|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:56 pm
A week passed.
There was a young man walking through the path in the park downtown, as if he'd walked it a million times before. So often, perhaps, that he felt he didn't have to look where he was going. He was flipping through some magazine as he walked.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 3:04 pm
Dari had begun going out by himself. Very little happened most of the time, but he relished every moment spent with humanity, and it left Maia and Toby some real privacy. He liked every little interaction, from the barista in the cafe to the employees at the clothing store. His phone had more numbers stored in it now, mostly thanks to his time at the club but he was ready to make friends anywhere. People didn't just walk up to talk to you, though. That was just a sign of the times, Toby said; of the times and the place.
He was just out for a walk at the moment, a latte in one hand. He was admiring the greenery and the air and shamelessly people-watching. He didn't see the young man coming when he turned a corner in the path.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 3:11 pm
Cody bumped right into him, stumbling back. For a moment, he stared. Then realization seemed to hit, and the fact that he'd spilt coffee (probably burnt the poor guy, knowing his luck!) on someone had him straightening in order to assist. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 3:16 pm
The bump was just a little moment of shock, and coffee sploshed over Dari's new shirt. After the initial jolt he just held out his arms, feeling the hot, wet drink on his chest, and laughed. Hm, these were new sensations too!
"No, no, it's okay! I'm fine," Dari assured the man with a chuckle. He wasn't sure what to do about the shirt currently clinging to his pecs and abdomen, though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 3:20 pm
Cody was surprised. Laughter? Was he missing something here? "You're sure you're alright?" he asked. "Do you want me to fetch you another shirt?" he looked towards Dari, intending to make a guestimate on his size, but his attention didn't stay on sizing long. This guy was fit. And handsome, he realized, as he looked, again, to Dari's face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 3:38 pm
"Yeah! Yeah, it's just a little coffee." He had been picking up on the speaking patterns of the average human as well. It was amazing how few people used proper English! He didn't want to sound like a total loser.
He was entirely unaware of the other man looking him over and shook his head, still grinning. "No, it's fine. I'll just..." He looked around. There was a public restroom in the park. He knew where it was. "I'll just dry off and... go home and change." He chugged the rest of his coffee and tossed the now-empty cup into the bin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 3:59 pm
Cody was still concerned. He followed Dari to the bathroom. "I'm Cody, by the way. I'm really sorry for bumping into you like that. I'm usually more observant..." He shook his head and studied Dari again. "Maybe we can wash some of the coffee out?" he suggested. "They have a hand drier... That might wrinkle it, though."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 4:08 pm
Dari just laughed again. The guy was coming with? He walked into the restroom which was mercifully clean and pulled off his shirt. He laid it over the back of a sink and pulled a length of paper towels out of the dispenser, wetting them and wiping at his now-sticky abdomen.
"Oh, that's alright," he said, "Oh, and I'm Darren." Ah, his human name. He loved it. He offered Cody his hand to shake.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 4:15 pm
"Hi Darren," Cody smiled. He took Dari's hand and shook it. The guy was gorgeous, wow. What was he supposed to do now, now that he was in the bathroom with the best looking guy he'd ever met? And he'd bumped into him! Great first impression!
"I'm sorry about all this," he said. "I was reading an article and completely forgot to look."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 4:38 pm
"It's fine! I swear!" Dari laughed. He finished wiping and drying himself and then put his shirt under the running sink where the coffee had splashed up. It ran out easily, considering how milky a latte was. It wasn't like making it wetter ruined it any more. He hit the hand dryer button and put his shirt under the gust.
"What were you reading?" he asked loudly over the din.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 4:45 pm
Well. He hadn't expected that question. He looked almost awkward for a moment, before lifting the magazine up and offering it to Dari. "Most people just think it's lame," he said. "But it's an article about aliens, I've always found them fascinating. I can't imagine having a universe so big and having nothing else out there..." And no Cody, stop talking. He'd probably already scared the guy off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 4:49 pm
Dari looked down at the magazine while listening to Cody. His eyes and mouth opened wide a moment and he laughed, but for entirely different reasons that poor Cody might suspect.
"That's awesome!" he said finally, once the shock and coincidence had stopped shaking him by the shoulders. "So you think there's something else, then? Like, do you watch Ancient Aliens...?" That show was the most ridiculous load of bullshit Dari had ever had the displeasure of happening across.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 4:54 pm
...Yeah. Yeah, that was how most people reacted. Cody was frowning slightly, ready to leave. "Uh. ...No, I don't watch that. That's for theorists." He sighed. "Just because people had different beliefs, people are saying those gods were aliens. Or that the pyramids were made for aliens, or something stupid. They can't accept that there was technology back then. Especially not technology that, lord forbid, has been forgotten."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 5:02 pm
Dari noted Cody's expression and reached out and touch his shoulder.
"No, I mean it! Even more so now, I guess," he said with a nod, "I can't stand Ancient Aliens. It's ridiculous. Can we not explain it? Aliens, obviously! That's not just a bad drawing of people, it's aliens, man! Gah." He shook his head, and the dryer went off. He hit it again. His shirt was still wet. He took the magazine from Cody. "May I?" He was curious of the author's theories.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 5:17 pm
Cody blinked. Huh. That was...new.
"I know what you mean," he agreed, making a face. "It's like, every culture has dragons, dragons must have come to earth. Dragons are aliens! Jesus was an alien, because they say he ascended to the heavens, Zeus and--" he rolled his eyes. "It's pathetic." He paused, and nodded. "Yeah. It's just, like, I think Roswell was real, but then the sightings afterward... I don't think those are credible. Just people wanting attention. It's not like aliens would come to earth announcing they're here. I imagine they'd be careful... I'd be careful, knowing how we are."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
