Dr. Stone Cold's Adventure (18+)(YellowMelon and 3ruri)(Private)

[YellowMelon]

Just because Andrew wouldn’t buy a plushie for himself didn’t mean he wouldn’t like receiving one, especially if it came from his husband. With the stuffed bunny in his hands, he stared at the one-eyed rodent, trying to see the same similarity Caspian saw between him and the stuffy. The more he stared at it though, the more he questioned why Caspian picked a bunny with an eyepatch. The accessory was a nice touch, but Andrew thought it gave the animal an evil appearance. Could Caspian also see that or was he seeing something more endearing? Regardless of the meaning behind the gift, the brunette appreciated it and held it close to his chest.

When the ride stopped and photos were being taken, Andrew held the bunny over his head. He didn’t want the surrounding children, purposely or accidentally, touching the stuffed animal because kids, more often than not, were dirty. Plus, he was being possessive. He wasn’t exactly the sharing type with objects he cherished. He was fine with looking, but no touching. After what they had done so far, being given a fifteen minute break was a welcome relief. He really wanted to stand under a shaded area, but that was difficult to do at an amusement park. Maybe he could get some ice cream instead. Coincidentally, it seemed like Caspian also needed a means to cool down. Luckily, upon their earlier arrival, Andrew had taken note of a line of food stalls near the entrance of the park.  

“I saw some when we first entered.” Andrew mentioned, then held Caspian’s hand and retraced their steps. His furry companion was held safely by its neck. Once at the food stalls, the brunette glossed over their options. Hot dogs, hamburgers, fried foods, fried desserts, cotton candy, candy apples, ice cream - all typical carnival foods were available to them. At the end of the line, or beginning, depending on how one viewed it, was a lemonade stand. While there weren't any vending machines in sight, at least the food stalls sold drinks too. “Okay, you paid for pizza before,” Andrew said quickly, pulling out a twenty from his wallet, “So, here you go and keep the change.” He somewhat threw the money at Caspian for the superhero to take, whether he wanted to or not, and then he was gone. He hadn’t disappeared from view, but he was out of reaching distance in a few steps. He didn’t expect Caspian to actually get twenty dollars worth of food or drinks, but he wasn’t carrying a ten. 

By the time he was returning to the professor, Andrew was holding his giant plush by its ears in one hand, away from his body, and had a vanilla soft-serve with a couple of napkins in his other hand. The expression on his face was one of regret and disappointment. “I tried to fit this,” he lightly shook the bunny, “in my backpack, but only its foot went in.” Anyone could see the stuffy wouldn’t have fit - it was quite large - however, Andrew had wanted to protect it before getting his ice cream, predicting the cold dessert would be melting in the heat. And his prediction wasn’t wrong. A melted line of ice cream was running down his fingers and he had only taken one lick so far. That was why he was disappointed. “I should have gotten cotton candy.” Here was the regret. If he could, he would have gotten both, but he clearly didn't have enough hands. “Look a me,” he demanded of his husband, although not angrily, "Who do you think is cuter - me or this guy?" He asked in a non-serious way, holding the stuffed animal's face next to his for a comparison. "Be honest." 

Edited February 18, 2021 by YellowMelon

[3ruri]

Caspian didn't mind that Andrew giving him money for the drinks, he understood why. Since Andrew is a guy of course dislike having Caspian paying for everything. What the older man was frowning about was that Andrew told him to go buy it. Did he seriously ask Caspian to go get the food while he disappeared somewhere? But the heat was getting to Caspian and he didn't care anymore. He walked up to the lemonade stand and bought two bottles - instead of cups - of lemonade each for him and his husband. The said male returned with an ice-cream cone in hand, the other holding the plush toy. Andrew looked like a kid himself with the way he was holding both things. His statement about trying to put the stuff toy into his backpack was also rather childish, but in an adorable way. Caspian wondered if his husband was trying to act cute and make their activity more memorable this way. Caspian wasn't complaining he rather liked it.

That all changed when melted ice-cream ran down along his fingers down to his hand. Instantaneously, Caspian turned red at the image and Andrew's question about who was cuter wasn't helping. The older man twisted open one of the lemonade bottles and took a huge gulp instead of a sip. It wasn't going to help him get rid of the heat creeping up his face, but that could be excused by the heat of the day. "The bunny's cuter," Caspian replied curtly, then followed with a longer reason. "No one cute would have melted ice-cream running down his hand. That's a big mess and you're not a kid anymore," he said. In truth he was going to say that Andrew was not cute one bit because he was looking too much like a flirty boyfriend. Caspian figured that wasn't going to end well if he said it out loud, so he kept it to himself. Caspian finished his lemonade in a few more gulps then threw the bottle in a near thrash can. Now that he had only one bottle left, he offered his free hand to hold the bunny stuffy so Andrew could clean the mess on his hand. "You might need water for that or it'll feel sticky," he told the brunette. 

Seeing that it was his chance to make a quick escape for a few seconds, Caspian turned to one of the booths that sold drinks. He asked for a bottled water; this time asking for a plastic bag so he could put the bottles in, calmed himself down and returned to help Andrew. "We could just ask the make up artist for wet wipes, but I still want to eat something. Hotdogs?" Caspian asked his spouse. If he didn't stuff his mouth soon, he might do something stupid like kissing Andrew again, or worse, lick the melted ice-cream from his husband's finger until he was clean. "We have less than then minutes more. Do you think we can finish in that time?"

[YellowMelon]

Andrew was taken aback at Caspian’s tone of voice. He hadn’t expected him to be so disapproving of how he looked. Although he wasn’t a kid, as his husband pointed out, he didn’t think he was making as big of a mess as a child would. First of all, he didn’t have ice cream covering his mouth and, secondly, he didn’t drop any on his clothes. He was being rather cautious to keep the liquid only on his hand, which could easily be washed off. He had planned to stop by a restroom to do so before their break was over, but it appeared that Caspian wanted him to clean himself immediately. He hadn’t threatened to touch the professor with the melted ice cream, so he didn’t understand what the fuss was about. Still, Andrew passed over his stuffed possession when Caspian returned with a bottle of water. Instead of using the water, Andrew was working on licking his ice cream to prevent it from actually becoming a puddle in the cone. 

“I already have what I want.” The brunette admitted. Ice cream wasn’t going to fill him for the rest of the day, and neither would a hot dog, but he was content with something cold instead of hot. “If you want a hot dog, then you should get one. But you might have to choke it down if we have less than ten minutes.” Standing around with Caspian, debating about getting food, was giving them less time. Andrew paused in his licking to wipe his mouth. “I should have asked you if you wanted anything.” He suddenly said, realizing he could have ordered a dessert for Caspian at the food stall he went to. Maybe that was why his husband had been snippy when he returned. Would it be appropriate to offer Caspian some of his ice cream? Andrew had requested a medium, but the size was closer to a large. And it was still melting, fast. He wouldn't mind sharing.

“Do you want a lick of my ice cream?” Andrew offered. He didn’t mean a single lick, but he wasn’t sure how Caspian felt about germs. “I haven’t touched the bottom yet, so you can take a lick from there.” He turned the cone around in his hand, showing Caspian that he, in fact, had not licked around the base. It may not look the most appetizing in his hands because it was melting, but it was still ice cream, whether it was completely solid or becoming a liquid, so there was no need to be picky. Then again, he didn’t know if his husband liked soft-serve. He just assumed he did. What if the deal breaker was the flavor? He really should have thought about Caspian's preferences prior to getting ice cream. "I'm not sure if I can finish in time." He wasn't trying to convince his husband to help him, but said the statement with genuine concern. He tended to take long pauses between licking, and had done so as a kid, which would cause more ice cream to be melted than what he ate and he would have to toss the half-melted dessert into the trash if he didn't finish because melted ice cream in a cone, not in a cup, was forbidden in the car, even with napkins. The other problem was that he never grabbed enough napkins. 

"Watch out." The younger man warned as drops of ice cream hit the ground. He took another lick of the dessert from the top. "If you want some, you better take it now." He mumbled. 

[3ruri]

Andrew was killing Caspian softly...with the soft-served ice-cream. Suddenly every word turned sexual in his head. As he though, more than six months of dry spell was getting to him. And here he was with a clueless guy who didn't want to pursue a relationship with him in whatever form except than the contract they both signed. Well, he lasted half a year already, what more another full year. He could take care of himself in the shower in the morning like a teenager, though humiliating it may be, was the only option he had left. He was only a man - a superhero and a professor at the same time - but he still had his needs. The good-looking man in front of him may not think what he was doing was affecting the older man, but Caspian was really having a hard time. Not literally hard, thankfully. That would be a faux pas at an amusement park where children were all over. However, that would explain a little about the strain in his voice. He was just trying to maintain his professionalism.

