AN: Big thanks to VoyageAsia for this prompt and I know there was someone else who prompted something about the ferris wheel Thanks to you too. And thank you lilyvandersteen for being the magical person you are and beta-ing this for me! I think this is the last fill I am going to do for this verse, but you never know I could pick it up again if I got a really good prompt. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading!
The day B had moved back into their apartment, Kurt had meant to take him out to Coney Island, but as it turned out, they spent the morning in bed together, and then the afternoon moving B's stuff in from Cooper's place. Plus, his parents had sent him back to New York with a bunch of his things from Ohio. All in all, Blaine owned a lot more as a human than a droid. Which made sense, and Kurt was happy to accommodate it, and he only had a temporary freak out when he didn't think all of their things would fit in the master bedroom closet. B had assured him that he didn't mind keeping some of the things he didn't use that often in the guest room closet.
By the end of the day, they both decided not to try to cram Coney Island in and stayed in, making dinner together and being so hopelessly domestic that Kurt's heart kept fluttering in his chest. B was safe and home and they were together. It was everything Kurt had ever hoped for.
It ended up being a few weeks before Kurt had a weekend free enough to head out to Coney Island. He felt awful because B didn't have that much to do. He'd start back up at NYC in the fall, but for now, he had a lot of downtime. B insisted he didn't mind, though. He spent a lot of time catching up with his old friends and even visiting his teachers from the learning annex, all of whom were fairly shocked to meet Blaine as a human. B said it was a lot of fun, and Kurt wished he could have gone.
It wasn't that Kurt had forgotten about bringing B to a ferris wheel. He was just busy catching up with school; he'd gotten behind while B was recovering. Kurt was still going to do it; it was in the back of his mind. They just hadn't had a chance yet.
It was a sunny Sunday spring morning when Kurt woke up to his phone buzzing on the lampstand near his head. He grabbed it to see that it was a call from his boss.
Kurt glanced over his shoulder at a still sleeping B, and then crept quietly out of the bedroom so as to not wake him.
"Why are you calling so early?" Kurt answered the phone. "Is something wrong?"
"I wanted to catch you before you started your routine and got ready for work," Steve, Kurt's boss, explained. As it turned out, Kurt wasn't going to be needed at work that day. A smile grew on his face as Steve said he'd see him again on Monday. This meant Kurt had the whole day suddenly free. Once he'd hung up, he tip-toed back to the bedroom and leaned up against the door frame, just watching the man he loved for a minute.
Blaine's curls were crazy in the mornings, sticking up everywhere; they were so much curlier now than before. His eyes were softly shut and his lips parted as he breathed deeply in sleep.
This would be the perfect day to go to Coney Island. Kurt pushed off the door frame and went to fish Blaine's to-do list out of the desk. He was going to wake B up with a kiss and then point to Ride a ferris wheel to tell him what they were doing today. He crawled back on the bed with the list and looked for the right page. When he found it, his heart sank. Ride a ferris wheel was already crossed off, a firm black line striking through it.
Kurt frowned in confusion, and then the frown turned to disappointment as he realized that Blaine must have gone to Coney Island without him, one of the days that Kurt had been busy with work and school. He glanced at B's still sleeping form and tried really hard not to feel hurt.
He hadn't meant to make B wait so long that he felt like he had to go without him. Had he let B down? Kurt took a deep breath. It was okay. He was making this a bigger deal than it needed to be. Kurt wondered if B had gone with Cooper, and why he hadn't mentioned it. Or maybe he'd gone to Coney Island with… Sebastian.
Kurt narrowed his eyes, glaring at the list. He trusted B with Sebastian, of course he did, but then why had B not mentioned that he'd gone? Would he really keep secrets from him?
Kurt got up off the bed again and put the list back where he'd found it, a knot forming in his stomach. B shifted in his sleep and Kurt watched as he slowly opened his eyes. He yawned and reached out to Kurt's side of the bed and Kurt's heart fluttered a little as B let out a little whine when he found Kurt's side of the bed open. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and then saw Kurt standing by the desk.
