Heres some fluff! Im a little late with the whole new year thing butttttt, this is too cute to resist. Also sorry for missing the date yesterday, wattpad has been acting up!  (Yes, Im aware that Mark cannot drink but roll with it, okay?) Also, the next upload will most likely angst so here's ya warning!

<3

New Years Eve;

Jack sat at the back of the cramped room, watching people his age and older dance and make complete fools of themselves; getting ready to kiss the year goodbye. Couples of all kinds either arguing or face battling (kissing), Jack downs the remainder of whatever was in his plastic cup to make him feel a little better. He's not sure why he agreed to attend this party, his mind is slightly foggy and he doesn't even remember who's damn party it is in the first place. There's a couple way too close for his liking making disgusting kissing noises and Jack realizes his clouded mind could do with some fresh air.

He wrangles his way through the crowd of drunken, loud, terribly dancing people and finds himself standing outside against a wall, contemplating if he should call a taxi or not. There's a flannel-clad man standing next to him, swaying happily back and fourth on his feet humming to some tune Jack doesn't recognize but hes obviously drunk and not noticed Jack standing beside him.

The man eventually opens his eyes and startles almost losing his footing. Jack helps him ease to his feet and he mumbles something incoherent. The man stands up straight and slurs, voice deeper than Jack would have expected. He looks and sounds familiar but Jacks hazed mind cannot place him where so he brushes it off.

"Im Mark, you're prettyyy." He drags the syllables out and Jack laughs, it sounds smooth but that line certainly wasn't. Jack shakes it off until the man loses his balance and... is sick all over Jacks shoes. Which seems to wake him up a little and his mantra of apologies is probably worse than his shoes being puked on. Maybe if he wasn't so tipsy he'd yell at the guy but his mumbling is pretty cute. Then he pulls his wallet out and decides to hand Jack half of its contents to get new shoes and they fight for a few moments and the man, Mark, wont accept the damn money back. This is ridiculous and could only happen to Jack, he knows.

The man then sees a taxi pull up and gets in, leaving Jack with half his money and no other words, Jack tries to call to him but hes too late.

This is some kind of modern, messed up Cinderella.

;

A sober Jack and around 100 dollars and down a pair of shoes Jack, nurses a black coffee in the morning and contacts Felix, the damn party animal. He remembers drabbles of the night; Drinking, dancing and of course some attractive man puking on his shoes and thrusting dollars his way. He describes little of what he remembers of the man to Felix and he doesn't seem to know who he is or doesn't recognize the description. Jack wants to return the money back, considering the man was so drunk and probably thinks he was robbed or something but it doesn't seem to be happening.

Perhaps the man was someone's plus one or a friend of a friend and that is why Felix doesn't remember either that or Felix was beyond the point of no return due to the copious amounts of alcohol he drank during the night. Jack thought the Irish were infamous for the drink tolerance and yet, Jacks never seen any single human never mind a Swede drink that much fucking alcohol in one night. The guy even danced on tables!

;

"He can't know its me." Mark utters through the phone to a confused Felix. He looks rough as all hell, his hair messy and eyes wide, Marks nursing a coffee which is unusual for the man but hes obviously stressed and hungover as fuck.

"Why not? He wants to return your money." Mark did remember most of the events and the man he had gone to college with and lived across the hall from him and somebody he had a crush on forever, he had puked on the guys shoes and then threw money at him. The most embarrassing moment of his life but at least he can blame it on the alcohol he should not have had, his headache reminding him of that.

"Tell him you have no idea who I am or blame someone else." If Jack knows it was him, he'll never live it down besides Felix is already gonna mock him for this.

Jack probably doesn't even remember him its been a year or so since college and even then they hardly talked, Mark was just the engineering kid at the back. Although he smiled at Jack every so often, he never had to courage to talk to him and always had something or other to do when he had the chance too.

Even at graduation they spoke but only what was next for them, nothing of the ins and outs; which Mark really wanted to know.

Mark hopes Felix sticks to his word and doesn't tell Jack it was him who was sick on his shoes. The missing $100 isn't too much of a big deal but Mark wishes his hangover would block out his memories.

But Felix knows Jack, knows hes not gonna settle for a 'I don't know' Jacks a yes or a no person and its a curse and a blessing for him.

