[76] New year count down

The house was warmer than usual that night. Daisy had managed to fix the damn radiator, and now it was finally working like it was supposed to. The small fire crackling in the fireplace added to the cozy atmosphere, casting a warm glow over the living room. Outside, snow was falling steadily, blanketing the town in a soft layer of white, but inside, we were huddled together, waiting for the new year.

A bottle of cheap whiskey sat on the coffee table—our drink of choice for the night. We'd found it while scavenging, and even though it tasted like gasoline, it was good enough to toast with. We didn't have much, but we had each other, and that was enough.

I glanced around the room, taking in the sight of my friends. Daisy was leaning back on the couch, her feet propped up on the table, a satisfied smirk on her face as she nursed her whiskey. Liza was sprawled out on the floor, flipping through one of her manga volumes, her face half-hidden by her long brown hair. Yabe sat quietly beside me, her legs tucked under her as she held her mug of tea, the scarf I'd given her still wrapped around her neck.

It was the last day of the year, and despite everything, we were alive. We'd survived.

"Alright," Daisy said, breaking the silence. "We doing this or what?"

I smirked, reaching for my own drink. "New year's resolutions? Sure, why not. We made it through hell—might as well figure out what comes next."

Liza groaned dramatically from the floor. "Ugh, do we have to? Resolutions are bullshit. Nobody actually sticks to them."

"That's 'cause most people are lazy," Daisy shot back, raising an eyebrow. "Ain't no harm in setting a goal or two."

"Fine, fine," Liza muttered, sitting up and crossing her arms. "But if you say some stupid shit like 'I'm gonna be a better person,' I'm out."

Daisy laughed. "Nah, ain't my style." She took a sip of her whiskey and then leaned forward, grinning. "Alright, I'll start. My new year's resolution? Get this town's defenses back up and running. We lost too many people in that last raid, and I'm not about to let it happen again."

I nodded, understanding the weight of her words. Daisy took her patrol duties seriously, and after the losses we'd suffered, it made sense that she'd want to focus on keeping the town safe.

"That's a good one," I said, lifting my glass. "To keeping the raiders out and staying alive."

"Cheers to that," Daisy said, clinking her glass against mine.

Liza rolled her eyes. "You guys are way too serious." She tapped her chin thoughtfully, pretending to ponder. "Alright, my resolution... Let's see. I'm gonna read every manga volume I can find before they all disappear. And I'm gonna start a 'Weebs Anonymous' support group for all the poor nerds out there who don't have enough anime in their lives."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "That's a very you resolution, Liza."

She grinned, flashing me a peace sign. "Damn right it is. Someone's gotta keep the culture alive."

Daisy snorted, taking another sip of her drink. "You're hopeless."

"Thank you," Liza replied, unbothered as she lay back down, her eyes already drifting back to the pages of her manga.

Yabe had been quiet, sipping her tea as she listened to the banter. I turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "What about you, Kohai? Got any resolutions for the new year?"

She looked down at her mug, her expression thoughtful. "I... want to continue helping people," she said softly, her voice calm but firm. "As a nurse. I've seen so many people come into the hospital hurt, and I want to be better for them. I want to make sure I can do more to save them."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Yabe had grown a lot since we'd first started this journey together. She'd gone from being unsure of herself to someone who was calm under pressure, someone who could be relied on in a crisis.

"That's a damn good resolution," I said, my voice soft. "You're already doing so much, Yabe. You've saved lives."

She smiled, a small, shy smile. "Thank you, Senpai. But there's always room to improve."

Daisy nodded in approval. "You're one of the good ones, Yabe. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Yabe's cheeks flushed a little, and she glanced down at her tea. "Thanks, guys."

The room was quiet for a moment, the only sound coming from the crackling fire. It was my turn, and I hadn't really thought about my resolution until now. What was I hoping for in the new year? What could I even wish for in a world like this?

"I guess... my resolution is to keep us all together," I said finally, the words coming out slower than I expected. "We've been through a lot. We've lost a lot. But we're still here. And I want to make sure that, whatever happens next, we stick together."

Liza groaned dramatically again, but this time there was a softer edge to it. "Oh god, Jake's getting sentimental. I'm gonna cry."

"Shut up, Liza," I muttered, grinning despite myself.

Daisy smirked, raising her glass. "To sticking together, then. Ain't no one else I'd rather be stuck with."

Yabe nodded, lifting her mug. "To us."

We clinked our glasses and mugs together, the sound ringing out through the quiet room. The fire crackled, and outside, the wind howled softly, but for a moment, everything felt peaceful. We were a strange group, but we'd become a family. And that was worth fighting for.

As the clock ticked closer to midnight, we huddled together on the couch and floor, waiting for the countdown. The whiskey had loosened everyone up, and we were laughing, joking, teasing each other about our resolutions and our ridiculous plans for the future.

"Ten seconds left!" Liza announced dramatically, her voice filled with excitement. "Get ready, nerds!"

We all sat up a little straighter, and Daisy checked her watch, grinning as she started the countdown.

"Ten!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

Our voices overlapped, the excitement building. Even Yabe joined in, her usual shyness melting away in the festive atmosphere.

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

I could feel my heart racing, even though it was just another day. But this time, it felt like a new beginning. A chance to start fresh.

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Happy fucking New Year!" Liza yelled, throwing her arms into the air.

We all cheered, clinking our glasses together again, and for a brief moment, everything felt right. Daisy was grinning, Liza was already talking about her next anime marathon, and Yabe was smiling softly, her eyes reflecting the glow of the fire.

"Happy New Year, Senpai," Yabe whispered, her voice full of warmth as she looked at me.

"Happy New Year, Kohai," I replied, leaning over to give her a quick hug.

Daisy raised her glass one more time. "To another year of surviving this fucked-up world. Let's make it count."

"Hell yeah!" Liza shouted, downing the rest of her drink in one go.

We laughed, the sound echoing through the house, and for the first time in a long time, I felt hope. The world was still a mess, and there were still dangers lurking around every corner, but we had each other. And that was enough to keep going.

As the fire crackled and the snow fell outside, we sat together, basking in the warmth of the moment. The new year had arrived, and with it, the promise of more challenges, more struggles, but also more memories.

And whatever happened next, we'd face it together.

Q: How do you celebrate new year?