Birds of Feather

Chapter 18: Carnival

"I don't know if I can remember the last time I was at a carnival." You admit, slipping your arm through Marco's offered elbow as the two of you clear the main gates and start into the park grounds properly. "Bon-chan and Buggy would drag me from time to time before I graduated, but I don't think I've been since."

"Well, hopefully we don't go so long between this time and the next." Marco muses, raising his arm and yours enough to kiss the top of your hand.

The small nervous laugh that escapes you turns into more of a laugh, and you manage to look up at him. "I see what this is!" You start, wide smile on your face. He tilts his head a little to urge you to continue and you wag your finger at him. "You're laying it on thick, so that when you fail miserably at a stall game I'll be too flustered to tease you for it."

Marco flinches a little and looks away for a moment before turning back toward you with a smile. "Maybe." He mutters, clearing his throat. "What would you like to start with, yoi?"

"Hmm... games should be after we eat, and eating should be after we hit up a ride or two." You muse idly. "Do you know what rides they have here? I didn't think to look anything up before hand."

"For someone who hasn't been to a carnival in years, you sure have a strategy." He muses. "There's a roller coaster that's pretty scenic." He points up and you follow his finger to see a structure woven throughout the carnival. "It's a long ride, but it goes out past the dock, and sweeps by most of the attractions here. There's a ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, witch's wheel, carousel, house of mirrors, and well..." His hand's at the back of his head as he looks away.

It takes a moment for the light-bulb to come on, "Wait, is there a love tunnel or something too?" Hand over his mouth to hide whatever expression he's making, he nods.

"Shame I didn't bring any of those con-."

"It's not that long." He interjects, ears pink from the cold, you were sure he would insist.

You bite back a couple choice remarks, and just lean against him a little more. "Of course, the good doctor wants to take his time."

"The good doctor doesn't want to get arrested during a date." He insists, leaning over and kissing the top of your head.

"That emphasis implies you'd have no qualms getting arrested other times." You muse as the two of you worked your way through the crowd.

"If you're the one arresting me, I wouldn't complain." He replies smoothly, as you nearly choke on a laugh.

"I'm not a... I mean..." Clearing your throat you point toward the line for the roller coaster. "Wah-wanna start with that? We can, um, you know, see the whole carnival and then work from there."

"Mm, that sounds like a good plan." Marco's words slip down your back like a promise and it's hard to suppress the delightful shiver that dances along your spine. "It is pretty slow for a coaster, it's not meant to be a thrill ride, yoi."

"Oh that suits me." You admit with a grin as you both get in line. "You're dangerous enough on your own."

"Me? Dangerous?"

"Exceptionally." You insist as he files into line behind you.

"You know, I've never once had a cat hiss at me. If the animals know I'm safe, there's no way I could possibly be -."

You turn around for a second and give him a hiss before turning back to continue through the line. There was a silence between you both for a long moment, and for a second you worried that maybe you had accidentally hurt or insulted him. Just as you started to turn to apologize his hands were on your shoulders, keeping you facing forward as he leans down and whispers in your ear.