"So there's stuff here besides trees?" She deftly stepped out of the way of a speeding roller blader.
"You'll see."
"Didn't realize the cryptic thing was still in full force." Directly to their left, just off the path was a large rock formation. "Is it ok to climb on that?"
"Sure." He watched her face light up as if she was three instead of thirty.
"Race you to the top," as she took off. She stood tall up on the very top of the rock formation, arms flung wide, body silhouetted by the sun. "I'm king of the hill," she loudly exclaimed when Angel arrived a few minutes later. "And you're a slowpoke."
He shook his head in fond amusement and watched, mesmerized, when she jumped off the rock, gracefully landing on the ground a second later. She was power and strength personified and his heart swelled at the sight.
"I had no idea there was a zoo in the park."
"There's actually two zoos, but we'll skip the second one."
They crowded around the huge outdoor pool and watched as the sea lions played to the crowd, diving and twisting under the water. As they started to walk toward the remainder of the exhibits, Buffy stopped short.
"There aren't any hyenas here, are there? I'm anti-hyena."
"Anti-hyena?" Angel repeated incredulously.
"Yup. The Hyena Anti-Defamation League lists me as public enemy number 1."
"I had no idea you were hiding such a dark secret. Well, you're in luck. No hyenas."
They visited the various small animal exhibits that circled the sea lions' home, making appropriately gross faces at the hissing cockroaches, snakes and spiders. When they got to the monkeys, Buffy peered anxiously for a moment and then relaxed.
"Problem?" Angel asked.
"Those organ grinder monkeys once had a big role in a nightmare of mine so I don't like them very much. But this is a different kind of monkey."
"You have a lot of zoo issues," he teased.
She pouted at him. "I prefer to think of it as charming personality quirks."
The final exhibit was the Artic zone. After checking out the polar bears, they moved to the next habitat to watch the penguins. The birds waddled around, becoming much more graceful as they zoomed through the water. A favorite past time for the penguins was sliding down an icy ramp straight into the pool.
Buffy shook her head. "I don't care how padded their skin is –"
"-- their butts have to be numb," Angel finished. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Why do you think that one is so anti-social?" Buffy pointed to one penguin sitting away from the rest of the flock.
Angel looked at him for a moment. "He actually has a red nose and the other penguins won't let him join in any penguin games."
"He's pining." The voice came from their left. The young teenage boy had a shock of red hair that looked as if it had never been combed and so many freckles it was hard to discern his actual skin color.
"Pining? How can you even tell something like that?"
"I want to be a zoo vet when I grow up so I'm here a lot. Elroy's nest mate is in the infirmary so he's lonely."
"That's amazing, " Buffy said. "I didn't think a bird would care."
The boy shrugged. "Penguins mate for life."
"Oh," she said softly, her previous laughter all gone.
"I can't believe we're in the middle of Manhattan. Unless I look up, you can't even see the buildings. It's beautiful."
Angel smiled and carefully dipped the oars in the water, pulled them against the weight of the water and lifted them out again. A family of ducks was giving them a suspicious look as they languidly floated by. The dogwoods and cherry trees were in full bloom and the weeping willows added a stately look. It was easy to think they were on a private estate someplace.
"You know, it would make a lot more sense if I rowed."
"I am not letting you row this boat, Buffy."
"I didn't realize you had a problem with me being stronger than you."
Angel sighed. "That's not the issue. You've always been stronger than me, even before." He stopped rowing and took a deep breath. "It doesn't bother me. But considering there are at least ten other rowboats out, there's no way I'm going to let them wonder why the big brawny guy is making the teeny little girl do all the work. They don't know that you could haul me out of the boat and toss me onto the shore."
She giggled at that. "So if this was a private lake, I'd be rowing?"
"Damn straight."
"And the whole super chick thing really doesn't bother you?"
"Truthfully, I used to find it a turn on." As soon as he said that, he wondered how the hell his mouth had disconnected from his brain. Actually, he did know. She was semi-lying back in the boat, looking absolutely delectable. But that didn't mean he had any right to say things like that, and he mentally prepared for her indignation.
Instead, her eyes closed, she gave him a long, lazy smile. "Too bad I never knew. Maybe I woulda tied you up or something."
Surprised at her reaction, he was grateful that her eyes were closed. Not only could he feel his face turning red but his cock had jumped to attention.
"This look like a great place to veg."