"Good morning," he smiled.
Kurt smiled back. Okay, so B had gone to Coney Island with someone else and hadn't mentioned it to Kurt. That stung a little. It didn't really matter, though, because Kurt was the only one who got to see B like this, tired and sleep-happy and yawning as the morning light filtered through the curtains to brighten his smooth tan skin.
Kurt crawled back up on the bed and kissed B's lips lightly. B hummed into the kiss and when Kurt pulled back, B's eyes were trained on him. "Good morning, B." Kurt brushed his thumb over B's lips. "I'm going to go make breakfast."
"Don't you have to go to work?"
Kurt shook his head. "No, not today. Steve just called."
B's face brightened. "So we have the whole day together?"
Kurt bit his lip and nodded. "Starting with pancakes I think."
Kurt left B to shower and get ready for the day while he started on some blueberry pancakes in the kitchen. It felt like a good day to splurge. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, though. Blaine had actually checked off riding a ferris wheel without him. It didn't sound like a big deal, and he felt silly for letting it bother them. But it was something they had talked about doing together and they hadn't. Why did this hurt so much?
"What's the matter?" B said, walking into the kitchen, hair damp and wearing a jeans and a blue henley. As gorgeous as B was when he dressed up, seeing him comfy and relaxed around the apartment was one of Kurt's favorite things. One, because he was so cuddly-looking but also because it seemed intimate somehow.
"What's the matter?" Kurt repeated, raising an eyebrow and spooning some batter onto the grill.
"You looked… sad when I walked in," B answered, rounding the counter and coming up behind Kurt to wrap him in his arms and rest his chin on Kurt's shoulder.
Kurt just shrugged, trying very hard not to look as sullen as he felt. No reason to act like a child about this.
B leaned in and gave Kurt a soft peck to his cheek. "Hey baby," he said, and even in his distress Kurt's heart skipped at the term of affection. "Are you okay?"
Kurt turned in his arms and kissed him lightly. He didn't want to be mad at B. Whatever had led to B riding a ferris wheel without him, Kurt knew he never meant to hurt him by it. "It's just… I was thinking we could go to Coney Island today."
B's face brightened up immediately. "Really?"
"It was a thought."
"Kurt! I'd love to go." B smiled so brightly that Kurt couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his own face. B furrowed his brows. "But why do you look so upset?"
Kurt sighed and backed out of B's arms to flip over the pancakes. "When did you go?
B leaned on the counter at Kurt's side, his arms crossed. "What do you mean?"
"I saw that ride a ferris wheel was checked off of your list," Kurt said, not looking up at him and trying to sound casual. B didn't say anything. "Did you go with…" Kurt swallowed, his throat tight. "Who did you go with? Sebastian?"
"Oh, Kurt, no," B said immediately, and reached for Kurt's arm, making him look up at him. "I went with Cooper on one of my first ever trips to New York. I was 16 or 17, I think?"
"You... You went years ago?" Kurt asked in confusion.
"And I haven't been since. I didn't remember it when I was a droid. There are a few things on the list that I remember doing now though. Now that I have my life back." B met Kurt's eyes. "I didn't think they should be on a list of things I've never done anymore, since I have done them."
"Oh." Kurt shoulders relaxed and his lips tipped up in a smile. He felt better knowing B hadn't gone off to Coney Island without him; it just took a moment sometimes for Kurt to catch up with who B was now. The same man he'd fallen in love with, but with a much fuller background.
"Did you really think I would not tell you and sneak off to Coney Island with Sebastian?" B asked, and he sounded hurt.
"No B… I mean… Not sneak off. But you two have history, and you're friends…" Kurt trailed off, feeling silly, because of course B wouldn't have gone without telling him.
"I wouldn't go without you, Kurt," B assured him. "And Seb is my friend, but you are my best friend."
