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It was cold but quiet night for both Jason and Taph. The pair was cuddled in the living room of their secluded cabin all the way out into the woods.The fireplace was warm as the flames crackled, hungrily devouring the firewood that had been placed inside just before nightfall.
It was late yet they both weren't yet tired. Taph would normally fret over not being able to sleep, not wanting to draw Santa's wrath, but Christmas had just passed, he wouldn't be mad at him, would he? Plus, the new year is coming! Taph will make sure to sleep once the celebration is over.
Speaking of the new year approaching, it seemed the celebrations already started. Popping sounds could be heard outside the cabin.
At first, the pair reacted negatively. Living in the woods makes you accustomed to the silence, once that silence is broken, it normally does not result in good outcomes. Jason held Taph tighter as his gaze darted to the window outside.
Snow fell peacefully, undisturbed by the loud sounds outside that started to pick up in frequency.
Then Taph was next to realize, gently laying a hand on Jason's arm as if to calm him down.
Jason looked towards him, confused as to what he was doing until Taph signed an explanation. "Fireworks are going off."
"Fireworks?" He replied, puzzled that they could hear it from all the way out here.
Taph shrugged, "People like to camp here sometimes." That was a plausible answer, plus it was new years, people usually do fun side quests while celebrating, like going out into the woods and camping.
Jason seemed to buy that answer, giving a small nod as he redirected his focus back towards the window. "It's loud."
"Loud, but pretty." Taph supplied, giving Jason a nudge as he nodded towards the door. "Want to go see?"
At first he was hesitant, but when Taph squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring nod, he agreed.
So the pair went outside in the snow, sitting themselves on the steps of their wooden porch. Snow blanketed the entire forest, creating a serene and quiet scene that was interrupted by the fireworks. While the sound was disruptive, the sight added to its allure as Jason observed.
He had a complicated backstory, not having seen fireworks himself in a long time. He couldn't even recollect the last time he saw fireworks. The sight was almost captivating for him.
Taph's larger wings on his back flapped in amusement at the sight of Jason looking so amazed. He settled himself closer to Jason, wrapping a wing around him as he turned to the scene of fireworks littering the sky.
There would be a streak whistling through the air, high enough to peek over even the tallest of forest trees, then it would pop into a beautiful pattern. The cycle repeated with multiple colors, purple and blue, gold and white, and red and green. The colors littered and painted the sky like a canvas, glittering in the night sky before falling like streaks of paint and fading away.
They both watched in silence and awe with Taph leaning his shoulder on Jason. To him, the fireworks were beautiful, yes, but what was the best view of them all was to see Jason stare at the sky with a glimmer in his eyes. He found himself staring at Jason more than he did with the fireworks.
Even though Jason's attention was captured by the fireworks, he couldn't help but notice Taph staring at him too much. He looked down at him, tilting his head as he wrapped an arm around Taph. "What is it?"
"Nothing." Taph replied with a shrug. "You like the fireworks?"
"I do. Do you like them too?" Jason asked, worried that Taph might be bored. He's sure Taph has seen this sight before and he might be boring him by dragging them both out here in the cold just to watch some fireworks.
"Yeah, I do."
"But you're not looking at them?"
Taph leaned forward, pressing a kiss against Jason's cheek. "Because all I need to look at is you to enjoy it."
Jason flushed, not sure what to say against Taph's smooth words. The demolitionist really had a way to say things without batting an eye sometimes. He elicited an amused reaction from Taph as he silently laughed. "You're cute."
He looked away in response, embarrassed at the compliment. "…You're cute too."
Taph kissed him again in response, this time letting it last longer as the fireworks continued painting the sky, giving them a beautiful backdrop as they kissed on the porch. Jason pulled him closer, tilting his head as he hungrily sought the taste of Taph's mouth, noting the brownies that he helped himself to earlier.
They pulled away, the air between them mixing with their shared breaths as Jason rested his forehead against Taph's. "I love you, Taph."
Taph's wings on his ears enclosed the both of them for a moment as he shared another quick kiss. "I love you too, Jason. Happy New Years."
They both pulled away, with Taph leaning his head back on Jason's shoulder as they both watched the fireworks play out. The show was magnificent, lasting later into the night with a few extra shows and showers of nonstop fireworks that made the sky look like an exploding canvas. But as things usually do, it came to a close after the finale, ending off with one final big bang.
The last firework painted the sky as it streaked high into the air, ending with a bang as a spiraling flower emerged. Jason and Taph watched in awe as the flower stretched across the black night sky, glittering and sparkling with purpose before it eventually faded out.
Then only silence lingered for a moment and the faint sense of smoke and gunpowder.
It was quiet silence, one that covered you in a comforting blanket after witnessing a satisfying end. Both Jason and Taph sat outside for a long while, staring at the sky, quietly basking in each other's presence while appreciating the regained silence of the forest around them.
Finally, Taph shivered, his wings ruffling as he shuffled closer to Jason.
"Cold?" Jason asked, immediately starting to take off his jacket to lend it to Taph.
"Yes. Let's head inside."
The both of them went inside not long after, warming up in front of a toasty fireplace while cuddling the night away. Just like that, they both started off the new year together by each other's side, from here until the next time they would get to see another display of fireworks.