"I don't know about this." Michael whispered out, his tail curling around his midsection defensively. The auburn appendage was three feet, ten inches. It used to be longer, he recalled bitterly.
Gavin grabbed the Faunus's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, flashing him one of his goofy smiles, a smile only he could do.
"It's gonna be top, love. Trust me." They were sitting in Michael's car in the parking lot of a Six Flags. The amusement park, usually a place of joy and happiness, was a reminder of darker and bloodier times in the Faunus community. No Faunus had dared enter, at least without heavy disguise, since the park had become available for Faunus to enter two years prior. A group of Faunus had come, excited and anxious, only to be brutally beaten by an even larger group of angry humans; there were three Faunus casualties, no humans had been harmed.
And now, Gavin wanted Michael to barge into the park and have a lovely day and expect no problems whatsoever?
Michael was highly skeptical.
"It could get bad in there." Michael warned, but Gavin brushed it off.
"I'll protect you." Gavin winked and Michael rolled his eyes, sighing out in defeat.
"Okay but you're buying me a deep fried banana. I heard those things were kickass." Gavin giggled, ruffling Michael's curls.
"Yes, my little monkey boi." Nobody was allowed to call Michael a monkey except Gavin. Joel had tried once and had left work with a fat lip.
"Two tickets, please!" Gavin's British voice drew Michael out of his musings and he realized with a start that they were at the entrance to the park.
The perky-looking woman raised her eyes and Michael watched them widen as she saw the tail swaying carelessly behind him.
She bit her lip nervously before leaning close. Michael raised an eyebrow in confusion, but she waved them towards her.
"You've got some balls coming in here." She whispered to Michael, her eyes shifting to look out for anyone. "It's dangerous, especially for a Faunus mated with a human." She glanced at Gavin before turning her attention back to Michael. "I'm a dog Faunus myself. Didn't get the ears, got the tail. Makes it easier to hide, yknow?" She paused. "Just.. Tread carefully." Then she leaned back, exchanging Gavin's money for tickets and giving them that same, wide smile.
"You two have a great time!" Her voice was sugary sweet laced with warning and Michael let out a breath as they entered.
"I told you. Faunus don't go to big public places like this. It's a fucking target on our backs."
"Or tails." Gavin giggled, yanking on Michael's tail playfully and receiving a glare. "Oh will you relax? Nothing is going to happen! We are going to have a fantastic time, you'll see." He connected their hands once more and pulled Michael forward through the crowd of people.
"Ooh what do you want to go on first? My favourite is the Thunderbird." Gavin squealed happily.
Michael shrugged, blushing in embarrassment. "I have no idea. I've never ride a roller coaster. I don't even know all that much about em, except what I've seen in pictures." His eyes roamed over the towering structure before him and his tail twitched nervously. It looked dangerous. "I'm failing to see the appeal so far."
"You're having a laugh! Never been on one?" Michael shook his head and Gavin's green-blue eyes widened. "We have to ride them all! Roller coasters are bloody fantastic. Sure they can be a little scary, but in the good way, like before a first date or a performance. You're gonna love it." And then Michael was whisked away with the joyful hurricane that is Gavin to wait in line for the Thunderbird, a giant mess of red and yellow metal.
"These lines are fucking ridiculous!" Michael yelled out angrily after fifteen minutes of waiting with very little advancement.
"Yeah, but it's worth it!" Gavin cooed, wrapping his arms around Michael's waist and giving him a little peck on the nose.
Michael opened his mouth to whine more but was suddenly jerked back by his tail. He landed with a soft oof onto the hard ground and bounced back up immediately, angry and ready to throw fists.
"I think you're in my way, mutt." A large man with a bald head and a wicked scowl growled out at him, his hands clenched.
"I think I'm right where I'm fucking supposed to be." Michael snarled back, baring his sharp teeth like an angry dog. Gavin stepped in front of him defensively.
"Excuse you, sir, but I believe you just assaulted my boyfriend." His voice was calm, but there was a tinge of malice behind it. He smiled softly, head tilted to the side a bit. The man huffed out, stepping closer.
