"It is weird being at a theme park that wasn't designed by Eggman," Sonic said, "I almost feel like I should be watching out for traps."
"This place is totally safe," replied Jet, "Well, as safe as a theme park normally is."
Sonic laughed, "I guess I was the only one you messaged willing to have some near dangerous fun, huh? I thought you would have asked Wave or Storm before me!"
"Haha, yeah, everyone else was too much of a chump to join me. I knew you would never bail on some risky fun!" Jet blushed and laughed nervously, not wanting to tell Sonic he was the first one he asked.
The pair of rivals walked up to the line for the ticket booth. The park was bustling with people, and the summer heat was still in full swing.
"Whoa, looks like we might be waiting in line for awhile! Hey, I have some games on my phone that we could play together!" Sonic said.
"Whatcha' got? I can beat you in anything!" Jet proclaimed.
"Tails made this simple arcade game where you have to tilt the phone to shift me on the screen to hit bounce pads!"
"You? You're in the game?"
"Yeah! Tails can make anyone in the game. Should I ask him to make you? Or would you want more of a racing game?"
"Hey! I like to jump too! Riding boards isn't the only thing I'm good at!"
"I'm sure you ride anything well," Sonic winked and laughed.
Jet blushed, hoping no one else in line was listening to them. "Yeah, yeah - how about we play the game?"
"Haha, alright fine! It can't do two-player yet, but we can take turns. You can watch me play the first round."
Sonic tapped some icons on his phone and started up the game. Jet stepped closer toward him to watch the screen. Low and behold, it was Sonic on the screen! The game started and Sonic tilted the phone in his hands to move digital Sonic to hit bounce pads. Neat!
Jet saw the line moving so he tapped and pushed Sonic on his back. Sonic felt really warm. Jet thought how he must get really hot when he runs as much as he does and how the heat from today makes him warmer. Jet could feel how soft Sonic's quills were while he pushed down on his fur to guide him forward. 'So warm and soft!' Jet thought. Jet's feathers help cool him off.
Before he even noticed, Jet had been holding onto Sonic's back for too long of a time for him to pull off without Sonic noticing, yet Sonic had not said anything about it. Was he too focused on the game? Should he pull off and hope Sonic doesn't say anything? Jet just slid his hand upward to Sonic's shoulder and coughed.
"So, are you winning, Sonic?"
"I don't think Tails has made a win condition yet, but I am close to beating my high-score! Thanks for watching the line for us."
"Do you play lots of games with Tails?"
"Yeah! We play all kinds at his workshop. He used to mod consoles but now has gotten into mobile programming. I don't know how it works, but I love testing out his stuff!"
"Oh that sounds fun! I don't really have any games on my sky ship, just a few board games."
"Oh you should have told me! Here, I'll lose on purpose so you can try! I play this all the time and the line is only half-way done." Sonic tilted his phone all the way to the right until his lives went out. He hand his phone to Jet who grabbed it with both hands like Sonic.
"Just tilt back and forth to make me me on screen. Make sure you hit all the right spots to get a high-score!" Sonic reached around Jet and grabbed his shoulder. "I'll watch the line for you so you can focus!"
Jet held onto Sonic's phone and worked to get him as high as possible. Digital Sonic was kind of cute, thought Jet. He had a chibi, kawaii style in game.
"Your avatar is kinda cute in this game, blue," said Jet.
"Thanks! He gets those good looks from me!" Sonic squeezed on Jet's shoulder and guided the two of them forward in line.
Jet stumbled a bit forward as he started getting more into the game. He was determined to show Sonic how much of a gamer he could be. Maybe he would get to have game nights with Sonic too if he got a good score!
Jet shifted the phone all around to get as many bounce pads as possible. Kawaii Sonic jumped up and up and up and Jet's score continued to rise and rise and rise. As he got higher, the bounce pads spread further apart. Jet tried to stretch his luck as thin as possible with how well he could maneuver the harder levels, but things got too tough and he lost his lives quickly.
"Dang! I was hoping I could get higher," Jet said.
"Hey! You did pretty well! Look!" Sonic pointed at the phone screen and Jet had made the Top 10 high-scores. He was third.
"That is really good for your first time; some more practice and you'll be on top in no time!"
Jet chuckled. "I always come out on top eventually. You should know that better than anyone from how much we raced!"
Sonic and Jet were close to the ticket booth. Jet got out some cash to pay for enough tickets for the two of them. He was planning on trying at least every ride once, and he knew Sonic would want to do the same. The duo left the ticket stand folding and splitting tickets so they could pocket them more easily.
"Thanks for buying for us! I'll buy us snacks so we are even!" Sonic said.
Jet smiled, "It's a deal!"
The two walked around the fairgrounds looking at all the colorful rides and and noisy game booths. Jet pointed to a UFO style ride and the two of them headed over. They paid their tickets and got on the ride. The inside air was cool yet humid since the UFO ride was shut off from the outside. Sonic and Jet got two panels next to each other and waited for the ride to start. They laid back on the panels and looked at each other.
"I thought you'd like some space themed rides the most," Jet told Sonic.
"I like all the flashing lights and this ride has great speed to it!"
Jet looked at Sonic laying next to him on the panels. "Yeah, I guess the views aren't too bad for this ride at all."
The ride let off an alarm sound and the operator announced they would be spinning soon. The ride started slowly at first and then more speed kicked in. Jet felt the g-forces pushing down on him and on his face. His arms felt heavy and the ride was getting even faster. He used all his strength to twist his head to look over at his companion. Sonic was lifting his arms and looking at the lights above, wiggling his fingers through the flashes. He cheered and hollered as the UFO spun round and round. Jet woohoo'd with him and rocked his head on the panel.
