Thackery and Nivens got up early one day to go out and explore beyond the park. They'd agreed that they hadn't spent much time hanging out just the two of them since they came over from Underland. Nivens was often left out of band activities just due to the nature of not being in the band. The band practiced together and performed together, which led them to grouping together when not doing one of those two activities. Nivens, playing the role of the DJ, was a much more solo act. Whereas Thackery was looking for some time apart from the rest of the Mad T Party crew, Nivens was looking for some social time with someone. Anyone, really. So it worked out that they went off together.
Nivens had seen online that there was a temporary set up nearby. A special activity he wanted to try and was happy to have company to go on this excursion. He just wouldn't tell Thackery what it was. All he told the March Hare was to wear a pair of swim trunks, a t-shirt, and to pack a towel.
"Are we going to the beach?" Thackery asked on the ride there.
Nivens smiled at him. "Nope."
Thackery frowned. "A pool?"
With a laugh Nivens shook his head. "Nope! You're not going to be able to guess it, so stop trying."
That didn't dissuade Thackery. He'd worn his green and blue swim trunks with a matching blue t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops. His plain white towel was draped around his shoulders. Not sure where they were going he'd tied his hair back into a pony tail to keep it out of his face. He sat watching Nivens for some clue as to where they were going.
Nivens was dressed in a very similar manner. He wore a pair of white swim trunks with large blue Hawaiian-style flowers printed all over them and topped it off with just a plain white t-shirt. The White Rabbit donned his sunglasses and carried a white towel as well. There really was no clue as to what their final destination was, but at least Thackery felt reassured he'd dressed appropriately.
Finally their ride dropped them off. Nivens told him to come back in a couple of hours and off the man drove. Thackery looked around to try and figure out where they were at. There wasn't a beach in sight. Nor was there any type of pool structure. They were standing at the top of a grassy hill looking over a large park of some sort. What Thackery did see was a small crowd of people lining up dressed in either swimwear or t-shirts and shorts. Some were wet, but others weren't. Still he couldn't figure out what was going on. The crowd obscured his view of what it was they were waiting in line to do.
"I still don't get it," Thackery said flatly.
Nivens shook his head. "Come on." He grasped Thackery's hand and led him to the end of the line. "At least we got here early enough that there's not a big crowd."
A moment later a pair of laughing teenagers got in line behind them. They were both wearing short-shorts and t-shirts while simultaneously being soaking wet. Thackery rose a curious eyebrow. The pair of teens smiled at him and Nivens.
"You guys haven't gone yet?" one of the girls asked. She had long hair that was wet enough that Thackery couldn't tell if it was brown or blonde, but was tied back in a braid.
"Gone where?" Thackery asked and shot Nivens an alarmed look.
Nivens held his finger up to his lips and shot the pair of teens a wink. "Shh! It is a surprise."
The girls giggled some more. The other girl had very short dark hair and was attempting to wring some of the excess water out of her t-shirt. "Okay! It's a blast. You'll both have fun."
"Thank you," Nivens said and gave Thackery an excited smile.
The line progressed at a moderate pace. Thackery worried and tugged at his ears. Everyone seemed to be having fun, but what if it was scary? Would Nivens try to scare him on purpose? He shot another glance at the girls behind them. There were more people in line behind them now.
"Its not scary, is it?" he asked them timidly when he caught their eye again. They shot each other a long look and smiled. Nivens elbowed him in the side.
"I don't think its scary," the brunette offered. She got elbowed in the side by her friend who shook her head, but laughed.
"You guys are a cute couple," the girl with the braid said.
Thackery flushed and glanced at Nivens. Silently he cursed Nivens for wearing the sunglasses because he couldn't see the White Rabbit's reaction to the compliment. Nivens mouth did pop open in surprise a little. Thackery looked back to the girls. "We're not. I mean, its just. No. We're friends." He smiled in an attempt to hide his fluster.
"Oh, sorry," the girl smiled. "I like your ears." She reached out to touch Thackery's ear.
Before she could reach him Nivens' hand shot out and gently, but firmly, grasped her wrist. "Please, he's very attached to the ears." She apologized and took her hand back.
The brunette peered at them closer. "How are they attached?"
"What a question!" Thackery proclaimed and turned his back on the girls. He knew they were being nice and were just curious, but he was flustered.
Nivens took a step back so he was between the girls and Thackery. The White Rabbit smiled and chatted with the girls, but Thackery didn't pay attention. He was trying to figure out why their questions rattled him so much. On top of that, he still didn't know where they were or what they were going to do once they got to the front of this line.
From this vantage point, he could make out the curved top of something clear and plastic. People were laughing as it rolled over the edge of the hill away from the line, but Thackery couldn't figure out what people were doing.
As the line twisted around and there were only half-a-dozen-people left in front of them, a set of cubbies had been set up. "Here," Nivens said as he removed his sandals and placed them in one of the cubby-holes with his towel. "Put your stuff in with mine."
Thackery hesitated only a moment before putting his towel and sandals in the cubby with Nivens' things. Nivens and he went through a lot together to overthrow the Red Queen. There is a kind of bond that forms through times like that. Perhaps that was why Nivens came with them when they left Underland. He looked over at the White Rabbit. "What about your glasses?"
"Good point," he conceded and put the sunglasses in with the rest of the things.
Nivens' pink eyes met Thackery's violet and green eyes. Neither of them had "normal" looking eyes. Most people asked him where he got his contacts. He smiled at Nivens' pink eyes. Thackery may have kept his ears, but Nivens lost his in the transition from Underland to Alice's world. He felt sorry for the Rabbit, but Nivens never really let on if it bothered him.
