Saturday in the Park. (It wasn't the 4th of July)

[temptationaccomplished]

Who: Aziraphale and Alec
What: They go to the zoo.
When: July 25th
Where: Central Park Zoo
Rating/Warnings: Socializing is always a mistake with these two. I don't know why they keep trying, but Aziraphale sure as heck hopes something sticks.



Aziraphale was waiting outside the entrance to the Central Park Zoo. It was late morning, enough time that one might be able to have slept in a bit or at least not had to struggle through the morning rushhour commute on the subway, but not so late that the sun was too high in the sky to overheat them. They had health concerns to consider, even if he didn't want to be obvious about making that something of a priority.

He was dressed in a short-sleeved blue linen button-up shirt and nice slacks, slightly dressier than his beach-party attire but nothing that looked too dressed up for a day at the zoo. No tie, because that was unnecessary, but he had chosen a pale straw panama hat to keep the sun off his face and had put on sunscreen because one with his complexion couldn't be too careful. He felt a little dressed down and in that way he felt almost a little dressed up at least in the sense of being dressed special. Which was ridiculous to be at all self-conscious over, but he did worry.

Pulling down his sunglasses just a little, he checked the time on the clock above the arched gates and compared it to his watch. He had already called ahead and purchased their tickets... Oh, he did hope Alec had it in him to be social today.

Aziraphale would be very cross (and disappointed) if he was stood up.

Comments

[scotch_egg]

Bloody hell he looked like a tourist. Alec almost was tempted to turn around and go back to the cool subway, but he'd probably been spotted by now. He was in an old AC/DC t-shirt that used to be Anthony's and jeans and sunglasses because it was bright as hell today, only not the two hundred dollar versions his cousin typically wore.

He jammed his hands in his pockets as he came nearer and nodded awkwardly.

"Fell." And then glanced up. "The Zoo... Haven't been to one since I was a kid. You're not going to make me get face paint are you?" A joke. Mostly.

[temptationaccomplished]

He look one look at that tee shirt and somehow knew it had to have been Anthony's. Classic rock with a hellish bent? Naturally. For a pair of men who disliked being mistaken for each other, they certainly leaned into it sometimes. Besides, he just couldn't see Alec's closet having screen printed tee shirts. He was always frumpy suits and wrinkled button ups. Still. He didn't look bad in it. Softened him out a little, made him look more approachable.

Best not to tell HIM that, though.

"Alec!" Aziraphale beamed brighter than the sun at his arrival.

"Oh, I'm still deciding. Sounds to me like you're overdue." He fell into step beside Alec on their way up to the gates, eyes twinkling with the teasing. "What kind of animal do you think would suit you best?"

[scotch_egg]

"Oh save that expression for someone else, will you? It gives me the creeps." Or something like that tingling under his skin which was best left ignored. He wrinkled his nose at the question.

"I don't get on with animals. Nor them with me. I don't like the smell or the noise or the unpredictability-- you know you'd think a lion or a puma or something would be more violent but get on the wrong side of a deer and they'll chase you over whatever hedge they can find." A pause. "Unless you mean face paint in which case you can get completely fucked."

[temptationaccomplished]

The smile dimmed a little with a roll of his eyes, but he couldn't suppress it entirely. Really, it was perfectly acceptable to smile affectionately at one's dear friend. Alec would just have to accept that.

He had meant face paint, but it amused him to hear Alec's evaluation of animals, and amused him even more that Alec had such a reaction to the thought of getting his face painted. It startled a laugh from him and then a little pout. Sure, it was kind of childish to have one's face painted, but Aziraphale thought it'd be kind of silly quaint fun.

"Alec! There are children present." He had a comeback but it was no more appropriate than Alec's comment, and certainly not fair to discuss with either children or the cousin of your boyfriend within earshot.

"Anyway. I think animals are lovely," he added primly. "Provided there is a suitable pane of glass or other enclosure between them and me. Though I pulled a rabbit out of my hat in my memory," he continued, after they'd handed over the tickets and been allowed through. Aziraphale fussed with the folded paper map he had been handed. "Harry; his name was Harry. And a dove. Not out of the hat, but my coat. Must've been terribly warm in there."

