Date Night

~Alexie Ivanov~

It was meant to be a pleasant outing, perhaps even what some might label as a "date." However, I should have anticipated that something like this could occur. Regrettably, it was entirely my responsibility. I should never have burdened someone as delicate as Nariya with something so insensitive, especially in such a brief period. I overestimated the situation, intertwining various aspects without giving due consideration to the most crucial one – her.

Three hours earlier:

"Alexie," she called out, clad in casual jeans and a puffer jacket over a jumper sweater, looking as beautiful and angelic as ever.

Coughing nervously, I averted my gaze. Despite seeing her as an angel, I couldn't make my feelings evident. I was aware that her feelings for me surpassed mere friendship, and my reluctance to make things clear might be misleading her. Nevertheless, for reasons that might paint me as callous, I couldn't bring myself to shatter her heart. Especially during this phase of her life, where everything seemed like a trap and a false pretense, I desired—no, I felt compelled—to be a steadfast foundation for her to rely on.

"Let's go," I smiled at the radiant girl, her perpetual glow captivating my heart like a succulent.

I had a plan in mind—I wanted to introduce Nari to a sense of normalcy, something casual and comfortable, fitting for a teenager like her.

"Where are we going?" she inquired, fastening the seat belt around herself.

"To a place I think will be fun. We're going to grab burgers and then head to WonderLand."

"WonderLand?" she chirped with excitement.

"Yup," my excitement matched hers. That's precisely what I aimed to bring out. Despite Nari often displaying a maturity beyond her years due to life's challenges, the truth remained that at her core, she was just a teen. The circumstances in her life had shaped her into the person she was, but it didn't mean I couldn't use my influence to bring some joy and ease into it.

We pulled into the drive-thru to satisfy our burger cravings, enjoying our meal in the car while engaged in lively conversation. As we chatted, Nari opened up about her memories with her mother, recounting the time they went for ice cream after her father discovered she had secretly kept a cat. Her father's allergic reaction led him to give away the cat without informing Nari, resulting in days of fasting until her compassionate grandmother intervened. Despite her laughter and jokes, I could sense the concealed pain behind her words.

Feeling a connection, I decided to share my own childhood stories with her. The evening air was cool yet not cold, warm but not hot, setting the perfect mood as our arms brushed against each other, creating a subtle connection.

"When I was small, around five maybe," I began, "my father and I lived in Siberia. He taught me everything – how to make fire, set traps, and shoot. An early start, he would call it. One fine day, after a night of snowfall, we decided to check our traps for any catch. We set out at the crack of dawn, rifles on our backs."

"It was supposed to be a routine check, just a few kilometers from our house. Just a quick in-and-out... until I saw him," I added, deepening my voice to build anticipation.

Nari leaned in, her voice a thin whisper, "Saw what?"

"Do you really want to know?" I matched her tone, watching her nod eagerly. But then, I moved away, feigning contemplation. "Should I tell you? Hmm," I chuckled at her adorable curiosity. "Maybe not."

Her shocked expression prompted me to continue teasing. "Tell, Alexie!" she urged, puffing her cheeks.

"Maybe just a bit too adorable for me to handle," I smirked, amused, before deciding to maintain an air of mystery. I turned away slightly, adding suspense to my story. "We were done with almost all the traps, except the last one, when from the depths of the white frost came," I suddenly jerked, scaring her, "a loud roar!"

"Ahhh," she jerked slightly, her breath heavy. After calming down, she asked, "A bear? Tiger?"

"Nope, an Amur Leopard," I laughed at the surprised expression she wore. "Although they usually stay deep in the forest, maybe due to the snow last night, this guy had ventured quite far."

"Then? Then?" she jumped, eager for more details.

I ruffled her hair lightly, smiling at her adorableness. "Nothing much. We slowly moved away as the leopard went his way."

She mouthed an "oh" and looked down. "It's adorable to hear more about you and your father. Makes me a bit jealous," she admitted, her expression shifting. Then she furrowed her brows, "But you rarely talk about your mother," she continued, and her words softened my smile.

Taken aback by my reaction, she fumbled, "Oh, I mean, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

I shook my head, my earlier playfulness returning. This was indeed a difficult topic for me, but I felt willing to open up to her. "She died giving birth to me."

