Title: Autumn In New York
Rating: K+
Summary: Marc and Cliff take a stroll through the park in autumn, and learn a bit about each other in the process.
Disclaimer: If I owned Ugly Betty, Marc and Cliff would still be together!
Author's Note: I'm experimenting with a new writing style here - it is most certainly not how I would normally write. Please let me know what you think.
Autumn In New York
The leaves gently sway in the breeze, down towards the earth. It is Autumn in New York, and two figures stroll through the park together.
"Come on Cliff, can't we go back to Mode now?" moans Marc.
"You're on your lunch break," says Cliff. "And since you rarely use it for lunch, you've at least gotta make use of the 'break' part." They sit down on a park bench.
"It's freezing out here," complains Marc. "Where's global warming when you need it?" Cliff laughs, then slowly puts an arm around Marc. He's fairly certain that Marc no longer has any qualms about them appearing in public together, but he also knows how fragile his boyfriend can be. From the look on Marc's face, it is clear that he doesn't seem to mind. The colour begins to return to his cheeks, and not so much from the warmth.
"Oh, look, a bird," observes Marc, trying to get into the act. The bird leaves its position on the tree, but not before dropping a little something in Marc's shoulder.
"Ewwwwwwww!" exclaims Marc in disgust. "I cannot believe that just happened!"
"You know, a bird crapping on you is meant to be a sign of good luck," muses Cliff.
"Well it's good luck for Armani – they're gonna get another $800 for a new suit," grumbles Marc.
"It's not that bad," comforts Cliff, reaching into his pocket for some tissues. He then carefully wipes the droppings off Marc's suit. "There. Good as new."
"There's still a stain," insists Marc.
"You can't go your whole life without getting a few stains," reasons Cliff. "Stains, cuts, bruises – it's all part of becoming more experienced." Marc sighs.
"You always talk in metaphors," he observes. "You're all about the deeper meaning behind things. Why is that?"
"I'm a photographer," reminds Cliff. "It's my job to understand things like that. To take a good picture, I have to have a good concept. The placement of each little object needs to be significant and have some meaning behind it."
"And what can you see from where we're sitting now?" challenges Marc. Cliff pauses for a moment to take in their surroundings.
"Well the autumn leaves are obvious," he said. "They symbolise change, shedding your skin. But at the same time they're also just one part of a whole process – a wheel that forever turns. The seasons change, but at the same time they change in the most predictable pattern – unlike the rest of the world. Imagine if you were like a tree!"
"Smarty pants," murmurs Marc. "Okay, what else?"
"That statue," states Cliff, pointing to a statue of a man who no doubt played some part in the founding of the park. "It's old, and weathered. Covered in bird droppings – just like you..." Marc elbows Cliff in the ribs, but allows him to continue. "The statue has faced so much since it was first erected – storms, graffiti, animals – but it still stands. That brings me back to my point from before, about getting stains. What doesn't kill you only makes your stronger." Marc turns to Cliff, intrigued.
"Is that why you're... with me?" he asks. "Is it because you saw something behind the exterior, something deeper?"
"Not exactly," says Cliff. "You were an interesting subject for a photographer. At first the camera lens was a little blurry, so I couldn't exactly make you out. Then I had to put you in the foreground of the picture – I couldn't let anything stand between you and me. But I always knew that you were beautiful – I just needed the right lighting to see it." Marc averts his eyes and attempts to conceal a grin.
They sit in silence for a few minutes, leaving Marc to ponder his life right now. He feels like the tree, shedding his leaves. Being with Cliff has allowed him to change, to lose traces of who he was before and go back to the raw essentials. He wonders if he will have a chance to renew himself completely, like this tree will in a few months time. Surely, to be like the tree wouldn't be a bad thing?
As they walk back to Mode, both men feel content with their lives. It is Autumn in New York, and the changes that are occuring are all positive.
Alas, both are blissfully unaware that Winter is coming.
Fin
This turned out very different to how I originally planned it (i.e. in my head while trying to get to sleep), but I hope you still like it.