Fairground Attraction

[Pocky]

As Trick thought about how to deliver some information in the best possible way, Harm gave him some of his own and it made a terrible kind of sense. He stared at Harm, not once thinking that he was joking about the Ben thing, and looking amazed that he was owning up to it.

"Hey man, don't worry about it. I mean, I didn't mean to pry, it was just a joke. It's none of my business, hey," he said hurriedly, his words running together so quickly that they were almost not complete sentences. His tone was apologetic because he realised he'd stumbled onto something that had made Harm uncomfortable. Then, with wariness: "Did you tell him you were going to meet him here?"

That part didn't feel so good.

[Existentially Odd]

Harm blinked at Trick, stunned that he was so forgiving. He floundered momentarily, scrambling for an answer he definitely hadn’t anticipated he’d get the chance to give.

“Oh, gods, no!” he exclaimed with a shocked laugh as he found the courage to meet Trick’s gaze again. “I thought I might do a casual thing and that was only  once I saw they listed times he’d be here but I figured he’d be pretty busy. Mainly, I just wanted to look from a distance because I wanted a look at his sire-boyfriend. I know that sounds weird and stalkery!” Harm admitted with a more genuine laugh.

“But they’re in an open relationship and they’re vampires and one made the other one and it just seems so weird and fascinating to me that they’ll be together forever with each other like that and I just, I wanted to see them together just to know what it looked like!” he blurted with a shrug, blushing as he listened to himself in all his awkward glory.

“Welcome to how weird my brain is and how strange I really am?” he squeaked, cringing as he anticipated Trick’s reaction to that. He hoped for laughter but was worried he’d get that odd look most people usually gave him when he was himself around them.

[Pocky]

Trick blinked at Harm as the information came barrelling his way. He was mildly aware that Harm's excited explanation drew a few gazes from people walking past but Trick didn't shift his focus off Harm's face to them. He shook his head lightly when Harm said 'weird and stalkery' and he nodded the once when Harm said he'd wanted to see the vampires together.

Once Harm was finished, Trick pulled his lips in. All the way in, turning his mouth into a slash. He looked down and peripherally spied his water so he set down his noodle box with the last remains in them and picked up the bottle. He uncapped it and thrust it towards Harm.

"Hold this for me?" he asked, then he unclipped the water slip at his belt. He uncapped it too, though its mouth was quite narrow and would ordinarily need someone to use a funnel with it to get the water in. "I want to show you something. Hold it tight," he instructed. He held the slip upright but squeezed it so that it would be able to contain water that was about to be poured into it. Trick made a small gesture towards the bottle to help his focus and then stared at it until a small whirlpool began to form. It wasn't necessary, just a show-off thing for Harm. The water then, of its own accord, snaked up through the mouth of its bottle and travelled to the slip, filling it in Trick's hand. He watched it fill up and his fingers twitched to break off the flow. The remainder of the water hung in the air and then retreated back to the water bottle that Harm held. Once it was in place--about half of a bottle full and without a drop spilled--Trick returned his attention to the water slip by capping it and re-clipping it back to his belt.

He looked at Harm next, taking in his predicted reaction.

[Existentially Odd]

Harm had been wary of Trick’s tight-lipped look. It had seemed disapproving, even though Trick had nodded like he’d understood Harm’s interest in staring at people he had no right to be gawking at.

Then an amazing display happened. It didn’t quite compare to seeing Luke’s body heal before his eyes (which had been mainly horrifying, really) or his arm transform into a new and crazy shape but it was wonderful all the same.

As Trick manipulated the water, he found his gaze drawn away from it too often, distracted by the eloquence of Trick’s hand gestures and the beauty of his arms as his muscles contracted and flexed. Harm’s mouth fell open by degrees, his eyes widening in direct correlation to the diameter of his mouth until he was left gaping up at Trick in awe. He couldn’t say anything immediately, he was too stunned, but his eyes were alight with something that would look like love to the casual observer.

Whatever the purpose behind the spontaneous display - Harm suspected it was to distract him away from thinking about vampires and prove how amazing nymphs were instead - he was absolutely smitten with Trick. His abilities, rather. He shook his head mildly as his mouth gradually closed - though it opened again a few times because he was too flabbergasted to find words inside and he needed to let some in.

“I... that was just,” he floundered, shrugging and lifting the hand not holding the water bottle at the same time, palm up. “I mean... wow. You. You’re amazing. You can control the elements?” he guessed, looking down at the bottle at the same time he lifted it, as if to inspect the water inside and verify it was real. Not trick water. Ha.

[Pocky]

Trick grinned at Harm's reaction, his eyes sparkling. He shook his head at Harm's guess.

"No, just water. I'm a water nymph. We all have our own elements." He opened his mouth to say more, grit his teeth and shrugged. The false start was replaced by a real one.