Her face paled a bit as she murmured, "I'm sorry."

"No need. I never really met her to feel any sort of pain. But throughout the years, the only thing that pained me was seeing the sorrow in my father's eyes on my birthdays. He celebrated it every year, but then I knew when I would go to bed, he would go out into the cold night to pray for her. He didn't take me, maybe he thought I would feel guilty. But yeah, I've," I chuckled lightly, "never been to her grave."

A calm, soothing hand cradled mine, her fingers entwining with mine as she cooed in comfort, "Maybe one day we could go visit her."

A slight smile bloomed on my lips as well. I didn't want to crush the hope building in her eyes, so I simply said, "Yes, sure."

'I can't bring myself to tell her now, maybe just for a little while. Perhaps I could be a bit selfish, just for a while.'

Once we finished our meal, I revved the engine, eager to reach our next destination. The anticipation of what lay ahead fueled the engine's roar as we set off.

~Nariya Patel~

Lights shimmer in the darkness of the night, bedazzled like jewels, each stall emitting a mesmerizing allure. My own eyes reflected this radiance as I surveyed the carnival at night.

"Wow," I whispered, "this looks even more magnificent at night."

"Yup, apparently Wonderland specializes as a nighttime carnival, rather than daytime like most. The colors, sharp yet contrasting, are chosen not only to attract patrons but also to create a nightly mystique for the viewers," Alexie explained.

Indeed, the vibrancy of pop colors like red, orange, and yellow served as a perfect calling card, attracting eyes to each stall and ride, enticing viewers to try everything and empty their pockets before leaving. Color theory was employed with precision, and the more I observed, the more I appreciated the thoughtful arrangement. High-excitement rides and game booths, like shooting arcades or ring tosses, were painted in red, while calming stalls such as photo booths and recreational areas embraced blue themes. Food stalls featured a combination of orange and yellow, cute-themed food stalls were adorned in pink, and plant and eco-related stalls were bathed in green. Jewelry and clothing stalls, on the other hand, showcased a white theme. In a quiet corner, I spotted a fortune teller, their tent intricately designed in purple with silver stars.

"So?" Alexie shouted to be heard over the crowd. "Where to first?"

I blinked, genuinely confused. It had been ages since I visited a carnival of this size and magnitude. To say I was bewildered about what to try first would be an understatement. Everything was arranged in a large circular layout, with the center serving as the recreational or relaxing area, while the rides were situated at the far end.

"I... I am so confused!" I replied in the same loud tone, trying to convey my overwhelmed state.

A smile bloomed on his lips as he came close to me, his lips dangerously close, "How about you follow my lead for tonight, moonpie?"

Whether it was the warmth of his breath or the tone of his voice, I couldn't be certain. However, tonight, I didn't want my overthinking to spoil the moment. "Sure!"

With that, he clasped his hands around mine and guided me through the maze of stalls. "We just had our dinner, so let's focus first on looking through apparel stalls. Wait..." He glanced to the side, leaving me momentarily confused, before rushing towards what looked like a lemonade stall.

Hastening back, he carried two cups filled with liquid, and I sighed, "Alexie, it's so cold!"

Huffing, he handed me one of the cups. "Be careful." I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was hot lemonade.

"Thanks!" I said, and we continued, each carrying our respective drinks in one hand while the other hand was clasped together.

One after another, we perused various stalls, each one adorned with clothing and handmade jewelry. On one particular stall, my attention was captured by a simple silver chain with a small knot detail resembling a dove. I couldn't let my interest linger for too long, though, as I glanced at the man next to me, who persistently called out on how different pieces would suit me, insisting that we should purchase them. After what felt like twenty minutes, I had to drag him away as he seemed ready to buy everything in the store. This continued until we reached the games and arcade section.

"Nari, seriously, you didn't let me purchase a single item!" Alexie huffed, sulking.

I shook my head at his stubborn nature. This was a new side to him. "Seriously, Alexie! Let's go play games instead. I have enough jewelry and clothes!"

"Fine," he still sulked, but his enthusiasm returned when he saw the shooting game.

Naturally, we moved first towards it, paying the vendor and taking up two rifles each. Examining the mechanism, I furrowed my brows, trying to figure it out. Before I could aim, Alexie's hands gently covered mine, guiding my aim properly.

