Work Text:
Sky Kingdom
It's out of this world!
"Jackson!"
Yugyeom yawned and stretched as he closed out the web browser. A soft groan escaped his lips and instantly he knew, he had been sitting in his office chair for far longer than he had liked. The smell of meat cooking had been enough to pull him from the rabbit hole he found himself in sucked into from watching an endless stream of videos. A smile spread across his lips as he walked through his newly bought apartment he shared with his boyfriend.
"Jackson!" Yugyeom called louder as he brushed back his brown hair and made his way out of his office.
"In the kitchen baby!"
As Yugyeom entered, Jackson picked up the cutting board at an angle and slid the chopped lettuce into a bowl. Yugyeom watched Jackson slide his index finger across knife's blade and pushed the remains of the chopped green onions into the salad bowl. With a mischievous smile on his face, Yugyeom took slow steps and crept over towards his boyfriend. As Jackson placed the knife and board in the kitchen sink, a pair of arms wrapped around Jackson's waist. Yugyeom kissed the nape of Jackson's neck then rested his chin on Jackson's shoulder. Jackson ignored him and continue to chop. Before Jackson could finish dry his hands, Yugyeom took the towel from him and turned Jackson around to face him. Jackson gave him a look but Yugyeom stuck out his bottom lip in return, determined stare Jackson down with his signature sad eyes. Jackson groaned in defeat and throw his head back.
Yugyeom chuckled in victory and brushed back his own brown locks from his eyes. "Aw, you know you love me."
Jackson snorted. "I'm about to love you less if you don't tell me what you want."
"It just so happens that Sky Kingdom is opening this weekend."
"Really? I had no idea. I must have missed it the last five times you mentioned it." Jackson said sarcastically as he pulled out a glass bottle from the fridge door and shook it lightly. "And I couldn't have possibly seen this giant poster you posted on our refrigerator door with the date circled in red."
"Oh ha ha. You're hilarious." Yugyeom rolled his eyes. "You know this time it's my turn to pick date night. You don't work on Fridays and I got my manager's approval with the shift switch. Friday is perfect!"
"But on opening day? It's going to be crowded and the lines are going to stretch for miles."
"Not if we get there early. Besi-ides, it'll be fun. Come on, let's go." Yugyeom started to pout again as he looked at Jackson. "Please."
"Alright, alright. Put the pout away and let me finish dinner."
Yugyeom smiled widely. "Yes!"
Jackson pecked Yugyeom's lips. "Glad you're happy, now let me finish this salad for dinner."
"I'll get the wine."
Jackson rubbed the bottom of his lips as Yugyeom disappeared around the corner. With both hand on the table, Jackson leaned forward and dropped his head with a soft sigh. He rolled his shoulders in an attempt to loosen up the tensing muscles. He quickly straightened up and shook the bottle again before he coated the salad in a clear colored dressing.
"I got a bottle of red." Yugyeom showed off the label and glanced over at Jackson. "Everything okay?"
"Hm?" Jackson refocused his gaze. "Oh yeah, everything is fine; thinking about my schedule."
"Don't start," Yugyeom teased. He wrapped his free arm around Jackson's waist and pulled him closer. "It's been a while since we've both had a Friday off."
Jackson caressed Yugyeom's face with his thumb and smiled. "It would be nice to out on a Friday night again."
"Mmhm."
Yugyeom's eyes darted from Jackson's lips with a mischievous grin and Jackson cupped the back of Yugyeom's neck. Yugyeom brushed his lips against Jackson's neck then raised his head to nip Jackson's bottom lip. Jackson shivered against him and pulled Yugyeom's head downward. With a small chuckle, Yugyeom pressed his lips firmly against Jackson's and kissed him. They savored each slow and drawn out kiss and teased each other with small nips here and there.
Jackson broke away and exhaled with a small sigh. "You're distracting."
"So what? You like it."
"Dinner's going to get cold." Jackson retorted in a firmer tone and grabbed the salad. "And I'm not reheating the steaks just for them to be overcooked in the end, so stop being distracting."