Kurt nodded and rubbed a hand over his forehead. "I know. I just… I forget sometimes that… I don't forget - that isn't right," Kurt amended, not knowing what to say next. "I guess there are parts of you I'm relearning and…"
"Things are different now," B supplied for him.
"Yes," Kurt agreed. "Better. Things are even better now. I just didn't think of the possibility that you had been to Coney Island before and had just forgotten for a little while."
Blaine smiled at him and didn't seem upset about Kurt's assumptions. "I haven't been in years."
"But you have gone. And you've already been on a ferris wheel."
B face fell and he looked worriedly at Kurt. "Yes, but-"
Kurt smiled and shrugged. "That's fine. We can find something else to do today."
B shook his head and held up a finger. "Wait a sec." And then he walked out of the kitchen without saying another word. Kurt watched him in confusion and then quickly plated the pancakes before they burnt.
Kurt was waiting for him at the kitchen table when B got back, the yellow legal pad that he kept his to-do list on in his hands and a pleased smirk on his face.
"What did you do?"
Blaine just sat down next to him and slid the pad over the table and tapped it with his finger. Kurt's eyes scanned down to where ride a ferris wheel was crossed off to see a new item squished into the space above it. Kurt's face broke out into a huge smile as he read out loud. "Kiss Kurt while riding a ferris wheel."
When Kurt glanced back up, B was looking at him very intensely, his chin tilted down and eyes gazing at him through dark lashes. "I guess that does sound nice," Kurt said easily, and before he knew it, B was pouncing on him, leaning over and grabbing Kurt's shoulders and kissing his neck, making Kurt laugh until B moved up to kiss his lips and Kurt sighed and deepened the kiss. "We should save some kisses for the ferris wheel," Kurt said breathily when they broke apart.
"It's a never-ending supply, Kurt."
"Oh, well then…" Kurt reached up to curl his fingers in B's hair and pulled him in for another deep kiss.
They eventually had to stop if they wanted to eat before breakfast got cold. Kurt was filled with a warm feeling in his chest as they finished up breakfast and B said he'd clean up while Kurt went and got ready for the day. They didn't leave for Coney Island immediately, wanting to arrive in the afternoon and hopefully be there when the sun set.
That afternoon, they took the hour-long subway ride to Coney Island. They didn't want to do the ferris wheel first thing, so they rode Water Mania, squirting water cannons at other riders while spinning in dizzying circles, they walked down the boardwalk, and played a bunch of those cheesy carnival games where you try to win a stuffed animal. The games must have been rigged though, because try as he might, Kurt could not win that oversized bear with a bowtie for Blaine.
"Kurt, it's fine. This is better," Blaine said, squeezing the little stuff toy pug that Kurt won instead. "Where would I even put that huge bear?"
"Good point," Kurt conceded. "And Margret Thatcher dog is really cute."
They ate candied apples, and held hands and traded soft pecks on the cheek, saving the ferris wheel for last. By time they got in line, the sun had gone down and the ferris wheel was lit up in purple and blue and yellow and Kurt gripped B's hand, bouncing on his toes. The wheel was really tall… taller than Kurt had expected, and suddenly he was a little nervous.
B looked at him and smiled in excitement and then lifted a brow at him. "Everything okay?"
"It's… bigger than I expected."
"Wait." B turned to face Kurt fully. "Are you telling me you've never been on this ferris wheel?"
"I've never been on a ferris wheel at all," Kurt admitted.
"Kurt!" Blaine started to laugh. "You… You didn't even say anything."
"I wanted this afternoon to be about you," Kurt shrugged, and B pulled him forward in a tight hug. Kurt melted into his embrace.
"You are wonderful," B whispered. He pulled back and looked Kurt in the eyes. "But we don't have to do this if it makes you nervous."
Kurt shook his head. "No, I want to. I'm not going to be intimidated by a ride children go on; besides, it is on my bucket list now."
B's eyes widened. "You have a bucket list?"
"I started one while you were at home visiting your parents, before you moved back in. It started with things I wanted us to do together, and has grown from there."
