The Park, Sunday Afternoon

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

Rosalind's very specific headache had not gone anywhere after listening to radio.

Or after she'd spent three hours attempting to outline the beginnings of a draft for her first report to Tseng. (Actually, that had made it worse. She'd spent the time trying to think of a way to phrase 'my little sister is a) older than I am, b) crazy, and c) a Turk' without sounding like she should be locked away for her own safety.)

Another hour was spent slowly and carefully stretching out and seeing how she felt. Tired still; yesterday had taken a toll on her. Rosalind considered that for all of half a minute before forcing herself up off the floor and, with a quick check to make sure she looked tidy and was fully suited up, she left the room.

Then left the dorms. Rosalind was well aware that going particularly far or fast would be an abysmal idea. The doctors had been quite firm on that. (They would also have told her to keep her behind in a chair for another day but Rosalind was ignoring that much.) She was a Turk, she had to know the island.

Being a Turk had precious little to do with her fascination with the park when she came upon it, however, and her footsteps slowed further as she explored it, making sure to stick to the paths, and quietly drinking in the green.

[Ooopen as an open place is!]

Comments

[need-no-moon.livejournal.com]

Jake had muffins, because well... he wasn't having the best day and distractions were good. So he figured he might as well win this challenge and he'd gotten muffins (blueberry, chocolate and plain) only to pick up the scent when he made his way across the park.

One that made him detour until he found the person in particular. "Oh sure," he grumbled. "Sabotage my win."

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

Rosalind arched one eyebrow at him. "I was under no obligation to remain in my room until you found it."

[need-no-moon.livejournal.com]

He laughed. "No, but it's a good thing I spotted you here or I'd have had to eat these alone."

He paused. "Okay, that's not a bad thing."

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

Rosalind shook her head. That was--well, that was unsettling and...

"I see," she replied. "Does that mean you'll eat them yourself now?"

[need-no-moon.livejournal.com]

"Hrmmmmm," he opened the bag to glance inside at the muffins, hummed once more and glanced up at her.

"I could," he mused, "but then you look like you could use the sugar and my dad's taught me better."

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

"Ah. Manners."

She was mildly amused, yes. Not that it showed. He'd said she didn't look great and then offered to feed her because of manners. Oh my.

[need-no-moon.livejournal.com]

"I know, most people are shocked when it turns out I have them," he glanced down at the bag, wondering exactly what he was thinking having bought them in the first place.

He racked his free hand through his hair. "You can even just take them and tell me to get lost."

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

"That would be rude," she objected. "And you've not been intolerable."

Yet.

That was her way of saying he could maybe stay for a little bit.

[need-no-moon.livejournal.com]

"Ah. Manner," he mimicked her, eyes twinkling with mischief. "And a compliment. It might just go to my head," he chuckled and glanced around. "Wanna find a bench?"

[raspberryturk]

Reno needed air. Good old oxygen, which was commonly found within the atmosphere, and why, look, there happened to be some of that aforementioned atmosphere just hanging around outside, ripe for the breathing!

Inhaling the dead-people-and-rust smell of Edge for a year had apparently gotten to him. And that was why he was outside, complete with ferret-on-harness, just drinking in the scenery of the park. It had been too damn long, and yesterday had gone weird places, and he needed it, today. He was on high alert, keeping an eye out for people he knew, and people he was afraid to see. And... There came one of them, now.

Pardon Reno as he stepped off the path, casually, to lean up against a tree and wait for Rosalind to get closer.

"Ain't the jungle near Cosmo, but it ain't bad, is it, Rookie?"

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

Rosalind was a very tired, very wobbly sort of Turk at the moment, for all that the greenery lent her a smidgen of inner peace, and ninety-eight percent of her energy was on enjoying the day and learning the paths.

The other two percent meant she'd been aware of someone else on the path, then off it. She hadn't expected the voice, the ridiculously familiar voice, but forewarned was forearmed and she didn't jump or squeak.

She levelled a steady gaze over at him. Trying to pick out possible differences. "Reno." Guarded. "It's a park, not a jungle."

[raspberryturk]

The ponytail was a good start. The age, the fact that he looked so much older than her Reno, both physically and in spirit. It showed in his eyes. Plus there was the weasel, who was currently attempting to kill the heck out of a stick that he'd found.

He still wore the suit the same, though. The slob thing was eternal.

"It's green," he clarified, twitching a smile her way. "Don't see a hell of a lot of that in Midgar, right?"

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

The 'slob thing' was the only thing that made sense to her in the picture he presented.

"We never have," she said, not sure what this one wanted. "You know that. Yes, the greenery is nice."

And now she felt--awkward--for having been enjoying it.

[raspberryturk]

The twitchy smile turned into an actual one, after a moment. Aw, shit, he had her on high alert, didn't he? He couldn't blame her much, not after running into Elena yesterday, and all.

"Relax, Rookie. I ain't gonna bite, zoto." He shrugged, pushing off the tree, glancing at Mako for a moment to make sure he wasn't trying to eat a squirrel or something. "Just checkin' in on you. You left your Reno back home, right? So somebody's gotta bust your ass around here, yo. Make sure you ain't slackin'. You here on assignment, or somethin'? The Tsengs of the multiverse, they don't never learn."

And now? Now he was going to look very, very amused. It covered up the flip-flops that his guts were doing quite nicely.

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

Rosalind frowned at him. And his ramble. "I don't require a babysitter."

It was futile, yes, she knew how he operated. But she didn't. He'd be better off dealing with--her sister.

[raspberryturk]

"Could'a fooled me, yo." He said this the nicest way possible, really, leaning forward now, falling into his old slouch and vaguely aware that Ghanima would probably box him around the ears if she saw him standing this way. But this? This was old-school Reno, dealing with one of his Rookies. "How long you been awake, now? You ain't lookin' too hot, yo."

But she was awake too early. That was the kicker. She looked like hell warmed over, but she looked like a kid, too.

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

Rosalind very carefully did not huff her exasperation at him.

"I woke up Wednesday," she said crisply. Precisely. It was the answer he wanted and she left her protest that she didn't look that bad (she did) under wraps.

"Sir."

Because he could tell her to not call him that a hundred million times and he'd have to tell it, always, at least once more.

[loyal-type.livejournal.com]

Oz had heard the radio, and seen the newbie shuttle though his mun couldn't find the link, so he was very much expecting to find new faces about.

He had his guitar case in his hand as he looked for a place to set up for the afternoon.

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

Rosalind, with her carefully paced walk, graced the man with a nod of her head when she noticed him.

[loyal-type.livejournal.com]

Oz nodded back. "Hey." he greeted her.

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

"Good afternoon," she said politely. Pausing for a moment in her walk.

[loyal-type.livejournal.com]

"You too." he said, pausing himself. "You new?" He'd feel awkward if she wasn't.

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

"I arrived yesterday," she said briefly.

[loyal-type.livejournal.com]

"How weird is it?"

[give-areason.livejournal.com]

"It is curious enough," she said, absolutely nothing given away of her opinion in her tone. "The park is very pretty."