"You're sick." He pushed Gavin's shoulder, but the young Brit held firm, standing in between the two angry men. The air was tense and electric; there was no doubt to Michael that they would be fighting. He scrambled towards the man as soon as he touched Gavin, but the Brit held him back.
"I believe you're the sick one for being so disgustingly racist." Gavin hissed. An even larger man with a black shirt was approaching them and Michael's tail frizzed nervously. He didn't think he could take both of them.
"Excuse me, sir. Is this man bothering you?" Michael realized with a jolt that the new man was talking to him. He nodded wordlessly. The new man turned to face the offender and grabbed his arm roughly.
"I thought so. Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The new man, Michael realized he was a security guard, drug the protesting racist away and Michael let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"See? I told you we'd be fine." Gavin grinned and Michael glared at him before smirking.
"Yeah, we got lucky. You're still a dumbass." Gavin twisted his tail and Michael pounced on him playfully.
"Um.. Excuse me." A man cleared his throat and Michael jumped back, turning towards the source of noise with a blush on his cheeks. A very short and plump man with little hair and a pinstripe suit stood before them.
"Yeah?" Michael gruffed out, annoyed to have yet another interruption.
"My apologies, Mr..."
"Michael. And this is Gavin." He responded, sensing no immediate danger in the small man.
"Well, Michael, my security guard informed me of the incident that happened and I felt positively horrid about it. I've been trying my hardest to create a Faunus-friendly park since the tragic attack that happened years ago and have simply failed to attract any." He sighed out and Michael exchanged a surprised look with Gavin.
"Anyways, I'd very much like to send out my apologies with these." He pulled out two red passes and handed them to Michael, the latter of which taking them in his hand warily. "Top priority passes. They'll allow you to skip to the front of the line for any ride for today." He answered the unasked question. "I hope these will make up for the trouble you have went through." He smiled kindly.
"You're bloody right it does! Thank you so much; this is so kind!" Gavin exclaimed, pinning the pass to his shirt excitedly.
"It's the least I can do. I only hope Faunus will eventually feel comfortable coming here." He spoke solemnly before departing, and Michael couldn't help but feel a tinge of pity for the man.
"C'mon, Micoo! We can go to the front now! Your first roller coaster ride; how exciting!" He squealed happily, but Michael's stomach turned as he glanced up once again. They flashed their passes and the worker nodded, strapping them in as they took their seats in the front car.
"Is the front a good idea?" Michael spoke hesitantly, stroking his frizzed tail nervously. The thing hardly looked safe.
"It's the best spot!" Gavin wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder. "Everyone is nervous their first time, Micoo. You'll be fine." He smiled warmly and Michael forced one back, still feeling nervous inside. The ride gave a jolt and Michael's tale sprang up, puffing out as he gripped the flimsy bar keeping them in tightly. He heard muffled laughter behind him and growled, embarrassed with himself.
"Here we go!" Gavin flexed his fingers excitedly.
Michael gulped.
Click click click click click. The quiet noise echoed in Michael's brain as he pushed his back against the hard seat, heart thumping in his chest. They were gaining speed, rising higher and higher.
Michael squeezed his eyes shut as they neared the top, breathing heavily. The motion stopped and Michael chanced a peek, regretting it immediately as he saw how high they were. He could see the entire fucking park! He let out a little whimper and then the stand-still moment was over.
They were hurdling downwards.
Michael screamed at the top of his lungs, eyes widening in horror.
"FUCK FUCK FUCKING FUCK WHY THE FUCK OH MY FUCKING GOD AHHHH I'M GOING TO FUCKING DIEEEEEEE!" He screeched, holding onto the bar so tight he was surprised it didn't break under the pressure. Gavin was screaming and giggling beside him, his happy yelps greatly contrasting the terrified sounds leaving Michael's. His curls flung into his face but he refused to let go of the bar to remove them, screaming louder as they were plunged into a tunnel of darkness.
And then it was over.