"No thanks, I don't mind ice-cream, but I don't like it in soup form," he said, trying to make light of his refusal. He didn't want Andrew to think that he was disgusted about sharing food. He didn't mind at all, given, he knew the person he was sharing with and not some stranger. "I'll eat later, so why don't you finish the ice-cream. I have water and lemonade if you want." Gobbling up food within a few short minutes might not be the best idea especially since they didn't know what was in store for after the balloon booth. They might need to take another ride and Caspian preferred the food he ate not to come back out due to the inertia of the rides. 

Another mistake he made was watching Andrew lick the ice-cream. It wasn't overly sensual, he knew, but Caspian was restless. He assumed that Andrew wouldn't be comfortable with him staring, but there was really nothing to be done but stand there and wait with the bunny plushie and two drinks in his hands. "What flavor is that? Caspian asked just to take his mind off of Andrew's movement. He wondered what made the brunette bought the ice-cream when he didn't like cupcakes. Did he dislike all desserts or there were exceptions like the ice-cream? "I like chocolate chip and mint. Some people think it's disgusting, but really, there are no toothpaste in the world that taste that good." He chuckled lightly. "Cameron would keep a tub in his fridge so that I won't gobble up his chocolate fudge ice-cream." Remembering in the past that he had done that and upset his little brother, Caspian chuckled again. 

As Andrew licked the ice-cream slowly away, Caspian ran out of what to say and went back to staring. "You have a little..." he said, nodding at Andrew to indicate that there was a smudge below his lips. "Hold this, I'll get it for you," Caspian said, handing over one of the drinks to Andrew. He kept one in the crook of his arm while reaching forward to wipe the smudge close to Andrew's chin. "There you go. Better finish it quick. We should get going."

[YellowMelon]

Andrew wasn’t upset that Caspian turned down his offer for a lick of his ice cream, since it was his decision to have a taste or not, but he did feel guilty standing there and enjoying the soft-serve while his husband only had lemonade. Would that really be enough to hold him over? He’d rather the superhero be properly fed than starving for filming. Then again, it’s not like they were doing strenuous activity by going on rides. “Vanilla.” Andrew responded as he looked at Caspian. It seemed like they were having a staring contest where they were allowed to blink. As the superhero talked, the brunette continued licking, now moving his tongue around the base of the soft-serve where liquid was pooling. When he paused to meet Caspian’s gaze again, he was surprised by the professor’s sudden closeness just to wipe ice cream off his face, which he could have done himself. Were the napkins in his hand not visible to the older man? 

“I’ll finish it on the way.” Andrew said, determined, as he began licking at a quicker pace. Now holding a lemonade bottle, the brunette led in the search for their next destination. From the picture they were given, they were looking for a booth with a variety of colored balloons. It was an easy spot to locate due to the production crew and crowd already there. When they arrived, Andrew was at the cake cone of his dessert and it didn’t take him long to consume the soggy cone. He then cleaned both his hands and mouth with a wet wipe, given to him by a crew member, followed by a second wipe to ensure his skin wasn’t sticky. “Are you proud that I finished it?” Andrew asked Caspian while, without warning, he took the bunny plush back into his possession. 

Like the last game, there wasn’t time for pre-game chatter before the booth owner positioned the couple where to stand, and Samantha began her introductions. “Hello, everyone,” she faced the crowd, “We are back with Caspian and Andrew to play another game.” She turned to the participants to give them their directions. “As you can see in front of you, there are sixty different colored balloons. Caspian, you are in charge of hitting the blue balloons, and, Andrew, you are in charge of the red balloons.” The goal was simple enough. “Now, listen carefully. Besides red and blue, there are also orange, yellow, green, and purple balloons. Do not hit those colors, and do not hit the other person’s colors.” Samantha paused to let the conditions sink in. “You may begin. Each color has ten balloons.” At that announcement, the booth owner placed a pile of darts in front of the two players. The rules didn’t restrict them to standing in one spot, so they could move anywhere as long as they kept behind the counter. 

Initially, Andrew thought their task sounded fair, until the rule was announced that they couldn’t hit any other color. There was no way the younger man could avoid doing that because he had never played darts before, so didn’t have the skills required to win. It made him nervous to already know he would have to suffer the implied penalty of the game, and it was possible the severity of it was dependent on how many non-red balloons he popped. Andrew took a deep breath as he picked up a dart. It helped that the balloons appeared to be set up randomly. He aimed for a cluster of four red balloons and popped one. Then two. The third time he wasn’t so lucky. Yellow. The booth owner started a tally on a white board of how many balloons were missed with the board split into two sections, labelled “Caspian” and “Andrew,” respectively.

[3ruri]

His husband's questions was perplexing him. Caspian wondered if Andrew was up to something, but the questions were innocent enough. First, Andrew asked whether he was cute in comparison to the bunny, then he asked whether Caspian was proud of him for finishing the ice-cream? Is there anything to be proud of? The professor didn't know how to respond to that, but manged a simple smile and a nod. Turned out that the bottled water that he had bought for Andrew was a waste as well, since the crew member had given him wet wipes to clean his hand. Caspian passed it to another person, so that if he got thirsty again, he didn't need to queue and buy another bottle. He needed to tell Samantha that the production crew needed to take into consideration of the stars' welfare, as well as the crew. He hoped that everyone had enough rest and was properly hydrated in the demanding weather.

They were ushered quickly to the game booth and Samantha began introducing the game and the rules. Darts weren't that difficult, but it wasn't like he always hit the bullseye. Caspian went to enough bars and pubs with darts. When people didn't know he was Doctor Stone, he would use his dart-playing skills to impress a date or someone he was picking up. That wasn't to say he didn't missed. He got two blue ones before he missed an aim and hit a purple balloon. The booth keeper put a mark on the whiteboard just like he had done below Andrew's name. The hazel-eyed man wondered what was the penalty, since Samantha didn't mention anything about it. He picked up his darts again and started throwing them, one, two, three hits popping the blue balloons. That made his total five out of ten. Then he hit two more blue balloon, the another miss when he threw  too hard. While the booth keeper was busy jotting down the penalties, Caspian went ahead and simultaneously hit another three and finished his task.

"How many you got left?" The superhero asked his husband. Andrew looked like he was concentrating hard, but he had hit some of the balloons, so Caspian figured he wasn't doing badly. Bored of waiting, Caspian stood behind Andrew and held his hand that was holding the dart. "Don't wave your hand, just be confident," he said as he helped the brunette aimed at one red balloon at the top of the board and and told him to release the dart at the count of three. "You're doing great," he told the younger man. He didn't know whether Andrew would appreciate his assistance, but at least they avoided another penalty. 

"I don't think I break any rules with that." He turned to look at Samantha and dared her to say otherwise. Technically it was still Andrew who threw the dart. Caspian was merely positioning his hand and helped with the aim. Samantha nodded and let them continue finishing their task. Now it was up to Andrew to finish popping the rest of the red balloons. Caspian wouldn't mind helping, but Andrew will have to ask because Caspian didn't want to hover over his husband and made him thimk that he didn't believe the other man's ability.

[YellowMelon]

Popping balloons wasn’t hard. Andrew already popped the four red balloons he initially aimed for and he hit four extra. Not red. Just four other colored balloons. It was frustrating not knowing what he was doing wrong. Was it his stance? His nerves? Lack of experience? Answer: all of the above. Andrew was fortunate enough to hit two more red balloons before popping a green, and then he decided to briefly stop to squeeze the life out of his big plush. He hadn’t been paying much attention to Caspian but, doing so now, the man non-stopped hit his blue balloons. How could he be skilled at this game and at the previous one? The goal of the game was alike where the player needed to hit a target, but the means of doing so was different. Darts weren’t balls, and Andrew felt like he had less control over the tiny missile than the toy gun. 

Andrew hit one more red balloon then an orange and a purple. He would have hit all the colors in a rainbow if Caspian hadn’t popped his ten blue already. However, that wasn’t disappointing. The brunette was about to throw another dart when he noticed his husband approaching, causing him to stiffen. It was clear he was only wanting to help, but it was, very much, unexpected. With the older man close to him though, and giving him encouraging words, Andrew soon relaxed and was successfully able to hit his eighth red balloon with Caspian’s guidance. Now, his non-red to red balloon count was equal. “Wow, you’re so good.” He praised his companion. 

For a brief moment, Andrew remained silent as he leaned against the front of his husband and stared at the balloons. He only had two left and he didn’t think he could pop them alone. At least not without adding to the penalty score. “Please help me with the last two.” He requested from Caspian while picking up a dart. And, with the superhero’s help, they were able to finish the game in exactly two hits. Andrew excitedly hugged his bunny, then the older man, although it wasn’t for long since the booth owner was holding a can of mosquito repellant - an item they needed for the show. The reason for the tally marks was also about to be revealed. 

