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"I can't believe you convinced me to do this." You say, sighing deeply. You've not even stepped onto the loading platform, yet you can already feel the vibrations from your heart throbbing down the expanse of your limbs.
"Well, what can I say? I'm a very persuasive and charming man! This is going to be so fun; I promise you that!"
Scar's enthusiasm is an infectious disease at this point, polluting your brain and convincing you to step outside of your comfort zone for the umpteenth time. You're not sure what you're more ashamed of; that Scar has a pull on you that no one else can match or that he is fully aware of it, using it to his advantage repeatedly. You're sure that those sparkling eyes of his will bring about your destruction.
"The potential of falling to my death from atop your homemade rollercoaster isn't exactly my idea of fun, but I'll take your word for it, Mr. Imagineer."
Scar laughs at your words, his giggles again setting off those annoying vibrations.
"I like that one! Mr. Imagineer! Think I could convince everyone to use that from now on?" Scar muses, pausing for a quick moment, distracting you as his long fingers tap against his pouting mouth. "Well, I can confirm this Imagineer has conducted several tests into this particular attraction, and I promise it is structurally sound!"
You and Scar reach the platform's top, just far enough from the surface to feel a difference in the wind.
"Mhm. And how did you test this?" You ask, quirking an eyebrow as Scar flips switches and levers.
"Oh, you know, sent a few test subjects around to see if they took damage. And I am happy to report everyone returned in one piece, safe and sound!"
"Uh-huh. Did you test this on any humans or just…what? Jellies?"
"Heaven's no. I would never put Jellie at risk like that! I used-" Scar reaches into his breast pocket, pulling out a small spiral-bound notebook and flipping a few pages- "three wolves, a pig, two sheep, and one particularly cantankerous bird."
"Ah. So Grian gave it a test run for you already?" You ask, peering around his arm to read the labels on the aforementioned switches.
Scar gives you a look from down the sharp angle of his nose, raising his brows at you in amusement.
"…oh. Actual birds."
Scar laughs again. "Indeed. Though, to be fair, these parrots were unsurprisingly better behaved than Grian would have been. But I digress; all the tests have gone perfectly so far, nothing to fret about! Plus, do you not trust my superior building skills?!" Scar huffs, and while you can tell he's only teasing, you momentarily feel compelled to make sure he knows what an incredible builder you know him to be.
"I promise it's going to be fun! I'll even give you a cut of the profits for being my test dummy! I mean, uh, test person!"
Scar leads you through the iron gate he's constructed at the entrance. Now that you're standing at the top, fear is squeezing tightly around your heart.
"How will it stop?" You ask, fully aware of the shake in your voice.
"It’s on a timer! Once we get back to this point, it will automatically stop for us! Safe and sound, of course.”
Scoffing at your weakness, you find yourself shaking your head. Scar’s beaming smile is too overwhelming. You want to say no; you know he’d understand, but you haven’t seen him this proud of a build in ages. Sad, disappointed Scar is the absolute worst, like a bouncy castle that’s sprung a leak. You know he would never let you get hurt, especially not if he could prevent it.
“Let’s do this.”
“Wonderful! I swear this is going to be so much fun. Much more fun than the waterslide of death; I haven’t really figured that one out yet. Somehow the waterslide to death ratio is just very, very off. I suspect sorcery.”
Your face immediately betrays you, contorting into a look of horror and amusement. Scar laughs as he ushers you into the small cart at the start of the track, buckling you in before taking a seat himself.
“I’m kidding! The waterslide is fine! It only culminates in a death like 20% of the time.”
“Scar…”
“Okay, okay, more like 40%. But I’m working on it! Anyway, we’re riding this one now, and this one is death free! Hold on tight.”
If you could hold the bar in front of you any tighter, your fingers would snap. White knuckles cloud your vision as you look down below the coaster. The start isn’t that high, really; you’ve definitely survived falls from higher up, but it wouldn’t exactly be a pleasant tumble. Looking up, you see the twists and turns of the rollercoaster stretching high around the mountain, diving in and out and culminating in one giant drop.
Scar’s voice breaks you from your reverie, quiet and low.
“You don’t have to do this, you know. I don’t want you to feel coerced; I can pay one of the others to take the first ride with me. I swear on Jellie, this is safe, but there are no hard feelings if you want to step away right now.”
Scar’s eyes bore into you, clearly concerned. This is the Scar you find yourself in love with, disregarding safety procedures and all.
“No, I want to help you. I’m just a bit scared, is all,” You admit, eyes closing as you take a deep breath.
“You? Scared? You’re never scared!”
“Well, it doesn’t happen often, but even the greats have a fear! The Deep Dark, drowning…snakes.” You offer, shooting him a knowing look. Scar shivers at the mere mention of snakes, making a face of disgust.
“How about I hold your hand when it gets scary? I can guarantee that besides being a world-class builder, wizard, and forest elf, I am also an excellent hand holder!”
