[Star-R] Sweltering Heat Needs a Treat [Many]

[EchosSweet]

Quote:

Heatwaves (11) : An unfortunate dry spell has come over Destiny City, and a heat wave has made it all but unbearable. The heatwave is only projected to last for a week but it’s been rough. Plants are wilting, people are wilting. The city is experiencing blackouts, which isn’t helping. Thankfully, the reservoir is always open. Just, crowded. It might just be the worst part of the summer. People are passing out regularly, and the hospitals are getting too many admissions to keep up with. It’s probably just the heat and not anyone up to anything nefarious, right? Better stay hydrated and try to keep cool, and maybe avoid everyone in weird costumes, just in case.

“You w-would’ve been happier at home,” Basyl hummed out softly, picking at the end of his t-shirt as he leaned back against the edge of a folding plastic table. He and Nataniel were in the fair board office, one of a small handful of administrative-type rooms located central to all the fair activities. Their room had been designated as the first aid station. It was sweltering hot outside. Basyl could practically see the heat rising off the concrete in the parking lot behind them. But this building was air conditioned, and likely given to them for this purpose specifically because of how rampant the heat-related conditions would be this year.

He’d wanted to make sure he did his part to allow for people to have a good time, so of course he’d volunteered for a small shift to monitor anyone who needed assistance. It was just for a few hours. And besides, if he volunteered, they got into the fair for free that night! They didn’t have to pair for parking or entry!

If they wanted to ride rides or eat snacks, that was still on them, but Basyl wasn’t much for the hyper-spinning fair attractions. The snacks, though…

They only got to sample fair food once a year, so what was the harm?

Unfortunately, there was probably absolutely nothing here tha Nataniel would want to partake in. Not the people, not the rides, not the shows, not the games or shops, and definitely not the food. The only reason he invited himself along was to be at Basyl’s side, so Basyl could hardly be mad at him for coming. But it didn’t take much to figure his boyfriend would’ve preferred the night at home.

Basyl pushed away from the table toward Nat, letting his arms weave up to circle around the back of the other man’s neck, and gently tug him into a light kiss. “I’m still… r-really happy you came with me?” He offered, words coming quickly. “I could’ve come by myself. I e-expected to come by myself, even- It’s not like I didn’t know you wouldn’t like it. But I’m just always s-so happy when you want to do something with me, even if it’s something you don’t enjoy as much. And we can sit at home- Oh, all the time, basically?” He dipped to lean his forehead against Nat’s shoulder, even aware of how sturdy his boyfriend was against him. “But it will probably not be very exciting here, anyway. It’ll be n-nice that you’re here to talk to me…”  

[Indigo_Plateau]

It was true: there was nothing here Nataniel wanted besides Basyl.

This was the time of afternoon- 5:00 PM- when he preferred to be winding down from all of the struggles and dramas of the day. He should be preparing dinner, or settling onto the couch for a movie, or booting up one of his computer games. Something to mentally reacquaint himself with his own personal space so he could feel refreshed enough to endure the morrow. It was difficult to go back into public after a full day of work, but for Basyl, he managed.

Nataniel’s sigh was stiff as Basyl approached him, but he felt almost instantly the inevitable lull of peace from having someone he loved and trusted near him. Even his boyfriend’s quick and manicky speech did little to rouse Nataniel’s anxiety again.

He slipped a hand out to curve around Basyl’s hip as the other leaned into him, turned his head to lay a soft peck at the junction of Basyl’s neck and shoulder. If anyone was to be bothered by public affection, it wasn’t going to be Nataniel. Though they did have the benefit of four perfectly solid walls separating them from everyone else, and it was tempting to see what that meant for how far he could push.

…But he’d better keep a hold of himself specifically because it was something Basyl had volunteered for through work. If it was any other reason, Nataniel may have been more willing to test the stability of these rickety, old folding plastic tables.

For now, he gave a dismissive shrug of his shoulders. “I am happy to try and accommodate your silly whims. It is only once a year.” And then, more softly, more sweetly, “And I am happy to be with you, wherever that is. I would prefer it elsewhere, but this is enough for me.” Though maybe he was just lulled into a false sense of security from the fact that no one was here, yet. They were alone in the room, with just the sounds of activity surrounding them from the outside. He canted his head quizzically towards the one entrance, through which he could decidedly hear excited screaming. “Was there anything you actually wanted to do here? I would not have expected you to enjoy this type of commotion, given your… mm…manic energy.”  

[EchosSweet]

The sound Basyl made was a choke of laughter at Nat’s description.

Manic energy.

It was true to some extent. When there was a lot going on around him, Basyl did find that his already-chaotic thoughts tended to get a little worse. His speech tripped a little more, he fidgeted with his hair or his clothes or picked at his fingernails with a frantic sort of need. If it was funny, it was just because Nataniel had never even known him through the worst of it, when he was younger. He couldn’t completely hide his “manic energy,” but he was better at it now than he had ever been. Elsewise, he was certainly deeply wrong in his profession of choice. There was always a lot going on- oftentimes a lot going wrong- in a hospital.

But he wasn’t offended by Nataniel’s observation. Maybe found it funny or charming, even? His opinion definitely wasn’t swayed by the hand at his hip or soft lips against his neck, even as Basyl shifted to pree more firmly into his hold.

“Well, I do like to be around people having a good time, actually? The rides would for sure make me sick, but I still think it’s fun to watch them and t-to see all the lights once it gets dark? Um- The way it smells. I l-love fair food,” he admitted eventually, almost hoping it was obscured by everything else he was saying, because Nataniel would give him That Look that was clearly disgusted. “I like weird lemonades and fried green beans. I like all the silly prizes at the games. The c-caricature artists? Have you ever seen them? I like doing those, too…”

But he was happy to just do his volunteer time and watch everyone else participate in these things. Basyl definitely didn’t need any new trinkets from the fair…  

[Indigo_Plateau]

The things he did for love.

With a quiet sigh, Nataniel leaned in to kiss Basyl’s forehead, then stepped backward out of his embrace. “If it makes you happy, I am not opposed to obliging you?” He offered only a little uncertainly. He wouldn’t have minded rides, actually. At least less so than screaming people and gross food, but that seemed like it was probably off the table. He didn’t want Basyl getting sick. -And off the table because Basyl had to stay here to tend to the duties he’d signed up for. Perhaps once that was over, and if Nataniel was still feeling amicable to more activity, they could do one of the other things Basyl wanted.

For now, though: “Is there something you want me to go get for you? A ‘weird lemonade’ or… ‘fried green beans?’” Sounded awful as far as Nataniel could imagine, but it would be worth it to make Basyl happy.

The whole thing was awful. Fairs were much worse than camping or the beach- How could his boyfriend like the way it smelled here? The whole scene was one sharp twist away from smelling like vomit. An amalgamation of unholy food, and, well, probably actual vomit brought on by all the spinning rides. But Nataniel wanted to be a good boyfriend. He wanted to do things that basyl liked, to make him happy. That was what couples did, he was pretty sure.

With a resigned sort of expression, Nataniel slid one of the fair brochures that littered the table in Basyl’s direction. It wasn’t an exhaustive list of what was on display or available for the event, but it looked like a good enough spread.

“You can circle some things you are interested in,” Nataniel said. “I will fetch them and bring them back, and we can try them together?” Provided nothing was too grievous an offense to his senses.