Sebastian smirked.
When he arrived home, he couldn't help but have a little smile on his face. David Karofsky, of all people, was interested in him. In fact, he wasn't just interested, he was curious. And forgiving. But most importantly, Dave wanted to get to know Sebastian. This hadn't happened to him before. Sebastian's go-to behavior was controlling, slutty, and devious. But Dave was having none of that, which threw Sebastian off.
This was proving to be a different and exciting kind of challenge.
So, Sebastian smirked.
.
Dave smiled.
He was in the process of replacing the morning person in charge of the cotton candy stand. Through counting cash drawers and refilling soda fountain containers, Dave's mind wandered to the confusing and sexy boy he just talked to. He didn't understand what was happening, but Sebastian was proving to be an interesting and challenging person.
So, Dave smiled.
.
Noon rolled by and Dave was in business. The carnival was in full swing. Families bought children cotton candy, collected greedily by demanding children. An alarm was sounding nearby, signaling somebody won some kind of stupid stuffed animal shooting a water gun. Occasionally, people on some ride were screaming and the heat and humidity were just now starting to become a problem.
But Dave was fine. More than fine, in fact. He had come to know someone who he was appreciating. Sebastian's apology, albeit guided by Dave, was sincere and real. Dave didn't imagine it. Smiling, Dave continued to serve customers. The day went on.
Gradually, it became apparent that Dave's break time was fast approaching and he hadn't seen Sebastian all day. He briefly considered he wasn't coming until he saw two familiar figures – a cute, ten-year old blonde girl and a smoking hot blonde guy, smiling his head off.
Dave smiled.
.
"You going to Scandals tonight?" Sebastian asked.
"Probably not. When I get off work, I'm wiped out from the heat." Dave casually replied.
The two were sitting at the same picnic table, sunlight temporarily shielded by the white umbrella. Carolyn sat next to Dave, her little hand balancing herself on Dave's thigh. She was gently swaying from left to right and back again, humming some tune that neither boy recognized. Carolyn was in her own little world and couldn't be happier.
Meanwhile, Dave looked at Sebastian and couldn't help but notice the disappointment in his face. Sebastian looked simply radiant, dressed in a white, long-sleeved, linen shirt and long, khaki shorts. Dave's eyes drifted down to Sebastian's legs and ogled his calves. Dave quickly looked away.
"I get that." Sebastian said, a little disappointed. "I was hoping we could go to Scandals some time."
Dave looked back up, astonished. Nobody had asked him to go to Scandals before. Since he had no frame of reference of how to answer the question, Dave boyishly smiled and nodded.
"I'd love to go!" Dave said, a little excitedly. "I'm just so wiped out after work."
Sebastian's green eyes, pools of peridot, saturated Dave's eyesight and he couldn't look anywhere else. Sebastian's eyes were full of such vulnerability and fear, until he looked away suddenly. Dave's smile faltered a little.
"I don't have to work this Thursday." Dave suggested.
And just like that, Sebastian smiled. Again, Dave loved these genuine, less-smirky smiles. His teeth seemed to glisten in the shade and his thin, beautiful lips were simply there, unkissed.
"Then, we should….." Sebastian began, but faltered. For some reason, even though he basically invited Dave to Scandals not two minutes before, he had trouble actually setting a date and time.
Dave smiled. "Yes, we should."
"OK!" Sebastian eagerly began, "Thursday night? Say, 10PM?"
"Sounds like a plan."
And then, the whole atmosphere changed. Carnival sounds should have flooded their ears, but their all-consuming passion suddenly made all sounds mute. Dave was so close to Sebastian that if all he had to do was lean over just a little bit, lips would meet.
But this was Lima, Ohio. Gay people didn't kiss in public. Dave softly smiled and was rewarded when Sebastian's smile seemed to grow.
Suddenly, Carolyn jumped down off the bench and turned towards Dave.
"Dave?" Carolyn asked.
Dave very quickly tore his eyes away from Sebastian to eye the girl carefully. Her orange t-shirt had some unfamiliar stains, and her white shorts brightened whenever sun rays would dance along the cotton fabric. In short, she simply looked like a beautiful, ordinary, child carnival visitor. Well, ordinary, had her last name not been Smythe.
