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Kit drags her suitcase behind her as she weaves through the busy terminal, cursing the amount of people traveling on the last day of the year. Despite snow, traffic, and the immense effort it took to orchestrate hiding this all from Jade, Kit arrives at her gate.
“Yes Airk, Jade needs to think I’m in Steamboat with you and Mom,” Kit claims a seat in the gate waiting area and tries to relax, attempting to discreetly shake the nerves out of her bones. “Boorman and Scorpia have everything in New York settled, they’re gonna distract her and keep her busy until Ballentine can pick me up.”
The departure time at the front of the gate’s seating area flashes, and settles on a blaringly red “Late.” Kit’s shoulders fall as she curses her luck, the airline, the other passengers, everything she can.
“Oh fuck me,” Kit’s head falls back hitting the small steel bar of the airport chairs. Kit curses the airport chairs.
“Kit?” A small voice comes from the phone still in her hand, “is everything okay?” Airk’s confusion is colored with amusement.
“Oh sorry, yeah, I’m fine, the plane is delayed, but it’s gonna be fine.” Kit sighs, trying to stay optimistic, but feeling her high mood from earlier wane with each unexpected set back.
“It will, your original flight put you there with plenty of time, so you leave a few hours late, I’m sure you’ll still get there in time!”
“Your endless optimism never ceases to amaze me,” Kit can’t help but laugh at her brother’s antics, especially since he was probably right.
Kit waits two hours, reading, listening to music, rustling through her bag, people watching (people judging), and posting fake instagram stories about Steamboat with her family.
Loading is quiet, it’s early in the evening but most families aren’t traveling today thankfully. No screaming babies, just quiet, soul sucked, 9-to-5ers who are traveling today when they could be with family.
Kit can’t judge them, she’s practically in the same boat, kinda. She’s traveling across the country at her own volition at least, traveling to Jade.
The 4 hour flight blows by, Kit drums out the snores and hum of the engine with a steady thrum of music. The rock her father always favored blares in her ears, a comfort despite the nervous churning in her gut.
Jade would be happy to see her, Kit was sure, they had both been bummed when they realized Kit wasn’t going to make it for New Year’s.
How many years had they spent together, as friends ? And now after they finally admit their feelings, get to the point where a New Year’s kiss wouldn’t make things weird, Kit is half the country away.
Her watch hits 10 as she weaves through slow walking travelers, Ballentine knew she was going to be late, but getting here at 10 was not part of the plan.
“Cutting it close there, Kid,” a deep voice says as she pauses to check where Jade’s father would be waiting for her. Kit whirls around to see the man standing out of the way.
“You have no idea,” Kit huffs out a laugh, walking forward and adjusts the bag on her shoulder, “you ready?”
“Been here for 40 minutes, and I’ve never been more ready to drive in New Year’s traffic in my life. I just hope we make it, Jade’s been moping around in her own way for days,” Ballentine rolls his eyes with a fond look, “Hasn’t stopped talking about it since Christmas, and I really thought Scorpia was going to smother her for a second there.”
“We’ll make it, we have to, I’ve come this far, we have two hours to get there and it’s what, a 20 mile drive?” Kit checks her watch, a sigh rattling its way out of her chest.
“It might be close, there’s snow, and traffic from the party in the city center,” Ballentine nudges the bag off Kit’s shoulder and puts it in the back of his car before circling to the driver seat.
Ballentine drives with his usual precision, taking back roads and more direct routes that the cabs on the highway won’t use. The clock ticks with each passing minute and mile, bringing her closer to Jade and closer to the new year.
He was right though, they weren’t even going that far into the city, but the 20 miles from the airport to Ballentine’s house took almost the entire two hours.
Kits buzzing as they pull into the driveway outside his house. The car is barely in park when Kit is out the car and running up the steps and through the door into the familiar house.
Scorpia and Boorman are talking in hushed voices as Boorman rocks their newborn in a carrier.
“We tried keeping her here, but with Bal gone she didn’t see any reason to stay and keep Dani up.” Scorpia grabs her keys from the counter and brings them over to Kit. “You just missed her, if you run you can make it there before midnight.”
“Fuck, thank you,” Kit grabs the keys and runs out back out the front door careful to avoid Ballentine who was still grabbing her bag out of the car.
The chill slams Kit in the face as she takes off towards Jade’s apartment. Each step slushes from the snow trying to accumulate on the sidewalk, but each precarious step takes her closer to Jade.
A clock on a parked bus reads 11:53 as Kit turns the corner to Jade’s street. Her apartment lobby is only a few doors down and Kit can almost taste Jade’s chapstick from here.
Kit runs through the lobby and squeezes herself between closing elevator doors hitting the button for the 4th floor as the clock hits 11:57.
“Come on, come on, come on,” Kit mutters to herself as the balding man next to her decides to noisily ask about her plans for the night.
“Have the best New Year’s Kiss ever!” Kit says as she starts running out the barely open elevator doors as it reaches the fourth floor.
It hits 11:59 as Kit reaches the door to Jade’s apartment, and fumbles with Scorpia’s keys to find the one that looks like Jades. She sticks the key into the door as it flings open, taking the keys with it.
“Kit?” Jade stands there with a raised umbrella, its purple and aimed to strike whoever was supposedly breaking into her apartment. Kit looks at her watch, and then lunges at Jade as the clock strikes 12:00 am.
Their lips meet and Jade’s umbrella falls to the ground as her hands go to steady Kit’s body. She gasps as they pull away, looking at Kit like she can’t believe what she was seeing.
“Happy New Year Jade!” Kit smiles up at Jade, softening at the astonished look on her girlfriend’s face. Still out of breath from the run she breathes deeply in Jade’s arms.
“How are you here?” Jade looks over her ragged appearance, “Why are you out of breath?” The unbelieving look still in her eyes.
“I ran!” Kit pauses, “Well, I took a plane from Denver, Ballentine picked me up from the airport, and then I ran here from your Dad’s house.”
“I’m so happy you’re here, but why are you here?” Jade asks, ushering Kit in from the hall, grabbing Scorpia’s keys as she closes the door.
“I didn’t want to miss our first New Year’s kiss, one company New Year’s party can be missed, this couldn’t.” Kit leans up and kisses Jade again, letting this one linger for a few more seconds than the first.
“Happy New Year Kit,” Jade says, voice low as she looks down to the shining blue eyes of Kit Tanthalos.
“Happy New Year, Jade,” Kit looks at the keys as she sheepishly looks back up at Jade, “Your dad has my stuff, and these are Scorpia’s keys. Mind giving me a ride back?”