“Congratulations, again!” Samantha applauded with the crowd. “Both of you successfully popped ten balloons with Caspian off-aim twice and Andrew hitting eight balloons which weren’t his assigned color.” The host sounded a little displeased with the numbers, as she hadn’t expected such a large difference, but the individual numbers didn’t matter anyway because the points were additive. “That’s either ten spins around the Ferris wheel or Caspian gets dunked ten times. You may also split up your points if you’d like." She may have busted the secrecy of their next activity, but the penalty points had to be put somewhere, and it was something she had to come up with on the spot.  

[3ruri]

Andrew made Caspian happy with his decision to asked for helped. Like before, Caspian stood beside his husband and held his hand. Andrew may have not notice, but Caspian was obviously pulling his moves on the brunette, just like how he would have done if he met Andrew in a bar. It was only a couple of minutes flirtation on Caspian's side, and though it was fruitless, the professor felt nice. He hadn't been doing anything like that for a while. At least their goal was met and all of the red balloon was successfully popped. The hug that followed was a reward in itself as well. He wondered if Andrew was thawing toward him or it was just the adrenaline from participating in the scavenger hunt. 

When Samantha explained about the penalty and hinted on their next task, the superhero shook his head in disbelieve. "Why do I have to be dunked? Can't you find some other activity?" He wondered what was the attraction seeing a superhero dunked. Would people really like to see that? Although he didn't like the idea, he was glad that it was him and not Andrew. If it was the younger man, Caspian would anticipate his foul mood the whole day. He looked at his husband who was squishing the pirate bunny. He seemed like he was having an okay day, so Caspian didn't want to ruin that for both of them. 

"Ten times around the Ferris wheel is too much," said Caspian. Since Samantha said they could split their points, they could do half of each. "Five times around the Ferris wheel and five times dunked?" he asked for Andrew's agreement. Caspian could choose to get dunked once and they could ride the Ferris wheel another nine times, but since he was going to wet anyway, why not give it all. 

Once they agreed, Samantha immediately caught their attention again. "Okay, since Doctor Stone is going to be dunked, Andrew, you have a task of your own." Obviously, this was the catch. "While your husband gets a change of clothes, you have to look for people who would help you dunk him into the dunk tank. You need three people who are good at pitching balls to help you hit the target five times. You can throw as many times as you want, but, you have a time limit. You need to complete the task in three minutes. Of course, each time our superhero falls into the tank, the time will be stopped and once he got back on the seat, it will start again. So Andrew, start finding your people now. You have fifteen minutes before we start!" 

[YellowMelon]

Since Caspian had gotten wet before, although accidentally, Andrew hoped the dunk tank wouldn’t change his husband’s attitude. He was having such a fun time with the older man at the amusement park and he didn’t want the fun to be ruined. Plus, he was looking forward to the Ferris wheel. A grumpy companion would make him want to go home early, which wouldn’t be possible during filming, so he’d just be stuck on a ride with a person he didn’t want to be with. Not only would that look poorly on the show, but he and Caspian would likely end up arguing again and Andrew didn’t want this prediction to be correct. With Caspian suggesting they divide their points evenly, the brunette simply nodded in agreement because he didn’t have a preference for one or the other. He wouldn’t mind going on the Ferris wheel for ten cycles, but Caspian didn’t sound too fond of it, and how many times the superhero wanted to be dunked was up to him. Andrew didn’t think he had a say in the latter. Even-steven was fair enough.

'Three minutes?!" He exclaimed in shock. He had fifteen minutes to gather the people but only three minutes to dunk Caspian five times?! Why, out of all their previous activities, did this one have a time limit? And it was when his husband couldn't help him! The one saving grace he had was the crowd. Instead of running around the amusement park and picking up strangers, he had willingly participants right here. Well, they weren't willingly yet. He had to persuade them, then pick and choose the three he wanted. Green eyes glossed over the crowd, bypassing children and spying for individuals who looked like they'd be good at throwing a ball. Of course, it was hard to tell who was an expert ball thrower and who wasn't, but he also needed people who could throw with force. "Who here plays baseball, volleyball, football, or any other sport where a ball needs to be thrown? Raise your hand!" He shouted at the crowd, and, apparently, no one played such sports. Even those who wore Doctor Stone merchandise, and who Andrew thought would be eager to help if they could, remained quiet. Had he sounded too demanding? 

It was evident the crowd was here for Doctor Stone only. If the superhero was standing in his spot, asking for help, he was positive the man would receive it. That was a perk Andrew wanted to have now. There was nothing he could offer personally that would get anyone to play the game with him. Would Caspian get angry if he used him to his advantage, right now, without him actually being here? He was still changing, so it's not like he could have a say in the matter if he wanted to. "Alright," Andrew clapped his hands together, "The three people who help me out now can get a kiss from Doctor Stone. Only on the cheek though." Too many hands shot up at once for the brunette to tell who had been the first three. "You girls," he randomly pointed to a group of three ladies huddled together, 'Yes, you three." They appeared to be in their early twenties. Likely, college students. As they approached him, he was already being handed yellow softballs by a crew member. "Are you decent a throwing a ball?" 

"Yes, two of us are softballs players, and she plays volleyball." One of the girls pointed to her friend wearing glasses. 

"Good." Andrew handed the balls to the girls. "Remember, we have three minutes. And if you we don't win you don't get that kiss." Actually, if he didn't win, would there be a penalty? "Try your best because my aim sucks."

[3ruri]

Caspian didn't get to discuss a strategy with Andrew or say anything when he was ensconced away by a couple of the crew members. There was a temporary tent set up nearby the dunk tent and was only big enough for him. One of the crew members shoved something into his hand and pulled the curtain over. "Please get changed, Doctor Stone, we need to get you on the dunk tank soon," said the crew. Caspian stared at the packaging in his hand. It was a clothing article that was still wrapped in a plastic. He tore it open and held the content at and arm's length. It was a black colored shorts with "Dr. Stone's Adventure" printed all over along with a caricature of his face.

"Are you kidding me? You want me to wear this?" he pulled the curtain open and stretched the fabric in front of the crew who was waiting for him to finish changing. 

"Yes," replied the crew, alarmed that Caspian was still in his clothes. "You need to changed into the shorts now and we have to get moving."

The curtain was closed in his face and Caspian had no other option but to take off his clothes and put on the black shorts. He folded his jeans and henley neatly then wondered whether he should kept his underwear on. If he was going to get wet, he had to go commando once he put on his clothes again. He only could wish that the shorts was not going to reveal any of his junk. It was hot outside, but he wondered if the water was going to be cold. The shorts rested about three inches above his knees and he was hoping that they would give him a robe to wear. He wasn't ashamed of his body, but he didn't like flaunting them when he was in public. There were women and children around, so he didn't like being stared at. 

As he stepped out of the tent, the crew member that was waiting for him didn't waste any time and dragged him to the dunk tank. The crowd that was milling around saw him and he heard some catcalls aimed his way. "Wow, look at you, Caspian. Andrew is one lucky guy," Samantha commented as Caspian approached the back of the dunk tank. 

"Please tell me you're keeping this show at least PG13. My rescue works involve children. I don't want the parents to be wary of me being around their kids," he told the host.

Samantha shrugs. "I think we would sell well if it's more sexual, but yes, the sponsors want it clean too. Anyway. Andrew had promised his co-pitchers that they can give you a kiss on the cheek when they complete the task. Good luck then."

"Wait, he what?" Caspian started to ask, but Samantha had gone to the front of the dunk tank so he could start the game. The crew nudged Caspian so he could climbed onto the seat over the tank. The crowd cheered when the saw the superhero. What's more, his body was on display. The catcalls came back again louder than before. He tried to look for Andrew, but he was talking to three girls who must be the pitchers Samantha talked about, "Hurry and get this over with, " he said, hoping Andrew could sense the vibe."

[YellowMelon]

As soon as Caspian was situated over the water, Samantha announced for them to begin, and Andrew felt just as prepared as he had been fifteen minutes ago, which wasn't at all. Despite his chatter with the girls, no advice was exchanged, only encouraging words, knowing he would have to rely on them to hit the target within their allotted time. Of course, Andrew would throw a ball too, but he wasn't confident he would be able to dunk Caspian, given how poorly he did in the balloon popping game. To him, this was just another form of darts, but with a ball. 

The line they were required to stay behind was twenty feet from their target, and the first girl to pitch didn't find the distance challenging. After one perfect hit, down went Caspian, into the water. The sudden drop initially concerned Andrew, but he could see his husband was okay since the blue tank had a viewing window. The girl who threw the ball returned back to the group proudly, and received high fives from her friends. Andrew didn’t partake in the excitement, but he was smiling. If the other players were just as good as her, they’d be done in less than two minutes.

