Alone Together

17: The playground across the street

Melvin raised a brow. "Are you seriously eating ice cream with a spoon?"

"It's in a cup, Mariku. I can't eat a cup."

"Not with that attitude."

Ryou giggled and asked, "Do you want a bite?"

He looked Ryou up and down for a bit, then met his eyes and grinned. "Of the ice cream?"

"Goodness gracious, Mariku!" Ryou laughed harder. "Yes, the ice cream!"

"What flavor is it?"

"Guess."
He held out the spoon with the little bit of ice cream.

Using this moment to really try and freak him out, Melvin stuck out his long tongue and wrapped it around the spoon, licked the ice cream off, then retracted it into his mouth again. He smacked his lips, then said, "I want to say strawberry, but I taste a bit of chocolate, too..."

When he looked at Ryou again, he expected the widened eyes. And they were there. However...

"That was very impressive." He said with amazement, even clapping a little bit. "Where did you learn to do that?"

Melvin shrugged. "I get bored."

"Well, I must say; that is definitely something to be proud of." He put his spoon in the ice cream and said, "It's strawberry, but with a little bit of cocoa. So you weren't wrong."

Dumbfounded and bitter, Melvin returned to eating his own chocolate waffle cone. Ryou was impressed?

"So, what do you think we should do first?" Ryou asked him as he finished up what was left of his ice cream. "I have my wallet. If you need clothes we could go after this."

Melvin shrugged and turned his gaze to the window. He looked at the clouds in the sky, that were actually looking a little ominous. He didn't care, but Ryou might've. So that's why he was going to make him stay out as long as he could. Maybe Ryou would break and freak out.

"Hello? Mariku?" Ryou asked, raising his soft voice.

"I'm right here. Calm down."

"I know. I'm just wondering if you're listening."

Melvin leaned back. "What?"

"I said that maybe we can go tomorrow instead. Of course, I have work, but we could go after. The weather might be better by then."

Devouring the last bit of the cone, Melvin said, "Okay."

"Should we get going?" Ryou had his empty cup and used napkins in his hands to throw away, and Melvin followed after him.

So, they were walking down the street and heard some thunder overhead.
At this, Ryou found himself involuntary clinging to Melvin's arm.

To make him feel uncomfortable, Melvin put an arm around him and held him at his waist. When Ryou looked at him with confusion, Melvin winked and grinned.

Little did he know, Ryou actually felt much better.

The neared the apartment complex, but Melvin found himself looking at the empty playground in the park across the street.
It was usually filled with little kids that played on the swings, slid down the slide, and climbed on the monkey bars.

He only watched them. Not like he was a pedophile or anything (he's not that creepy...he has some standards), but he was curious about what they found so fun. Melvin never had played on a playground. So, naturally, he was curious.

"Looks like it's empty today." He said, not even realizing it.

"Do you want to go?" Ryou asked him. "Before it rains?"

Melvin didn't even answer. He tugged on Ryou's arm and pulled him along the crosswalk.

Ryou sat on a swing and watched Melvin bolt toward the monkey bars. He smiled to himself as he watched him cross the entire thing in one try.

By climbing the spiral ladder, Melvin made it to the top and slid down the slide.

From the highest point he could reach on the jungle gym, Melvin looked at Ryou on the swings. He wore the sweetest, happiest smile on his face.

Melvin got down and sat on the swing next to him.
"Why are you smiling?"

Ryou shrugged. "You looked like you were having fun."

"And you're not going to join me?"

"Perhaps another time." Ryou shifted on the swing and got up. "Want me to push you?"

On the swing, Melvin clung to the chain ropes and nodded.
Ryou pulled backward with all of his might, and gave him a little push forward.

The swing was the best part of the whole playground. Melvin actually couldn't help but smile as he swung up and down, feeling his hair move back and forth against the wind. He used his legs to try and swing even higher.

"You look happy."
Melvin looked back to see Ryou, who was no longer pushing him. He just stood there at a distance, smiling.
"Have you never been at a playground before?"

"Can't you tell?"

"Didn't your parents ever take you?"

Melvin shook his head slowly. "One was never around...the other said they were stupid."

"Oh."

Trying to change the topic, he said, "Were you a luckier child? Did you have fun at playgrounds?"

Ryou smiled with his lips pressed tightly together. "I suppose. Sometimes I'd play on the swings or in the sandbox." Lost in thought, he added, "I preferred playing indoors, though."

Melvin sneered. "So you were a luckier child."

"Mmhm...I guess I was very lucky to have my parents."

After a moment of silence, Melvin realized Ryou seemed to be staring at him with eyes that glistened, and his lips pressed tightly together.

He looked...downhearted.

For some reason, Melvin wanted to cheer him up. "Want a turn?" He stopped swinging and dug his feet in the mulch beneath him.

"No. You have your fun."

Melvin got up and carried Ryou over to the swing set, set him down and started to push him. "Too bad."

Ryou's smile returned to his face for a moment.

But it was that moment, before Ryou could even swing once, a drop of rain hit his nose.

Then another.
And another.

"It's raining." Ryou said, knowing that it was too good to be true.
"We should go back inside."

Melvin couldn't even protest before Ryou got up, put his hands in his pockets, and walked back.

With the slightest bit of concern, he scurried after him.