"Don't shoot randomly. See through the edge of the rifle and aim," he instructed.

Once again, his hot breath sent tingles through my body, and goosebumps rose on my skin as I tried my hardest to follow his guidance. Closing one eye, I aimed at a toy cat that resembled our feline friend at home. The aim didn't come without help from the instructions behind me, my brain struggling to concentrate on the toy rather than the firm body pressing against me. Finally, I took aim and shot, hitting the cat, but it didn't budge at all. Once I was done, Alexie moved away, and my back instantly craved his warmth.

"What... what!" I breathed, surprised at the unexpected sensations.

"Sorry, young lady," the vendor replied, shaking his head, "you not only need to shoot it but also make the prize fall. You still have two more chances, go ahead and try again."

I glanced at Alexie, my mouth gaping in confusion, and he smiled encouragingly at me. "Go ahead, do what I just taught you."

Once again, I positioned the gun, determined to win the black cat toy. With Alexie stepping away, my heart had calmed down significantly. After a while of careful positioning and repositioning of my aim, I took the shot. Once more, it hit but didn't make a dent on the toy. Huffing in frustration, my third try was quicker. I aimed angrily, this time hitting the toy and making it budge, but it still didn't fall.

"Oh no," the vendor shook his head, clear amusement in his voice, "you can try again once you pay."

I bit my lip, contemplating a single thought running in my head, 'Maybe one more try, and I'll get it. After all, I did make it move a bit on the last one.' However, before I could dig into my pocket for more cash, a firm hand grasped my shoulder.

"Let me have a try, won't you, moonpie?" Alexie smiled, and I nodded.

In an instant, his entire playful demeanor changed; his gaze sharpened at the target. This was the true difference between an amateur and someone who had learned to shoot since childhood. With quick and rapid clicks, he shot all three rounds in one go, the aim precisely hitting various corners of the toy and making it fall. Joyfully, I jumped, chirping, "Wohoo, Alexie, you did it!"

After we collected our prize, I snuggly held onto it as Alexie just laughed at my childishness. "But," my curiosity high, I asked, "how come you did it? I mean, when I was shooting, it didn't even budge!"

"Well, games like these are rigged. Although it was thanks to your last shot that I realized the prize wasn't stuck to the board. They have a mechanism to weaken the shooting power of the guns so that even something light as a toy wouldn't budge so easily. While he was concentrating on you, I just did some modifications to my gun," he explained playfully winking, and I joined in the laughter.

As we walked side by side, content with some munchies after a long walk around, I glanced at Alexie as he asked, "Enjoying?"

I munched on my hot corn as I nodded, "Yup, it just feels like a date!" Instantly, my smile died as I regretted my choice of words. "I mean, I mean... um," I glanced around, daring not to face the man next to me. "Yeah, Alexie, get me that," I pointed at a random stall with a long line. I couldn't see what they were selling, but my brain was scrambling to change the topic.

A bit confused at first, Alexie moved about, "Sure, wait for me here!"

As Alexie went to stand in line, I sighed in relief, scolding myself for uttering those foolish words when I had promised not to let my feelings get in the way. Glancing around, I realized I was right across from the jewelry stall where I had noticed the silver chain. I looked back at Alexie, who was crowded among the people in the queue. Hastily, I went to the jewelry stall and purchased the chain, having it boxed in a dainty wooden box. Once I was done, I sighed in relief, finding Alexie still struggling in the crowd. When he finally made it back, clearly huffing and sweating, he handed me stuffed sweet potatoes. Startled, I took it, realizing I had no idea what the stall was selling. To my delight, I understood the crowd huddling around the stall, and the creamy potato melted in my mouth as the savory topping provided a perfect harmony with the sweet potato.

Afterwards, we headed to the rides, deciding against the scary ones and opting for more peaceful options. Finally, we got on the Ferris wheel, the view of the city serene with lights shimmering into the distance.

"It's so beautiful..." I murmured, the dancing lights coming closer and closer until the shimmer started to pop out into a dark melancholy. I could feel my body—no, wait, I couldn't feel my body, just a distant echo of the man whose hot whispers had me tingling all night, tonight.