"Yes, Carolyn?" Dave happily answered.
"Can I have a Coke?" Carolyn asked quietly. Sebastian quickly looked annoyed and then smirked. It didn't take Dave very long to figure out that Carolyn probably wasn't allowed to have any soda pop. At least, not any more than she had presumably consumed.
"Well…." Dave drawled out. He very slowly turned his head towards Sebastian, a questioning look in his face.
Sebastian's smirked disappeared, replaced by a heavy sigh. Carolyn fidgeted a little, while Dave waited, amused by the family situation.
"Carolyn." Sebastian said scoldingly.
"Please, Dave!" Carolyn pleaded.
Dave studied Sebastian's face. He never noticed before that when Sebastian was annoyed, his face was very similar to the Smythe Smirk. Again, Dave would have to get used all of Sebastian's quirks. He thought he could do that.
Sebastian then turned into the parent right before their eyes.
"Carolyn Ann Smythe!" Sebastian declared.
Carolyn then began to cry. Dave's head tilted towards her, sympathetically. Sebastian sighed and looked down.
"How about this, Carolyn?" Dave gently began, "You let Sebastian and me talk a little, and I'll get you a half of a cup of Coke? Sounds like you had too much sugar yesterday."
Carolyn's eyes widened briefly before she turned to the now-scowling Sebastian. Sebastian half-heartedly glared at Dave.
"Who's side are you on?!" Sebastian said, a half-smile on his face.
Dave smiled back, loving that Sebastian could be so amused with him.
"I just can't say no to little girls." Dave said, with a little dip to his head. Sebastian loved the boyish, almost parental side to Dave. Sebastian quickly mused that if Dave were to have a daughter, he would spoil her completely. To Sebastian, this made Dave all the more attractive.
Sebastian sighed, and relented.
"Alright Carolyn." Sebastian said, with an air of authority. "You let Dave and me talk for a while and he'll get you a half of a cup of Coke."
Carolyn cheered, jumping up and down. A little giggle couldn't help but escape from her mouth.
"Yay!" Carolyn screeched.
"And then," Sebastian declared, "Dave will take you on the tea cups!"
Carolyn screeched as Dave turned to give a half-hearted look of betrayal towards Sebastian. Sebastian coyly dropped his head a little, complete with that oddly appropriate Smythe Smirk.
Dave sighed.
"Did you really have to add that?" Dave asked, a little sigh escaping.
"Oh yes." Sebastian humorously began, "I can't wait to see you on the tea cups!"
And then, Sebastian laughed, slightly bumping his shoulder into Dave's. Dave hadn't heard this laugh before. The laugh was boyish and heavily amused. Dave rolled his eyes and smirked at Sebastian.
"You know I'm going to get back at you for this." Dave said, again with that cute half-smile of his.
"Oh, I'm sure you will." Sebastian happily replied.
"Carolyn?" Dave asked, suddenly turning to her with a stern expression on his face.
"Yeah?" Carolyn replied, slightly worried.
"Wouldn't you be happier riding the tea cups with your bro-"
"NO!" Carolyn quickly replied.
Sebastian nearly fell off the bench with howling laughter. Dave sighed, loving making this beautiful, vastly interesting boy laugh and laugh and laugh.
.
After a very brief conversation between the boys, Dave had to go back to work, much to Carolyn's chagrin. She enjoyed Dave's company and loved that her brother let her have fun with him. Sebastian and Carolyn didn't make any plans of where to go next that day at the carnival. So, when Dave returned to the cotton candy stand, Carolyn and Sebastian were still sitting at the picnic table. Neither of them spoke, but had excited smiles on their faces.
Sebastian watched Dave from across the way, loving how Dave smiled eagerly performing his dull tasks. He especially noticed when Dave would smile so earnestly giving little kids their bags of pink, blue, and yellow cotton candy.
