(it's midnight somewhere) Happy Newt Year

[driftsintobuffetline]

[So, it's midnight and when the video comes on, Time Square is SCREAMING LOUD: the countdown has just hit ONE, the ball has dropped, there's kazoos and buzzers and poppers and fireworks and sparklers and Auld Lang Syne sung by a million drunk people who have drowned out the speakers pumping in the music.

And that's just the soundtrack.

But the focus of video, which is very clearly a slightly sloppy selfie by a possibly drunk Newton Geiszler, is the lip-lock he now has on his lab-mate, Hermann Gottlieb. His cheeks are rosy from the cold and Hermann is nearly overtaken by his parka hood, and they're being jostled by the crowd, but the kiss lasts a good long time before they finally break apart.

Before he shuts off the feed, Newt brings the phone closer and declares VERY LOUDLY and VERY SHRILLY so he's heard over the noise:]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Comments

[resipiscent]

Oh, uh, congrats. [He's not used to PDA on here ok.]

[driftsintobuffetline]

Oh! Uh, hey, Mr. Riku! Happy New Year, dude!

[resipiscent]

Hah, same to you, man. Looks like you're having a good time.

audio;

[matadorable]

[Hahah, oh wow, that is not what Manolo expected to see right then, but he also remembers one of his early talks with Hermann -- and somehow he's not terribly surprised. More than anything, he's kind of drunk himself, and he disregards the fact he's indoors by matching Newt's volume and ringing in the New Year with a mighty, festive grito.]

audio

[driftsintobuffetline]

[Yeah, uh, sorry about that. It was going to be a still-selfie and then Newt got carried away and decided to post and... ANYWAY. Newt laughs so hard. Manolo, why are you so adorable.]

THAT'S THE SPIRIT, MAN! HAPPY 2016! HOW'S YOUR BESTIE?

audio

[matadorable]

[Oh no, Newt's laughter is contagious!!]

HE IS INCREDIBLE! AND SO ARE YOU, AMIGO!

text; comm tag is "Tadashi"

[tadeadshi]

[A-aw. Guys, that's adorable.]

Happy new year, Newt. Hermann.

[driftsintobuffetline]

Hey!! When did you get back? Did I miss it? Aw, shit, I totally missed it! Wow, how did I miss that, I have been so far out of the loop lately, but Happy New Year! How's your bro? Did he blow up the cafe with a fireworks display or anything, tell me he didn't get too carried away, that he's just out banging pots-and-pans and inventing robots and how's your aunt?

Seriously, though, what the hell, when did you get back??

[mathemagier]

[A sigh, exasperated but fond. He's a bit tipsy]

Oh, Newton. Did you really have to..?

[driftsintobuffetline]

Yes, yes, I did, Hermann, alright? It's going in my scrapbook. [Not literally, obviously, but he's trying to make a point. Sort of.] Caption will read: January 1, 2016: I snogged the hell out of Hermann Gottlieb on a live broadcast.

[mathemagier]

Well, I suppose it's not a terrible way to start the new year. Certainly better than the last time we experienced it.

text;

[infomodder]

go for the sailor hat next year

[Yeah, he's totally thinking of that one picture.]

text;

[driftsintobuffetline]

Hermann can don the sailor hat. I want the opportunity to say "Hello, sailor."

[infomodder]

Will you be donning the nurse's outfit then?

Permavid

[governorkang]

[Parties and booze everywhere? You bet Kang is joining the fun. He's just at a local bar in Heropa, though; nothing as impressive as Time Square.

Hopefully, Newt isn't drunk enough to not notice the distinctive accent.]

That looks like one hell of a party.

Permavid

[driftsintobuffetline]

[The nerds are only in Time Square because teleportation powers are a thing. They cheat.

He frowns, because the accent sounds so familiar and yet...the face is definitely not.]

It's fucking amazing! Better than watching it on TV, hands down!

Where you from, dude? That's a pretty sweet accent, but it's not something you hear much, you know? Pretty sure I've heard something like it before, but he was a...less-humany, more dino-shaped guy.

[text]

[medalsome]

[Okay, wow. Wow. Joaquin did not expect that. As much as he'd like to be an enthusiastic as Manolo when it comes to congratulating his friends he isn't sure he can. Like... he's still getting used to this whole dudes kissing dudes thing.]

Glad to see you two are having a good time! Is this a

New development?

[text]

[driftsintobuffetline]

Well, not NEW new because I DID kiss him at the tail end of Nov, but things being what they are and all that, I didn't actually get a DATE out of him until late-mid-December. SO basically yeah. Pretty brand spanking new. Newly minted. Just out of the wrapper. Still New-Car-Smell fresh. You won't get that last reference, but trust me, man, new cars have a smell and don't let those air fresheners fool you: that scent cannot be bottled.

(Also, just between us: I think I'm going to start introducing him as 'my boyfriend' now. He's going to love that. LOVE it. If I don't get told off at least once for it, I swear I'm doing something wrong here.)

[liverletdie]

Uh --

Congratulations?

[ Literally, he is kind of confused. ]

This isn't going to make things awkward at work is it?

[driftsintobuffetline]

[Newt looks surprised, maybe a tad alarmed, like a kid who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. More 'meep!' or 'oh shit!' than guilty, though. Wide-eyed, he looks at Hermann, then back to the man on the screen. His voice squeaks more than usual when he replies.]

...I should hope not! ItsnotgoingtobeweirdatworkisitHermannnahwewouldneverletthingsgetawkwardatworkwecanbecoolTOtallycool!

[mathemagier]

[Meanwhile, Hermann's sighing at Newton and shaking his head because that's still his default reaction to the man]

It's worked out for a month so far. As Newton was trying to say, I don't tolerate unprofessional behavior. Rest assured, there's no need to worry about anything untoward. Things should remain situation normal for everyone concerned.

Text

[superposition]

[His first reaction, as seems to be the standard here, is raised eyebrows. His second: Called it. So although this is text, there's a smile on his face as he types out his reply.]

And many happy returns, lads.

Text

[driftsintobuffetline]

[But did he call them getting together, or believe they were already together?]

Thanks! Same to you, dude.
Partying hard tonight, Qu-man? Or doing science? If you say science, I'm going to come down there and smack you. You need a vacay.

Video /laaaaaaaate

[knifecollecting]

[Jo is laughing for a few moments before her face appears on the video. Somehow, it makes sense.]

Hey man, happy new year to you too.

Video /no worries!!

[driftsintobuffetline]

Hey!!! Glad you could join the party!! HOW ARE YOU?! Having fun?