"Yeah, it is." All around them, people played Frisbee or catch, flew kites or listed to MP3 players. Or snuggled in the arms of a special someone. Angel tried not to look at the couples that surrounded him. He was content with spending time with Buffy in a purely platonic manner. Or so he told himself. He quickly glanced at his watch, making sure they weren't running late.
"You have no idea how bizarre that is."
"What?" His expression was almost comically puzzled.
"Seeing you look at a watch. I'm used to you having that freaky internal clock thing going."
He shoved his arm deep into his pocket, suddenly self-conscious. "Yeah, well, everything changes," he mumbled.
They walked a few more feet when Buffy put her hand on Angel's arm to stop him. "Do you hear that? It sounds like the circus."
"Not the circus. But it is where we're going." They crossed the road and down a path that lead them to a courtyard and a red brick building. The music was coming from inside. Around the courtyard were various wagons selling snack items.
"A merry-go-round. It's amazing."
"It's almost one hundred years old." They quickly got in line, surrounded by children and their families. While they waited they watched as the prancing horses whirled by. The interior drum contained raised circus figures, including a seal balancing a ball, a clown with a large rocket attached to his back and another clown who was holding the tail of a monkey. The calliope that was pumping out the music could also be seen.
"Be right back," Angel said. A minute later he returned carrying two sticks of cotton candy.
"Oh, Jem Girl hair." Angel gave her a look of complete befuddlement. "When we were little, I was eating it once. Dawn asked what it was and I said it was how Jem's hair got pink. Then there was a little incident with Dawn's head I had NOTHING to do with, she ate my hair, and I got grounded for a week." Buffy stuck her tongue into the center of the spun sugar and pulled it out, licking happily at the red sugar crystals around the hole she'd made.
"Uh." Angel said. "Who's Jem?"
Buffy looked at him and sighed. "Only the lead singer of the best cartoon rock group ever. That was during your 101 ways to prepare rats days, so I forgive you."
Angel was silent a while. "I figured this was a cotton candy sort of ride."
"Well, you were right."
"Dawn really tried to eat your hair?"
Buffy shrugged. "She was three."
As she carefully licked the remaining stickiness off each finger, Angel looked away. The sight was much too erotic.
The gates finally opened and the crowd surged onto the carousel. The horses were arranged in rows of four and Buffy ran to the innermost horse in a row of black ones. Sliver manes and tails, legs arranged in a gallop, the body of the horse appearing to surge right off the pole, it was a sight to behold. Angel's horse was similarly painted, although since his saddle was festooned with flowers, it wasn't quite as fierce looking. He was about to swing onto the horse, when he noticed a boy of about eight, looking forlornly at the other two horses in the row, which had similarly aged riders already in tow.
"Those your friends?" The boy nodded, eyes wide with disappointment. "Well, then you take this horse." A wide smile split his face and he scrambled up. Angel looked around. The only open horse at this point was one five rows back. He was about to walk toward it, changed his mind and easily slid behind Buffy, lifting her up so that she was basically sitting on his thighs.
"Excuse me?" she said, twisting around so she could look at him.
He shrugged. "He's got a wild look in his eyes. I'm pretty sure he's an untamed horse."
"So you're implying that I can't handle a big, bad horsie?"
"Well, I have been riding since before you were born."
She looked a bit chagrinned. "Forgot about that. So, you're going to protect me?" she said, falling back against his chest.
"Mmm-hmmm." The horses were picking up speed now, the outside world becoming a blur. Without thinking, he wrapped an arm around her waist and started softly singing along with the organ.
"Casey would waltz
With the strawberry blonde
And the band played on.
He'd glide 'cross the floor
With the girl he'd adore
And the band played on. "
"You have a terrible singing voice," Buffy laughed.
"Which is why you've never heard me sing before and likely won't ever hear it again."
She snuggled back further against his chest and he wished he knew a spell so that the ride would never end. Instead he could feel the horses already beginning to slow down. Half a minute later, they were outside of the little brick building.
"I can't think of the last time I had this much fun. This was a wonderful idea, Cian."
Hearing the name Cian effectively ended any fantasy he might have been harboring. "I was thinking we could go to this Chinese place I like. That should leave you enough time to repack and make your flight." She nodded but he could see she wasn't that enthused. "You're tired aren't you?"
"No, no I'm fine. Chinese sounds great."
"Or I can cook us a fast meal and then you can nap until it's time to go."
"Well." She scrunched her face up as she thought about it. "I guess I am a little bushed."
"We're already back at fifty-ninth. I'll call us a cab and we'll go."