Dave, of course, knew he was being watched. And loved it. Then, quite suddenly, Dave looked up, cocking his head to the side a little. Sebastian could practically see the wheels turning in Dave's head. Dave pulled out his cell phone and made a very quick call. When he hung up, he looked up into Sebastian's eyes, a Cheshire cat grin on his face.
A few minutes later, a young woman walked into the cotton candy stand and briefly spoke to Dave. Sebastian didn't know what was happening, but he soon would.
Dave smiled and nodded to the woman. Then, he turned about face and marched out of the stand, heading towards the brother and sister. When Dave arrived, his smile couldn't have been goofier. He had a cup in his hand.
"Alright Carolyn," Dave eagerly began, "you can have this Coke when we're done riding the tea cups!"
Carolyn was jumping up and down, skipping around Dave and Sebastian. Her giggles were infectious and Dave and Sebastian joined in. Carolyn snatched Dave's hand, dragging him towards the children's rides. Sebastian laughed out loud. And for that, Dave turned his head, half-glaring at the beautiful, blonde boy.
Handing the Coca-Cola cup to Sebastian, Dave got two ride tickets for the tea cups. Then, all three, led by Carolyn of course, briskly walked towards the kiddie ride. There was no line and Dave and Carolyn got in their tea cup.
Carolyn easily slid in whereas Dave had to wriggle between the center support and seat. His knees were banging against the support and Dave had a slight frown on his face, struggling to comprehend how he would get his 265 pound frame in the tiny cup seat.
God, it couldn't have been more amusing!
Dave grimaced while Carolyn squealed. Then, quite suddenly, the ride began. Dave heavily frowned, still trying to get comfortable in the cramped seat.
Carolyn and Sebastian just giggled harder.
The ride spun in its lazy circle, while Carolyn tried her best to spin the cup. Dave, finally situated enough to handle the ride, boyishly smiled and eagerly grabbed the center support. It would be an easy task for Dave to use just half of his strength to rotate the cup. So, he did.
Carolyn was now in hysterics, laughing and laughing and spinning and spinning. Dave too was enjoying himself, looking up at Carolyn to make sure what he was doing was OK. Dave made the cup rotate rather quickly as the ride continued to spin.
Sebastian was having the time of his life. He hadn't felt this happy and giddy in quite a while. That's the nicest thing about being happy. You just feel like a kid.
Gradually, the ride began to slow down. But Dave didn't. He continued to pull the center support, spinning the gleefully laughing girl around and around. Then, the brakes were applied and Dave aborted his attempts. The ride came to a stop and an attendant opened the door for them.
Dave wriggled out first and held his hand out for Carolyn. Carolyn took the hand and jumped down to the ground. They couldn't have been smiling any broader. The big boy and little girl then walked to the exit, approaching Sebastian.
"I would ask if you two had fun, but it was pretty obvious!" Sebastian happily said.
"Yeah, it was OK." Dave casually replied.
"OK?!" Carolyn screamed, "It was a blast!"
Dave and Sebastian shared a laugh. But they also stole a glance at each other. Dave's boyish smile met Sebastian's heartily amused one, mixing into a beautiful pair. It was amazing to watch.
"Can we go again sometime, Dave?" Carolyn asked, now allowing herself to calm down a little. It was a hot day, after all.
"Well, you'll have to ask your-"
"Of course he will!" Sebastian interrupted, a devilish look in his eyes.
Dave glared…and then laughed.
.
Thursday evening. Dave was getting ready for Scandals with Sebastian. He knew he would dress casually, but didn't really know what he was in for. Sebastian was still relatively unknown to him, despite the hilarious day they had the day before. So, Dave dressed simply – a navy blue polo shirt, white t-shirt underneath, and tan khaki shorts. This was Dave's go-to style. It was comfortable.
Dave arrived at Scandals at 10:10PM. He opened the door, greeted the door man, provided ID, and walked into the bar. It was a relatively subdued atmosphere in Lima's only gay bar. Patrons were chatting with one another at their tables, seemingly oblivious to Dave's entrance. All except for one person.
Across the bar sat Sebastian Smythe, warmly smiling at Dave, holding up a beer for him. Dave smiled, crossed the bar, and began what would become a very, very illuminating evening.
.