"For now," Yugyeom laughed and grabbed two wine glasses from the cupboard.
Jackson laughed. "Yes, for now."
Friday had come all too slowly for Yugyeom's liking. Despite the tired and disgruntle mutters from his half-asleep boyfriend, the pair piled into Jackson's black SUV and took off across the highway. Yugyeom rolled to as stop as they parked in an empty spot at Sky Kingdom's parking garage.
"We. Are. Here! It's Friday and this place is finally open" Yugyeom glanced over at Jackson. "Are you okay?"
"Why did we take my car?"
"Because yours is bigger and you like buying stuff." Yugyeom grinned. "You excited babe?"
Jackson yawned as he slid out of the passenger seat. "Mhm... can't wait."
Yugyeom stared at Jackson in disbelief with an arched brow. Jackson rolled his eyes and stuck two thumbs up in Yugyeom's direction.
Yugyeom said sarcastically as he made his way around, "So-o full of enthusiasm. We need to go buy our tickets."
Jackson tried to shove him but Yugyeom side stepped and dodged. As Jackson eye him, Yugyeom laughed more before he stuck his tongue out at the older man playfully. Jackson snorted then took off after him. Yugyeom grinned from ear to ear as he sprinted away.
"Ya Kim Yugyeom! Stop running, I'm trying to hit you!"
Yugyeom pumped his feet faster as Jackson continued to chase him from the parking lot all the way to the gate entrance. Yugyeom looked back and grinned as Jackson slowed down and leaned against a railing to catch his breath.
"Come on," Yugyeom smiled broadly, "we just got here. You can't be that tired already."
"Shut up. I just don't feel like running after you anymore. It's too hot and I'm not walking around drench in sweat in these clothes."
Yugyeom walked over, took Jackson by the hand and guided Jackson into his arms. Jackson leaned into the touch as Yugyeom placed a soft kiss on his forehead.
"Idiot. It's barely ten o'clock and it's only seventy two degrees."
Before Jackson could nudge him again, Yugyeom took his hand and interlocked their fingers with a smile. He motioned with his head for Jackson to follow him to the ticket booth. and the two of them walk off together into the park. Within moments, Yugyeom pointed and pulled Jackson to the nearest roller coaster within eyesight.
"How about we go on that one first?"
"You mean that one with the fifteen year old operating the ride?"
Yugyeom laughed. "Babe."
Jackson rolled his eyes. "Oh so you don't mean the one who's openly picking his nose and tearing tickets?"
"Now I'm pretty sure that you're over exaggerating a bit."
"Nope." Jackson looked over again then shook his head. "I definitely don't think so."
Yugyeom gave him a playful look. "Fine. We'll go on another ride."
"Or we can walk around a bit first and see what's there to eat since someone refused to stop at a drive thru."
Yugyeom laughed more. "I told you I wanted to get here early before all the good spaces were taken. You're the one who overslept."
"That's not an excuse. Still. Hungry." Jackson then pointed ahead. "Look there's that restaurant we kept wanting to try but never did. Let's eat there."
"I guess." Yugyeom drawled out.
"Come on. Like you said, the park's not even that full. We won't have to wait long for our food..unless you don't want to eat there."
Yugyeom smiled at Jackson. "You got a point hyung."
Jackson faced Yugyeom and began to walk off. "So let's go eat."
"I'm coming."
Yugyeom's smile dropped slightly when Jackson turned his back to him. He watched as Jackson wiped his hands into his back of his jeans as a strange sensation came over him that Yugyeom couldn't quite figure out what it was. Oncd inside, they were seated by the window that was shaded under a tree. There order hadn't taken long and while Jackson ate with gusto, Yugyeom pushed away his half eaten plate.
"You don't like it?"
"Nah, it's nothing that. I'm not trying puke on a roller coaster." Yugyeom joked.
"Ah come on, we're going to be here all day. Let's take our time and enjoy ourselves." Jackson then grabbed the paper menu that sat on the edge of the table. "How about we order dessert."
"Dessert," Yugyeom paused and pushed away the uneasy feel that bubbled in his gut. He picked up his fork and pulled his plate back towards him. "Sure babe, order whatever one you like."