Nivens reached over and gently pushed Thackery's arm. "The line's moved," he pointed out.
Turning around Thackery saw the line had progressed while they stored their things. Together he and Nivens moved closer to the head of the line. From this viewpoint Thackery could see more of what was going on. The large clear thing was a giant plastic bubble. He couldn't see how people got into it, but he did see people inside of it as it rolled over the side of the hill. Where were they going though? His heart began to race. "What are we doing Nivens?"
Nivens put his hand on Thackery's shoulder. "Don't worry. It'll be fun!"
"Yeah," said the brunette behind them. "You guys can go together. It's not as intimidating when you're with your friends. Right, Robin?"
The other girl, obviously Robin, nodded. "Its great!"
"See?" Nivens said and rubbed Thackery's shoulder.
Thackery pouted. "If I die, I'm coming back to haunt you," he warned the White Rabbit.
"Good. Then its settled." Nivens smiled.
Finally they were at the front of the line and it was their turn to get into the giant hamster ball of doom. At least, that's how Thackery thought of it.
Nivens climbed in first. Easily he slid into the opening on the side of the ball and settled into a smaller cavern inside the ball. Just like a rabbit going down a rabbit hole, which Nivens obviously had experience doing. Thackery worried at his ears and hid behind them nervously as he eyed the opening. It looked far too narrow all of a sudden.
"You can do it," Nivens called out to him. He even held out his hands to him in encouragement.
Taking a deep breath Thackery threw himself head first into the opening before he could second guess himself. He shut his eyes and slid into the ball with Nivens. The first thing he felt upon entering the ball was wet. The inside of the ball had a layer of water that you sat in, which made a sort of sense. It buffered you from the plastic.
Thackery righted himself and sat facing forward beside Nivens. Before them was a long track the width of the giant hamster ball that led down a very long hill. At the bottom it leveled out and they could see the ball ahead of them reaching the bottom. The pair before them got out and the empty ball moved aside so it could be brought back up to the top of the hill.
"That looks really far away," Thackery muttered.
Nivens took his hand. "I'm right here. Do you trust me?"
Thackery looked over at Nivens. They were sitting side by side inside a giant hamster ball with their sides pressed together. He looked down at their fingers entwined, then back up at Nivens and blushed. He nodded.
"You guys ready?" the man working the station asked.
"As ready as we'll ever be," Thackery responded without pulling his eyes away from Nivens.
"Alons-y!" cried the guy and rolled them over them down the hill.
The water in the center splashed up and over them, but let them glide smoothly over the surface of the ball as it rotated beneath them. Slowly the ball picked up speed as gravity coaxed it down along the trench. Nivens laughed out loud and let out a whoop of joy. Thackery felt a rush of excitement and fear as they sped along, but he felt safe with Nivens' hand in his. He tore his gaze away from the White Rabbit to see the field speeding past them as they went down the hill.
"Spoon!" he cried and laughed as the giant hamster ball sped them to the bottom of the hill. He squeezed Nivens' hand and felt the White Rabbit squeeze his in return.
Too quickly their descent was over and the ball was brought to a stop by the folks manning the station at the bottom. Nivens and Thackery were both laughing and still holding hands when they were instructed to make their way out of the ball.
Thackery, being the last one in, was the first one out. This time he slid his feet out first. Laying on his back Nivens helped him out by pushing his shoulders. His legs dangled until he felt the ground beneath them and he just slid the rest of the way out.
When he was finally steady on his feet again he turned to watch Nivens slide out of the hamster ball. He opted to come out on his stomach feet first and shot out of the opening too fast. The White Rabbit's feet hit the ground and he stumbled backwards. Instinctively Thackery stepped in to help catch him before he fell. He caught Nivens beneath the arms and helped him back on his feet.
"Thanks," Nivens said. He was still a little unsteady. With his arm around Nivens' back Thackery helped him move out of the way so the girls at the top could ride down the hill. "So," Nivens asked when they were out of the way. "Did you have fun?"
"That was a blast! This was a great idea," Thackery admitted and smiled at Nivens.
They paused when they were clear of the hamster ball track. Nivens smiled at Thackery and reached over. Some of his hair had come loose from the ponytail and stuck across his forehead. They were both soaking wet. Their trunks and t-shirts clung to them as they stood and faced one another. Looking each other over they both laughed. "I'm glad you liked it."
Thackery threw his arms around Nivens which surprised them both. "Thank you," he muttered into the White Rabbit's neck. Thackery felt Nivens wrap his arms around his torso and hug him back. When Thackery pulled back to look at Nivens, he found the White Rabbit flushed. Emboldened by the apparent blush, Thackery darted forward and gave Nivens' a quick peck on the corner of his mouth.
Without the sunglasses to hide behind Thackery could see the surprise in Nivens' face. Immediately he regretted the impulse, but before he could say anything Nivens' pulled him close once more. The White Rabbit pressed his lips to March Hare's with reckless abandon. Thackery's choices were either kiss him back or bruise his lips against his teeth with that kind of kiss. So he kissed Nivens' back. It felt like electricity shot through his body and out through his feet. He bunched Nivens' wet t-shirt in his hands as they clenched against the man's back. Nivens' hands splayed out across his back - a shocking warmth through the wetness of his own shirt.
When the kiss finally broke they were both left staring at each other in surprise. A smile spread across Thackery's face and he broke the silence. "Want to go again?" He wasn't sure if he was asking about the hamster ball or the kiss, but Nivens just simply said "yes."
Holding hands once more they marched back up the hill to join the growing line for the ride. They had plenty of time before the car would be back around to pick them up before the show, but Thackery felt that time would go all too quickly. At least they had that moment.