quietstorm81 answered: Old couple commenting on young couple having an awkward but visably loving first date in a park
They took the ramp up to third balcony level in Big Tree Park. Poor Mal’s knees wouldn’t let him do stairs, any more.
Their usual bench was occupied by a young couple, so they took the next one. It was good to sit and watch the green things grow. And some of the things that weren’t exactly green because of their alien biology.
“Ah, they’re hanging the lanterns,” said Mal.
Bri squinted. “They are?”
Mal simply removed Bri’s glasses, cleaned them on his shirt, and put them back on.
“Oh, they are.”
They laughed. Two old farts sharing a familiar joke.
“I think it’s got a little bigger,” said Bri.
“They were hanging the lanterns when you proposed,” Mal had a dreamy smile.
Bri had to kiss it. “Action replay over on our bench.”
Mal looked. “Sweet Powers, were we ever that awkward?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to be so definite about it,” Mal sulked.
“I think I was twice as awkward. You weren’t doing any asking…”
Mal sighed. “All that fidgeting. Just kiss each other and be done with it.”
Bri smirked. “You took your sweet time about that, too.”
Mal shook his head. “All that fuss about how I looked and whether I was saying the right things. And how I was sitting and what I was doing with my hands…”
“Aw. There they go. ‘Of course yes’ or, 'I’ve been waiting for you to say that’ and hopefully not, 'Whadahuh?’ like you did.”
“I did find my tongue eventually. For a proper 'yes’. Just to stop you crying.”
“Difficult to track down after you swallowed it, eh?”
“Ha! And then some.”
They watched the two young cogniscents on the next bench entangle their limbs and finally kiss.
“They look like nice young men,” commented Mal.
“Ladies.”
“At the risk of repeating myself… whadahuh?”
Bri cackled. “Exobiologist, remember? I can tell.”
“Like you let me forget…” Mal laid his hand on Bri’s and their fingers intertwined. They watched the lanterns turn the giant tree into a fairy palace.
“The birdseed cart should be coming by, soon.”
“Feed the birds, two Sec’s a bag…” came the distant song of an individual who wasn’t very far removed from the birds themselves.
“Tight on time,” said Bri.
“My favourite part of our day,” smiled Mal.
Bri got two Second coins out and waved with them to the birdseed cart cogniscent, who ruffled his plumage and saluted in recognition.
They took turns throwing seeds to the birds that filled Big Tree park with song and guano while the birdseed cart trundled onwards.
“Feed the birds, two Sec’s a bag…”
One of the young couple looked up from their embrace. “How much?”
Mal and Bri looked at each other and laughed.
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