Damn him and his enthusiasm. You nod, accepting his offer and steeling your gaze forward.
“I’m ready.”
Scar leans out of the car for just a moment, enough time for his long arm to reach over to the console and flick a switch. Suddenly the rollercoaster comes to life in a way you’d never seen when he was building. There are light, almost airy tunes floating from note blocks hidden among the terraformed sections of the design. Immediately you put together why Scar had been so desperately searching for Etho a few days ago; he needed his expertise to take the design up a notch. Lights flood the track, highlighting portions Scar must consider important. Froglights illuminate the rail under you, the dim glow they emit adding a new layer of ambiance the coaster lacks in the daytime, but now, at dusk, you understand why Scar felt so compelled to create this. It truly is magical.
“Amazin’! At least that’s all working.” Scar says, more to himself than anything, as he reaches over to flick the last switch.
The track begins to shift at his touch, propelling your cart forward at an average pace. The breeze starts to weave through your hair, mussing the style you’d spent time adjusting. Usually, you wouldn’t see the point, but you willingly put in just a bit more effort when Scar is around.
Etho’s note blocks shift tunes depending on the area of the coaster, and you can’t help but find yourself smiling as you realize Scar has recreated smaller versions of builds on other parts of the server within his coaster. The track speeds up as you drive into a dark tunnel within the mountain, your eyes widening as you realize he’s recreated XB’s base theme inside. Coming out the other end, the cart leaps into the air as it flies through the mouth of Xisuma’s skeleton, landing lightly on the other side.
Glancing to your left, Scar has a pen in hand, feverously taking notes directly onto the back of his other hand. You quirk a brow at him as you elbow his side, drawing his attention.
“Notes! My notebook would fly off at this speed!” He yells over the noises surrounding you. The coaster takes a steep turn to the right, not enough to throw the cart off balance but a bit of a shock. Scar immediately makes a note of it on his hand. As the coaster continues, you realize Scar has section names for every ride segment and notes down the ones that need adjustment. It calms you to know how seriously he’s taking his creation, making you slightly less afraid of the journey ahead.
Your new calmness is immediately shattered as the coaster takes a turn. You can spy the end of the track up ahead; the only thing standing between it and your cart is the giant drop from the mountain's peak. The iron bar in front of you is your new best friend, providing a semblance of comfort and grounding as you hang on for dear life.
“Are you alright? I can stop the ride if we need to!” Scar yells, pen now nowhere in sight. His eyes are only on you, scanning over your face. He looks so genuinely concerned it’s sweet, but you have to face your fear sometime. This seems as good of a time as any, especially with him at your side.
“I’m fine. Just y’know. Heights!” You respond, tightening your hold as the coaster ascends.
Scar nods and breaks his gaze. He looks around the world below, a small smile blossoming. His hair looks lovely like this, and you make a mental note to tell him to muss it up once and a while. It blows in the cool air, askew from his standard style, and he looks far freer and younger than usual. It hits you that this ride he’s built isn’t just his dream build; it’s an escape. Scar looks so content here, high among the mountains and landscape of your world, almost as though he is floating alongside the cart.
You close your eyes for a moment, chasing that same feeling yet coming up empty. Closing your eyes makes the ride feel even more perilous than before, and you open yours in a hurry, taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself.
Scar reaches over, pausing for a moment before resting his hand on top of yours. You react immediately, yearning for something physical to keep you grounded through the fear. Entwining his fingers with your own, you tighten your grip, scooching closer to him on your shared seat. He squeezes your hand twice, so you know it’s okay, you’re okay, and your right-hand passes over your body, grabbing at his bicep. The cart has reached the ride's peak, and you must admit, the view from here is incredible. Everything the Hermits have built this season is on display. You only wish you had more moments of calm to appreciate it truly.
“Don’t worry; I’ve got you.” Scar whispers directly in your ear as the cart begins its descent and your heart flies into your throat. Your body shakes, and you can’t quite pinpoint if it’s a result of the anticipation for the drop or the effect Scar’s voice has upon you.
Your fingers squeeze around his bicep, and Scar tightens his hold on you. Leaning back, you bury your face into his upper arm, ready for what’s to come. Scar allows himself to fall into the moment, screaming with a joyous smile as the cart tips over the peak and descends at breakneck speed down the track. Your stomach is in your throat, your heart beating uncontrollably, but it’s not inherently as awful as you assumed. You can’t bring yourself to scream along with Scar, but his hold on you is a welcome distraction from fear, and you are surprised at how fun it is to fall.
For all the anticipation you bottled up, the ride itself is incredibly short after the last drop. A few smaller drops and curves later, the beginning of the track comes into view. The speed lowers upon approach, and adrenaline courses through you as the cart comes to a stop, just as Scar said it would. You’re energized, proud of yourself for facing your fear, and impressed by your lack of death.
