Work Text:
Jeremy's birthday happened to fall over spring break. It was still strange to Jean that the team wasn't practicing for the week with the championship match so soon, but he relented quickly. Jeremy had opted to spend the day with them at Santa Monica Pier.
"It's kind of like an amusement park, but on the pier," Jeremy had explained. That did little to help Jean understand the concept so Jeremy tried again. "So there's like, rides and games and stuff. It's really fun. You'll love it."
The explanation hadn't prepared Jean for this. It was crowded, for starters, but Jean was getting somewhat better at dealing with that. He kept his hand in Jeremy's whenever it was feasible. He'd never been fond of crowds, a product of a lifetime of isolationism, but he was getting better about it.
The first thing Jeremy wanted to do was the roller coaster. Jean looked up at the metal tracks, then looked back at Jeremy curiously. "You will do this, but you will not ride my bike with me?" He asked incredulously.
Jeremy laughed. "The coaster has a seat belt. And it doesn't go as fast," he said in his own defense.
"The bike can go slow."
Jeremy continued to laugh and bumped into Jean. "I take it you've never done one of these before?" When Jean shook his head, Jeremy grabbed his hand. "It's fun. I promise. And who knows? Maybe riding this with you will make me reconsider the bike."
Jean let out a soft chuckle at that and they loaded into the ride's car. They buckled their seatbelts and Jean grabbed Jeremy's hand as the lap bar lowered.
"Are you nervous?" Jeremy asked.
There was an anticipation, a flutter in his stomach of doing something he'd never done before, but it didn't feel like fear. "If you are willing to do it, it cannot be that bad."
It wasn't dissimilar from riding his motorcycle, though it wasn't quite as fast and there were, admittedly, more safety features. Still, Jean was predisposed to liking it. The wind whipped through his hair and the speed gave him a feeling of freedom that still gave him a rush every time.
The first time they went around a sharp curve and Jeremy was pressed into his side by the force, Jean decided he loved roller coasters. He would love anything that could bring them this close, that could elicit this screaming laughter from Jeremy. As they soared down the second hill, Jean realized a laugh was coming from his throat too.
The sun was hanging low in the sky now, not quite sunset, but the colors of the sky were beginning to change. According to Jeremy, it was peak Ferris Wheel hours.
"Have you ever done this?" Jeremy asked as they climbed into a blue gondola. The odds felt low, but Jeremy wanted to ask anyway.
"There was one on one of the beaches in Marseille, but I never went on it."
"Oh." Jeremy didn't know what he was expecting, but Jean spoke so little of Marseille that every detail he was given felt like a surprise. It was good though, that he was letting Jeremy in more and more. That he was getting more comfortable with remembering. "I'm glad I get to be your first," he said as he took Jean's hand. Jean couldn't help the way he blushed. He was glad too.
"What is it?" Jeremy asked. "In French?"
"Grande roue," he answered. "Big wheel." He traced a large circle in the air as he spoke.
"Not the most creative name," Jeremy laughed.
"I did not invent the language." Jean shrugged.
The ride rotated slowly for awhile, stopping frequently to allow other passengers to get on and off. All the while, they enjoyed each other's company and the view. The view from the top was breathtaking. Jean had been to the beach a few times here, but he was still so blown away with how big it all was.
He was distracted by Jeremy's head on his shoulder. He looked down at Jeremy, who was already looking back up at him. "What are you thinking about?" Jeremy asked.
Jean took a minute to think of how to phrase it. "The view is nice," he said. "My world has never been this big before. It feels like…possibility. Seeing it all. Being with you."
Jeremy blinked. His heart swelled to have Jean beside him. He didn't know how he got so lucky.
"Is that…"
It sounded like the start of something self-deprecating, so Jeremy interuppted. "No, no. I think…I think it's beautiful. I want you to be able to do anything you want." And Jeremy wanted to do all of it with him.
Right now, Jean could only think about one thing he wanted to do. He cupped Jeremy's chin and kissed him, slow and gentle. Jeremy hummed as he leaned into the kiss. He would do this forever if he could.
"What are you thinking about?" Jean asked as he pulled back.
"I was thinking about how I've always wanted to be kissed at the top of a Ferris Wheel," he answered, smile wide.
Jean chuckled fondly, wrapping an arm around Jeremy and pulling him close. Once he had his Jeremy against his chest, he kissed the top of his head. "I love you," he said.
Somehow, Jeremy's smile grew wider. He'd never get tired of hearing it. "I love you too."
They were on the way back to the car when Jeremy stopped. Jean noticed it when he felt his arm pull as a result of getting too far away. He quickly returned to Jeremy's side and stopped to see what he was looking at. There was a tall structure with numbers on the sides and a bell on top. People were hitting it at the bottom and a marker shot up. The man currently playing had gotten it about three quarters of the way up and was rewarded with a small prize that he turned and gave to the child with him. Jeremy's eyes were locked on a large stuffed golden retreiver. Jean nudged him gently and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, sorry, I got distracted," Jeremy laughed sheepishly. "Look at him, he's so cute!"
"Why are you apologizing?" Jean asked. "It is your day. I am in no hurry. Did you want to get it?"
"I'm not strong enough," Jeremy said. "I tried last time, I only got it halfway. A prize that big, you've got to ring the bell for."
Jean had dropped his hand and was talking to the barker in moments. It was sweet of him, but Jeremy didn't think anyone ever actually won these things, something he would have warned Jean about if he'd mentioned his intent. If nothing else, Jeremy could appreciate the thought, and he could certainly appreciate the way Jean's muscles moved as he gave the hammer an experiemental swing.
Jean stepped into place, determined. He had already gotten Jeremy a birthday present, but he wanted to get him more. He would give Jeremy the world if he could.
He swung the hammer down hard and watched as the marker shot upward, sending Jeremy a proud look as the bell rang out. Jeremy knew his jaw was hanging open, but he didn't care. He couldn't stop thinking about just how strong Jean was. He knew it, he'd seen how much the man was benching these days, but it was another thing to see him in action. Jean had made it look easy.
Jean pushed Jeremy's chin up to close his mouth, then handed over his prize. "Barkbark von Barkenstein Jr," he said with a small smile.
Jeremy's laugh was warm and infectious and it Jean's favorite sound. Jean would have been upset at the muffling of it if the reason hadn't been because Jeremy pulled him into a kiss. "Thank you baby," Jeremy said, planting another kiss onto his cheek. "I love him."
Jean smiled, a proud thing. Satisfied to have made Jeremy laugh, to have made him smile. Knowing that he could make Jeremy happy felt like knowing he could will the sun to shine brighter. And Jeremy was beaming all the way back to the car.
It wasn't until the end of the night as Laila was driving home and Jeremy was leaned against his shoulder and snoring that Jean bothered to check his phone. He wasn't expecting anything much, maybe a few pictures that Cat or Laila had snagged on their phones, but most of their pictures were on his camera. He was surpised to see a message from Renee that simply said "happy anniversary."
Jean furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out what it meant. It was not his birthday. It was Jeremy's, but he didn't expect Renee to know or care about it. He sent back "I do not know what you are referring to."
"It's been a year since you left Evermore." Left was a generous way of putting it, but Jean was thankful for the generousity. He hadn't left of his own volition, he didn't even remember it happening. But he stayed out.
"Oh," he replied. "I had not realized. Thank you. For everything."
"I would do it again," she said and Jean knew she meant it. "Did you have a good day?"
Jean looked down at the sleeping boy next to him and listened to Cat and Laila talking up front. "Yes," he said. He had a good day. A good year. A good life.