Kidge Summer Event 2018 Prompt 3: Carnival/Festival

Title: Who Needs a Tunnel of Love?

Pidge had never been fond of town fairs. They had the same rides every year, were incredibly overpriced, and were always full of people she didn't know nor did she want to know. Prior to making friends her senior year of high school, she'd never considered even going to the fair, much less spending the whole day there.

Yet here she was, with her friends, with an unlimited pass that cost way more than it should have.

"I can't believe I just spent 30 bucks for this," she complained, looking at the paper wristband on her left arm.

"I can't believe you let us convince you to do it," Lance said with a chuckle.

Pidge could almost feel that her wallet was lighter, even though she paid with her debit card. "It's hot and dry out here. I'll get a sunburn, or heat stroke, or heat exhaustion, or-"

"Calm down, Pidge." Keith put his arm on her head, leaning against her. "Gosh, you're so short."

"Gosh, you're so emo."

"Careful, Keith," Hunk warned. "She's the queen of sass. You can't win."

"I have before."

"That was once," Pidge defended, "And you didn't really win, you just pulled a knife on me."

Keith laughed. "Your scream was funny enough, but the look on your face? Priceless."

Pidge punched his arm, causing him to jump in alarm at just how much it hurt. "Shut up." Her face was slightly red from embarrassment. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm even friends with you."

Keith mocked being offended. "I'm hurt! After all of the late night movies and roast Lance sessions, you still question our friendship?"

Pidge expected to hear some protest from Lance, but was confused to hear only silence. Well, as much silence as there could be at a fair with hundreds of people and multiple loud rides.

"Did…did they ditch us?"

Keith looked around. "I think they did…what punks."

"If anyone here is a punk, it's you, mullet."

Keith groaned. "It's already annoying enough to hear that from Lance. I don't need it from you, too."

Pidge laughed. "Whatever. Let's just get on a ride. Maybe we'll run into the others later."

First it was one ride. Then three. Before long, the pair had been on every ride but one and had yet to see their friends anywhere.

"Do we just keep missing them? Like, when we're on a ride they're not, and when we're not on a ride they are?" Keith asked, confused.

Pidge looked around. "I don't know about you, but these dense crowds make it hard to see anyway. They probably just go through the crowd differently than we do. If we're not in the same path, odds are we won't see each other."

"But Lance is tall and lanky while Hunk is pretty big. How have we not at least caught some sight of them?"

Pidge shrugged. "Hey, where are we going, anyway?"

"The Ferris wheel. It's the only ride we haven't been on yet."

Pidge blanched. "Um, can we not do the Ferris wheel?"

Keith looked down at her. "Afraid of heights?"

She nodded.

Keith smiled. "I am too. Honestly, I was just going to ride it since we'd already done everything else and I figured that's where you'd want to go next."

"Where I'd want to go? What about what you want?"

Keith laughed. "Pidge, I've really just been following your lead today. I'm making sure you're having fun. I know you didn't want to come, so I'm trying to make up for bringing you here."

Pidge looked up at Keith in amazement. "You did all of this for me?"

Keith nodded, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "I'm not really all that fond of these things either. But…seeing you happy…has…made this…more…fun?"

Pidge laughed. "You're not the most eloquent speaker, are you?"

Keith's cheeks darkened. "…no."

His embarrassment dissolved as he joined Pidge in laughing. This only made them both laugh harder, and before they knew it, they were sitting on a bench, holding their stomachs, sore from laughing so much.

Pidge wiped away a tear. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen you laugh like that before."

"I haven't in years," Keith admitted. "It…it feels good to let that out."

Pidge took Keith's hand in hers. "Then I'm glad I got to share that with you."

Keith looked down. "Are we…holding hands?"

"Don't read to much into it, dork, or I'll punch you again." Pidge's cheeks were rosy.

"I'm the dork? You're the one who spends all of your spare time in front of a computer screen."

"I never said I wasn't a dork. However, you definitely are one. Join the club."

"You guys have a dork club?" Keith and Pidge shot apart as Lance leaned over the back of the bench they sat on. Both of their faces were bright red.

"Yeah," Pidge responded in her sassy voice. "Its secondary name is 'The Anti-Lance Club'."

Hunk laughed as he walked up with corn dogs. "Can I join?"

"Hunk!" Lance protested, staring at his best friend in shock.

"Hey, I need some time away from you sometimes. My life doesn't revolve around you."

"That's a shame, because I am the center of the universe."

The group laughed together. Hunk passed out the corn dogs and ketchup packets and they all ate in silence until Pidge spoke up.

"Hey, look at that." She tossed her empty corn dog stick into a nearby garbage bin.

"Oh," Keith said, following suit. "It's a full moon tonight."

"You know where this would look better?" Lance asked, grinning. "The top of the Ferris wheel."

Keith shook his head. "You can go without me."

"Same here," Pidge said, fidgeting with her thumbs.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad." Keith and Pidge found themselves being pushed into the Ferris wheel line by Lance.

"Hey, Lance, let them go. Don't force them to ride it."

Lance leaned over and whispered to Hunk. "I know they're both afraid of heights. But this might be the push they finally need to get together."

Hunk was uncertain, but nodded. "Okay. But if they're mad when they get down, I'm using you as a human shield."

"I deserve it. Now help me keep them from running off at the last minute, because they're smart and are going to try to pull a fast one on us."

"It's not a good idea to think you're smarter than Pidge, you know."

"I'll take the punishment for that one too. It'll all be worth it when it works out."

Hunk looked down at Keith and Pidge, who both appeared to be nervous and uncomfortable, Pidge definitely more so than Keith. He prayed that the wrath the girl would unleash would all be directed at Lance.

The glare he got from her when he blocked off her escape path told him his prayers were in vain.

"Just get in the cart, you big baby!" Lance whined, trying to force Keith into the cart. The ride operator looked amused at the display. "Hunk, I could use some help!"

Hunk had just lifted Pidge over his shoulder, and she was definitely unhappy to be there. With his free arm, he grabbed one of Keith's, and with Lance's help, managed to muscle him into the sit, setting Pidge down next to them. Lance tossed the lap bar down, and the ride operator, who Pidge swore had a 20$ bill sticking out of his pocket, started the ride right away.

Pidge gripped the safety bar as they were lifted higher and higher. They stopped frequently as people got on and off of the ride. At one point, they were stopped up at the apex, and Pidge couldn't stop the tears flowing down her cheeks. Her knuckles were white and her hands were shaking.

Keith had never seen her so afraid.

Sure, he had that pit in his stomach that told him he could die at any moment, but he was much better at hiding his fear. He reached over and wrapped his arm around Pidge. She initially flinched at his touch, but quickly recovered and practically fell apart into him. He could feel her tears through his shirt. He started rubbing circles on her back as the ride began moving again, this time in a continuous motion. All the carts had been filled.

And of course, the next time they stopped, they were just past the apex.

"Keith," Pidge murmured, her voice shaky. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. With the reflection of the moonlight, they sparkled.

"Yeah?" He responded, not breaking eye contact.

"Thank you."

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers for a moment in a chaste kiss before pulling back. "Thank you, Pidge. You made this day better than I could have imagined."

She sat in stunned silence, before smiling and throwing her arms around him.

When they got off the ride, they were smiling.

Oh boy! This one took a bit longer. I just couldn't find the right inspiration to write. It wasn't until I turned on some of my favorite music that I had it. I've made a mental note that music helps my writing, and will try to employ that strategy in the future.

With this, we're done with the summer event! Thanks to everyone who read. I'll get back to writing Full Dive, my multi-chapter Kidge fic. Keep an eye out for it!