They were back where they started. Gavin went to get out but stopped, laughing, as he saw Michael, tense with a silent screaming expression still etched into his face.
"Michael, love, the ride is over!" He pried Michael's fingers off of the bar and lifted it, yanking the older man out of the seat.
Michael sprinted to the nearest trash can and heaved into it, retching and choking.
"That..." He gasped, wiping his mouth. "Was fucking terrible." He grimaced and Gavin let out an indignant noise.
"Wot? That was bloody top!" Gavin huffed.
"No. It was terrifying. I'd like to never do that again. Ever." He grumbled. Gavin frowned, crossing his arms.
"But you can still go on! Plus, y'know, there's tons of other stuff we can do here." He rushed, kissing at the frown lines on Gavin's forehead.
Gavin giggled, swatting him away. "I know. It's a bummer you didn't like the roller coasters though. C'mon, let's go play some games." He squeezed the Faunus's hand before rushing off in the direction that had several stands with colorful tops.
The booths were filled with different simple games and and cheap-looking prizes, but Gavin gawked at them like they were something fantastic.
"Ooh Micoo, look at that!" He pointed at a giant stuffed snake toy, longer than Gavin himself.
The woman at the booth noticed his gaze and smirked knowingly.
"Y'know, if you can knock down all these bottles in one shot, it's yours." She drawled out and Gavin squealed happily.
"Micoo we have to get it!" He pleaded, turning his puppydog eyes toward his boyfriend.
"Gavin, these things are fucking rigged. There's no way we'll win it." He glared at the woman and she sneered back.
"Please, Micoo?" He begged further, puffing out his lower lip.
"Fuck. How much for three balls?" He turned to the woman and she grinned, reaching under the counter to bring up three scratched up balls.
"Five bucks." Michael grumbled as he handed the bill over and took a ball in his hand. He squeezed one eye shut and lined up the shot before throwing one. It knocked over a large chunk of the tower of bottles, leaving only three.
"FUCK!" He yelled out angrily, punching the counter.
"It was close, love." Gavin comforted him, holding him from behind.
"Good luck kiss?" Michael cooed, snatching Gavin's lips with his own and making the latter blush at the sudden affection. The woman rolled her eyes before setting the bottles up again.
Michael threw the ball even harder, succeeding in knocking them all down.
"Whoo!" Gavin yelled, thrusting a fist into the air excitedly. Michael ruffled his golden brown hair as the young Brit reached up to grab the red and purple snake, hopping up and down happily. "My hero." He kissed Michael's nose and the Faunus chuckled.
"Okay now you owe me that banana treat. Go get it." He slapped Gavin's ass and he let out a little yelp as he trotted off to the food stands.
Michael turned back around, eyeing a stuffed toy on the shelf he had seen earlier as he pulled out another bill.
"Give me three more balls."
-
The two men continued to play games throughout the carnival, and there were a few times that Michael would sit on a bench while Gavin indulged himself with roller coasters. It was quick, thankfully, because of the passes. By the time the night air was turning chilly, Gavin was tired out and happy. The bright lights of the amusement park lit up their faces as they walked hand in hand through the exit, Gavin snuggled up against Michael's side.
"That was a really top evening, Micoo." Gavin sighed out.
"Yeah it was. And I got something for you."
Gavin looked at the giant snake he held in his other arm. "Yeah, I know. I can't wait to hang it somewhere in our house!" He giggled and Michael rolled his eyes.
"No, dummy. I got you something else." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small toucan stuffed toy.
"Aww Micoo, it's cute." He held the little toy and it squawked when he squeezed it.
"It reminded me of you." Michael snickered. "That beak is shockingly like your large nose." Gavin let out a loud squawk of indignation and Michael snorted. "That is exactly what I'm talking about."
"Micoo, that's rude!" He was giggling though. "I'm gonna put it on my desk, right by your little monkey stuffed animal."
"The perfect pair." Michael smirked at the little doll and Gavin turned to look up at him, connecting their lips gently.
"Yeah, we are."