"It's also the reason I won't be hanging around here after dark. I don't think you know but there's been a bunch of vampire attacks on nymphs these last few months because they found out nymph blood makes them high. I don't really want to hang around vampires. It's bad enough they drink blood anyway." His eyes widened as he realised he was verbally hating on a species Harm liked. "Sorry, I know they're not all the same. But I can't tell which ones are the nice ones just by looking at them, you know?"

It wasn't the way he'd wanted to tell Harm but it had come out naturally enough.

[Existentially Odd]

Harm was horrified by Trick's tale. He recalled reading an article in the supernatural newspapers about attacks on nymphs - now that Trick mentioned it. It hadn't had enough impact on Harm's life for it to mean anything at the time.

Only now did it mean anything. Now, it meant everything because Trick was a water nymph and so were Jon and Gia and they were all in danger from vampires chasing a blood high. For fuck's sake, drugs were pervasive and destructive in every fucking culture. Harm hated them passionately. He also feared desperately for Trick's safety. This must be how Luke felt about him poking his nose into supernatural corners where he didn't belong. Huh. This was not a fun feeling.

Knowing Trick was in potential danger decided Harm immediately. He shuffled a bit closer and put his hand on Trick's knee, squeezing it in concern. "I do know and I understand completely. Better to be safe than sorry. We'll be gone well before nightfall," he nodded emphatically.

Of course, vampires were banned from drinking within the grounds and there were security guards patrolling everywhere but that didn't mean he and Trick would have safe passage outside the carnival grounds. It was easier to take themselves completely out of danger and get to safety when they could. Was that his place, though? Sure, he'd never had any troubles from his Kuei-Jin neighbours but what if Trick's blood drew them like moths to a flame?

Harm took a breath to calm himself down. He was getting hysterical. "Maybe... maybe you just want to go home to your place, though? I wouldn't blame you if you did. I mean, you definitely couldn't walk out of my place in the dark so you'd have to stay the night because I have Kuei-Jin neighbours and...  and maybe you don't want to take unnecessary risks," he offered awkwardly, hoping Trick would argue but not confident he would. Harm didn't expect the guy to put himself in danger for him, that would was just too much to ask.

[Pocky]

Trick placed his hand on top of Harm's when it was on his knee, keeping it there. His smile was gradual and as Harm kept talking, Trick eventually dropped his gaze to look at Harm's hand, a light blush pinking his cheeks. There was a short pause before Trick tilted his head and peered up at Harm with a shrewd look. "Are you turning the damsel thing around on me?" he asked. "Because if you're going to be locking me away so the monsters can't get to me, fifty fifty you're not the prince but the witch."

He laughed breathily before his gaze dropped from Harm's eyes to his lips. His smile faltered as he grew serious and he looked down again, looking at his hand on Harm's upon his knee, and he gave it a mild squeeze.

[Existentially Odd]

Harm breathed a laugh also, enchanted by Trick's coy looks and pink cheeks. He didn't know about witches from princes but this was a hundred percent a fairy tale feeling, with all the butterflies bashing around inside him and the giddy feelings he got every time he looked into Trick's eyes.

"No, no," he argued wryly, "as appealing as locking you away to keep you all for myself sounds, you are absolutely the prince, I'm not trying to steal your moves, I promise!" He'd have held up a hand to reinforce his protest of innocence but one of them was holding a water bottle and the other was trapped between two very lovely parts of Trick. "I'm way too addicted to you rescuing me - especially now I've seen how powerful you are."

Now he did lift the water bottle, for emphasis. Spying it in his peripheral vision, he licked his lips because they were dry from all the heat and decided he'd have some water after all. As he lowered the bottle, he levelled a serious look at Trick, his thumb finding a patch of skin to stroke compulsively through the rip in Trick's jeans.

"Honestly though, no pressure. We don't even have to decide now, if you don't want to. It's so fucking hot we should probably find the fastest-moving ride around and plant ourselves on it until we cool down and then we'll just... see how we feel around four o'clock, okay?" he offered with an encouraging shrug.

He hadn't finished his food yet but he could walk and eat. Plus, the thing about butterflies - they made him feel pretty full even when he wasn't.

[Pocky]

“Thanks,” Trick said, ducking his head. “I predict a weather demon or two are on your pollie's payroll,” Trick guessed with a grin. “Lets play some games first.”

They tried all the sideshow games and every win went into Harm's bag. They had a small collection of fluffy animals and trinkets before Trick nailed the ring toss and won them a giant unicorn.

“Damsel has a mount,” Trick declared grandly, bowing while offering Harm his mighty rainbow steed.

[Existentially Odd]

Harm laughed, his face openly astonished as he accepted the giant unicorn. It was enormous. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with the thing - it wouldn't fit on any rides with them. Trick's wording had him giving the nymph some side eye as he placed it between his legs.

"This is different," he said, putting a hand to the brim of his cap and pretending he was looking around from a high vantage point. "I'm on top. Not my usual role," he remarked mildly, watching Trick for his reaction, his expression innocent.

