The Park, Sunday Morning

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

Sunday morning had dawned crisp and bright. It was just cool enough for Mohinder to appreciate the coffee mug induced warmth soaking through his fingers as he settled down within sight of the pond.

A few pages on and he'd laid aside his book in favour of watching a trail of blue and yellow waddle out from behind a tree. They headed directly for the water and the pond echoed with happy splashes as whatever-they-were reached their destination.

Leaning back on one hand Mohinder picked up his book with the other, some time passing before he noticed an insistent nudge at his ankle. A soft pink bunny jumped up again, ricocheted off his foot and determinedly hopped upright. Again.

Mohinder sighed and moved his leg, only for the bunny to hop over to the mighty obstacle and continue to throw itself at him. He was determined not to be out stubborned by animate candy, but this - and he checked again - this could take a while.

[Open as parks are]

Comments

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"God Damnit!" Joanna yelled, reaching down to remove yet another one of the sticky little critters that had been impaled on her stiletto.

Yes, out for a morning walk in stilettos. It was a great workout for the glutes.

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

Mohinder looked up at the yell.

He was mostly sympathetic as he asked, "Are you having problems with the new wildlife?"

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

Licking the sugar off her fingers, Joanna looked down at Mohinder. "I wouldn't care half as much if I had a cup of hot chocolate to dip their little dead carcases in," she replied.

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"Sorry," Mohinder said, gesturing with his mug. "All I have is coffee. Chicks or rabbits?"

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"Chicks or rabbits?" Joanna might have been slightly confused by the question. "What do you mean?"

Was this a come-on? He did have an accent...

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"Your sugary nemesises," said Mohinder with an innocent grin. "Candy bunnies or waterfowl?"

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"I have to choose?" she asked. "I'm fairly certain I've slaughtered about a dozen of each so far. If these shoes weren't so ridiculously expensive, the squishing would be quite satisfactory."

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"If you don't want to skewer them with your heels, you could change into something more practical or less expensive," suggested Mohinder helpfully.

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

Joanna's eyes went wide. "Less expensive? Do I strike you as the type of woman who would own anything that might be classified as... cheap?"

If she had a cup of hot chocolate, chances are Mohinder would now be wearing it.

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"You strike me as someone with a wardrobe - and indeed a choice of footwear - suitable for any occasion," said a Mohinder who was holding rather than wearing a drink.

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"Well, yes," she said. "Of course I do."

She moved slightly closer to the man on the ground. "I'm Joanna Stayton," she said. "And you are?"

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"Dr Mohinder Suresh," Mohinder introduced himself formally, standing and offering his hand. "One of Fandom's many teachers. Which I'm sure you are not or I would remember you."

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"Oh, a doctor." Joanna shook his hand firmly, but with a definite feminine bend to the wrist. "And what exactly do you teach, Dr. Suresh?"

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"At the moment, general science," answered Mohinder, then asked, "How do you spend your time in Fandom?"

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"I live in the large mansion over on Griffin Way," she replied. "And I own the Wonders of the World miniature golf course here on the island."

No reason to talk about the international cooperation she owned at this point. Or the number of smaller businesses she had been secretly acquiring without her mother or Grant's knowledge.

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"I hadn't realised the island was large enough to support a venture so profitably," said Mohinder, with a tilt of his head, as he raised his mug in salute.

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"Sounds like you need to get out a bit more," she replied. "Stop by the course sometime, I'll comp you some tickets."

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps," Mohinder smiled. "If I stay here long enough all this-" gesturing at a squad of blue chicks charging at a line of yellows "-will seem normal. And thank you."

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"This will never be normal," Joanna said, casting an eye of disdain over the swarm of little candied critters. "But living here is quite exclusive."

And anything exclusive and rare means it was worth more.

[Cooking the big dinner - SP is love!]

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"No?" Mohinder quirked an eyebrow. "It can usually be entertaining, though." He nodded. "Very few off-island people seem to have heard of here."

['kay, NP]

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"I know," Joanna said with a wry smile. "And trust me, it eats some of those old rich biddies alive not knowing where it is my latest mansion has been built."

Joanna derived perverse pleasure from this fact.

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"The island isn't too isolated for you? Shops and-" other things summed up by a vague gesture. Mohinder caught the end of her reply and asked, "Latest?"

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"I know," she said, shaking her head. "I really should have started building another by now. Real estate is such a sound investment."

She sighed dramatically. "The town is seriously lacking in boutiques, but I've been introduced to the world of internet shopping, so that helps. And it's really no trouble taking the yacht over to the mainland and hoping on my private jet to somewhere... interesting."

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"I'd imagine the Fandom property market fluctuates a lot with the local oddities. Finding insurance must be difficult," said Mohinder.

"The internet hasn't caught on where you're from?" Mohinder asked, as one thing Mohinder hadn't been able to accuse the island of was lack of interest.

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"Finding insurance has never been an issue for me," Joanna said. "Stayton International has several insurance divisions."

She toed aside a few pink bunny peeps. "I had never heard of the internet before coming here," she said. "We're dreadfully behind the times in the 1980's."

It was supposed to be a joke. Joanna might have laughed at herself, but laughing lead to wrinkles, and that just wouldn't do.

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"Ah." Mohinder gave half a smile. "I hope the future hasn't been a disappointment to you."

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"Not at all," Joanna relied. "I only wish the island had a few more eligible bachelors."

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"I'm afraid I haven't noticed the lack," said Mohinder with a shrug. "Though it is a small town."

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"Well, I guess it's safe to assume you're not gay," she mused. "Right?"

No need to beat around the bush.

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"I'm interested in women too," Mohinder replied. "Are there more available females in Fandom?"

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

Joanna's eyebrow quirked. "Too? As in also?"

How did she feel about that?

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"Not necessarily at the same time," Mohinder clarified calmky. "But, yes, too as in also."

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"I see," she said slowly. She was intrigued.

"And have you ever... at the same time?" Joanna regarded Mohinder in a slightly new light.

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"College had its interesting moments," answered Mohinder obliquely, wondering how the conversation had landed on his sex life. "Aside from the academic ones."

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

"College is good for that, yes," she commented, a far off dreamy look in her eyes.

Joanna blinked a few times. "Well, I should be getting on with my walk. Do stop by the course sometime," she said.

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

"It was nice meeting you," said Mohinder, nodding at her as he sat back down on the grass.

[joanna-stayton.livejournal.com]

Joanna continued on her way. If Mohinder bothered watching, he would have seen her very purposefully impale a number of the peeps as she went.