After the talent show, Kurt and Blaine walked back through the thinning crowd on the fairway to the Ferris wheel gate.
"Want to go for a ride?" Blaine asked, looking up at the brightly glowing wheel.
"No. I should really get home to my dad."
"Oh, come on. Just one ride? Ten minutes? Surely you can spare 10 minutes for a maybe friend."
"We don't have tickets."
"I bet he'll take my cash," Blaine said, pulling out his wallet. He walked over to the carnie operating the ride. "If I give you this," he said, extending a 20 to the man, "will you let my friend and I go around a few times?"
The man shrugged. "Sure."
"Come on," Blaine gestured to Kurt who was watching them closely. "I got us on."
Kurt sighed heavily but joined Blaine anyway, climbing into the seat next to him and lifting his arms for the man to lay the lap bar across both of them. That squeezed him closer to the middle of the seat, and his leg was resting against Blaine's. He was warm next to him, and the closeness and heat pouring off of the shorter man made him shiver.
"Cold?" Blaine asked him, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
"No. I'm fine."
They didn't speak for a while, just watching the people below them as they went around at a slow pace. When they were nearing the top on their second time, Blaine said, "I love to look out over the fair from up here and see all the lights, all the people. It really gives you a new perspective on your life."
"Mmm," Kurt hummed.
"When I was little, my mom and dad and brother would all squeeze into one of these seats—I don't know how we ever made it—and we'd ride two or three times in a row. I would always get mad at Coop for rocking the seat, and my parents would just squeeze me a little bit tighter and tell me to watch the people as we went around. Sometimes, we'd play 'I Spy,' and sometimes, we'd just be quiet." He paused. "I loved those rides so much. Whenever I'm in town for the fair now, I always make sure to ride the wheel at least once. Reminds me of when times were simpler." He hadn't meant to let that last part slip out, and it hung between them on the air for a while, feeling like a brick.
"I knew you had secrets, too," Kurt finally said softly. "I could see them in your eyes the first day we met."
Neither of them spoke for the rest of the ride, just thinking about what the other had told them. They were realizing that whatever was between them, whatever would or could be between them was a lot bigger and a lot heavier than either of them had realized.
After they dismounted the ride and were standing next to the fence again, Kurt spoke. "Thanks for making me do that. I had a nice time up there with you."
"You're welcome. Thanks for riding with me. It was nice to not do it alone this year." Stop admitting things like that, Blaine.
"Well, I've got to get going. I need to make sure my dad's taken his pills before he goes to bed."
"Alright. Have a nice night, Kurt."
"You, too." He strode away a few steps before turning back to Blaine. "Oh, and I'll see you in the morning at 10:00 for coffee."
Surprise streaked across Blaine's face. "Are you sure? You don't have to make that decision until tomorrow, you know."
Kurt nodded once. "I'm sure. See you at 10:00."
"See you at 10:00, Kurt. Good night." He watched in silence as the man strode off into the deepening darkness.