Unseen Scene - Book Two, Carousel Scene (Adam's PoV) (Patreon)

Streaks of blinding, vibrant colour cut through the darkness Adam had grown used to over the course of the evening. The sudden contrast of bright against shadow is enough to make him wince as it stings against his sensitive vision.

Yet the pain is worth it to see the way the lights play across [Name’s] excited face.

Adam swallows down his groan at having to approach the ride let alone alight it…but he does. He dare not stray from [Name’s] side. For safety reasons, of course.

He coughs to clear his throat after the thought and follows the detective onto the carousel.

Adam glances about the surprisingly detailed and richly painted carousel animals, the idea of being trapped upon one of them as it moves almost making him march them both from the ride right then. Yet he holds back the urge and instead looks at the Detective.

“I don’t think both of us should be seated for this ride. One of us should stay standing to cover us in case of issues.”

“All right,” the Detective replies, thankfully not urging for them both to sit. “I’ll sit and you stand.”

Relief pours through Adam.

[Name] takes a pearlescent unicorn, sitting astride the immovable creature in a way that makes Adam’s throat dry and his skin warm. Once again, he ignores the sensation and steps in closer to the Detective, as though his presence alone will be enough of a barrier to always keep [name] safe.

Adam presses his feet into the ground as the carousel rocks to life and begins to sway and rotate.

The carousel around them swirls into nothing but flashes of motion and light. But as always, [Name] is a constant. Unmoving. An anchor.

Adam’s anchor in a world that has once more come to life.

The admittance stings within the team leader, and he grits his jaw to stay silent lest he admit something he should not.

He manages to remain stoically silent until [Name] suggests, “Maybe we should talk…or something? Help blend in with everyone else.”

“Talk?” Adam asks, gripping the pole of the animal the Detective is seated upon. He doesn’t need it for balance, so sways a little to give the effect it’s the reason he reached for it—he would never admit to himself, and especially not [Name], that he just wished for an excuse to almost bring their hands together. “Talk of what?”

 “Anything I suppose.” The Detective leans in a little closer to whisper, “We stand out because we’re so silent.”

Adam’s eyes almost fall closed as he inhales the wonderful scent of [Name], as though it’s a scent programmed to be irresistible only to him.

Annoyed at his inability to stop getting lost in the Detective’s mere presence, Adam’s words shoot out sharper and louder than he means them to be, “We’re on a job. Chatting isn’t a priority.”

“That was a little loud, Adam,” the Detective reprimands, glancing about the gathered crowds. Adam takes [Name’s] distraction to drop his hand down a couple of inches on the pole until their hands are almost within almost touching distance. “People might hear you.”

Adam softens as [Name] meets his gaze, and he leans down closer. “I’m not good at this kind of thing.”

“You don’t have to be,” the Detective replies. “You just have to try.”

The motion of the carousel pushes [Name] up towards where Adam is already leaning down, and once more he’s surrounded by the scent of their addictive presence.

Adam is used to people trying to break through his barriers, trying to rip them down, attempting to bash away at them.

But this human…it’s less an attack and more of an erosion that Adam cannot stop, as much as he tries to.

Soon he’ll be as vulnerable as everyone else.

As vulnerable as when he lost everything. Lost everyone.

But maybe—for tonight, beneath the magic of the carnival and the pretense of the mission—he can allow it.

“You are difficult to talk to,” Adam admits.

“Why?”

Words are impossible as [Name] is pushed up close enough that Adam can almost taste the promise of the kiss that sparks between them.

Adam has never yearned for anything more in his very long life.

Maybe just for tonight…

“[Name],” Adam breathes out.

And just as quickly as the moment had flooded Adam with hope and possibility—it is broken.

The music begins to fade from around them. The carousel and its audience come back into focus. [Name’s] unicorn falls and no longer rises.

And the gap between them reminds Adam of the safety of cowering behind his walls.

So he retreats there once more.

“We should move on,” he states, forcing his voice through his tight chest.

“I guess so,” [Name] replies, but Adam is already trying to find the strength to move away…a task that is almost impossible when his heart is so desperate to stay.

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The awesome idea for this scenario came from one of my $50 patron's personalised scenarios, and I loved getting to write it so much that they were kind enough to let me share it with you all! ❤️