The next participant in line was the volleyballer. She waited patiently for the superhero to set himself up again, then threw the green ball. Unlike the last girl, her first throw was a miss. However, the speed at which the ball flew was shocking. If someone had been in her way, they would have been knocked out or doubling over in pain. The player quickly picked up the softball to try again. They hadn’t worked out a system of taking turns, so no one complained. From what Andrew understood, all of them had to throw a ball at least once. The second pitch was a direct hit, triggering Caspian’s seat to drop. This time the brunette grinned at the sight. It was certainly amusing to watch the taller man fall into the water, especially since no one could predict when it would happen. Up next was the third female. Instead of immediately taking her turn when Doctor Stone was ready, she had her gaze fixed on the superhero. 

“2 minutes!” Samantha held up her phone to show the time blown up on her screen.

“Hey, no distractions!” Andrew narrowed his eyes at his husband, although he clearly hadn’t been doing anything wrong. He was just sitting there in his black shorts. The younger man’s reprimand reminded the girl of what she was supposed to be doing and the ball left her hand, missing its target. On her second try, the ball made contact but it was wasn’t hard enough to activate the dunk tank seat's mechanism. The third time was a charm and water was splashing. Andrew happily jumped up and down with the ladies. Only two more dunks left. In his excitement, the brunette pushed the first player forward to throw a second time. The moment Caspian retook his seat, the board collapsed.

“1 minute!” A voice yelled in sync with the splash. “And, Andrew, you must be the next one to dunk Caspian or it won’t be counted.”

Damn. The chances of them winning were now slim. “You can do it!” One of the girls screamed, inciting the crowd to cheer him on, which caused the younger man’s heart to pound faster. His attempt, unsurprisingly, was off aim, hitting the protective cage around Caspian. He, honestly, had been aiming for the target, but unexpectedly turned too much when he threw the ball. Without warning, the girls suddenly surrounded him and frantically gave him advice. One was being hands-on and fixing his stance while another was telling him where to look. 

“20 seconds!”

“Now!” Andrew released his softball at the command. The ball successfully hit its target and caused Doctor Stone to drop into the tank for a fifth, and final, time. Samantha’s alarm went off seconds after.

“We did it!” The brunette shouted, elated, then ran over to his husband who was still standing in the tank with the girls behind him. His eyes beamed as he looked at the soaking wet man. “Now get out so they can kiss you.” He demanded, although in a light-hearted tone. They were such great players they deserved their reward, and the ladies were already squealing with anticipation. “Do you like being wet?" Andrew teased, sticking his tongue out childishly at the older man. "I thought you'd hold out longer than three minutes." And the young man knew exactly what he was implying. Of course, Caspian couldn't have avoided being dunked since he had no control over the situation, but the superhero couldn't do anything about his jokes either, right? Andrew wasn't going to be a victim of the dunk tank. 

[3ruri]

The first dunk that sent him into the tank, Caspian gasped, shocked by how cold it was. He was amazed with the throwing skills of the people that Andrew had found, and glad that even though he was shivering in only a pair of shorts, it seemed like they were going to complete the task without problem. There was a slight pause with the third girl who were a bit distracted by the superhero's wet body, but it wasn't like Caspian could do anything about it. He was told to sit still and looked pretty and he did. Andrew managed it well, but he still hadn't hit the target and Samantha reminded him of it. He was proud that his husband was able to dunk him with the help of the girls. He hoped Andrew will remember this moment because he was positive that the younger man would find it amusing for days to come. It wasn't everyday that people get to do this to superheroes. Then again, no superheroes was quite like the professor.

"I need to get into my clothes first," Caspian quickly told Andrew and his entourage when they greeted him at the back of the dunk tank. "I think Samantha would want to take a picture of all of us, so why don't you take these awesome ladies to the front while I change." He smiled and bent over to peck Andrew on his lips. He knew Andrew had told him there would be no kissing, but if the girls were going to kiss him on the cheek, Caspian thought it was only appropriate for him to kiss his husband first in front of them, to show that Caspian was a married man, the contract be damned.

The same crew member before handed him a towel this time for him to dry his hair and standing guard in front of the tent while Caspian changed. The tall man quickly stripped himself out of the wet shorts, wiped himself as dry as he could and put his previous clothes on. He took the towel and dry his hair again. There was a hint of chlorine, so he needed to wash his hair when he got home. Not wanting to stay in the tent for long, Caspian went out and handed the used towel to the crew, thanking them for their hard work.

He found Andrew and the rest at the front of the dunk tank being interviewed by Samantha. "What do you think of Doctor Stone?" the host moved the microphone to the girls. "Doctor Stone is hot," they said excitedly. They were obviously his fans for his looks, that was for sure. "Too bad he's not into girls, but we think Andrew's a good choice. He's pretty chill and pretty too, so they look good together." Listening to the comments, Caspian shook his head. So there were people who were shipping him and Andrew already. It was good that they were rooting for them, but he wondered how bad the damage would be when he and Andrew split up. He wondered if he'd be the villain when that time came.

"Hey guys, nice work earlier," he greeted them and proceeded to put his arm around Andrew's waist. Despite his worries about their future separation, he still wanted people to know that he liked having Andrew by his side. "Now, what is it about the kiss on the cheek I heard about? You sold me to these girls?" He turned to Andrew with a mock indignant. Leave it to Andrew to throw him under the bus to save his own ass. Thankfully, it was a nice ass, so Caspian would have to deal with what Andrew handed him with.

[YellowMelon]

Andrew pouted when his husband left him, and was still pouting when Caspian returned. He was disappointed to see the superhero fully clothed since his half-naked, dripping wet body had been eye candy. Even now, the older man was attractive with damp, ruffled hair, but he wasn’t Playgirl attractive. He’d rather have a sexy Caspian wearing only pants any day than one in a complete outfit, unless it was formal wear, like when they modeled yesterday. Thinking about it now lessened his disappointment. They had yet to look at those pictures, so maybe they could do so before going to bed tonight. Being touched by the man in his thoughts caused Andrew to press himself closer to the individual. He found it comforting to lean into the taller frame, especially since it didn’t matter how much force he used, with Caspian having the strength to keep themselves upright.

“I wouldn’t call it selling,” the brunette spoke slowly, avoiding eye contact with the hazel irises, “I just made an offer, and these girls accepted.” Well, he had picked these girls specifically from the crowd to accept his offer, but at least they were willing participants. He wasn’t pimping out Doctor Stone or setting up a kissing booth, so he didn’t see an issue with the deal. It was only an innocent kiss on the cheek. And if production didn’t think that was what a “family man” should be doing, they could cut the footage. He was glad Caspian was playing along though, and knew this wasn’t a fan exchange which would be allowed regularly. 

“Look this way.” Samantha ordered the group, then a short photo session ensued. A couple of photos were taken of them all together before it was just the girls clinging onto Caspian for the remaining shots. One picture captured a female on each side of Doctor Stone, kissing the man on his cheeks, as they were told they could do, while the third was able to do the same pose with the superhero alone. As an onlooker, Andrew was getting a tad bit annoyed at how touchy the fans were being. They weren't inappropriate touching, but he'd like to think he was the only one who could touch Caspian in public without his permission, and in an obviously flirtatious way. He knew his husband was gay, and that was the real reason for him choosing players of the opposite gender, but he still felt slight jealously. However, now being able to hold his giant bunny plush, which he had to temporarily part from to throw softballs, eased his feelings. 

When the last picture was taken, and the girls returned to the crowd, a crew member casually handed Andrew the item he had won - a swiss army knife - which he collected in his backpack. "Time for the Ferris wheel." Andrew said to himself, excitedly, as he stared into the face of his stuffed animal. Without waiting for an announcement to be made or grabbing Caspian, he was off to find the amusement ride. Whether the Ferris wheel was actually their next activity or the show had a change of plans, the brunette was going to go on that ride because he wanted to do so before the sun completely disappeared from the sky. He wouldn't be able to see anything at the maximum height of the wheel if it was completely dark out. 

[3ruri]

Caspian was glad the cheek kissing didn't take a long time, probably he had his beard to thank for. The girls were a good sport and he was thankful that they were willing to help them complete the task even if Andrew had to use him as bait. Since the dunk tank was the peak of the event, most of the fans and onlookers had disperse to other activities. The superhero felt a little more relaxed now that he was not the center of attention and what was left was the Ferris wheel ride. Andrew pulled him towards the attraction, followed by a couple of the cameramen. He noticed some of the production crew was already ahead, probably setting up for the next shoot. 

