fandomtownies | A walk in the park Thursday evening

After having a drink at Caritas, Michael and Ben take a walk in the park, where they see a familiar face. "Evening, Aaron," Ben calls out.

Aaron looked up from his ~~brooding~~ coffee and offered the two men a smile. "Hi Ben, Mikey. How've you two been?"

Ben thought for a moment before answering. "We're all right, I suppose. Gearing up for the holidays now. How are you? The job at Red's working out all right?"

Aaron nods, and is then forced to push his hair out of his eyes, "Yeah. Been a bad couple days, so I haven't been in." He extended a hand and flexed his fingers with a small wince. "The weather's messed with old damage, so I'm chowing on aspirin and using muscle rub. Wish the town had a massage parlor."

He asked, "Is everything going to stay open through the holidays, do you know, or is it going to become a ghost-town when the kids hie off home for the break?"

Ben laughs. "I was just telling Red the other day I regretted not getting my massage therapist license, that this town could use it. Feel free to stop by the store tomorrow, I'll dig out my books on pressure points for the hands and I can give it a whirl, if you'd like."

At the question, Ben frowned. "I really couldn't tell you." He looked at Michael, who shrugged. "I would imagine that, like Thanksgiving, some of the kids might not have a home to go to. I'd think some things would stay open. I'm not sure what our plans are, either, but I doubt we'll be out of town for the entire break."

((ooc: Yes, I am too lazy to alternate between the boys tonight.))

"We could definitely use a massage therapist in town," Aaron agreed. He flushed slightly, "Someone said there was a masseuse at the Fourth Sin, but I'm just a little wary of going in there and asking for that, you know?" He smiled sheepishly, "If you're willing to use me as a practice dummy, I sure could use the help. Cold weather is the bane of my existence. Isn't this the south? It's supposed to be warm down here!"

Raking his hair back again, Aaron said, "I have a friend from up at the school who was thinking about maybe staying over the break, but noone seems to know how things work here. I'd hate to encourage her to stay if it's all closing up, so I'm glad to hear you guys won't be at least."

Ben snorts. "I think the masseuse at the Fourth Sin would be most interested in massaging something other than your hands." He shrugs. "If you're willing to be the guinea pig, so to speak, I'd be more than happy to try to help. It's cold here, but Pittsburgh's worse, I guarantee it."

"I'm sure if the dorms aren't staying open, your friend could find a place to stay in town. The townspeople are pretty generous. And the shop owners have to make a living, so I'd guess quite a few things would be open -- maybe restricted hours, if the lack of students means less business, but open nonetheless."

Aaron flushed a little more, "Yeah, kinda figured along those lines. Purpose of a massage is to relax, and I don't see me being any too relaxed in there. Maybe some guys.. but not me." He took a drink of his coffee and said, "Sure, I'm willing to be your guinea pig. I'll see about swinging by tomorrow."

"Came from Canada, originally, so I'm used to nastier weather'n this, but.. I moved south for a reason, darnit!" He scowled at the sky, which mocked him by remaining cold and dark.

Shaking his head at his own antics, he shoved his hair out of his face again. "I don't know if she knows anyone in town. She works over at Chaucer's - Sonia Belmont, you know her? Nice girl. I offered her a place to crash if the dorms don't let her stay but.. uh.. now that I think about it, that may have been a little inappropriate, me bein' all .. adult and male and .. yeah." He hid his expression behind another drink of coffee.

"I think you haven't gone far enough south there, Aaron, if you want heat. Florida, if you can stand the hurricanes. Or Southwest, like Arizona. Although I've heard the summer heat is terrible."

Ben nodded. "I think we've run into her a time or two, haven't really gotten to know her. Hopefully the dorms will stay open, but I'm sure someone more...appropriate...would offer her a place to stay, if necessary. Hell, we've got a guest room, and, well..." Ben wasn't prone to blushing, but he did this time. "We aren't much of a threat in the way you might be considered."

"Thought about maybe going to Florida over the break, if everything packed up here, but if there'll still be people here, might just stay. Florida's warmer, but I don't know anyone down there." He looked at his coffee cup gravely, and said, "Yeah. I'm kinda hoping the dorms stay open so that's not even a factor. Thank you for the offer, though, and I mean that. I didn't think, when I made the offer, what it might look like."

His own blush joined Ben's, "I'm not a threat to her. Not the way you guys aren't a threat but.. And that was just about the dumbest thing I've said all night. Hi, my name is Aaron and I'm an idiot right now." He exhaled hard and offered a quirky apologetic grin. "I'd never take advantage of anyone, but.. it'd still look bad, and I wouldn't want her getting the kind of reputation that might lead to."

Ben shook his head. "Didn't mean to imply you'd do anything unseemly. I can understand not wanting it to look bad, for you or for her. We wouldn't mind having the company, if she needs the space. If the dorms close, though, there might be a lot of people looking for temporary space to rent, so she might be able to go in with somebody on a couple-week lease. I'm sure it'll work out somehow."

Ben yawned. "We should be heading home now. Take care, Aaron. And don't forget to stop by tomorrow if you get the chance, and I'll see what I can do for your hands."

((ooc: Mun needs sleep! :P))

It was cold when she stepped outside, but Sonia didn't care. She loved this weather- the cool, clean air reminded her of home. Besides, weren't brisk runs supposed to be good for clearing the head?

Smiling into the light breeze, she pushed a few loose strands of hair back from her face and set off towards the town at a run. As she rounded the corner near Chaucer's, she increased her pace, and turned again at the park, bringing herself near the duck pond. Pausing now for a moment, she moved closer to the water's edge, watching the small waves on its surface with interest.

~~She might not even notice if anyone else were around.~~

Aaron heard the footsteps pounding toward the pond and turned with a frown. His body tensed for a moment until the too-rhythmic pounding made him aware that the runner was out for exercize, not escaping pursuit. He was surprised when Sonia ran into the park, and almost hailed her immediately.

Then the picture of her profile as she watched the lake captivated him. Tendrils of blonde hair blowing on the wind, catching the light, and the serene look on her face as she stared out at the pond, made him unwilling to intrude.

He stood back, watching her, and fought with his face to keep a big dopey smile off it.

Sonia watched the water for a few moments before moving even closer; she half-kneeled on the soft earth, and dipped her fingers into the almost-freezing water. The smells in the air, the clear sky, the too-peaceful park...she almost expected to see a fearful silhouette against the moon when she looked up- but of course, found nothing. Shaking her head of these thoughts, she stood and moved back-

-and couldn't help the feeling that she was being watched. Whipping her head around, she spotted a large, dark figure nearby, and her eyes strained to adjust to the dark.

She didn't scream, or call for the person to identify themselves. She simply waited.

Aaron watched her head whip around and instantly felt bad. He moved forward into the light, speaking as he moved, "It's me. Sorry.. I didn't want to interrupt your meditation." ~~or get caught being a big git~~

He walked forward, throwing his now empty coffee cup in a handy garbage bin and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Came out here earlier to enjoy the weather before it gets wet," he offered as an explanation. "You jog?"

Hearing Aaron's voice and seeing his form in the light, Sonia relaxed visibly. "Oh- no, it's quite alright. I vas just...lost in a moment." She gives him a small smile and tucks another loose strand of hair back, and moves a little closer to him. "Jog? No, not exactly- I just...needed a run tonight. Enjoying the weather myself- it's too nice of a night to spend inside."

Aaron nodded and then tried to flip his hair off his face with a quick jerk of his chin. He was only partly successful. He walked closer too her but not too close, not wishing to invade her personal space. "It's been lovely out tonight. There haven't been many people in the park, so I've had it mostly all to myself. Well, me and the flying squirrels. Saw one earlier and thought it was a bat for a minute," he chuckled, "until it chattered at me for not being a tree."

He exhaled, breath pluming the air. "How's your week been?"

She couldn't help but to laugh a little at his story. "I suppose I can see how it made the mistake," she said, tipping her head back to look up at him. "Although, trees are generally...leafier."

Still grinning, she looked now up at the nearly cloudless evening sky. The wind was picking up a bit, but it was still peaceful through the park. "Oh, nothing out of the ordinary. Classes, projects, exams... And I think I'm finally re-adjusted to the east coast."

Turning her face down, she continued, "Ah...thank you for valking me home the other night. It vas nice." She smiled up at him. "Very nice. I think I might've woken up alongside the street, otherwise."

"You didn't see my hair earlier. The wind kicked up and.. whoosh." He gestured with a hand, as though scooping something up and throwing it over his head. He grimaced slightly, and then shrugged. "Mother Nature hates us tall folk. Keeps putting things where they can get in our hair."

He smiled fondly at her, "You're welcome. Couldn't have you falling asleep on the pavement. Even if it would improve the aesthetics of the pavement exponentially. You'd probably get pretty chilled and sore and stiff, and I have it on really good authority," he said solemnly, "that there are no strolling coffee vendors in this town."

She laughed again, smiling at the thought of Aaron with bits of leaves stuck in his hair.

She was also grateful for the dark, hoping it would hide the pink flush she could feel rising in her face.

"No...I can't imagine it vould have been pleasant. And you know, that's a pity. I'd bet that in this town, something like that could make a small fortune."

"With the way everyone seems to be a card carrying member of the Caffeine Addict's Guild? Oh yeah, for certain sure. In New York, they have these crazy steet vendors, who have bicycles with coffee thermoses on a tray in the front, where a basket would be, only bigger. They have insane, expensive coffee, and peddle around and people buy it. One of the strangest things I've seen..er.. until I moved here. They have vendors like that for nearly everything."

Aaron shakes his head, finally gave in and pulled a hand from his pocket to push the hair off his face. He wrinkled his nose as an errant piece tickled the bridge of it. "Maybe I should suggest it to Red as some form of community service," he joked.

Raising first one eyebrow, then both, Sonia tried to picture such a device, then shook her head. "I've always been more of a tea drinker..." she added, grinning. "Though I might feel sorry for vhatever poor person who's put in charge of running that."

Aaron grins, "If it was independent, it'd be a decent small business. If it was public run.. it'd be a way for kids to make up things maybe, like extra credit or as some sort of teacher punishment detail."

He chuckles, "Although I'd hope the drinks would be made by someone not peddling them around in the freezing cold, in that case."

"I'd hope the same."

She watched the calm surface of the water for a few moments. "So...how has your veek been? Are things going well at Red's?"

"Wound up taking some time off this week. The cold's gotten into my hands, which makes them all stiff, and I can't work the guns when they're like this," he said quietly with a small shrug and shake of his head. "Happens every year when the seasons change, but the crazy yoyo weather lately's messing me up."

"Other'n that, things are going great. Wouldn't think it for such a small island, but we do a pretty good business. Red really knows his sh..stuff, for all the guy doesn't have hands. There's apparently a guy on the mainland who's pure awful, so a lot of people come over just to see Red, and now, me." The words are said simply, just a statement with no particular ego involved in them. He shifts a little, turning so he can also look out over the lake. He kept his head positioned so she was in his peripherals.

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