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[It's only a little while until the new year begins and Joaquin wanted to celebrate! Another year with Manolo and hopefully more to follow, considering he wouldn't have anything like that back home when they did return...

but no dreary thoughts tonight! Joaquin was opening that bottle of tequila Newt sent him for Christmas and it was gonna be a good night!]

Ready for some shots, Manolo?

[That question earns Joaquin a short laugh.]

Well, if you're offering, I'm not gonna say no...

Sure I'm offering! I can't drink this whole bottle by myself!

[Or maybe he could but that would be a bad idea. He hands over the first of the shots.]

Happy New Year, Manolo!

And a Happy New Year to you, Joaquin! [After raising his glass, Manolo knocks back the alcohol. It burns his throat and leaves his mouth tingling, just as tequila should.]

Hey, this is good stuff! Much smoother than what I'm used to, hahah!

[Joaquin raises his and hits it at the same time as Manolo and oh boy! YEAH that's what he's been craving!]

Ahhh, nice! But hey, you're right.

[He looks over the bottle but beyond the simple design and a list of big words he doesn't understand, he can't see any mention of their processing.] I wonder how they do it... Ah well! This is just getting started!

[He takes Manolo's glass and begins pouring out a second shot.]

[Oh wow. Manolo can already tell this is going to be a night filled with bad ideas, and yet it doesn't occur to him to suggest they start off slow. It's the last night of the year! He didn't even think he'd get to see another one of these, let alone get to spend it with his best buddy.]

We still know how to appreciate a good bottle, eh? [Once the glass is full, he gratefully accepts but doesn't suck it down just yet.] Want me to pour yours?

Hell yeah, we do! [He wasn't going to argue that!

But the offer gave him pause, and he hands the bottle over with a smile.] Sure! Thanks.

[Aaaand here's a shot for you, bro! Manolo hands the glass back over once it's filled with alcoholic goodness, giving him a winning smile.]

Anytime, amigo!

[He raises it again but stops, thinking about what to drink to this time.]

To... To new friends!

[Yeah, that was a good one. They had met some nice people here, including the guy who had given them this bottle. And YES that was some goooood tequila!]

To new friends!

[Clink! Aaaand now his glass is empty again. Smacking his lips, he promptly says:]

Don't forget the old friends, though! We need to drink to them too.

[Fill 'er up, Joaquin.]

Right you are, right you are... [Already Joaquin was filling up Manolo's glass and passing over the bottle.]

To old friends, to the nineteen thirty!

[And he gladly fills Joaquin's glass before setting the bottle back down.]

The nineteen thirty!! [Another raise of his glass, another gulp of tequila burning its way down his throat.]

Ahh...[Maybe it's just him, but his cheeks are starting to feel warm...]

[It isn't until Manolo repeats what he said that Joaquin realizes his words were a little weird but hey, they were drinking, it wasn't about thinking. He just laughs, downing his drink once he's calmed enough.]

Oh man... Maybe we should slow down. [But almost as soon as he says that he burst into giggles.]

Slow down? The great Joaquin Mondragon? [Manolo sounds scandalized, but his act crumbles apart the moment he catches the giggles from his friend, and his shoulders start shaking with laughter.]

[Fuck, now they're both laughing and Joaquin has to be careful not to knock the bottle over when he sets his glass down on the nightstand. God, what a mess, what a glorious, hilarious mess.

About that time an interesting video starts up to signal the countdown to true midnight for the east coast... and there's something there that seems to sober Joaquin right up.

Manolo of course, loves it, but for now, Joaquin is just going to text some responses because... holy jesus...]

[Don't mind Manolo, he's just generally being loud and obnoxious and occasionally dipping into the tequila even though he probably shouldn't at this point. When he finally puts his communicator down, he's shaking his head in awe.]

Wow. Wow. I didn't see that coming. I mean, I kinda did? But I didn't imagine it would be like that, hahah. But good for them!

[A pause, and it's then that he notices Joaquin has been unusually quiet.]

Hey...you okay?

[Joaquin finishes up texting with Newt and finds himself feeling pensive despite the mildly numb feeling that drinking usually gives him. His good cheer wasn't present any long, anyway.

But then Manolo turned to him and he chuckles nervously.] Me? I'm fine I'm... I guess I'm just a little shocked is all.

[Manolo saw it coming but Joaquin... he didn't. He pauses.]

... They fight a lot. Like... a lot a lot. I hope they'll be okay...

I don't know, they kinda...[He squints, trying to find the right words for this. It's hard enough when he's sober.]...remind me of some old married couples I've seen. Like...the type of people who know each other so well, that they can say whatever they want to each other, and it still somehow works out in the end. [He looks at Joaquin, almost like he expects him to understand exactly what he's talking about.] You know?

Heh, maybe you're right. [He shouldn't worry. But Newt also said some things that made him think more about himself and he would rather not do that ever, so it was time to change the subject.]

So it's... really the New Year now. Good ol' twenty sixteen.

... Time for another shot?

[He's still not convinced Joaquin is okay with everything, but Manolo doesn't want to push him, least of all when they're supposed to be having fun together.]

Uh, yes? The first toast of the twenty sixteen. The twenty-sixteen toast. Has a nice ring to it!

Twenty-sixteen... [Joaquin shook his head even as he pours out the next shot. He's almost afraid to hand the bottle over to Manolo but he's gotta trust his bro won't spill alcohol all over the bed.]

There isn't anything like knowing we're basically a hundred years in the future and drinking good future alcohol and still alive here in twenty-sixteen.

[A snort.] There isn't anything like knowing we're a couple of old grandpappies, you mean.

[Manolo grows quiet as he intently focuses on getting the alcohol into Joaquin's glass without spilling even a single precious drop. Then, after handing it back over with a proud look, he adds in a more serious tone:]

But, no, you're right. I never would have dreamed this, not in a million years.

We are kinda old men compared to everyone else here that's our age, huh? [Sometimes it was exhausting keeping up with all the new tech. At least he had his motorcycle to keep him feeling young.

He takes the glass and returns the sentiment just as seriously.]

Same here. So how about we drink to that, then. Not just twenty-sixteen, but to dreams beyond our dreams?

[It was stupidly sentimental but it encompassed quite a lot.]

Just a little. [He's laughing a bit about it, though, cheeks rosy and eyes twinkling with amusement.]

To dreams beyond our dreams...[Manolo's voice takes on a softer tone at Joaquin's words.] I like that.

[He lightly taps his glass against Joaquin's.] Cheers, amigo.

NYE 2015 > 2016

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