By the time they had left the restaurant and made their way to the other side of Sky Kingdom, the park had become lively with crowds of couples and their families. The coolness of the early morning heated up well into the late afternoon hours as the hydraulics hissed and the caged jerked before it finally came to a stop. Yugyeom and Jackson leaned each other in a fit of laughter and made their way towards the exit of the ride.
"That guy across from us looked like he was about to piss his pants when we started tilting." Yugyeom shook with laughter as they climbed out of the vertical cage-like wall.
"I think he did a little." Jackson replied. "Where to next? We can go ride that simulator ride we passed a few rides back or maybe get on a boat and go through the tunnel."
"I got something better idea."
Hand in hand, Yugyeom and Jackson crossed another bridge as the fountains spewed water like a babbling brook in the background.
"Let's go on the Tornado next." Yugyeom suggested.
"The Tornado?"
"Yeah, the one coming up in front of us. over there."
Jackson stopped at the entrance Yugyeom dragged him over. when and eyeballed the digital counter that hung beneath the ride's sign.
"The wait time is forty-five minutes to an hour," Jackson started, "and look at all these people babe."
"I don't mind..."
Jackson laughed. "You really want to wait in line for close to an hour or more?"
Yugyeom's smile disappeared as he shook his head. "Forget it."
Jackson watched as his boyfriend slouched as he continued on through the crowd. With his lips pressed together, Jackson scurried after his boyfriend and grabbed his arm.
"Yugyeom, what's-"
"Jackson...that's the seventh ride you've turned down," Yugyeom said with disdain.
"Seventh? That’s a bit of an exaggeration. It’s been like four at the most."
"I'm not exaggeration. We haven't done anything."
"We've done stuff," Jackson mumbled. "We got on the bumpers, got on that cable car and took a tour of the park. Babe we even just got off of one of those spinning rides."
"Yeah Jackson, but that's my point. We did all of those except ride on a roller coaster," Yuygeom huffed in annoyance. "Who comes to an amusement park and doesn't get on a single roller coaster Jackson? I mean seriously we've done nothing but walk around and eat since we got here."
"We haven't been just walking around. It's...well…"
"It's what Jackson?"
"I've been looking for," Jackson eyes dash around and pointed behind Yugyeom, "that ride right there."
"Really?" Yugyeom looked over his shoulder and quickly turned around to where Jackson pointed. "Wait, you want to go on the Requiem?"
"Uh...yeah," Jackson wiped away he sweat that dripped down his brow. "Been looking for that ride. Got lost...uh trying to find it and um..."
Yugyeom turned back to Jackson with a crooked grin and laughed. "Your sense of direction does suck."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's go already."
With a smile, Yugyeom took Jackson's hand in his and the pair made their way over to the ride. As the roller coaster swooshed past him, a cold chill ran down Jackson's spine. Jackson stuffed his hands into his pocket to stop himself from visibly fidgeting. Step by step, Jackson felt himself being pulled further into the endless line. He felt more on edge than before and watched Yugyeom bobbed his head to the music that played through the speakers. The line moved and Jackson caught himself before he tripped over his own feet for a second time. Jackson glanced to find Yugyeom's eyes on him with a look of slight confusion. Jackson flashed a brief small smile as he shifted from one foot to the next.
"It's hot right." Jackson gave a quick smile. "All of us packed together in this small space and there's no breeze."
"Oh yeah?" Yugyeom turned his head as he looked elsewhere.
"Yeah..."
Jackson frowned and twisted the ring on his finger as he glanced ahead of him. His stomach churned as he heard the screams in the distance. Jackson's heart pounded in his ears with each step. As he approached the end of the roped line, Jackson wiped his clammy hand on his jeans.
"All right Jackson, let's go."
Jackson jumped and turned. "H-huh?"
Yugyeom's fingers wrapped around Jackson's wrist as the roller coaster screeched to a halt in front of them.
"I can get on myself," Jackson chuckled dryly.