Samantha met them at the entrance. "I've already had permission for you to ride five times. So you don't have to stand in line. We'll only be using one coach anyway," he explained to them. "I don't have any specific instructions for this, but we have five tries, so just be natural. Talk about something. Your past, your life, your work, family. I need some good content for this show. If talking is hard, then make out, that's much better," the host said without reservation. Caspian tried to recall whether making out is considered PG13 or not, but it was best to be kept in minimum. "Now go. make momma proud. Stanley here is going with you. It's be slightly cramped, but just act like he's not there. He's used to it." Samantha pushed them toward the entrance and Stanley, who was one of the cameramen who had been with them at the park followed closely. 

After the Ferris wheel are all filled up except for the last coach, the attendant held the door open for them and Stanley walked in first, so he could film them entering the space. Caspian let Andrew in next, watching him settling down on the empty bench with his pirate bunny before the older man settled on the seat beside the cameraman. The started moving slowly and at first both of them was enjoying the view of being lifted from the ground. It wasn't dark out yet, but the sky was tinted orange as the sun would set in in a couple of minutes. 

"It's a good timing to ride in a Ferris wheel, huh," Caspian looked at Andrew. He seemed attached to the plush toy, which made the professor happy that he had got it for the brunette. "Glad you like the guy. What's his name?" Caspian gestured at the bunny pirate. Some people named their plushies, he wondered if Andrew would do the same as well. He hoped it won't be something like "Mr. Stinky" or something close. That would be a tragedy.

[YellowMelon]

Why the fuck was Stanley going on the ride with them? Andrew naively thought it would only be he and Caspian in the carriage with his stuffed bunny, if it was allowed on. Instead, he got more than he bargained for and they were a party of four. How could they “be natural” with the cameraman so close to them? The brunette pursed his lips at the situation he was in. It would have been better if the carriage was a two-seater. He would have had to leave his bunny behind, but he could have at least had a romantic moment with Caspian. Yes, romantic. He imagined going on the ride with his husband and reflecting on their day. In the end, they would kiss and he would have a successful end-of-first-date feeling. Secretly, Andrew was somewhat fond of the cliché. Not typical words or phrases, but date ideas and actions. He also liked the occasional cheesy pick-up lines that could make him laugh as long as it wasn’t the first thing a guy said to him. And they couldn’t be overly sexual. With Stanley, all possibility of him treating the ride like a date was out of his mind. 

“I haven’t given it a name yet.” Andrew admitted when Caspian asked him about the plushie. He rested the bunny on his lap, hugging it from behind, around its stomach, and disappearing behind the large body. Why would he name his stuffie? He was attached to it, but it wasn’t alive, so it wouldn’t be able to acknowledge him if it did have a name and he called it out. Consequently, he believed there was no point in naming any inanimate object, but, if it showed Caspian just how much he liked the prize, he would come up with an on-the-spot name. Andrew stayed silent for a long time trying to think of a title. He wanted it to be creative, to show he put thought into it, and not something that was dull or overused. He turned the rodent so he could look at its face. The eyepatch only made him think of one thing: “Captain Casper.” He stated with certainty and returned Casper to its original position to face Doctor Stone. There hadn’t been much thought to generate the second part of the name since Caspian was the one who won him the plushie, but he couldn’t outright call him “Captain Caspian” because that was a tongue twister. “We can call him Captain or Casper for short.” 

After the name was revealed, Andrew fell into silence again, staying behind the stuffed animal as the Ferris wheel completed its second cycle. The brunette knew he was being unusually quiet, but he was thinking of what he could say that wasn’t just filler material Samantha wanted for the show. She had suggested such boring topics, and there was no way he would be having a make out session unless Casper was used as a shield against the camera. He and Caspian may have kissed several times during filming, but he wanted a Ferris wheel kiss to be different. Once again, he was thinking of the cliché, and it made him mentally curse at Stanley for a second time. His excitement for the ride had been deflated. 

“I think it’s funny how we’re doing everything backwards,” Andrew finally spoke, peeking out from behind the tan giant animal, “Usually couples go on dates before getting married. We got married first, had our wedding ceremony after, and now we’re here.” Even though his romantic idea for the Ferris wheel had been a bust, he thought their other activities were passable for a date, with the exception of the dunk tank. “I would consider this a successful first date, would you?” He asked his husband cautiously, in case Caspian viewed today’s activities differently. “What we did today felt more natural than the last two days.” They still had the cameras, an audience, and tasks to complete, but Andrew had been so engrossed with the scavenger hunt and the carnival games he hadn’t been as conscious about the onlookers.

“I was hoping for a kiss on the Ferris wheel, like a kiss scene in a chick flick, but we’ll have to postpone that type of kissing for another day.” He confessed to Caspian with slight disappointment, although he wasn’t trying to nudge his husband to do anything. It’s not like he could get in the mood anyway, with Stanley. “Do you usually kiss on a first date and following dates?” He then asked the superhero. “Or are you more conservative?" Well, Andrew knew the answer to his own question, but fans would probably like a direct response from Doctor Stone. 

[3ruri]

With Stanley on the ride with them, things were a little awkward. Caspian, and he guessed Andrew was the same, had never had any experience with cameras filming them prior to the show, so even though they were already on day three, talking naturally was something that neither of them was used to with the presence of the crew member especially in a tight, closed space like the Ferris wheel coach. Caspian could try talking about random subjects - he was used to giving lectures and talks all the time but those were not the content Samantha was asking for. The things he wanted to talk with Andrew was rather personal and if somehow it took a bad turn like the many attempts they tried talking the previous days, Caspian didn't want it on film.

The bunny pirate was proven to be a safe topic. The professor smiled when Andrew took some time and came up with "Captain Casper". He knew his husband was trying to make a jab at his name, but even with a name like that, the bunny resembled Andrew more than Caspian. "Great name for a pirate bunny." The older man commented. "If he's white, I think Casper would be a better nickname, but since he's tan, Captain might suit better. I wonder if you'll say "Where's Captain" when you misplace the bunny and everyone else would wonder who Captain is." It would make an interesting topic of conversation if that ever happened, which was highly unlikely since Captain Casper was at least the size of a six year old kid. 

Silence ensued after that, and they were just waiting to complete the five cycles on the Ferris wheel. Then Andrew started talking about how they were doing things backward and his thoughts on dates. "I don't know if I would call this a date," Caspian said, but quickly added so Andrew won't misunderstand. "I've never been to some of dates before, and this certainly are different from all of them. I didn't have that much fun, that's for sure. But today, I had a great time. I think I owed that to you." The morning had started out awkward from their late night row, but once they were involved in the scavenger hunt, everything was pushed aside. Caspian won't dream and say they were a good team, but they worked well together. "I never thought I would enjoy visiting an amusement park. If we have time somewhere in the future, let's come back and have a proper date."

Caspian knew he didn't replied to Andrew's question about the kiss, but he didn't want to admit on record about his preference. There were things that should just be left to him and his partner and not for the whole world to know. Anyway, He thought their conversation was juicy enough for Samantha, so either the production make use of it or not, it was their choice. When they had completed riding the Ferris wheel for the fourth time, Caspian went out, then gestured for Stanley. "I think we had talked enough for the show, do you mind just the two of us on the final ride?" he asked the cameraman. It wasn't like Caspian was anticipating the kiss like Andrew had talked about, but he didn't like the disappointment on Andrew's face for not having the chance to enjoy the ride with just the two of them.

"If you guys are gonna kiss, I need to get it on the camera." Stanley informed the superhero. He was doing his job, Caspian knew that, but it wasn't like they were going to kiss for real even though Andrew said he wanted to end the date with a kiss.

"I don't think we would. That's just Andrew talking. Besides, we've kissed a few times already on the show. I think that's more than enough."

Stanley shrugged and relented. "Suits yourself. But I'm telling you this; if we miss a shot like that and Samantha finds out, she'll make you pay tenfold later on. So if you kiss today but it wasn't on record, she'll make you kiss another time, and it would be worse than this." The cameraman warned the professor. 

"Yeah, got it. Thanks for the warning man, but I think I can handle her." Caspian patted Stanley's shoulder and hopped back into the coach. 

He resumed his seat on the opposite of Andrew once the door to the coach was shut and the Ferris wheel moved for the final cycle. "I hope this is fine," he said to Andrew, wanting to do the least he can by reserving the last ride for just the two of them, kiss or without kiss. Since they were alone now, Caspian thought he could finally answer the brunette's earlier question. "I don't really kiss on dates. More often than not, I stop seeing the other person after a few dates. I sometimes hook up." He admitted. There was nothing to be ashamed of and he thought it was something that he should be open with Andrew since they were married now. "I don't think I have to explain what my past hookups entail. On the other hand, if I don't feel anything for my dates, we don't kiss." For him, kissing was something that borne from attraction. One didn't need to be attracted to someone to go out on a date with them, but for kissing, it was a must. "How about you. What's your dating history like?"

[YellowMelon]

Even though Caspian was quick to explain himself, Andrew now regretted referring to their day as a date. He meant it in a lighthearted way, but he shouldn’t have dropped it so casually. He didn’t want Caspian to think he was playing with his feelings since he confessed to him yesterday that he liked him and he bluntly turned him down. He meant “date” to express that what they did at the amusement park had date-like feelings, but he wasn’t retracting what he said yesterday. He still thought the serious relationship Caspian wanted wasn’t possible. Hearing his husband had a great time made him happy, although he couldn’t foresee them going on a proper date given how busy they were with the show, and, once they were done, they would part ways. It was a nice thought, but if they were to go on an actual date, he didn’t think he’d be as carefree as he was now. Throughout the day, he hadn’t tried to impress the professor or woo him, which was usually attempted on dates, or the first few ones. 

Andrew didn’t expect discussion about kissing preferences to be a private matter; otherwise, he wouldn’t have inquired about it on camera. So he was surprised when Stanley was kicked out of the carriage, and initially felt sorry for the cameraman until he threatened them with Samantha. While Caspian seemed to be okay with the threat, it scared the brunette to think about how she could make kissing a terrible experience. He didn’t want his lips to be sore from being forced to kiss excessively, even if it was with Caspian. With the older man back in his spot, Andrew no longer kept Captain Casper on his lap, but, instead, settled the plushie beside him on the bench. Then, he stretched his legs so they went between the superhero’s as the other talked. He was slightly shocked by what Caspian told him, since he had assumed his husband was the type to not put value into kissing because they had kissed several times already for the show, which Andrew believed weren't meaningful. 

“‘My dating history?” McCain repeated the question, unsure if Caspian was asking for his actual dating history or if he was just posing the same question back to him. Well, he didn’t mind going into details if that was what his husband wanted. “I told you before that I dated four girls. I kissed two of them, but I wasn’t that intimate. After my brief phase of being straight, I had a mix of hookups and dating. In high school, I went out with two guys.” It was more hooking up than going out, but he decided not to tell the superhero that, and the fact that he saw them simultaneously. “I had more serious relationships in college. The longest person I actually dated is a close friend of mine. We were together for three years, but it was going nowhere, and we mutually acknowledged that, then split.” Neither of them had been heartbroken about it or made it dramatic, which was why Andrew was still in contact with said person. “Counting the two guys from high school, three during college, Jeremy, and a fling I had off-and-on” he counted with his fingers, “I’ve been with seven guys.” Making his total “dating” count elven.

“And I don’t initiate the first kiss during dates.” That being said, he wouldn’t just sit back and wait for the other person to initiate some sort of physical contact if he was attracted to them, but he was respectful of people who, like Caspian, only kissed under special circumstances. “I agree there has to be some sort of attraction for a kiss, but a physical attraction will do for me.” Maybe he sounded shallow, but he didn’t require an emotional connection to enjoy kissing. “I can have a steamy make out session with anyone as long as I’m in the mood.” By “anyone,” he didn’t actually mean anyone, based on his previous remark, but he didn’t need his kissing partner to be his boyfriend or a hookup. He’s kissed two friends before, both of which he had mentioned: Ava, the girl who was the amusement park fanatic, and Jeremy. Well, the latter had been his boyfriend at one time, but after they broke up they would still kiss, as unusual of a relationship that may be. 

“I know we’re married,” Andrew continued, stating the obvious, “And this show has been promoting us to be affectionate with one another…” He averted his gaze from Caspian, briefly debating if what he wanted to say next should actually be said. He didn’t want his husband to take it the wrong way. “I don’t think you should push yourself if you aren’t interested in kissing me or being lovey-dovey.” Perhaps it was a bit sudden to say but Andrew had his reasons. “Admittedly, I’m aware that I’ve been more touchy with you today than the last two days, but it seemed to put you in a better mood, and I like seeing that. Plus, being close to you can be comforting.” Of course, if he didn’t want to be affectionate with his husband, he wouldn’t have been, so he hoped it didn’t sound like he was forcing himself to be just for Caspian to be happy. “You were also being rather flirty today, except when you said I wasn’t cute.” Or at least not as cute as Casper during the ice cream incident. It hadn’t bothered him not being called “cute” but he was still thinking of the change in attitude during their break.

“Anyway, I’m glad you had a great time, but, when I think about it, the crowd must have influenced how you treated me today. Fans are important to your reputation, but I think there are different ways you can cater to them than doing things you don’t want to do in regard to how you treat your husband.” Andrew then pulled his stuffed bunny back onto his lap, using it as a shield. “I really do love this gift you gave me, and I appreciate you booting Stanley out. I hope Samantha won’t be angry at us for not finishing the ride with the cameraman.”

[3ruri]

Andrew's dating history sounded better than his, so Caspian was amazed that he hadn't end up with anyone right now. "My longest relationship didn't even make it to one year. I think it was about eleven months or so," he tried to recall. It was quite sometime ago when he was doing his Master's degree. "Between studying, working and being a superhero, there was not much time left for a relationship. I guess I was a lousy boyfriend." He was showing signs of being a lousy husband as well, but it wasn't something that Andrew seemed to mind since they don't have a normal marriage. "Most people think dating a superhero was glamorous, so instead of dealing with those kind of people, I opt for mutual release. But to be honest, it was getting too tedious lately so I don't go out much anymore."

His husband seemed to be taking a lot of things the wrong way, but Caspian wasn't going to correct him. "Don't worry, I was just going with the flow," he replied when Andrew said he didn't need to force himself to act lovey-dovey on camera. He was only taking advantage of the event so that he could be closer to the brunette, but Andrew's statement put a damper in his effort. He wasn't going to admit that he was turned on by Andrew during their break either.  That wouldn't lead to anything, so why make it awkward between them. They had about a few minutes left before the fifth cycle ended. He didn't want to start a conversation that would end up with them arguing. 

When they were at the top, they could see the sun setting and Caspian took a moment to appreciate the view. The sky was orange instead of blue and the birds were flying home for the night. Once they completed the ride, he hoped Samantha would wrap it up and they could go home. At least their scavenger hunt was a success. It was a good day nonetheless. He didn't remember when did he last had so much fun. He hoped the next task would be something interesting like this as well. He wondered what were they gonna ask them to do with all the items they acquired. By the look of things, it seemed like they were planning on a camping trip. 

As they started to descend, Caspian didn't make any move to kiss Andrew. He wanted to but he didn't want his husband to think that he was "pushing" himself to kiss him because Andrew had talked about about kissing in Ferris wheel as a perfect way to the end a first date. The magic moment was gone and Caspian was fine with that. He had come to terms that maybe he and the other man was only destined to have an amiable relationship and nothing more than that. He'll leave their future lip locks to Samantha to decide which he was sure that the blond host had plenty of them planned. 

Before their ride come to an end, Caspian leaned forward and braced him hands against his thighs, looking Andrew's way. "Thanks for making today fun. I'm happy that you like Captain Casper. It's nothing much, but I wanted you to have something to remember today by. We have the recording, of course, but I think the bunny is adorable." He smiled, showing his husband that he genuinely enjoyed the day they spent together, even with many people around and the shooting was in session. "And I still think Captain is cuter, because pretty or beautiful suits you better. But the two of you make a good pair." He chuckled, imagining how Andrew look like when he was angry. Although Captain Casper was cute, the eye patch and his perpetually squinting eyes made him look fierce. "Here's the end on our ride," Caspian turned to the door as their coach approached the landing platform.  

[YellowMelon]

Finally, their day was over or, at least, Andrew hoped it was. They would leave a lot of rides untouched, but the brunette wanted his day to end with his husband, alone, on the Ferris wheel. No cameras. No audience. Just the two of them...and Captain Casper. The inanimate object was a pleasant companion, but he would have felt the same way without bringing the bunny along. Even without his imagined romantic exchange, Andrew was content enough to go home. Of course, the sole person who dictated when anyone could leave was Samantha. Hopefully, if she did have them stay, they wouldn't be staying for too long. McCain wasn't tired, but he wanted to be in bed, or on the sofa, by a certain time. The last two days had been a break from his usual routine. Normally, he'd be in bed with the lights off before midnight, waiting to fall asleep, but the past two days had pushed his bedtime way back. 