“Told you I’d keep you safe!”
Scar’s face is broad with a smile, tears pooling in the corner of his eyes from the exposure to the wind and speed.
“You alright? Can I get you anything?”
Scar has yet to move, waiting to see if you’re alright before turning his magnificent creation off and leaving the cart. There’s nothing you want more at this moment than to share these experiences with him forever, to see that exuberant look on his face daily. There’s so much joy running through you there’s only one thing you can think to do with all this energy: kiss the life out of him.
Leaning forward, you catch his eyes before allowing your own to fall to his lips. His expression changes, eyes widening as his brows raise just a hair, but he doesn’t shift away. Instead, his hold on your hand drops. For a split second, you worry, but then you feel the press of his calloused fingertips along your jaw, cupping your face. His touch is light, fingertips barely brushing the skin they dance across. His head leans in toward your own as his gaze lowers. You hear him whisper your name just before your lips meet, his warm breath on your lips sending a shiver through you. His lips press against yours moments later, calm and firm. The kiss is far from the light, soft first kiss you have spent hours daydreaming about as you worked on your base. You imagined Scar would kiss softly, wanting encouragement before he continued, but you were wrong.
Scar kisses you like he’s been daydreaming about this moment in an entirely different context. The adrenaline from the ride must be contributing as Scar’s lips capture yours in a desperate kiss, his hand holding your face in a firmer position. He pulls away for a moment and begins to speak as he kisses you, words spilling onto your newly swollen mouth. You can barely make out what he’s saying between his whispers and your heartbeat humming through your ears.
Your name sounds more beautiful than ever as he whispers it against your skin, pairing it with mentions of how wonderful you are, how sexy, and how long he’s waited to kiss you. You open your mouth to tell him how you feel, but he captures your open lips between his, silencing you aside from the moan that raises in your throat. His teeth nip lightly at your bottom lip before his tongue soothes the area, not yet making its way into your mouth. He’s merely teasing you, making you whimper for more as your hand falls from his arm to pull at his shirt, drawing him closer to you. Scar kisses you until you feel your lungs burn, utterly unaware that you’ve been holding your breath for who knows how long. Breaking away from Scar’s kiss is devastating, but you yearn for air, and Scar pulls away once he realizes you need a moment. Dropping your head to take a few gulps of oxygen, Scar’s lips find their way to your forehead, kissing above your eyebrows and the middle of your forehead until your breathing pattern evens out.
He removes his hand from yours, holding your fingers close and raising them to his lips. Your face is burning with excitement, attraction, and embarrassment all at once, but you can’t help but look up to catch Scar’s eyes.
“Hi.”
God, you adore him. Scar’s the most handsome man in the world on a typical day, but now, with his outfit, messy hair, and reddened lips, Scar is the most beautiful person to have ever lived.
“Hi.”
Silence overtakes you as you blush in sync, both a bit overwhelmed by the last few moments.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” Scar confesses. The blood pumping in your ears turns to birdsong, joy radiating you from within. “This whole test run was just a ploy to see if I could hold your hand,” he admits, scratching at the back of his neck and running the hand through his hair, messing it up further.
“Well, I’d say it was a successful test run then! We lived through your theme park coaster, AND you held my hand, so I suppose dreams come true, huh? The happiest place on Earth or something like that, right?” You tease.
“Happiest Hermit on Earth, that’s for sure,” Scar says, leaning in to press a quick kiss to your mouth.
“Now,” Scar says, leaning back to finally turn his creation off, “what do you say to indulging in this theme park’s other highlights? Notably, the cookie stand and the pop-up mattress store?” He asks, eyebrows waggling exaggeratedly.
“Oh, you charmer.” You retort, rolling your eyes. “I’d love to.”
Scar grins as he stands from the cart, stepping out and planting his feet before reaching for your hand. You place it in his, quickly realizing how small your hand feels in comparison. With Scar’s hand around yours, you feel safe and cared for in a way you haven’t before.
Scar guides you back to the ground, offering you his arm as you wander down his re-created Main Street U.S.A. He stops momentarily, reaching into his pocket to pull something out. It’s a small Redstone device, too small for you to understand, but one button push later, and the park comes to life. Lights turn on in every window, the soft glow adding to the ambiance.
“I always wanted to be locked in a theme park overnight.” Scar says, eyes darting from building to building. “This is the closest I could think to get.”
“It’s beautiful.”
Scar turns to face you, his eyes teary.
“I’m so glad I get to share this with you.”
Your face is burning red again, swooning at his comments.
“Me too.”
Scar shoots you one last smile, pressing another short kiss to your mouth.
“C’mon, there’s so much for you to see!” Scar exclaims, grabbing your hand and dragging you down the flower-lined road.
Perhaps Scar’s theme park isn’t Disney, but for you, it will always be the happiest place on Earth.