splendid (splendid) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-10-07 01:02:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !complete, agent york, splendid angharad |
Who: York and Splendid
What: Random Encounter
When: August
Where: The Park
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete
York was earning his keep by paying his brother and sister in law back in babysitting. They let him crash on the couch, he gave them grown-up time. It was a win-win, because York loved kids. Today his family were going to the Star Trek movie, so York took his nephew out to the park where they liked to play. The little guy was only about nine months, so he was crawling and sitting up, and putting sand in his mouth. York was sitting back on the grass beside the little kids play area, watching his nephew off and on, and munching on some lunch items he’d brought for himself. It was a beautiful day, so he didn’t mind sitting in the shade and hanging out with his nephew. The people-watching was fun, anyway.
The park was becoming a regular haunt for Splendid and Valerian. She found that she truly did enjoy going out there with her son, and watching him explore and play with the other kids. He was starting now to take a few steps on his own. Splendid had to wonder if it had something to do with watching Viv or the other kids at the daycare. Still, held both of his hands, very gingerly as they made their way to their normal spot. She spotted a man with a younger child sitting underneath a tree close to where they normally went. A light smile crossed her features as she moved toward them, "Hi, do you mind if we join you?" It would do her son some good to have someone other than his mother to play with, and well, she could do with some adult company right about now.
York sat up a little when a pretty woman came by with her child. He almost jumped to his feet, almost came to attention. But that would have been silly, right? Clearing his throat, York nodded. “Please. Pull up some grass.” He commented, giving her a smile. He was wearing sunglasses, thankfully, that almost completely hid the scars around his eye. But the white lines were still visible half-way up his forehead and bleeding underneath his sunglasses.
Splendid had her own scars as well. They were over her right eye, a mottled criss cross of lines that extended down onto her right cheek. Those were from the dreams, self inflicted wounds that she'd prayed would keep Joe from her. It hadn't however. "Thank you." Splendid replied with a bright smile, moving to sit down the diaper bag and then herself. Valerian held onto her fingers still, eyes bright and watching the other baby play. "I'm Splendid, and this is Valerian." She slowly lowered him down, but it wasn't a moment later until he was crawling over to York's nephew. "And he's very quick now when he crawls. We're still working on the walking thing."
“Oh man, I’m not looking forward to when this little guy starts crawling,” York said, lifting his hands to dust them off on his pants. He reached a hand over toward her. “James Duggan. My friends call me York. And this is my nephew Roger.” It should be obvious to the casual observer how proud York was of his nephew. There was a lot of love there between man and baby. “I’m pretty new to the area. Do you two live locally?”
"It's definitely an experience." Splendid replied with a small smile, watching Valerian carefully as he made his way to Roger. Reaching out with her own hand, she gave his a firm shake and gave a nod of her head. "It's very nice to meet you both." Pulling her hand back, Splendid shifted slightly so she could relax a bit while the two little ones played. "We do. We actually live in a place not too far from here." The new house had been a great idea, and Splendid couldn't have been happier. "How long have you been in the area?"
“The pleasure’s all ours,” York assured her, smiling a charming smile. It didn’t quite match the scars over his eye, but the milky white of his eye was hidden by his shades. “Yeah, my brother’s house is walking distance. I’m not driving right now.” That was a strange thing to tell a stranger, but sometimes York felt like he was closer with people than he actually was. “Oh, a couple of months?” He asked, as if she could answer for him. “Feels like longer, though. Crazy things happen around here.”
"Crazy sometimes feels like an understatement when it comes to this place." Splendid replied with a slight smile over at York. "But I understand. I feel as if I've been here longer than I have been too." She glanced over at the kids, watching them for a few moments and then looked back over at York. "Our house isn't that close, but it's a nice park and Valerian seems to enjoy it here." She reached over into the bag to pull out a bottle of water. "Where are you originally from then?" She asked before she opened the bottle and took a swig.
“I grew up in Indiana, then joined the military,” York explained. It could have been obvious by the way he held himself that he was military. The man was square-shouldered, alert and attentive, always aware of his surroundings, and with hands free--just in case. He’d learned how to multi-task in a way he’d never thought possible. And even though he only had one eye now, he could still do a lot of the things he’d done before. “My parents are still back there. It’s about time for me to go and see them. Though, I hear they’ll be here for Christmas, anyway.”
Splendid had spent her fair share around military men, especially in her line of work and well, her time with Max had taught her a few things. The thought that he was possibly military had crossed her mind, but she wasn't sure until he confirmed it. "That's good. I hope that they do get to come in for Christmas." She offered York a smile, her eyes going back to watch the two babies for a moment. "I moved here from New York. My family, well my mother was from Australia, and we lived there until I was 8." She glanced back over at York, "They passed in a car accident some years ago." There wasn't a day that passed that Splendid didn't miss them, and she knew that they would've loved her son.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” York said, frowning just a little as he looked over at her. It was hard to imagine being without his family--his mother and father especially. Even though he hadn’t seen them in a while, just knowing that they were there was enough. It was a comfort level that he would never want to go without. “Sounds like you’re well traveled, though. Tell me, where’s your favorite place to live?”
"Thank you," Splendid replied with a small nod of her head. She hadn't told him to gain his pity, Splendid could remember the days that had followed her parents death, and she had gotten to the point where she hadn't wanted to see or speak to anyone. Her eyes went to watch the children as they played together, "Orange County." She replied with a smile and then she looked over at him, "I know, even with its weirdness it's brought me some very close friends, and a man that I wouldn't trade for anything in this world."
York nodded, smiling softly. He’d spent so much time in the military, so much time away from home that he wasn’t sure he really had one anymore. He thought maybe he was starting to make one with Wash and Carolina… but he had a long way to go before this place was home to him. And probably a long way to go before he found someone he loved the way she obviously loved the man she wouldn’t trade for. “That’s really great to hear,” he said, softly. “I’m happy you’re happy here.”