Between Us

Chapter 22: Double Date?

The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the amusement park as the group wandered between stalls, their laughter mingling with the distant sounds of rides and games. Babe walked alongside Billy, the tension from their recent heart-to-heart completely gone, replaced by a lightness that made everything feel... easy.

"Well, well, look at this cute little double date!" Nana's voice rang out as he bounced ahead of the group, a mischievous grin plastered on his face. "Babe and Billy, Pete and me. Isn't this just adorable?"

Babe rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but smile. "Nana, this is not a double date."

"Oh, come on," Pete chimed in, winking at Billy. "Nana's been calling it that all day, so we might as well roll with it."

Billy chuckled, nudging Babe playfully with his shoulder. "Hey, I'm down for whatever."

Nana spun around dramatically, throwing his arms wide as if to embrace the idea. "Exactly! It's a double date! Babe, stop resisting and embrace the love!"

Babe let out a mock groan, his face flushed as he tried to play it cool. "You're impossible, Nana."

Nana shrugged, completely unbothered by Babe's protests. "Impossible but fabulous. Don't forget that."

The group made their way to a food stand, where Nana insisted on getting everyone cotton candy, declaring it a "quintessential double-date treat." Babe tried not to laugh as he watched Nana hand out the pink fluffy clouds with an exaggerated flourish.

As they sat down on a nearby bench, Pete leaned over to Babe, a playful grin on his face. "So, how's it feel? You and Billy, all official now."

Babe's face heated up again, but this time it wasn't from annoyance. He glanced over at Billy, who was casually eating his cotton candy like they weren't the center of the conversation.

"Um... I guess it feels good," Babe admitted, his voice a little quieter than usual. "It's still kind of new."

Pete nodded, looking between Babe and Billy with a knowing smile. "Well, you guys seem to be doing just fine. And hey, Nana's got enough enthusiasm for all of us, so no pressure."

Babe chuckled, feeling a little more at ease. Pete had a way of cutting through the tension without making things awkward, and it was exactly what Babe needed right now.

Meanwhile, Nana was off to the side, chattering excitedly about which rides they should go on next. He waved his hands around, gesturing to the roller coaster in the distance, before bouncing back to the bench, cotton candy in hand.

"Okay, lovers," Nana declared, pointing dramatically at Babe and Billy. "You two are riding the Ferris wheel together. I don't make the rules."

Babe's eyes widened, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. "What? No way, I—"

Billy, completely unfazed, shrugged. "Why not?"

Babe turned to Billy, half-expecting him to protest, but there was a playful glint in Billy's eyes that made Babe's stomach do a little flip. "You're seriously okay with this?"

"Of course," Billy said with a grin, reaching out to take Babe's hand. "It's just a Ferris wheel, right?"

Nana squealed in delight, clapping his hands together. "Yes! This is what I'm talking about. Go, go! It's a perfect date night activity."

Babe groaned again, but he couldn't help the smile tugging at his lips as Billy led him toward the Ferris wheel. This is ridiculous. But there was something so carefree about the whole situation that Babe found himself relaxing into it.

As they stepped into the Ferris wheel cart, the world below them started to shrink away, the noise of the park fading into the background. Babe glanced over at Billy, who was leaning back in the seat, arms casually resting behind his head as he gazed out at the view.

"You're really okay with this?" Babe asked, still half-convinced Billy was just going along with Nana's teasing for fun.

Billy turned to him, his smile soft and genuine. "Yeah, I am. I'm with you, aren't I?"

Babe's heart stuttered in his chest, the words hitting him harder than he expected. He looked down, a small smile forming on his face. "Yeah, I guess you are."

The Ferris wheel took them higher, the lights of the park twinkling below them like a sea of stars. It felt like they were in their own little bubble, away from everything and everyone. And for the first time in days, Babe wasn't worried about what came next. He wasn't thinking about Prae, or about whether he was enough. He was just... here, with Billy.

As the ride slowed at the top, Billy leaned over, his voice soft. "You know, Nana's not completely wrong. This kind of does feel like a date."

Babe's cheeks flushed, but this time he didn't feel the need to brush it off. "Yeah... I guess it does."

Billy smiled, leaning closer, his hand resting gently on Babe's knee. "We'll figure this out, one step at a time."

Babe nodded, his heart feeling light as they sat there, looking out over the park together. The weight of their earlier struggles seemed so far away now, and for the first time in a while, Babe felt like everything might actually be okay.