Assistant: The Eldersfield County Fair glows against the indigo dusk, a twinkling oasis of light and laughter amidst the barren autumn fields. Lenny Keaton slouches through the bustling fairgrounds, his fair uniform hanging off his gaunt frame. He keeps his head down as he plucks discarded wrappers and crushed cups from the trampled grass, but his watery blue eyes dart ceaselessly through the crowd, seeking one face among the cheerful throngs.

*Oliver.* The name pulses through Lenny's mind like a prayer, an incantation, a promise of salvation from his bleak and lonely world. Oliver is here, somewhere, in this labyrinth of carnival games and greasy food stalls. Lenny knows it with a certainty that thrums in his blood. He saw Oliver's latest Instagram post this morning, a selfie in front of the garish fair entrance. The same entrance where Lenny has been hovering all evening, watching and waiting.

When Oliver finally appears, radiant even in the chilly dusk, Lenny's heart stutters in his chest. Oliver heads for the ticket booth, but the line stretches halfway across the fairgrounds. Lenny smirks. He knew this would happen. It's why he cut that gap in the fence behind the Tilt-a-Whirl, why he's been biding his time all night. This is his chance, his moment to play the hero, to show Oliver how much he cares.

Lenny sidles up to Oliver, his chapped lips stretching into a smile that's more of a grimace. "Hey, Oliver," he says, trying to keep the tremor from his voice. "I saw you in line. Bet you don't want to wait all night, huh? I know a shortcut. Employee perk, y'know?" He gestures jerkily toward the gap in the fence, his heart hammering against his ribs.

As he lets Oliver into the fairgrounds, Lenny's mind spins with visions of the night ahead, the night he's been fantasizing about for weeks. He and Oliver, strolling hand in hand under the glimmering lights, sharing cotton candy flavored kisses on the Ferris wheel, Oliver's head on his shoulder as they watch the fireworks burst overhead like a blessing on their love. In Lenny's mind, it's already happening, this perfect date, this perfect beginning to their perfect future.

He trails Oliver through the fair, always keeping a careful distance, letting Oliver lead the way. To any outside observer, they aren't together at all, just two strangers meandering the same crowded paths. But in Lenny's fractured reality, they are a couple, a unit, two souls entwined on a romantic evening out. Every laugh that spills from Oliver's lips, every flash of delight on Oliver's face, Lenny hoards these details like treasures, precious proofs of Oliver's secret feelings for him. Even as he ducks behind a ring-toss booth, *To make sure not to ruin the surprise*.

As the night wears on and the crowd begins to thin, Lenny sees his opening. Oliver is heading toward the Ferris wheel, and Lenny's heart leaps. This is it, the moment from every rom-com he's ever watched, every love story he's ever dreamed himself into. The romantic confession on the Ferris wheel, the first kiss as fireworks explode across the sky.

Lenny checks his pockets, feeling for the two items that will make this fantasy a reality. The knife is a comforting weight against his thigh, a whispered promise of protection, of control. *Just in case*, he tells himself, *just in case Oliver needs persuading*. 

The second is a wad of crumpled bills, every penny he could scrape together. Money for the Ferris wheel, to buy his perfect moment with Oliver. His fingers brush the dog food receipt and he winces. It's all the cash he has left for the month after stocking up on kibble for Buster. *Worth it*, Lenny tells himself firmly. *Buster will be okay. This is more important.*

At the Ferris wheel, Lenny approaches the operator with a confidence he doesn't feel. He notices how the man, handsome and easy in his own skin, jokes with the other fair workers, how they all seem to orbit around him like planets around a sun. *He never talks to me like that*, Lenny thinks, a bitter sting of envy piercing his anticipation. *But at least he'll talk to me now, now that I have money, now that I have a plan.*

"Hey man," Lenny says, his voice pitched low and conspiratorial. "I need a favor. See that cutie over there? That's my date. I want to surprise them, do something special, you know? Let Oliver go on alone, yeah? I'll join after. And let us stay on for a while? I really need this, man. I'm trying to take things to the next level, you get me?" He holds out the crumpled wad, his hand shaking slightly.

The operator looks at him, really looks at him, and for a moment Lenny feels pinned, exposed, like all his secrets are written on his skin for anyone to read. But then the man shrugs and takes the money, his grin sliding back into place. "Sure thing, buddy. I got you."

Lenny's heart is a jackhammer in his chest as he watches Oliver get into a seat.

*It's time.*

Lenny clambers into the seat beside Oliver, his clammy hands shaking as he pulls down the safety bar, locking them in together. The wheel lurches into motion and Oliver makes a startled sound. They begin to rise, the glittering patchwork of the fairgrounds falling away beneath them.

Lenny turns to Oliver, his face splitting into a manic grin. His fantasies and reality blur as he reaches for Oliver's hand.

"Isn't this romantic, Oliver? It's been the perfect date so far, don't you think?"
User: Oliver: Oliver stared at Lenny blankly, blinking a few times before looking back down at his lap, then off to the side at all the pretty lights down below, “uhm.. I guess it would be.. If you took someone out on a date here..” he mumbled out, a little confused but he didn’t wanna be rude, 

He rubbed his sleepy eyes a little and fiddled with the fabric of his soft sweater, he’d been out all night for one of the first times in.. forever, as Oliver was still sorta dependent on his parents, being autistic and all, he was still learning how to be independent, 

And taking a trip all by himself to this carnival seemed like a good first step! Even if he mostly avoided people and went on his favorite rides a couple dozen times by now.
Assistant: