The Ocean's Enigma ♡ Frerard

XI; Night's Spell of Budding Romance

The night was kind to lively spirits among the boardwalk and musicians lined up along the front of the illuminated whirling of a carousel to create music flooding out into the line of the sea lapping along the stone walls barring the water off from the uplifted surface the people stood on. Gentle moonlight spilled over the cobblestone path and the trees holding still from the dissipating breeze letting the earth bring a natural chill lifted from the brush of soft ocean waves lapping at sea rocks and shells, the rubble from tiny stones strewn across the sand. The music being carried across the boardwalk summoned the people enjoying their evening with company at their sides. The live band played upbeat covers of classic songs from the deep intervals of time, a combination of the decades created by the cymbals attached to drums and the strings of acoustic and electric guitars hooked onto booming speakers. The vocalist was a woman of an older age, but her spirit was youthful, and her voice flooded over the accompaniment of the instruments buzzing with life behind her.

The beat of the music lead to people swaying in the square the band played in, encouraging one another to join in for an evening of dancing. Gerard had been strolling nicely beside the walls closest to the ocean with Frank beside him, a tint of redness to their cheeks and their hands connected between them and folded together in a warm grasp. The allure of the music drew Frank in as curiosity overcame him, gently pulling Gerard towards the source of the music until they entered the joyful scene unfolding before the carousel. The spinning lights were followed by strings of twinkling and star shaped bulbs above them, hovering close to the trees, illuminating the center square to make the appeal of the scene further enticing to join. Frank let out a squeal of delight and hurried closer, dragging Gerard behind him. He stumbled closer and almost knocked into Frank who stopped abruptly, watching in fascination as couples twirled to the rhythm of them music and drew one another into their arms for a sweet embrace lightened by grinning lips softly connecting so tenderly that it was almost too intimate for the public. They stayed unashamed as the men twirled their wives or partners, children wobbled towards the center and spun together in cheerful circles over high pitches peals of laughter they emitted.

"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Frank bounced on the tips of his toes, squeezing his fingers around Gerard's hand. He turned to face him with a sparkling grin almost defeating the brightness of the lights attached to the carousel.

"It is." Gerard quietly agreed, moving aside with a subtle smile as a woman giving out roses to couples dancing among the square handed one to a twirling pair standing nearest to them.

As the woman turned, she caught sight of them and their hands grasped in a gentle hold, immediately spreading her lips in a warm smile to grace them with kindness. Taking a rose from the large bouquet held close to her chest, she handed one to Frank.

"A rose for the sweet boy and his handsome lover." The young woman winked as Frank gaped at the rose in his hand, seeming to completely miss the words she'd spoken after he took it gingerly into his grip. Gerard listened to her speak, however, and a crimson blush spread underneath his face. Before he had a chance to correct her over her assumption about the pair, she whirled around gracefully to gift roses to more pairs swaying together perfectly, offering a glittering smile the moment they showed gratitude over being given such a lovely flower.

"It's so beautiful!" Frank lifted the pink rose closer to his face to imagine the rich petals spreading outwards in a fanning of elegant folds, bringing the tips of his fingers to the base of the petal to feel the texture underneath them.

"We'll put it in a vase with water when we go home so it can last." Gerard brushed off his previous embarrassment and hoped his blush was faded by the time Frank drew his attention back to him.

"That won't be for a while," Frank giggled, slipping his fingers free from Gerard's hold to grasp at his arm instead. "Come dance with me!"

Gerard nervously glanced at the crowd of people accumulating once the music had reached almost all parts of the boardwalk. Everyone was heavily emerged in joyous rhythm as they basked in the beauty of the evening with swaying limbs gliding along the stone flooring, smiling and sharing laughter under the twinkling lights resembling orbs of fallen stars in that very moment where Gerard tore his eyes away from the other to look at the merman tugging him forward. His eyes glittered with the reflection of the lights and the moon sharing a motherly glow with the earth, his lips parted to show his teeth in a grin of glee enrapturing Gerard enough to give into his persistent yanking. Gerard followed his steps into the square of dancing people and tried his best not to bump shoulders with the others. Frank's hand was warm on his arm and he only released his gentle grip once they found a placement wide enough for them to move in towards each other.