With their fifth cycle coming to a completion, Andrew hid a smile behind his stuffed bunny at Caspian’s compliment. He had never been called pretty or beautiful before, and being described by such adjectives made him quite happy. “You’re a real charmer.” He laughed, standing as soon as the ride stopped. “I wish we could’ve spent more time together on the Ferris wheel, but we’ll see each other at home anyway.” Meaning, if they wanted to talk more, they could do so. It’s not as though they were going to part ways after filming since they were married and made to live under one roof. Caspian was still going to drive them home too. Before stepping out of the cart, Andrew gave his spouse a quick kiss to the cheek and then went for a kiss on the lips. The kiss he gave Caspian made his heart beat faster, not knowing how the superhero would respond. It was a slow, gentle kiss, and the younger man used Captain Casper to block the scene from the production crew.

“Please. Get off.” At the curt request of the Ferris wheel operator, McCain broke his kiss with the other male and left the ride. Now, the husbands were met with Samantha handing them a black card. 

“Here’s your next adventure. If you haven’t guessed already, you’re going camping.” Written inside the card was an address and a checklist. The six items obtained during today’s scavenger hunt were included on the list and already checked off. Other essentials, such as a tent, blanket, flashlight, and first aid kit, were not. “We’ll provide you with anything on the list you don’t have. You can go home now.” 

Despite having never camped before, Andrew wasn’t too concerned with what Samantha told them. The activity wasn’t something that would ever be on his bucket list, but he was open to trying it. Plus, what other choice did he have? It was already planned for the show, so it was going to happen. He slipped off his backpack to double check the items they collected, making sure everything checked off on the list was there. “Carabiner, lighter, fire starter…” He mumbled to himself, moving the objects around. “Mess tin, mosquito repellent, and swiss army knife.” Good, they had what they were supposed to. “Do you want to get a hot dog before we leave?” Andrew turned to Caspian, remembering he had yet to actually eat anything, and suggested getting one during their break, although he, personally, wasn't in the mood for such food. "I want cotton candy." 

[3ruri]

To be honest, Caspian didn't anticipate the kiss. He thought the discussion about kisses were over  just as the topic about dates were. He welcomed the kiss anyway, and reciprocate as much as he was given. He was slightly bashful when the ride attendant asked them to leave, but it was short-lived when Samantha were in their faces, telling them about the next challenge. As he thought, they were going camping. The destination of the campsite was a bit of a surprise, but Caspian guessed that there were more to it than just the two of them spending the night under the sky. He had his own camping gears but he was appreciative that the production was going to provide them as well since the professor only had a tent that would fit only one person. He didn't think it would be comfortable for the two of them to share. 

Finally, they were dismissed and Andrew asked if he wanted to get a hotdog before they went home. "Since we already waited this long, why not wait a little more and get a proper meal on our way home. You can get your cotton candy, though," he said, checking on his wristwatch. It was already past seven and since he was hungry for a meal and not a snack, he didn't feel like eating the overpriced hotdog. He waited for Andrew to get in queue for the sugary confectionery, which thankfully was a short one, and once he got an extra fluffy cotton candy, they made their way to the car park. Normally Caspian was fussy about eating in the car, but since the SUV belonged to the production, he didn't mind Andrew enjoying his treat while Caspian drove them to a nearby family diner. 

"Hope you don't mind this place," Caspian indicated to the half-packed diner right across where he found a parking space. "They have a variety of food on their menu, so I'm sure there would be something that you'd like." He still didn't know what kind of food Andrew likes or dislikes, so this could also be a chance to at least find out the brunette's preference when in came to food. They were immediately seated by the waitress at one of the vacant booths where she left them with the menu and told them to call her when they are ready to decide on their orders. How hungry are you?" he looked at Andrew over the menu in front of him. He already decided to order the cioppino - seafood stew. It wasn't too heavy and with a side serving of bread, it would be a fulfilling meal for a dinner. "Hope that cotton candy didn't ruin your appetite."

[YellowMelon]

Going out to eat was not something Andrew had considered, but, since he was still able to get cotton candy, he was fine with it. Unlike Caspian, he wasn’t familiar with the area, so trusted that his husband would be taking them to a place which had decent food. All he required of a restaurant was that it looked clean and didn’t have an unpleasant odor, and he would be willing to dine in. If the restaurant had a dirty interior, then Andrew wouldn’t give the food a chance, no matter how outstanding its ratings may be. On the way to the diner, the brunette tore at the cotton candy, letting pieces of the pink fluff melt in his mouth. It was a good thing the spun sugar could be finished quickly because the drive had been a short one. Captain was left in the car with Caspian’s jacket covering its head to hide it from any potential stuffy stealers. 

Once seated, Andrew silently read over the menu. He didn’t think he was a picky eater, but there were foods he tried to avoid. They say you are what you eat, and the brunette made an effort to live by that lifestyle. Having ice cream and cotton candy from the amusement park may say otherwise, but everyone had their cravings. For an actual meal, he was in the mood for a salad or sandwich. “The cotton candy didn’t ruin my appetite,” he put the menu on the table to look at Caspian, “But the ice cream may have.” McCain joked, then slid out of the booth. “My fingers are sticky, so I need to wash them.” He had been careful not to touch anything with his sugarcoated fingers from eating his cotton candy earlier, and now slipped away to use the restroom.

Seconds after the younger man returned, the waitress was at their table, giving each of them a glass of water, and ready to take their orders. Andrew requested the turkey sandwich, which consisted of sliced turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, provolone cheese, and mayonnaise on sourdough. However, he specifically asked for no onions, no cheese, and he didn’t want the fries that came with his order. No side order exchange either. He just wanted the sandwich. While onions were a vegetable he had a dislike for, he didn’t want the cheese or fries because they were foods he chose not to consume. Anything fried, especially, did not appeal to him. After writing down the meal decisions of both men, the waitress took the menus and walked away to deliver the slip to the kitchen.

Without cameras on, or near, them, Andrew felt a little awkward being with Caspian in the diner. Since Caspian had explicitly stated he hadn’t thought their time at the amusement park was like a date, he knew their time here shouldn’t be thought of as a date either, but it sure felt like one. More so than how he felt at the amusement park. This activity hadn’t been planned for the show. Of course, Andrew knew he was overthinking a simple get together between coworkers. Usually, when he would go out with people he worked with, they would spend time together as a group. With Caspian, that didn't apply, which was why this situation was difficult for Andrew to view in a completely professional light.

"Have you eaten here before with someone else?" McCain questioned. 

[3ruri]

Having dinner outside with Andrew was a new experience and Caspian was glad he had brought them there where there is a good selection on menu that won't restrict Andrew to anything he didn't like. He opted for a healthy dish, a simple turkey sandwich sans side orders. "Are you watching your girlish figures?" Caspian made a joke. His husband certainly didn't have a girlish figure, but his body was nicely toned, slim and sinewy without being bulky or disproportionate. The professor didn't fancy fried food too much either but he did took a lot of carbs and proteins because he had high metabolism and burned the calories quite fast. 

"I've come here with Cam a few times," he answered Andrew's question. "As you know already, Cam likes to cook, and he is good at it. This place has some nice dishes and Cam wanted to try them so we've had lunch here sometimes." It wasn't that far from Caspian's cottage and Caspian didn't do much cooking in his kitchen, so whenever Andrew came for a visit, he would suggest them to eat at the diner. It was a good distraction from Cameron going around his stuff at home. He had yet to find the diary in Caspian's drawer with the picture of the three of them before Cassidy passed. That would definitely earn him an earful from his younger brother. "Do you have a favorite restaurant?" he returned a question at Andrew. The guy was still too mysterious. He wondered if Andrew was ever willing to share anything about himself but Caspian doubt the brunette would, so he only came up with safe topics like that rather than personal ones. 

The waitress returned with their orders and Caspian was so glad that he could eat. The stew was hot, with chunks of fish and shellfish in the refreshing broth and pieces of bread to dip in. Andrew's turkey sandwich looked appetizing as well. The lettuce and tomatoes were fresh and juicy from the way it protruded from under the fluffy bread. "Excuse me while I stuff my face," the older man joked again. He was famished after the whole day's activities. He brought a spoonful of the cioppino to his mouth and savor the taste as it hit his tongue. He was glad he made the right choice. "If you don't mind sharing, you can have a taste," he said to Andrew. His husband didn't seem to mind sharing the ice-cream earlier that day, so he assumed Andrew didn't mind tasting the stew that Caspian had started eating. He pulled a small piece of bread and dipped it in the broth, soaking the bread halfway. "Wanna give it a try?" He raised the morsel that he held with his thumb and forefinger. 

[YellowMelon]

The short response to if he had a favorite restaurant would be a “no,” but Andrew knew Caspian was expecting more. The professor probably thought he could give a recommendation. In truth, the younger man wasn’t a frequent diner and the places he had been to didn’t leave a strong impression on him. Andrew tried to recall the names of restaurants he ate at in the past, but could only remember going out and not such specific details. He couldn’t even remember the name of the restaurant he worked at a couple of years ago, but he wouldn’t recommend that place anyway. Vaguely, in his memories, he could picture some of the food he ordered, although that wasn’t useful since where he ordered the meals was unmemorable. By the time Andrew was going to make a proper response, the waitress delivered their food and Caspian immediately dug in.