[Pocky]

Trick moved out of the way when someone else wanted to use their position at the ring toss. There were more rainbow unicorns to win, or small furry frogs. It was a strange duo of prizes for the stall. The crowd was getting thicker as the afternoon wore on. Harm's jest caught Trick's attention but the nymph just shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

“I left Buoy at the altar for less,” he teased. “Let's take your stallion back to my car.”

Trick's tone matched Harm's with how casually he said it. The effect was ruined when he checked his phone for the time. Because Harm was looking at him, he said: “Just checking if it’s four o'clock yet.” Then he giggled and lined up a shot of Harm riding his unicorn.

[Existentially Odd]

Harm posed like a gallant adventurer for the photo then pulled the unicorn out from between his legs. He carried it under the arm that was on the opposite side of where Trick walked, so they could hold hands as they went (if Trick was open to it). He wasn't entirely sure what Trick meant about leaving Buoy for less - that Harm was a lesser offer than Buoy was because he'd insinuated sex? That Harm was less because he was usually a bottom? For less of an insult to Trick's sensibilities?? - and his mind fretted at that bit, even as the rest of what Trick had said sent the butterflies into a frenzy again.

It sounded like he was keen to leave. Harm didn't object.

"You know, we don't have to wait 'til four if you don't want to," he remarked, sticking with the 'casual' theme of their current conversation. "It's hot and fucking crowded and it is open again tomorrow. We can come back and do all the stalls then, if you want. There might even be less people tomorrow. And if we're already going to your car, maybe it'd just be easier to head... home?" he enquired, deliberately not stating which home they'd each go to, uncertain what he wanted.

Well, not really. Harm knew what he wanted. He wanted a cool shower with Trick in it doing amazing things with the water, hidden away in his nice cool apartment from the crowds, the boggling sights and the dangers, just the two of them naked and getting to know each other in sweet, intimate ways. He was pretty sure Trick knew what he wanted, too. It was Trick's desires that were the mystery and Harm didn't feel right in pushing the guy too fast. It was good for him, too. He had a tendency to lose his head and he liked that Trick would keep him honest, it was just... frustrating as well.

[Pocky]

Trick's grin broadened and he chuckled, then laughed outright, shaking his head. "You're really naughty," he said. Once his phone was away, Trick took Harm's hand and led the blond man through the thick crowd. They moved left and right because everybody was looking and dawdling and Trick was moving faster than most of them.

The crowd thinned once they were out of the sideshow and with a quick glance down the stalls, Trick saw that there was still a lot of room for them there. Beyond that the rides had very long lines. They could probably grab a bunch of merchandise without too much trouble. Trick turned away from it and continued out the gate, looking back at Harm and tugging him so that they were walking side by side now that they weren't conga-lining through a bunch of people.

"Car's in the second row," he said. "The red one. Well, the faded red one. Do you have parking at your place?" Trick asked, giving away his intended destination.

[Existentially Odd]

"You have some idea," Harm conceded, when told he was really naughty. His grin was cheeky but contrite. He hadn't asked about it but vividly recalled the delay - indicating shock - after he'd sent Trick his most graphic picture. He wondered if the pic had been deleted.

When they paused and Trick looked down at the stalls zone, Harm thought he was about to suggest that they visit now, unicorn and all. Or perhaps drop the prize off and go back but then Trick's final question came, prompting Harm to look at him with a sly grin.

"There's a carpark a short distance away from my place where we're allowed to park for free because both places are owned by the same person. I have a pass... somewhere," he frowned, trying to recall if he'd put it away in a drawer or not.

He remembered that the last time he'd used it had been when his parents came to the city to do stuff and stayed with him. That had been about a month ago... it was hanging on a lanyard on his fridge, he was pretty sure. It was right near the front door and he had magnetic hooks on the side nearest the door for hanging keys and his ID badges and such on. He'd bet money that that's where the car park pass had ended up.

"I know where it is!" he cried brightly, weaving alongside Trick towards his car. "I can swipe you out and you won't have to pay... no matter how long you stay." He tried not to seem too devious with his statement by not letting it linger between them. "Do you want to leave now or should we go back and see the stalls? It looked pretty empty," he suggested, torn between both choices. Alone time with Trick versus information about supernaturals and free stuff... it was a tough choice!

[Pocky]

Trick didn't say anything immediately to Harm's suggestion, looking pensive until they got to his car. It was a thirty year old car that had central locking but only when used with the key proper. Trick shoved the key into the driver door and turned it, hearing all the doors unlock. He opened the back door behind the driver, where he stood near Harm.

"The back is where the animals go," he stated, gesturing at the rainbow unicorn. "You... can ride up front beside me." He reached forward with his free hand and hooked his fingers over the top of Harm's jeans and pulled him closer. "Unless you want to..." Trick looked from Harm's eyes to his lips and back again, "...get some free stuff."