night.

No, please, don't leave…

He took K's outstretched hand...

Pulled up and standing in front of one another, K brought up their left hands and threaded their fingers together. With his right he tugged Hiro a little closer, resting his hand on his lower back. "Tonight, for first time I knew what that smile of yours meant."

Air leaving from him in a rush, Hiro looked up at K's face, speechless.

"It was only us for a moment—a moment that I decided was something I needed to find out more to. I know you felt it Hiro, if only for one night," K whispered and began to lead him in a slow dance.

It was just like the party earlier, dancing to some song that Hiro could not remember now. He was so caught up in being so close to the man that felt untouchable to him. Then by chance of a silly party game, he found himself staring up into incredible blue eyes. The closest he'd ever seen them, the depth of his soul was right there for him to witness, naked and unguarded. Hiro recalled the tremble he felt at that moment and again he could feel it now. So unexpected, so against the odds, but Hiro's smile was met by K's smile. Here they were dancing in the snow, slowly, captivated by each other, the moment, enchanting the New Year with a dance.

What were the odds?

Struck by whatever force compelled them to share this moment in time, Hiro silently wished for this night to never end. Only the music play in their heads, as feet crunched over the snow.

Hiro could feel the warmth of being so close to K's body, the tremors rushing over him from where his hand lay. "I guess I saw something I never expected to see tonight," he said still letting K lead him.

"What was that?" K asked watching him tenderly.

"You," Hiro replied quickly.

"Me?" K breathed with question.

Hiro smirked, "Yup, you."

K laughed and Hiro joined him as they danced happily in front of his apartment complex. But there was no soul around to bother them, no fan's eyes to accuse, no friends or foes to point fingers…it was how it should be. As if the force of gravity got heavier, K slowed their dance to a mere shuffle.

Hiro stared up at him, his breath halted in his chest.

The moment where dreams come true...

Both men leaned in towards each other, joining lips in a soft pressing kiss, eyes closing. Time stood still, the space they stood felt like a void, only the beat of their hearts, snow tingling on their faces and the taste of peppermint joined them. No longer did they dance in body but rejoiced in soul. Hiro held onto K, as he held onto him, breath rushing out of them both as parted mouths. Hiro let out an eager huff of air and reached up, hands digging into snow-dampened hair, to claim K's mouth once more. Hiro wanted to brand this man into his system, to get high off of him. He wanted to find out why he needed him so badly. But by sweet surrender he let K go.

Panting with exulted breath, they just watched each other carefully, still clasped together like spent lovers. But slowly they parted...

"I never thought—"

"—tonight Hiro it's just us…nothing else matters," K finished.

"Stop interrupting me," Hiro chastised, licking out to catch a snow flake. He smiled and continued, "I never thought how much I would enjoy giving you a kiss."

"Tonight I never thought about a lot of things. Let's not think until tomorrow," K offered.

Hiro sighed a little. "Does it ever have to come?"

"Probably, but by tomorrow this fantasy could be over," K said brushing the back of his hand over Hiro's cheek.

Hiro closed his eyes wistfully at K's sensual touch. "Hmm, I doubt it."

Then K stepped back and offered his hand again. Without a thought, Hiro claimed it and asked, "Another dance?"

"No, I thought we go for a walk," the blonde told him.

"Just a walk?" Hiro asked his voice lined with speculation.

K led him back down the walkway and turned right. "I wanna actually stop and enjoy tonight, just like you said. But I want to enjoy it with you."

Sigh. That wistful feeling returned. Hiro clung to K's hand as they strolled contently down the street. The night felt good, the cold air, fresh, and K kept his blood flowing. As they walk Hiro hauled K back into the middle of the road, their footsteps leaving new imprints on the freshly fallen snow.

"Woo!" Hiro suddenly cheered and laughed.

K chortled at him.

"You know I tried to figure out what kind of fruit you are. I debated on a few but now that you're here…what kind do you think I am?" Hiro asked, looking as serious as possible, holding back a giggle.

K guffawed at Hiro's silliness. "Are you sure you're still not a little drunk? That's the strangest question." But curious, K wondered what sort of fruit Hiro compared him to. "You're putting me on the spot Hiro. If I answer wrong then you'll be upset, right?"

"Alright, fine I think I settled on apple for you. You know, like American Pie…its apple right?" Hiro justified.

K laughed uproariously. "That is one of the most odd but endearing things I ever heard. Hmm, alright…let's see." Hiro as a fruit, K walked silently down the street thinking about it. Hiro was silently waiting and slipped their clasped hands into K's coat pocket for warmth. Then he got it. "A peach!"

"Peach? How come?" Hiro wondered.

"Well…because it's soft and fuzzy on the outside, right? And even though you don't appear that way on the outside, you're the sweetest guy I know, just like the insides of a peach." K gave an airy chuckle, "Juicy too." He couldn't stop himself.

It was more thought than Hiro imagined K to give such a stupid and silly question. But was the most endearing thing he'd ever heard. Laughing though at the hint at the end Hiro said, "Apples are juicy too, depends what variety you are." Hiro was teasing now.

"Gawd, don't ask me to name off varieties now," K groaned.

Hiro laughed, "I'm joking with you."

K chuckled. "So what was your New Year's resolution anyways?"

Hiro grinned, looking over at K, "Do you really want to know?" He copied K's earlier statement.

"Of course," K said.

"To find out why you make me feel the way that you did tonight," Hiro said carefully, squeezing K's hand tight.

"Did you get some answers?"

"Oh yeah…you?" Hiro held his breath.

"More than I can say, it's as if I've been captured by an angel..." K stopped in the middle of the street to melt into another kiss with Hiro. Standing under the glow of the streetlamp, under a canopy of leafless tree branches, on a world of white, they kissed for as long as the night would give them.

And maybe more…

The End.