( * ░ &&. lucero

“Well, honestly I don’t wanna say. Just incase you decided to say ‘No’. But fret not, if you help me you get my love and gratitude.”

“Believe it or not, love and gratitude are not my biggest concerns right now.”

“i guess i mostly don’t mind as long as certain nameless people are into me”

“Nameless people. Sounds like someone has a crush. Does Eris even allow such nonsense?”

     “do you wanna go?” no one insults her nonexistent fun license! cleo’s totally ready to punch him even if she has tiny fists and wrists that ache like a ninety-year old man’s. she’ll fight him. maybe. “no, boring people don’t go to the zoo when it’s within, like, walking distance. okay - not every sunday. like…every other sunday. and the poison dart frogs are my favorite ‘cause they’re small but deadly. also they’re bomb to look at.” this is all said with a mildly aggressive tone because she’s still mad about the fun licence thing.

“You want to fight,” he smirked crossing his arms and leaning back a little. He had amusement written over his face as he just shook his head at the girl’s outrage. “Fun people don’t go to the zoo when they can get on a plane and go to Marbella instead,” he pointed out. “Poison dart frogs? I’ll admit I’m surprised. You get some fun points just because it’s the first time I’ve heard anyone pick those.”

“Does anyone want to help me test out a new trick I’ve been working on? Whoever helps will receive an infinity, of my undying love and gratitude.”

“What sort of new trick?”

“What do you think of my zebra pants?”

“I think they’re a little too much.”

“i swear i didn’t do it.”

“What he hell did I just walk into?”

“You know that thing were you’re technically the thing that everyone in your school hates? No? Just me…? Still, at least I’m going strong with the whole ’my life is one long awkward phase that never ends’ thing. I should probably get that printed on a t-shirt.”

“I can’t say that I do. Everyone would be a bit of an exaggeration though, wouldn’t it?”

     “uh - excuse you, it’s a vintage fun licence. they only give them to people who’ve worked their way up the fun ladder.” because that makes sense. cleo pulls a scandalized face at his next sentence because what??? “you just proved my point! who lives in new york and hasn’t been to the zoo in two years? people who have no sense of fun, that’s who.”

“Or people who have retired from the have fun business and only need the vintage and souvenir kind of licence,” he replied smugly. “Someone who is older than ten and has a bit of a different idea of fun. Are you one of those who needs to go there every Sunday check on all the animals? I bet the penguins are your favorites.”

Aubrey dryly laughed then said, “Yeah, well, I don’t mix well with the sea and-” She leaned forward, and then puked. Narrowly missing the guy in front of her. She shakily stood up and said. “Never mind, I feel like crap.”

“What the fuck,” he explained taking a step back and getting father away from the girl. “Considering we’re not on a boar, I don’t think this could be considered sea sickness.”

     she digs around in her purse for her wallet - pulls out something that might be a business card for her chiropractor - and flashes it at him really fast before putting it away like he might not notice it’s totally not fun credentials. “that’s my fun licence.” brow crinkles. “okay, fine, i’ll give you that one. but it’s not like we don’t live all but a handful of subway stops away from the central park zoo. for all i know you see giraffes every day.”

It doesn’t take a second for the young man to start laughing at her attempt to fool him. “Really? I think you’re in need a new license -- a real one this time. I have some friends at the fun department, maybe I could help you with that,” he shrugged. “As a matter of fact, I haven’t been to the zoo in two years. I guess I win.”

“I feel like I just got drunk then high, then got in a fist fight. Problem is? I didn’t do any of those things. Why does having sea sickness suck so much?”

“Sea sick? To be fair, the first two things you’ve listed can actually be quite fun.”

“to-tony is a pretty im-important part of m-my life. i-i just want to keep everyone h-happy.”

“I’m just saying it would be really shitty to see you miserable just because my father’s being paranoid. I think someone should be worried about keeping you happy for a change. Making him happy and proud or whatever isn’t always easy.”

“eh, well i guess i’m not for everyone then, that’s disappointing”

“Sorry, man. But I wouldn’t worry too much -- unanimity can be overrated.”

     “nope - you’re officially fun-deficient. i’m an expert.” she says with false authority in her voice as she squints at him through long eyelashes and narrowed eyelids before turning her gaze back to the sky. “and you’re still wrong. that’s the helmet. your giraffe is just you failing to use your imagination and sticking with boring earth stuff instead of branching out.”

“I’m going to need to see some fun credentials. You can’t expect me to just take your word for it,” he sighed playing along. “And you’re using your imagination? Next thing you’re going to see all the Avengers up there. Nothing creative about seeing what you already see every day.”

“name any tv show, i’m sure i can think up a drinking game. my favourite things are binge watching tv shows, and binge drinking. i always find a way to mix the two”

“Netflix must be a whole new experience with you. But okay, The Walking Dead.”

     “the fact you can’t see it makes me question if you have any sense of imagination or fun.” she shoots back with a stifled laugh as she rolls her shoulders and shakes a strand of hair from her face. the cloud looks like thor and she’ll fight him on this one. probably not physically, but with her words. word fights are better than fist fights, anyways.

“Whoa, I’ll have you know I do both of those. I just don’t see Asgardian gods everywhere I look,” he laughed and shrugged playfully. “I’m sticking with my vision -- that is a giraffe with a cape. Your mjölnir is just it’s snack.”