Inspired lightly by the poem of the same name by Frank O'Hara. For my lovely friend, Katie, after a long, long time. Wow, do I feel rusty!
They sit on the museum steps, tired after a long afternoon of portrait gazing.
Cindy makes a movement to tighten the strap of her sandals and suddenly he's aware of how long her legs are, how her shiny blonde hair catches the sunlight in the most perfect way, how delicate the mint green silk scarf she's tied around her neck makes her look.
She turns back to look at him and he immediately blushes.
"Cat got your tongue, Neutron?" A smirk plays at her lips.
Suddenly his throat feels utterly parched. "I'm going to get a coke." He mumbles.
"Get me one too, will you?"
A few minutes later, a cold can is thrust into her hands. "Here."
He sinks down beside her and sighs.
"We've still got a long day ahead." She points out.
"I'm well aware, Vortex. You've mentioned the plan no less than five times. Can we relax for just five minutes?"
She shrugged and knocked back some of the soda.
"What was your favorite painting in there?"
"I really liked the one with the man floating in the middle of all the swirls and waves in space. Although technically the position of some of the planets was off-"
"Of course. Why do I even ask?" She rolled her eyes.
"What was yours?" He shot back.
"There was one of this beautiful empress with a bunch of serving boys at her feet in one of the medieval rooms."
"Don't go drawing too much inspiration from that one."
"Shut up Neutron, you asked, so I told you."
They were both quiet for a moment, observing the passersby on the street in front of them.
"Cindy?"
"Mm?"
"This is nice."
She looked up at him. "Yes, it is."
"What, no quip?"
"No, you're right. It's a lovely day to have a coke with you here."
He wouldn't have exchanged her smile right then for all the gorgeous paintings in the world.