Have a NewYears!Timestamp :)

It isn’t the first time his parents have gone off on a Christmas vacation without bringing Dan – really, it isn’t. But, it definitely is the first time they did so without even thinking to invite Dan first.

Well, technically they did tell Dan, but only to inform him that he isn’t coming to DisneyWorld with them, no questions asked, what the fuck.

“You haven’t even started revising for finals?” And for once his mother is actually looking disappointed rather than enraged, and Dan feels guilt gnawing away at his stomach like a rat. “Daniel, you know we normally don’t bother you about your grades, but you’re in your final year at school. This procrastination problem you’ve got has got to stop. We don’t expect much, but please at least get decent grades. We don’t need you to fail school, especially not when we’ve paid for twelve years of expensive education.”

And just like that, Dan feels like he can throw the nearest object against the wall, because he’s that annoyed. What the fuck, he totally makes an effort to get decent grades – do they even notice the A’s he gets for English?

His mother’s lecturing voice breaks apart Dan’s brooding thoughts. “So you better make up for that this Christmas, Daniel. And please don’t waste your time partying with your friends while we’re gone, I’m not sure whether we can count on you to be responsible about that.” And that was the last time Dan had talked (if you could call that talking) with his parents before they were gone off to the States.

The worst thing is they actually brought his brother along with them this time, so that Dan is truly alone in the house. And they know damn well that Dan had always wanted to go to DisneyWorld – ever since he first learned about Disney from watching too much Winnie the Pooh as a little kid, anyway.

They just had to break this all to him on Christmas Eve, didn’t they. What a great way to ruin Christmas for him.

So, that’s how Dan finds himself holed up in his house, all alone, a day away from New Year’s Eve. True to his word, he hasn’t contacted any of his friends to whinge about his current predicament and ask whether they want to hang out because… well, even he has limits to how much of a sad loser he wants to show himself to be to the outside world, and he’s sure he’d be impeding on his friends’ time with their families anyway. That doesn’t make the pill any easier to swallow. There is literally nothing sadder than sitting in front of the computer with a box of Maltesers when everybody is out having fun.

He’s just scrolling through his Youtube subscriptions inbox when his cellphone buzzes. For the first time in the days he’s been home alone, somebody texts him.

Suddenly, he feels marginally less alone. But only marginally, because it could be a just an advertisement.

Cautiously, he flips open his phone. To his relief, it isn’t a mere advertisement – it’s actually Gerard.

What would have the teacher text him at this time of the year? He’d thought the teacher would travel back to the States to spend Christmas with his family…

Scowling at that thought, Dan opens the message.

Hey. What are you up to? Miss you. xxx

Even after all this time, a simple text still manages to make his heart flutter. Dan smiles and texts back.

Miss you too. Nothing much, I’m bored as fuck, my family left me for America :' (

Oh no, what happened? :0

They decided I need to be alone to study for finals!!! Hmph. Now they’ve abandoned me for DisneyWorld : (

Aww. You want me to come over? : )))

You’re still here?! Didn’t you say you need to visit your family?

Yeah, but because of snow the flights got cancelled. I’m all alone in my apartment too : P

Without a second thought, Dan immediately dials Gerard’s number. “Hey Gee,” he says, smiling warmly when the other end picks up.

“Hey.” Gerard’s voice is so familiar that Dan grins just at the sound of it. Just like that, Dan already feels the self-pity and the anger at his parents trickle out of his system.

“I’m sorry about the flight,” Dan says sincerely. “You said you want to come over? I mean, I want you to.” Dan blushes at how awkward he sounds, and quickly adds, “Anyway, I don’t want to finish this bag of Maltesers by myself, I’m extremely unfit as it is.”

“You’re not unfit, Dan. If anything, I’m fatter than you are,” Gerard replies affectionately. Dan can hear the eye-roll in Gerard’s voice. “But yes, I wanna come over. The thought of spending the week all alone isn’t very appealing to me either.”

Dan laughs, and that’s how he finds himself snuggled up to the older man an hour later, as they sprawl on the couch in front of the television.

Later, they will watch the fireworks broadcasted on the telly, and Dan will share kisses with Gerard as they whisper to each, “Happy New Year”. When they are both too exhausted to stay awake, they will tumble into Dan’s bed together, and Dan will fall sleep listening to Gerard’s gentle, even breaths. In the morning, Dan will wake Gerard up with the smell of coffee, and Gerard will hit his head against the doorframe when he stumbles out into the kitchen, and Dan will laugh at him until Gerard hugs him from behind and surprises him with a kiss on the shoulder. And Dan will wonder, again, how he got so lucky to date the teacher.

And he will, for once, forgive his parents for leaving him stranded at home this winter. But just this once.