Auld Lang Syne

A chorus of voices sounded from the street below.

"Quattro, tre, due..."

The countdown dissolved into a cacophony of cheers and celebration as Rome welcomed the new year.

Edward took a sip from the crystal flute of obnoxiously expensive champagne Harry had insisted on ordering to toast the new year.

"Happy new year, darling." Harry whispered in Edward's ear before pulling him into a kiss.

The delicate floral notes of the champagne tasted even sweeter from Harry's lips. Edward returned the kiss, pulling Harry flush against his body and tangling his fingers into the silken curls. Harry kissed like he spoke, slow and sweet, like dripping honey. It was one of the things Edward loved most about Harry and he could easily lose himself to hours of feeling the caress of those perfectly bowed, pouty lips dancing against his own.

He tugged the curls at the nape of Harry's neck, savoring the little gasp it elicited. He kissed harder, nipping at Harry's bottom lip in a display of dominance that would raise the hackles of any other alpha.

But not Harry. Sweet, delicate, enigmatic Harry. He was all too willing to cede control to Edward, not as an act of weakness but rather a show of absolute trust. Evident in the emotions flowing through their bond which left them both breathless as they broke the kiss.

The raucous celebration was punctuated by fireworks that thundered overhead, brilliant bursts of light shimmering in the cold winter sky as an opulent salutation to the brand new year. But even among all the splendor of a Roman New Year, Edward couldn't take his eyes away from Harry's face, illuminated by the soft golden glow of the city lights and the vibrant bursts of color glittering in his eyes.

It still amazed Edward, after all their years together, that a creature as perfect as Harry existed on this earth. While the world saw them as identical alpha twins, a rarity in itself, Edward saw all the things that made Harry so much more extraordinary. Resplendent in his own right.

The world had not been kind to either of them from the start. Alphas were expected to be brutal, imposing and ruthless and Harry was anything but, and for that Edward loved him even more. His gentle spirit and infectious joy, coupled with his easy charm gave Harry his own gravitational pull and everyone who came near was powerless against it. Everyone noticed Harry. And despite it, Harry only had eyes for Edward. They had shared a bond since birth and now wore the physical proof for all to see, something that never failed to cause pride to bloom in Edward's chest.

Edward reached his fingers out to stroke over the small crescent scar he'd given his brother the day they turned 18. The mark visible on the milky skin just below Harry's collar bone, peeking out from his delicate silk blouse. A vibrant warmth flooded through both of them as memories from their bonding surfaced. The devotion and awe the two felt for one another was immeasurable. They belonged to one another, they always had. Two souls bound together inextricably.

Edward tugged at the lapels of the dapper Gucci suit Harry had donned for the occasion. Elegant sapphire brocade immaculately tailored to Harry's figure. Edward's eyes scanned down his twin's body, cock twitching with interest at the way the fitted slacks accentuated Harry's supple hips and delicately muscled thighs. His long legs leading down to the pair of heeled boots that had become a staple in Harry's wardrobe.

He was the epitome of beauty and Edward couldn't help but crave what lay beneath all that expensive material.

With a firm pull, he dragged the jacket over Harry's shoulders, tugging it off and dropping it onto the balcony, lips smashing against Harry's in a dominating kiss that Harry returned with fervor as Edward's dexterous fingers found the buttons of his blouse. He undid the first two before tearing the shirt apart, ravenous and impatient.