Love is in the air and the water, oh AND CANDY

"Uh, no. Like the carriages in central park, with the horses and the snow and you're all toasty. They take you around all the prettiest places, and you can just sit there and look around and talk."

She hugged herself as she spoke about it, feeling the promise of warmth in her stomach that one could only get from cozy moments.

"I remember, my adoptive mom had this puzzle picture thing of a carriage ride and it always looked so fun. They do them at Chrismas a lot."

Maddie's eyes widened when he suddenly had her by the shoulders. She couldn't see his face in the dark, but she was sure he meant it when he said he wanted to go to New York with her.

"I've never been there, either," Maddie admitted. "But I don't think we could just pick up and go now," she giggled. "Might wanna wait until Christmas so we could, at least, go on the carriage ride."

She had that feeling like...mentioning that had set it in stone with him.

It was around this time that the boat came to a halt, the ride finished. Maddie didn't get up right away.

"The first time I met you, I don't think I expected you to be this goofy." She smiled. "But that's okay, it's a good thing."

"The easier question to answer would be 'what isn't goofy about you?'" she teased in turn, reeling back and giggling as he poked her cheek.

Her smile faltered as she tried to debate whether he was joking with her or not. He sounded very serious, though.

"I'm having a great time with you, too," Maddie said meeting his eyes. She was about to say something more when the man controlling the ride spoke.

"Off the ride, please. If you want to go again, you need to wait in line."

Maddie glanced at the man, then looked back at Laetus. "We should see if they have any bumper cars. I rock at bumpers cars. I'd destroy you."

Maddie was more than happy to take his hand, and equally as reluctant to release it once she was out of the boat.

"Just, try not to drive out of the ring."

Maddie began giggling as she imagined Laetus behind the wheel of a bumper car, tongue sticking out the side of his mouth as he flew out of the ring, probably intentionally.

She found the whole idea so humorous she even told him about it.

"I think we'd be kicked out if you did that."