Aedus climbed the steps from the subway exit and stretched it had been awhile since he obtained a day off, He had meant to quit picking up shifts at the bike delivery service when he picked up his internship at Faust pharmaceuticals. either job was more than enough to keep him happy, but his manager was just so darn persistent. and the fact remained that he kept a strict regimen of exercise, and his courier job just got him paid to do what he loved the most and an excuse to act wildly on a bicycle in new York traffic.

But today he earned a day of R and R. he was going to enjoy new York as someone who wasn't in a rush, take in the vibrant sights and soak up the amazing amount of life this city had to offer. He walked to a stand and bought a bottle of water, grabbed a seat on a bench and simply observed fir a bit. He sat there in a new pair of blue and a chocolate brown Tee a confident smile he started to fall into his old habits. A smirk her for a lady walking by a smile there. New York, as far as available bachelor was concerned, was an absolute wonderland.

Sarah hefted four Go Green bags with her as she went about doing her errands. Two of the bags were filled with her unperishable groceries while the other two carried new art supplies. She was having a busy day. It was a one of her days off and she was using it to get some things she had been putting off done. The brunette wove through the little crowds trying to keep her heavy bags from being hit. She spotted a bench up ahead and sped up a little to allow herself a break. Upon arriving at the bench she noticed that it was occupied by a rather good looking man.

”Oh, hello. Do you mind if I rest next to you for a moment?” she asked him wearily. She only wanted to rest her feet for a moment. Then she would need to get going. At least, that’s what she told herself as she waited his answer.

Aedus watched as another one of New York's limitless beauties sat down near him. She was tiny couldn’t have been much taller than five foot; she had long brown hair and eyes that popped with brown and green with a frame of subtle mascara and eye liner. She was hauling groceries and more art supplies than he had seen outside of a supply store in quite awhile, everything was contained in those great hippie bags that promoted recycling. Her skin was nice shade of tan and not the kind that you had to sit in one of those fake back stores to get, if he had to guess she had some Latino or Native American in her blood.

He nonchalantly looked away just before she sat near him so he wouldn’t come off as too nosey. As he was thinking of things to make small talk with her, she beat him to the punch. “Hi.” He replied in turn. “Of course I don’t mind.” He then laughed lightly. “ What would you have done if I said I did? I tend to use similar pleasantries, and I can’t help but think some day, someone is going to surprise me and say something like. This is my bench, you can’t sit here.” He watched curiously to see her reaction, if she would think he was a weirdo, or if she had ever thought about it herself. “I mean what do you do, sit somewhere else? Sit down anyway. Start a random argument?”

He then laughed quietly again. “Sorry, that was a bit random.”

Sarah smiled as she listened to the man beside her asked a question she had asked herself many times. She bit back a giggle as she listened to his idea of what would happen if someone said no. By the end she was certain she looked like a fool with her wide grin.

>>“I mean what do you do, sit somewhere else? Sit down anyway. Start a random argument?”

Before she could think of a good enough answer, he was apologizing. She sat in shock for a moment, then her brain caught up with her. The brunette’s smile softened.

”No, it’s okay. It’s actually happened a few times. I wasn’t too sure how to handle it the first few times, but I think I know what to do now. Why? Did you plan on saying no before I sat down?” she asked. She hoped her smile came off as teasing to him.

She didn’t want him to be offended or anything. He seemed like an okay guy and she wouldn’t mind a nice conversation. A distraction was always a good thing on restless days.

>>”No, it’s okay. It’s actually happened a few times. I wasn’t too sure how to handle it the first few times, but I think I know what to do now. Why? Did you plan on saying no before I sat down?

‘Of course not.” He scooted a little closer “See.” He teased back, Aedus began to smiled and then his jaw dropped. What sorry excuse of a new Yorker hoarded a bench. And it must have been a woman, he couldn’t see any man with out a major vison problem sending this one away. “You are joking right? Tell me that, no one told you, you coouldn’t sit next to them, and if you are being serious, you have to tell me. What did you do?” His flirtatious nature and overly social self didn’t warn him that he might have been being overly familiar he often forgot that he didn’t know absolutely everyone in the city.

Then again, he never had an issue with getting to know the ones he did want to know. He wasn't offended, not in the slightest, if anything he was all the more intrigued, if he played his cards right, he would find himself helping the little lady carry her bags home.

Sarah laughed as the man next to her got closer to prove his point. She laughed harder when his face turned to shock. She tried to quiet her giggles as he spoke, though it was hard for her.

>>“You are joking right? Tell me that, no one told you, you couldn’t sit next to them, and if you are being serious, you have to tell me. What did you do?”

"I wish I could honestly say it never happened," she told him.

She took a moment to figure out how she would explain most of her experiences. "It's never too big of a deal. Most times it wasn't even in New York," she laughed. Seattle always threw her a curve ball every now and then. "I usually just go to another bench near-by. I figure they're just in a bad mood so I let them be. There was a time at a bus station that I stood instead. Other than that I usually don't have to worry about it."

The brunette smiled sweetly at the handsome man next to her. She hoped that she had been able to answer him without leaving anything out. She shifted a little to get more comfortable, as she figured she wouldn't start heading back home anytime soon. Besides, there weren't any frozen foods in her bags.

"So why were you sitting here alone?"

He shook his head. “I suppose crazier things have happened, I just can’t fathom turning you away.” Something about the mischief in her smile gave him the courage to simply be honest.

“Would you think me too bold, if I said I was waiting for you? That is to say, a charming young woman that was easy to talk to.” He then paused and ruined what might have been a decent pick up line. “ opposed to a creepy stalker waiting on you sort of way.” He dropped his head slightly. And shook his head at the concrete. “ So, today apparently I am saying awkward things.”

It was too perfect of a day to worry about embarrassing himself, and she seemed to sweet to really hold him accountable for the nonsense that was coming out of his mouth. At least he hoped she would be forgiving and not make a quick exit.

>>“Would you think me too bold, if I said I was waiting for you? That is to say, a charming young woman that was easy to talk to. Opposed to a creepy stalker waiting on you sort of way.”

Sarah held in her laughter at the words he was saying. It was sweet in a weird sort of way.

>>“So, today apparently I am saying awkward things.”

"We all have to have a few of those days. Same way a parent's job is to embarrass," she told him. "I'm just happy to have someone so open to talk to. Today was begining to get boring."

With that, she gave the man next to her a small wink. "I'm Sarah, by the way."