"Kurt Hummel!" Blaine smiled. "Man of mystery. How have I never seen this list before?"
Kurt smirked at him. "I'll read some of it to you." They moved up the line a little bit and Kurt pulled out his phone and scrolled through until he pulled up the list he'd been keeping. Kurt scanned his list, picking out some of the best ones. "Create my own cologne. Skate at the Annual Ice Ball. Attend a circuit party on Fire Island."
"Wow." B whistled. "Your list might be better than mine."
Kurt looked up at him in surprise. "It's not."
"Kurt, one of the first things I wrote down was eat ice cream."
"And didn't you like that?"
B smiled. "Yeah, I did."
"And wasn't one of the things on your list to kiss Kurt?"
B's smile grew. "Yes."
"And didn't you like that?"
B blushed a little, and it made Kurt step in closer and loop his arms around B's neck. "I did like that very much," B breathed. Kurt kissed him and then broke apart as the person behind them cleared their throat and they saw that the line had moved again.
"What else is on your list?" B asked, taking Kurt's hand.
Kurt glanced back down at his list, his breath hitching as he skimmed over marry Blaine. It was the first thing he'd put on the list. Kurt looked back up at B's golden eyes; it wasn't the time to mention that bucket list item though, not yet, even if Kurt's breath sped up just thinking about it. "I also have 'try squid' on here," Kurt said with a smile, trying to rein in his emotions.
Blaine wrinkled his nose. "I'll stick with ice cream."
Kurt just looked at him wistfully for a moment. "Thank you for not thinking my list is silly."
"Of course it isn't!" B leaned in, whispering in Kurt's ear. "Are there any dirty things on your list?"
Kurt laughed and squeezed his hand. "You'll have to wait and see."
They moved up again and it was their turn to climb into what Kurt considered a dangerously rickety swinging chair, suddenly he was nervous again. "Are you sure we won't get stuck?" Kurt asked quietly as Blaine pulled the safety bar down over their laps.
"Even if we do, it isn't really dangerous," B answered, and then he must have realized by the look on Kurt's face that was the wrong thing to say. "Kurt, we won't get stuck."
Kurt nodded and then held B's hand tighter as they started to move; the ferris wheel was slow at first and then picked up a little speed. It really wasn't an action-packed ride though. As they lifted higher and higher, Kurt took in a pleased breath. "This isn't so bad."
"No, it isn't," B smiled at him.
Once they were near the top, Kurt smiled at B and then looked back out at the view. It was beautiful. Below them were the twinkling lights of the boardwalk, the brightly lit rides, the musical carousel and the strings of lights between attractions. It was like a little miniature fairy town from up here. They reached the top and the wheel paused for a moment.
"Don't worry. It's supposed to do that."
Kurt wasn't nervous anymore, though. He turned to B and cupped his face in both of his hands, and then leaned forward, pressing their lips together. Blaine gasped and moved to hold Kurt's back, pressing them closer together, opening his mouth and sucking on Kurt's bottom lip and Kurt smiled and sighed, and then they were moving down again. Kurt backed up enough to bump foreheads with Blaine. "I love you, B."
B took in a deep shaky breath, his eyes wide and bright and his cheeks flushed.
They went around the circle a few more times, B leaning his head on Kurt's shoulder, before the conductor let them off again at the bottom. Kurt kept hold of B's hand, a bounce in his step as they exited. "I like ferris wheels."
"I like kissing you on ferris wheels."
"Success!" Kurt said with a giggle, and B looked at him in that way he had the habit of doing that gave Kurt happy shivers all the way down to his toes.
"I love you too, Kurt."
Kurt swung their hands between them, thinking of the beautiful afternoon they'd spent together and how they had so many more beautiful times ahead of them. He thought again of the unspoken item on his bucket list as he steered B to a cart where they could buy some fish tacos. It still wasn't the right time to say anything about the first item on Kurt's list, but someday, someday soon.