Fireworks!

"Macau I swear to god if you're not ready I will call P'Pete and tell him that you taught me how to use a gun!" Chay said storming into his boyfriend's room.

Macau, who was in the process of putting his pants on, froze at the threat and stared at the boy standing at the door to his bedroom, "Oh," Chay said before spinning around with his back to Macau.

He'd seen Macau shirtless almost a million times but for some reason seeing him with his pants half on was just too much for Chay. He heard Macau pull up his zipper and buckle his belt before he relaxed only to tense up when his boyfriend appeared right behind him still shirtless. He slid one arm across Chay's shoulder locking him in place, "We should work on knocking don't you think?" Macau whispered in Chay's ear.

The boy huffed and pushed out of Macau's loose hold, "Oi! You weren't answering your phone and the door was unlocked."

Macau only smiled at Chay causing the boy to narrow his eyes and pout at him, "What are you smiling about?"

"My cute boyfriend," Macau said still smiling.

"You...just put on a shirt so we can go!" Chay shouted before turning on the balls of his feet and walking into the kitchen.

The boy's began to vibrate in his pocket startling him. Som was probably calling to ask why he still hadn't arrived. They were headed to Pulse for the New Year's eve party and Macau was the reason they were running late which was unusual given that Chay did spend between an hour and two to get ready for everything. The first thing Chay heard when the call connected was music, it was muffled though so she'd probably stepped out to call him, "Chay where are you? You said you'd be here an hour ago!" she scolded almost immediately.

"I know but Macau's taking forever. Give me half an hour, we'll be there in thirty."

"You better be or you're paying for two rounds," she threatened.

"I will. See you in a bit."

With that, he disconnected the call. His punishment for being late almost made him laugh. Two rounds? That was it? He was about to call for Macau to hurry up when the boy walked out of his room in a black button down with three too many buttons undone. If it was enough to make Chay stop and stare it was definitely enough to make other people stare. He huffed and walked over to his boyfriend and buttoned two of the three buttons, "Chay it's hot," Macau whined.

"Tragic," he smiled sarcastically and turned around, "Let's go! Som is trying to make me pay for their alcohol!"

The club was a little more crowded than usual. It was to be expected since everyone just wanted to party but Macau didn't like it. The air was more clammy than usual and the lights were turned down dimmer than usual. Most people wouldn't think too much of it but given what he's seen, this was the last place he wanted Chay to be. He was quiet as Chay dragged him to the private room Som had reserved for them. He kept a tight hold on the boy making sure he was right behind him. Maybe it was paranoia. But that's what had kept him alive so long so it was warranted.

Som and a bunch of her friends were mid-conversation about something seemingly scandalous. When they spotted Chay they huffed each other giggling like little girls. Macau had met Som before, it was most of the others he hadn't seen, "Chay! You made it!" she shouted getting up and clinging to the small boy making him lose hold of Macau's hand in the process.

Macau stared at his empty hand for a second before Chay tugged on his shirt, "Guys this is Macau, my boyfriend. Macau, everyone," he said gesturing in the general direction of everyone, "Introduce yourselves," he added dragging a grinning Macau to sit down.

The girls in the booth squealed while the only boy in the room rolled his eyes and slouched in his seat, not that anyone noticed. Som began interrogating Chay while Macau zoned them out. He didn't really care about what they were saying. He didn't like being around Som because she was too loud. Had it not been for Chay dragging him out he would be in his apartment playing video games or at home with his brother watching stupid movies from the 80s. Macau had gotten so deep in his head that he didn't notice the only other person who wasn't engaged in Chay and Som's conversation move closer to him. That was until the boy waved his head in Macau's face. The boy looked at him coldly just blinking, "Hi."

Macau just stared at the boy, expressionless, "Macau right? My name is Att," the boy said smiling.

Macau nodded at him ever-so-slightly before looking over to Chay. The small boy was giggling with Som and the two other girls. He looked so carefree and relaxed that it made Macau's heart swell. The boy found himself smiling without even realising, "Ugh, you two make me sick," Att said slumping into the couch, "Look at you making heart eyes at him like a love sick puppy."

"What?" Macau looked at the boy for the first time since he arrived.

He was slim with really long legs. His hair was also quite long resting just above his shoulders and framing his slim face. He had glitter on his eyes and cheeks that shimmered different colours when he moved. Not to mention how his pale skin made every colour on his person look even more vivid. Is this what people thought to be pretty? "Do you like him that much?" Att asked tilting his head slightly to the side.

"More than anything in this world," he said looking back at Chay.

His eyes glazed over for a second and his lips parted a little. Everything seemed to slow down for a second and all the sounds died out. All Macau could see and hear were his laughing boyfriend. He had his head thrown back and his eyes were half moons as he smiled widely and then he looked over at Macau and the boy's heart skipped a beat. Chay stopped laughing and just smiled at Macau. Macau breathed in feeling goosebumps appear on his arm, "For him and lay down my sins and repent."

Att pretended to gag before rising to his feet. He stood still for a second before looking down at Macau who was still staring at Chay, "May you have a happy ending," he said almost sadly.

His words drew Macau's attention to him but he was already halfway to the door. The boy was still looking at the closed door when Chay appeared at his side clinging to his arm, "What did you and Att talk about?" he asked.

"Nothing. He's weird, I don't like him."

"You don't like anybody," Chay said huffing.

"False, I like you," he said into the boy's ear.

"Oi!" Chay smacked Macau's shoulder and tried to hide his face with his hands.

"Cute," Macau smiled to himself watching how easily flustered his boyfriend got.

The two spent the next hour in their own bubble just watching Som and the others dance and tease each other. Att didn't return though and nobody seemed to care that he'd left. A little before midnight Som suddenly declared that everyone needed to go to the dance floor. To Macau's surprise it wasn't as packed as when they arrived, "Where did everyone go?" he asked.

"They probably went up to the room to watch the fireworks. Som says they're very underwhelming though, that's why we didn't go up. Do you want to go see them?"

"No, I like it better here."

The group made their way to the dance floor where Som was pulled into a dance by one of the other girls leaving no room for Jesus. Macau and Chay also began to sway to the music keeping in time with the beat. Chay snaked his hands around Macau's neck where they rested lightly as the boys danced. They stayed like that for a while before the lights were dimmed even further and a neon timer flashed on the screen. It was a thirty second countdown to the new year, "Any new year's resolutions?" Macau whispered into Chay's ear.

"Just one."

"Mn?"

"Spend more time with you," Macau felt Chay smiling against his neck.

It was moments like this that Macau had started to live for. Moments when he and Chay could just be. Moments where they could pretend they were just two normal uni students who weren't living on borrowed time. It was moments like this that broke Macau's heart because he knew that something would come out of nowhere to screw things up. Something always did. He watched as the countdown went, 5...4...3...2...1.

Macau pulled away to look into Chay's eyes. The boy's eyes were glazed and filled with want. He and Macau hadn't been together for long but he knew he never wanted to lose the boy in front of him. Macau made him happy and Macau was safe. He was the only stable thing in his life but he knew that it wouldn't always be that way. Not in the world he'd been dragged into so he promised himself in that moment to do everything he wanted and live in the now. Because it was impossible to predict what comes next.

He looked at Macau. Into his eyes. Passed his eyes and thought 'This is what I'm living for now. Moments like this.' He leaned his forehead against Macau's listening to the faint explosions of the fireworks as he breathed his boyfriend's scent in. All he wanted to do was just hold the boy in front of him like he feared he'd turn to smoke and vanish.