He turned the map until he had it facing upright. Oh, where were they on this thing?

[scotch_egg]

"Nnh." Was the only kind of apology he'd give to the present children. Though a mother or two cast a glare his way and he pretended he hadn't seen them. No wonder Anthony wore sunglasses. He might keep it up.

At least he and Fell agreed on the distance, but then he shook his head.

"Animal cruelty making them perform like that. Especially with a bad act." He didn't have much faith in Fell's abilities. He watched the man struggle with a map for the moment and shook his head.

"It's not like we're going to get lost looking at zebras. Come on, Fell." And he strode in. The sooner he got this over with the better.

[temptationaccomplished]

Dreadful apology. Aziraphale gave a smile but offered the mothers nothing further either.

"Alec," he hustled to catch up, huffing a little in annoyance that Alec was just walking off from him. "We're supposed to be here together. Can you just--" Bloody long-legged... "And you absolutely will have gotten lost if you find any zebras. Because there aren't any here." Nor lions, or hippopotamuses, or giraffes--apparently contrary to a popular film, or something.

[scotch_egg]

He repressed a groan but slowed down for Fell to catch up. The man reminded him of a pigeon, all puffed up and cross. He could almost see where Anthony--

He looked away and breathed out.

"What kind of zoo is this then? What have they got? Sewer rats? Stray dogs? Cockroaches?"

[temptationaccomplished]

Pink in the face, he looked around as if afraid someone else might be insulted by Alec's remarks. "It's a small zoo! They have...bears! And penguins. And, and...seals." Or were they sea lions? What even was the difference? Aziraphale hadn't a clue, but he also supposed it really was no matter. The zoo had what it had.

"And I think they have some large cats. They're." Not tigers. Not panthers. Oh, dear, what were they. "...white. Look, they really are a nice, small zoo, Alec. They have a collection of...animals. If you wanted something larger, we could go to the Bronx, but I thought this would make a friendly little day trip. The point wasn't really seeing the animals."

[scotch_egg]

"We came to a zoo... not really to see the animals." His eyebrows rose. He sort of knew what Fell meant but he couldn't resist picking at him.

"Let's not see the ...white cats then."

[temptationaccomplished]

He flustered, even though he knew he made perfect sense. An outing wasn't just about the experiencing the location or the food, or the sights themselves. It was about who you were with. You didn't go to the park to feed the ducks; you went to the park to feed the ducks to enjoy spending time with a companion. Not that Alec would ever understand, seeing as he couldn't possibly enjoy anything for 5 minutes.

Aziraphale had missed him so much.

"I almost hope they eat you," he grumbled a bit too fondly.

[scotch_egg]

A smirk.

"I'd give them indigestion." He waited around for Fell to start leading the way and then would fall into (very slow) step with him. "You, on the other hand, might give a good meal or two."

[temptationaccomplished]

He gasped, the shock and indignation more for dramatic show than anything else.

"Well, I never! The nerve. Now I might just feed you to them myself." They were going awfully slow. He suspected Alec was doing that one purpose.

[scotch_egg]

"Poor beasties. They crossed the wrong magician." He shook his head. And then. "Should I get you a balloon?" Because there was a seller nearby. He'll stop...in a moment, though he has a feeling Fell will regret him being in a good mood.

[temptationaccomplished]

Beasties. His Scottish accent made that word hilariously adorable. Or maybe that was just Alec, stern, gloomy Alec. Aziraphale knew he was being teased. Frankly, he quite enjoyed it, even if sometimes he did want to feed Alec to a pack of snow leopards.

He gave the balloons some consideration, slowing to a stop near the stand, eyes twinkling. "What if I said yes?"

[scotch_egg]

He shrugged, wandered over and bought the pinkest, sparkliest one they had. Was it a bit embarrassing? Sure. But the end was worth it.

