Chapter Text
Alexei returns to Murray triumphant, proudly hugging a life size plush of his newfound American cartoon hero. He is beaming and blushing so brightly that Murray feels like he's basking in a sunbeam.
"I can't believe it! No one ever wins these games! You must have gotten lucky," Murray teases him once they've reunited.
"All I needed was good aim..." Alexei said, shrugging and looking slightly smug, "...and I nailed it!"
Murray grins. He offers Alexei a corn dog and says grandly, "To the victor!"
"Thank you!" Alexei says, blushing even brighter. As Alexei takes hold of the stick, his fingers press down alongside Murray's, the contact hot and electric. Murray removes his hand slowly, his muscles suddenly stiff and shaky. His smile is frozen while he watches Alexei expectantly. Alexei goes adorably cross-eyed as he brings the corn dog closer for inspection.
It's fresh and warm, and its sweet and savory aroma draws him in. Murray's jaw slackens as Alexei sniffs it before he opens his watering mouth wide and takes a bite. His deep, delighted hum as he chews thrums warmly through Murray's chest. The smooth roll of his throat when he swallows makes Murray's pulse spike. Murray's eyes dart away, his face hearing up. He clears his throat.
"You, uh... you like it?" Murray asks lightly. He peeks back up through his lashes and sees Alexei enthusiastically nodding, his mouth already full of another bite. Murray grins shakily, then takes a bite of his own. His eyebrows rise and he hums involuntary in surprise. These are good. Much better than he'd remembered.
"Ah! You like it too!" Alexei giggles, his eyes glittering. Murray chuckles as he takes another bite, then hums again in agreement.
"I really do! Damn that's delicious. Mmph," Murray mumbles around his mouthful. He gulps it down and slowly takes another bite, acutely aware of Alexei's unwavering gaze on him. Murray lets his eyes fall shut as he chews, needing a moment to think, because all of Alexei's body language has been saying that he's attracted to him. As excited as Murray is by the possibility, he first needs to be certain, absolutely, completely certain, before he does anything he'll regret.
When Murray reopens his eyes and sees Alexei still staring, still softly smiling, Murray gulps hard. He smiles back, then turns aside on unsteady legs and briefly brushes his fingers over Alexei's back to encourage him to turn with him and follow along. They begin to walk, side by side, down the bright and busy carnival alley.
"Do you want to play a game now that I have proven that they can be won?" Alexei teases.
Murray instinctively starts to shake his head and say he's still sure the games are by and large bullshit but he bites his tongue. Alexei quickly catches his hesitation and amends sincerely, and much more hopefully, "Or we could go on a ride?"
Murray sighs with relief. He sucks on his teeth, then angles a wicked smirk toward Alexei and says, "Maybe if they have bumper cars."
"Why bumper cars?" Alexei asks with interest.
Murray takes another bite of his corn dog as he considers for a moment, then answers dryly, "Because it's a socially accepted microcosm of anarchy and I find it hilarious."
Alexei stares at him for a second before catching the glint in his eye as he finishes off his corn dog, then he laughs, Murray joins in, and they start the search.
☆☆☆☆☆
They find the large arena easily, with its huge tent covering a wide rectangular metal floor and colorful little cars scattered within. On their way through the gate, after taking their tickets, the attendant offers to take Alexei's plush to hold for him during his ride, but Alexei retreats behind Murray, who wards the attendant off with a fierce glare, a cold grin and a hissed, "No, thanks. He's got it."
They find two cars next to each other, one red and one blue. Alexei secures Woody in his lap, buckling the seat belt over them both. While they wait for the power to switch on, Murray looks askance at Alexei with amusement and wonders if he is at all aware of the double entendre he's currently invoking. Alexei leans toward him, raising an eyebrow.
"So - what happens if I bump you?" Alexei asks with exaggerated innocence. Murray shakes his head and smirks back wickedly.
"Try it only if you're feeling very brave," Murray dares him. Alexei narrows his eyes and smiles sharply. He leans over even closer, so close Murray can feel his breath falling soft and warm on his skin. It smells like corn dog. Murray suppresses a sigh.
