Disclaimer: I don't own ER (but I know what I would do if I did :p) or, again, anything by Schultz
Note: Big thanks for everybody's continued enjoyment of reela's lazy day. Hope it continues to entertain.
"Woo hoo! Did you see that? Did ya?" Ray did a small victory dance not unlike Snoopy's as the last metal duck in the line was felled by the toy shotgun that he wielded. He knew that he was probably a tad over-excited but the simple joy of winning a fairground game had unleashed his childish side and he was still grinning inanely as he went to choose his prize. Moreover, it was a question of pride, after all, he was all too aware that she was watching and he hadn't wanted to make an idiot of himself.
As he looked over the assembly of cuddly toys, he tried to think of which one Neela would like best. After a few minutes, he plumped for the big floppy monkey with google eyes and a lopsided smile that could only be described as cute. He smiled apologetically at the stall attendant who had started sighing impatiently at him, anybody would think he was looking at diamonds.
Returning to where Neela had stood watching him play, Ray presented the monkey to her with a flourish, "For the fair maiden." He hoped that he had said it jokingly enough, the last thing he wanted to do was scare her away. Ray needn't have worried because Neela fully entered into the spirit of things and she, in turn, curtseyed and replied with, "Thank you, kind sir."
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Neela clapped as Ray hit the last target and danced about. There had been no plan when they had ventured out into the daylight, only to try and revive themselves when after a few blocks, they reached the park and saw that a funfair was open. Amazingly, to Ray anyway, it had been her who decided to go and revisit the games that were such a source of endless fun when she was 10 years old.
They had wandered around for a short while, trying to decide which amusements to go to and needless to say, the Ferris Wheel, Dodgems and Waltzers were out. Instead, they attempted 'skill' games, the coconut shy and the like and although it was common knowledge that these games were always set up in favour of the fairground rather than the punter, Ray and Neela still commiserated each other when they failed to win.
Eventually, after spending virtually all the loose change that they had brought with them, Ray had pleaded with Neela for him to have a go on the 'shooting gallery' before leaving and because it was him, she relented.
"My own knight in shining armour," thought Neela as she accepted the goofy-looking monkey that she knew she would keep on the other side of her bed when they got home. She was glad that he couldn't see behind her sunglasses or he would see all the emotions that she felt for him and then run a mile! Imagine falling for your room-mate, a rookie mistake. She unconsciously clicked her tongue at the thought and was startled when Ray looked quizzically at her.
"Are you alright?"
"Um, yeah, I just…ah...had something stuck in my teeth." Great, now he thinks I've no manners and have poor hygiene. You're a real charmer, Neela.
As much to change the subject as anything else, Neela looked up at Ray, "Let's get a coffee. I don't think it'll be long until the fair closes anyway."
"Good plan," he agreed, "there's that little place around the corner." He could have melted right there when Neela linked her arm through his and set off determinedly in the direction of the café.
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"Stop it," he told himself, "friends do that all the time, it doesn't mean anything." Having said that, he couldn't help feeling when a warm glow when an old couple who were holding hands as they strolled down the street towards them smiled a greeting at them as if to acknowledge young love.
Ray was disappointed when she slipped her arm away from him when they reached the café but he knew that there was no way they would get through the doors unless he wanted to crash through the glass of the side that remained locked.
He studied the little frown that appeared between Neela's brows which told him that she was trying hard to decide what she wanted to order and so didn't hear the words that came from her lips.
"Yoo hoo…Ray?...Ray!" she barked this last word. "What do you want? My treat."
"Eh, right. I'll take a tall latte."
Neela leaned forward to give the attendant her order, "Tall latte and iced green tea, thanks."
It was too nice to sit inside so they stepped back into the early evening sun and made their leisurely way back to the apartment.
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Neela sipped meditatively on her tea, her day off would have been great had it gone the way she had planned but with the unexpected help of her roomie, it had been ten times better. She let him walk just a little way in front of her so that she could just watch him. His cool, almost idle swagger, no, not swagger, more of a lope, or perhaps it was…Arggghhh! She had to stop doing that, it was bordering on crazy. She felt herself blush slightly when he turned back to her.
"C'mon, slowcoach, what's keeping you?" Hah, if only he knew.
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He felt it unfair that they had reached their apartment so quickly, he didn't want this day, their day, to end. Ray thought about how differently it could have turned out, hot sex with a good-looking but otherwise uninteresting blonde or a comparatively tame day of just hanging out with his roomie? No contest, Celebrity Poker and the funfair would win every time.
Ray watched the petite form he adored so much move the cuddly toy she had been carrying under her arm and prop it in a sitting position on the kitchen worktop before kicking her off her shoes.
"What you gonna call him?" he asked.
Neela took a moment before answering. "Monkey, just Monkey." When Ray just raised an eyebrow at her, "It suits him," she defended.
"Hey, I didn't say a thing," he protested.
"You didn't need to." Neela's eyes met his and for a moment, he thought he could quite happily drown into those dark pools. "Thank you, Ray, that was the best ever."