;

And as they sit for lunch together where Felix's Italian girl loves to eat, its no different. Jack won't drop it, wants to return the money - Felix has told him over and over its probably some random and too just keep the money and buy whatever he pleases with it but Jacks the good guy and won't listen.

Hes torn between two friends - Mark had pleaded for him not to tell Jack it was him, Marks been pinning over Jack for years but Jack just won't stop pressuring Felix.

"It was Mark!" Felix snaps from tuning the man out, knowing Jacks still going on about it, got that look in his eyes that say so.

Jack startles back in his chair and his mind wondering is written across his face, Jacks never been good at hiding his emotions either; they're always written across his face or right there in blue hues - Felix has always thought he could be an actor, his expressing are always so raw.

"Mark from college?" Jack asks, tone unsure.

"He asked me not to tell you, because hes embarrassed about it." Felix utters around a mouthful, missing out the fact that Mark has a crush on him still, after all this time. Mark can get hung up upon his emotions, thats for certain.

Jack nods, opening his mouth to say something but Felix knows him too well.

"No, I'm not going to invite him so you can meet him and return the money. Drop this, Jack." Jack knows not to push things when you can hear the accent in Fe's voice; It usually appears when hes angry or annoyed - a telltale sign to shut up.

;

Yet an opportunity arises anyway, when Felix the dammed party animal hosts another gathering - its smaller than his New years party but still enough people to be crowded. At least there's less alcohol this time, Jack thinks if Felix drinks the way he did then the Swede would have fucking liver failure.

Mark and Jack are invited and of course Marks hiding away like a coward, just in case he bumps into Jack, the chances are small of that happening anyway. Maybe he should have one drink to ease his nerves but not enough to make him barf on somebody's shoes this time.

And of course, just as hes about to grab his drink; there's a coffee colored haired man reaching for cup too. Mark tenses and prays Jack wont recognize him but he does. Jack reaches for him and Marks frozen.

Jack pulls out his wallet and hes handing him the missing $100 from New Year. Mark laughs at the almost sentiment behind the gesture.

"You ever get new shoes?" Mark chuckles nervously.

"I did, actually. I like the new pair better so thanks I guess."

"Yeah I'm really sorry, I totally embarrassed myself that night as it happens I can't really handle my drink." Mark utters, deciding against the cup of alcohol to ease his tensions.

Jack just shakes his head and hes turning away and fuck this could be his final chance-

"Wanna go for a coffee one time?" Mark practically yells almost over the booming music and a few people turn their heads and look his way - Marks ready to turn around and run away but then Jack responds, quieter than Marks outburst.

"Sure." Mark then does run for the nearest exit because this party is suddenly way too much to handle, and hes back where the incident happened but the night air is helping his racing heart and his running mind. He texts Felix whilst he calms down a little and tells him to give Jack his number before he regrets asking him out in the first place.

;

Felixs does give Jack his number and he hears from him in the morning. Its nice and puts Mark at ease a little and they arranged a time to go out for coffee, which Mark refuses to call a date. Its just around the corner and Mark has to get his shit together before then and maybe he'll call Felix for help too.

Its just a not date with his college crush, no big deal.

One hyped up phone call from Felix later and hes meeting Jack at a quaint little coffee shop, trying not to mess it up.

Its cozy and they grab the coffee quick, Mark ordering a latte and Jack a black coffee. They sit together and things are easier than expected. Jack leads the conversation as if hes some kind of a dancer, leading Mark around the ballroom.

They finish the coffee's in no time and order another.

;

New Years Eve, A Year On;

They're together, hands interlocked and steady on their feet. They're outside in the moonlight waiting for the fireworks whilst everyone else, including party host Felix and his partner Marzia are inside. Mark looks as he did that almost exactly one year ago, haired mused, flannel clad and eyes sparkling like the stars above them swaying on his feet nearly as drunkenly as he was last time. Only, he isn't too drunk this time.

Jack looks slightly different that he did or maybe how Mark remembers him but here, next to him hes prettier than ever and when the clock ticks to final hour of the year; the year that they met, year Mark finally did something and was sick on his shoes, year that they began dating; they kiss gently under the pale moonlight and Marks never spent a new years eve better - and Jack thinks this, this; is much better than spending it at home or inside feeling uncomfortable and too drunk to know what time it is.

'Happy New Year!'