"I do. So I hope you're ready," Alexei warns him quietly, "Because I'm going to get you."
Murray feels a quiver of anticipation in the base of his belly and he's suddenly ready to confirm his suspicions right then and there. He draws a deep breath and opens his mouth to retort before entirely knowing what he'll say, but the sounds of the cars going live interrupts him, and he realizes as Alexei withdraws, that what he had been seconds away from doing wasn't speaking; it was kissing.
Murray's face ignites. He was slipping, falling fast. It was time to play a little hard to get.
Slamming down the accelerator, Murray wagged the wheel to give Alexei's car a sassy little tap before he fully pealed away and set to work on giving a few kids a hard time. He jammed his car between them and their true targets, breaking their momentum and forcing them to reverse and go around. The schadenfreude was fleetingly sweet but ultimately unsatisfying.
His eyes wander and he soon spots Alexei circling the perimeter, avoiding everyone around him as much as possible. He seems to be practicing controlling the car, warming up with it. Murray feels himself sinking deeper, hopelessly taken in by this buoyant, beautiful, brilliant man. Their eyes meet, their glasses glinting amid the surrounding lights, and they grin at each other playfully. Alexei turns toward him. Murray's heart skips. He quickly moves to an open area where he'll have more room to dodge him, and when Alexei swerves to strike, Murray matches his momentum. They find their cars circling tightly, their bumpers just inches away as they turn, spinning, staring and laughing delightedly.
"Almost!" Murray teases before pulling away and erratically dodging past some other drivers. He hears Alexei's giggle before he sees him again, pulling up alongside him and forcing him toward a wall. Murray reverses to escape, but Alexei anticipated, backing up into the front of his car to jolt a thrill through Murray. Murray gasps theatrically at Alexei, who is looking devilishly at him from over his shoulder. Alexei throws him a wink, and then spins his wheel around to zip off with a taunting laugh.
Murray bites his lower lip to keep himself from screaming. This is it. This is love. He knows it when he sees it and this is it and this time it is finally, finally, for him.
Murray drives after Alexei without finesse. All he wants is to be close, to see his smile and hear his laughter loud and clear while he chases him. They zoom around the floor and do their best to dodge around anyone in their path until they reach a clearing with enough space for Alexei to spin his car around so he can drive backwards while facing Murray. He's showing off and it's working. His exhilaration was intoxicating. At this rate the ride would be over before Murray would be able to catch him and at this point he was desperate to.
"Ahh! Let me get you!" Murray cries, whining comically. Cackling, Alexei lets go of the wheel and his car starts wavering and weaving wildly and Murray manages to crash into him. Together, their cars smack into a wall just moments before the ride powers down.
With sweat damp curls clinging to his forehead and bright red cheeks, his body arched back in his seat while he pants through his wildly pleased smile, Alexei looks practially debauched. It's almost too much to take. Murray crosses his wrists over his wheel and bows his head down over them, needing a moment to collect himself before unbuckling the seat belt and slowly standing on stiff, unsteady legs.
Alexei stands by his side with Woody tucked under one arm and the other wrapping supportively around Murray's shoulders. He leans in close. Murray slings his arm loosely around his waist.
"You got me!" Alexei whispers happily. Murray scoffs and weakly rolls his eyes.
"You let me get you. I never would have caught you otherwise," Murray concedes. Murray is thoughtful as they walk together past the empty cars toward the exit gate. "You know, I think you just won bumper cars," he says, mystified.
"I must just be lucky, like you said," Alexei laughed as they leave the tent. Murray shakes his head. They part, hands sliding slowly down backs, then swinging close by their thighs, fingers touching, tingling, testing, teasing, wanting to hold and be held, but not yet, not here, in a crowd that could become cruel if they noticed.
Murray heaves a huge sigh.
"Let's go get something sweet," Murray says decisively. Alexei's open smile flickers, like he wants to make a joke, but he stays silent, and simply nods emphatically.