Andrew was surprised by his husband offering him a taste of the fish stew because the older man had not eaten anything prior. He thought Caspian would want every last drop of the cioppino, and rightly so. “Sure.” He said, warily, having never had the dish before, and, in general, hadn’t consumed a lot of seafood in his lifetime. Seafood was expensive for a man who was currently unemployed and only worked minimum wage jobs. Andrew leaned forward and bit the bread Caspian held while holding a napkin underneath him to catch any crumbs. While he chewed, he manually took the rest of the dipped break from the other’s hand. He didn’t think Caspian would want his unfinished, bitten bread, so he finished it off himself. The broth was flavorful without an overpowering fishy taste which Andrew feared it might have due to the mix of seafood. Sometimes, he found the smell of seafood off-putting, but the stew was tolerable, and the liquid tasted delightful. “It’s good! Thanks for letting me have a taste.” 

A drink of water was used to wash his palate before Andrew took a bite of his turkey sandwich. The turkey wasn’t dry because of the mayonnaise, and the condiment hadn’t been overapplied either. Although this would be another restaurant he likely wouldn’t remember the name of, he was glad Caspian brought him here to have an actual meal and not settle with his ice cream and cotton candy. “Anyway, back to your question, I don’t have a favorite restaurant.” Andrew spoke after swallowing. “I like home cooked meals more, and the last time I went out to eat was a little over two years ago.” That was when he started his on-and-off fling and, since then, he hadn’t been out with anyone to a restaurant. “I’m usually on a tight budget, so eating out isn’t something that immediately comes to my mind when I get a paycheck.” Thankfully, he had friends who were understanding of his reasons to not dine out, and who were willing to cook together with him when they would make plans to get together. 

The younger man continued eating as he thought of what else to say. Dining out was just eating and talking, which is why he could do the same thing with a home cooked meal instead of having to pay for a premade one. Here, the prices seemed fair though. Speaking of which, who was paying? He had already given Caspian $20 earlier which he used to buy drinks, so the older man definitely had some leftover money from that, and he knew it was typical for whoever asked the other person out to pay, but making that assumption could also be troubling. Maybe Caspian would want to go Dutch or have each of them pay for their meals separately. Either payment method was okay with Andrew, so he settled with those alternatives in his mind. “Is it safe to assume that you like this diner the best, or do you have one that tops this? I’m surprised your go-to option isn’t having your brother cook for you. But, if you normally have a big appetite where you empty out his fridge, then I can see why cooking for you may be tiring or fearsome for the cook.” He chuckled. ”How often do you go out? Not to a restaurant specifically, but out after your work or when you have free time.” Perhaps, the better wording would have been "if" he had free time. 

[3ruri]

"You can have more if you want," Caspian told Andrew as he broke another piece of bread and dipped it in the broth for himself. His empty stomach was sated with finally being filled. He was lucky it didn't growl when they were riding the Ferris wheel. That would have been embarrassing especially if Stanley the cameraman was still around. "I loved homecooked meals as well, but I'm sure you've seen me in action with the cupcakes and it is safe to say that I shouldn't be trusted in the kitchen with anything more than microwaveable food or something to grill. If you ask me to do anything else, I would have failed miserable." Taking a page from the day that they had,, Caspian had decided to go on a friendly route, thus the warmer topic of conversation. He couldn't make Andrew share things he didn't want to say if it was too personal for him, but he didn't mind talking about himself to Andrew. "Cameron and I may not look that much different, but I took after our dad and he took after our mom. Dad and I were banned in the kitchen. When mom needs help, she would call for Cameron. Dad and I are only good for heavy duty stuff." The chuckle that came after the statement was a little out of character, but Caspian hadn't had anyone to share about these things in a very long time, so he was slightly off guard. "I think Casey would take after mom as well given how sweet and clumsy he was. But he's my boy," Caspian smiled fondly. The hurt was still there when talking about about his baby brother, but for some reason it was easier talking about him that keeping it all bottled inside. 

The older man didn't know what was the right reaction to give when Andrew was talking about himself being on a tight budget because he had never been in that situation. He hope anything he said won't offend his husband and ruin their meal. "I don't think I can relate to your situation," he started carefully. "But I'm sure it must be tough living on a budget. I don't normally splurge, and eating out lost its appeal when you do it everyday. Sometimes when Cam have the time to cook, he'd ask me over. My mom told us boys to come home once in a while so she could cook more than just for herself and dad, but we don't want to trouble her that much." Caspian took another bite of his dipped bread and chewed while thinking of what else to say. "I like this place bets because they have a lot of food on the menu. I'm not too picky, but I try to eat well-balanced food since I sometimes take them in a bigger portion. I don't really go out that much either. When the students are on semester break and I've done all my work , I'd go out once in a while. Sometimes going drinking with the members of the faculty, but not that often." Then Caspian blushed a little. "Sometimes I go out to the clubs. Drink, dance, and if someone caught my eye, I'll go to their place. Not that often, though. I prefer going into the city. This is a university town, and I don't want to end up with a student." It was too much effort and he found it too tiring and the appeal soon lost to him too. 

"Do you mind cooking for us?" he asked, changing the subject a little. He didn't think Andrew wanted to hear about his escapades."I don't mind we eat out or get take outs, but there's something about homecooked meals that made it taste much better. We can stop by the supermarket to get some things if you want. On me, of course." He added, wondering if Andrew was still on a tight budget. He knew his husband was unemployed, but he didn't want to offend the younger man with unsolicited help. "You know, I'm your husband and logically since I am the one working, I should provide for you. And please don't take this the wrong way, but it's not like I'm buying you a car or a house or superficial things. So let me cover our daily expenses, okay?" He looked at the brunette, trying to make him see that Caspian didn't mean to degrade him with that statement.

[YellowMelon]

With his husband speaking, Andrew listened patiently and enjoyed his meal. Since he wasn’t a natural conversationalist, he liked it when people talked at length because all he had to do was pay attention. He could listen to anything, be it about someone’s day, frustrations, or a show he’s never heard of. As long as he wasn’t in the presence of a narcissist, he was content with minimal or no engagement. And Caspian was a person whose voice he liked very much. Not only the way he spoke - he never fumbled or stuttered - but the way he sounded was euphonious. Hearing the professor talk about himself was always welcoming, especially when he shared stories about his family. It clearly made the older man happy and Andrew preferred to see Caspian that way than in low spirits.

An image of Caspian dancing at a club was difficult to imagine when the superhero mentioned the activity. He could picture the older man drinking, and it was reasonable to do at a bar or club, but his mind slightly wondered when he thought about his husband picking up other men. He was curious about his success rate and what his tactics were. How many men had Caspian achieved “mutual release” with? Did he have a type? Why was his eleven month relationship broken off? If he had met him under different circumstances, would Caspian have shown as much interest in him? Probably not. Maybe they’d just hook up. The mind-boggling questions were momentarily put to rest when Caspian asked if he would cook for him. Andrew paused eating at the sudden request and, while he wasn’t against it, the topic of finances made him think twice before agreeing. 

“When people pay for me, there’s one thing I’m bothered by, and that’s the feeling of being indebted.” Andrew informed his husband. “Now, if it’s for a special occasion, I can accept it; otherwise, I feel like something is expected of me. It’s not a burdensome feeling because I will treat people when I can, but we’re married. Even if you buy the groceries and I cook, there’s still something missing from my end.” If Caspian wanted to be the breadwinner between them, then he could do so, but Andrew felt like the superhero was already bringing more to their marriage than he was, and, to him, marriage was about equality, or as close as they could get to it with a contractual marriage. “We’re already living under your roof, you’ve been driving us to and from places, and you want to cover the cost of living expenses. Will I only be a housewife to you?” Although Andrew wasn’t upset with the notion, he wanted to have more of a responsibility than cooking and cleaning. “I’ll have to think of what more I can do while we’re camping. If you can accept mediocrity, then I’ll cook for us. Just don’t expect a full course meal or fine dining.” Despite Andrew having a history of cooking meals for his family, he didn’t think he was an exceptional cooker, so hopefully Caspian didn’t set his standards too high with his meals. 

“For being a professor, you don’t talk about that side of your profession much.” The younger man suddenly observed after taking more bites of his sandwich. “Are you strict with your students or are you chummy with them? Do you have a favorite student? Anybody you despise?" He questioned, leaning forward on the table. "What about your coworkers? Have you ever hooked up with another faculty member? Has anyone in the university flirted with you?" He bombarded the other. "How many class sessions do you teach?"