"Shall I tie it to your wrist so you won't lose it?"

[temptationaccomplished]

He offered up his left wrist, happy to see Alec loosen up a little, and waited for him to tie it off. The balloon bounced happily in the air.

"You understand the flaw in your plan, of course. While I may be the grown man with the pink balloon, now you're the man who's with me."

[scotch_egg]

Who was loosening up? Not him. He tied off the balloon obediently, then tilted his head as if considering Fell's words.

"Good point. Goodbye." And he turned to leave, but not so fast that he couldn't be easily caught.

[temptationaccomplished]

"Come here, you idiot." He laughed and took Alec by the elbow, holding him back a step as Aziraphale took a step forward to match. "You're stuck with me. I bought you your ticket."

Which was a flimsy excuse, but paired with something like a pout, he hoped to win him over.

[scotch_egg]

"Well I've already come this far."

He was smirking too, light almost. Fell was--

There.

He pulled his arm from the man's grip and put his hands in his pockets again but otherwise kept steady pace with him.

"So show me the cats already."

[temptationaccomplished]

Aziraphale withdrew his hand, understanding but unhappy about it, redirecting his energy to the map. "They're all the way to the back of the park, I'm afraid, so we'll have a bit of a walk. If we go around to our...right, we could see the bears and seals, too, on our way."

And so he began to lead them on that path, because they might as well see the animals, too, since they were here. And since company was now a semi-assured thing, for the moment.

"It's such a lovely day," he said for lack of a better topic. "So much nicer than those thunderstorms we've been having."

[scotch_egg]

"It's too bloody bright." He squinted. "I prefer a storm so long as I don't have to be out in it. There's something...soothing about rain." He stopped to look at the bears. Well, bear. It is sleeping in the shade.

"Looks like a nice time." He wouldn't mind napping in the shade.

[temptationaccomplished]

"Rain is nice, especially for taking a nap," he agreed, watching the sleeping bear. He thought Alec and the bear were rather alike, too. "The patter of it on a rooftop, or windows. I just prefer to be out in the sun."

He gave a happy sigh. "It's so friendly. Everyone in good spirits, no one hidden under umbrellas or with feet wet from the deluge. Wet socks ruin a good time. And sometimes it feels like it will never stop."

Aziraphale took off his hat and placed it on Alec's head before moving down the pathway to read a plaque about the bear. That should help with the brightness.

"Oh! She's a girl. She's either Betty or Veronica, according to this."

[scotch_egg]

"Everyone wants to stop and talk to you. Get in your business. Ask oh how is your family, your sister, how is it going with you? Still teaching are you? Never would have seen it. You have to listen to old jokes and hear stories of people you don't care bout. Twenty minutes you're standing there and it's rude to say goodbye so you just have to stand there and take it.

Otherwise it's too bright or too hot or people are too cheerful at you-- Nah. Give me a cloudy day any time. Drenching rain. I don't even care if it's cold. You get from point a to point b with no time wasted. What the hell?"

The last because he was hatted and he immediately took it off and stuffed it back on Fell's head as he was talking about the possibly alliterative bear. "Don't just put your hat on me. Who goes around putting their hats on people? Unless they're children or --" Dating, which he's said before, but still.

"Cut it out. Do that to Anthony or something."

[temptationaccomplished]

Aziraphale gave a fond, exasperated, baffled look.

"Why would I put it on Anthony? He's not the one complaining about the sun in his eyes. Besides, he'd probably fuss about the evils of hat-hair." He took the hat off again and held it out this time with an offering of choice in the matter. "Please. It will help and I promise I won't ask about your sister or if you're still teaching."

[scotch_egg]

"I'm wearing sunglasses. I'm fine. Keep your hat to yourself and stop being such a bloody hen." That was the part that would always get him. The part that always reminded him of just where he was here. It was good in a way. It kept him from being too much of an idiot, as irritating as it was.

"'M not your bloody pet." And he stalked ahead to glare at-- well whatever animal was in front of him. He wasn't really paying attention.