Jackson frowned when Yugyeom didn't laugh in response and glanced at Yugyeom questionably. Yugyeom didn't spare Jackson a glance, his eyes focused on the people climbing out of the ride. Jackson shifted from one side to the next in discomfort. As Jackson's hand barely slipped from Yugyeom's grasp before Yugyeom's fingers wrapped around Jackson's wrist and pulled him closer.
"B-but the ride..."
"We're going," Yugyeom replied without looking back.
Stunned into silence, Jackson followed the younger man as he led them both through the exit, down the stairs and back onto the paved road. Yugyeom cupped both sides of Jackson's face. Jackson swallowed as Yugyeom stared into his eyes with a concerned look on his face.
"Just tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing's wrong. I-"
"Jackson, just stop," Yugyeom interrupted. "You've been acting weird all day." Yugyeom sighed. "Just tell me the truth. Do you really hate being here that much? Is it that boring?"
"No, no it's not that."
Jackson swallowed hard as his throat constricted more. He still couldn't shake the dryness in his mouth no matter how many times he tried to swallow. Jackson closed his eyes then with a small exhale, mumbled his words.
"What?" Yugyeom asked as he arched his brow.
"I said...I have a fear of roller coasters."
Yugyeom looked at Jackson a moment as Jackson averted his eyes in shame. Yugyeom took Jackson's hand in his and rubbed the back of it with his thumb.
"Do you want to sit down," Yugyeom asked softly as used his free hand to rub Jackson's back tenderly.
"Please," Jackson replied barely above a whisper.
"Come on."
Jackson leaned into Yugyeom's embrace and the pair walked side by side until they came across a park bench. Yugyeom removed his hand from Jackson's waist and helped Jackson to sit first. Jackson gave an appreciative smile as he slouched into the seat.
"Is it a heights thing?" Yugyeom asked.
Jackson shook his head. "Heights never bothered me, it's falling that does."
"Like slipping out of your seat during the ride and falling onto the ground?"
"Yeah." Jackson replied. "I don't like not having a sense of control. As I got older, riding roller coasters just became more unsettling. Speeding along the track, the uncontrolled drops with only a metal bar to restrain you, it just has the opposite effect on me. Water rides don't affect me the same."
"And that's why you only like the water rides?"
Jackson slumped his shoulders forward and sighed. "Yeah. I figured if I fall out, there'll be some water to break my fall. At least that's what I tell myself."
"Why didn't you tell me this before."
"It sounds childish when you say it aloud. A grown man afraid of a roller coaster ride." Jackson shrugged. "I wasn't trying to make a big deal out of it, okay."
"Jackson it's not okay. I wouldn't have even suggested-"
"That we come here, yeah I know Yugyeom," Jackson looked Yugyeom in the eyes. "I know you wouldn't have but I also know how much you wanted to come here."
"That's doesn't even matter." Yugyeom snapped back then fell into silence.
Yugyem bowed his head slightly but Jackson smiled and squeezed the younger's hand in reassurance. Jackson leaned forward, cupped Yugyeom's face and kissed him.
"I know you and didn't want to ruin our date. We wouldn't have come at all if I said anything. Believe it or not, it's like I don't like amusement parks. I know how to have fun without getting on a roller coaster, despite what you said earlier."
Yugyeom blushed as he remembered his comment and gave one last long sigh. "So you thought you could just power through it and what, I would have been completely oblivious?"
"Yeah," Jackson replied sheepishly. "I get it, you're pissed. I'm sorry."
Yugyeom rolled his eyes as he nudged Jackson with his shoulder. "Idiot. My eyes were on you the entire time in line. Jackson, did you honestly think I wouldn't have noticed?"
"Hey!" Jackson interjected, "I wasn't that bad."
Yugyeom stifled a laugh. "Babe, any closer to the car and you would have thrown up everywhere."
Jackson softly glared at Yugyeom then placed his head on the younger man's shoulder. Yugyeom smiled, kissed Jackson's forehead and interlocked their fingers together.
"Still feeling nauseous?"
Jackson shook his head. "Not really."
"If you're still up for it, we can go on one of those splash rides."