The Park, Sunday Afternoon

[ifwebeworthy]

Don's bad leg did best with regular exercise, so here he was, taking himself for a walk in the park for his health, even though the very act of doing so had raised some questions in his mind.

"If it's psychosomatic, why is it worse when it's cold?"

It is not psychosomatic. It is magical in origin.

"Same difference."

No.

"I'm not arguing about this right now." Not least because he was in public. At least it was sunny and above freezing?

(Open park is open!)

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[throughaphase]

Kitty had a little psycho who had wanted to play out in the cold for some reason, and after enough begging she'd given in and taken Lexi over to the park.

And he got greeted with a "Hey, Don," and a wave when they got there.

[ifwebeworthy]

"Kitty, hi!" Don said with a smile. "Is this your daughter?" Or someone who was randomly a kid for the weekend?

[throughaphase]

"It is. This is Lexi," she said. "Lexi, can you say hi to Don?"

"Hi," Lexi said immediately, in the way of a six-year-old meeting an adult when the playground was right there.

[ifwebeworthy]

"Hello, Lexi," Don said with a smile, because he realized he was less interesting than, say, swings. "It's nice to meet you."

[throughaphase]

"You too can I go play?" she asked.

Kitty nodded. "Yeah, stay where I can see-"

Lexi was halfway across the park already.

[ifwebeworthy]

"Amazing how fast they can move," Don said, thinking about a certain pint-sized god of thunder and hoping Lexi didn't decide to terrorize the flamingos or something. "How have you been, Kitty?"

[throughaphase]

"Good. You know, kid, husband, work events," she shrugged. "What about you?"

[ifwebeworthy]

"Mostly just the work part," Don admitted. "And...research." Keeping it vague. You know. As you do. "It's nice to get some fresh air."

[throughaphase]

"Even when the air is freezing?" she said.

[ifwebeworthy]

Once upon a time, Don would have cited Viking blood. Now, that was both too close to the bone and too false, and he said, "Well, I'm a New Yorker, you know," in a clearly joking sort of way.

[throughaphase]

"That does help," Kitty said with a smile, and looked back to make sure Lexi wasn't kidnapped yet. "I don't know what her excuse is."

[ifwebeworthy]

"I think it has to do with how kids have all that energy," Don mused. "Keeps 'em warm." Also, they looked adorable all bundled up.

[throughaphase]

"It's honestly unfair. You know who needs that energy?" Kitty said. "Me. The person with responsibilities."

[ifwebeworthy]

"That's what's coffee's for," Don pointed out.

Blessed, blessed coffee.