The ride slowed down and the panels shifted back to their first location. The bay door opened up and light flooded the UFO. Jet unstuck himself from the panel and looked over to Sonic.
"My whole body feels so heavy now!" Sonic said as he bumped into Jet and held onto his side. "That was awesome! Let's definitely do this one again before we finish today."
Jet blushed and grabbed Sonic, helping him with his heavy steps to get outside the ride. They stepped down the steps and Sonic shook his limbs to get the feeling back into them. Sonic let out a bark and shook his head and let out a relieved sigh. 'Wow, that ride made him go so feral,' Jet thought.
"So," Sonic said, "What's next?"
Jet and Sonic further into the park going on the rides they liked best. Spinning rides and some short roller coasters caught their attention the most since they were both speed demons. Sonic seemed to be having a great time, and Jet was feeding off that energy too. He had wanted to see Sonic for a while, and he was glad the two could enjoy each other.
After doing more rides and grabbing some funnel cakes and hot dogs, the pair walked into some more casual rides while they finished their food. Sonic pointed to a haunted water ride, and dragged Jet with him to get in line. They got seated quickly and saw their boats had laser guns and a score counter.
"Hey look!" Sonic said, "Now we can get some competition in!"
"Haha, yeah…" Jet sheepishly replied, "I'm always down to take you on…"
"What's the matter, scared? They don't have any real ghost or ghouls in here! Plus, I'll be right beside you the entire time, birdboy."
"As long as you're with me then!" Jet got a little more confidence back as the ride jumped to a start and their boat car started moving.
The ride's caverns were dark and the two started shooting at targets that activated chest and barrels in the scenery. The ride had some elaborate animatronics!
Sonic handled his pistol well and took great aim at all the targets in the dark crevices of the ride's game. Jet stayed competitive with him while still fighting his frights of the creepy caves they were in. Sonic and Jet shot all over the place trying to get as many targets as possible. When there was a lull in the targets, a fake ghost with a target shot down from the ceiling in front of their boat.
"SQUAWK!" Jet shrieked in fear.
"Shoot it down!" Sonic yelled out.
Jet and Sonic honed in their guns and shot all over the ghost to rack up points. Working together, there is nothing they could not do! The rest of the wet tunnel was a piece of cake for the two speedsters. 'I guess all that training for the Olympic Games paid off!' Jet thought. He and Sonic had become professional athletes in their leisure time. This conspicuous carnival car ride didn't stand a chance.
The boat pulled into the exiting stages of the ride and Sonic and Jet compared scores. It was a close game, but Jet's confidence boost put him 100 points ahead of Sonic.
"Nice work, hawk! We should try this again next time and I'll top you!" Sonic proclaimed.
Jet got out of the boat and helped Sonic step out after him. Sonic grabbed the bird's hand to get over the step from the water ride to the platform and stood next to him. The evening was setting in and all the carnival's lights started to turn on showing an elaborate and chaotic twinkle park viewing.
"Wow! I love all that color!" Sonic said. "We could be able to see the whole park from the Ferris Wheel! Want to go with me?"
Jet nodded and the two of them walked in the direction of the big, round wheel. Sonic hadn't let go of Jet's hand from when he helped him, and Jet felt his beak getting flushed from having Sonic hold him like this. Did Sonic know Jet wanted something more than just a friend at the carnival?
They approached the wheel and it was starting to load new passengers. Sonic stood with Jet and pulled out enough tickets for the two of them. Sonic got into the car first and patted on the seat next to him for Jet to sit down. The operator pulled down the safety bar and sent them off. Sonic gazed out into the carnival's vastness as Jet looked around nervously. Sonic caught onto his looking around and spoke up.
"You aren't scared of heights too, are ya? That would be unlike a bird like you!" Sonic laughed and nudged Jet, scooting closer.
"No it's not that," Jet got quiet for a moment. "Sonic, can I tell you something?"
"Always! Give it to me!" Sonic said, cheery as usual.
"Sonic… I didn't ask anyone else to come here with me. I just asked you. I wanted to be here with you."
"Oh, you wanted to ask me out here? Like a date?"
"I-I-I don't know i-if I would say it like t-that!" Jet stuttered, getting flustered.
"Well, you bought tickets for me and I bought food for you and we were holding hands… seems a lot like a date," Sonic speculated.
"Sonic," Jet sighed, "I'm bisexual. I wanted you to come with me today because I wanted to see if I really had feelings for you, and I think I do." Jet put his face in his hands to not show how red he has gotten.
Sonic was silent for a moment and then spoke. "Jet, I don't really know what I am, but I do know I had fun today with you and that I liked being close to you and touching you."
"Y-you do?" Jet stammered.
"Yeah," Sonic said quietly and shifted closer to Jet, holding his hand on the sheet of the ride. "I do. I like you, Jet."
Sonic leaned in closer to Jet's face and shut his eyes. Jet felt the hedgehog's warmth getting closer and leaned back into him, giving the hedgehog a short kiss on the lips while they were on top of the Ferris Wheel. They pulled away from each other and opened their eyes slowly, looking into each other's desires.
Sonic giggled, "I've never kissed someone with a beak before. It was nice!"
Jet laughed with him. "Haha, well that was really good for your first time, with a beak mouth, that is." He blushed.
"Thank you for asking me out tonight with you, Jet. I want to see you more often like this."
"I want that too, Sonic."
And so the couple sat on the Ferris Wheel, leaning their heads next to each other while holding hands and watching the lights flicker below from the scintillating carnival. Reds, oranges, yellows, purples, and, of course, green and blue, all shining bright in the June night's sky.
Happy Pride Month!