Would You Rather...

Chapter Ten

Alice giggled at the face he made. He hadn't felt it had been that expressive, but her amusement in his reaction said otherwise. It wasn't his fault he had an expressive face...

Rafael rolled his eyes. "I'd like to see you deal with a mime."

"They really are bothersome." She smirked, linking her arm with his as they continued their walk through Central Park.

"I'm glad I amuse you."

"I'd have been just as annoyed if he had bothered me, but..." she shrugged, letting the smirk grow larger, "you are really cute when you're irritated."

"Cute?"

"To me at least."

Rafael smiled and tugged her closer by their linked arms, tucking her under his shoulder. "So... lunch?"

"I could eat."

"What kind of food are you in the mood for?"

"I'm open to anything." Alice's shrug was mostly felt under his arm, not seen, but it still made him chuckle.

"You realize you always make me pick food."

"Yes." He smiled at her lack of argument.

"Why?"

"I make split second decisions all day everyday... a lot of which could alter someone's life permanently. I have a tendency to avoid making trivial decisions."

"And food is trivial?"

"I could care less what I eat, just that I eat at some point."

"You'd be ok with a hot dog from a street vendor then?" This sounded terrible to him, but he was curious how far he could push.

"If that's what you want." Alice shrugged.

Rafael rolled his eyes and chuckled. "It's not.

"What do you want then?" There was a faint hint of a smile being pulled back and he wondered if she had known he was messing with her or if she just found his snobbery amusing.

"Would you prefer to sit down at a restaurant or eat outside?" New York was filled with so many options for food, and he knew of a few exceptional food trucks. Mentioning the hot dog vendors had given him the idea of possibly eating outside in Central Park... somewhere far away from mimes.

"It is a pretty day..." Alice seemed to be taking in their surroundings as she thought, "eating outside could be nice. I feel like I'm always stuck indoors."

"How do you feel about grilled cheese?"

"I'm a fan."

Rafael smiled and guided her toward the park exit closest to the a food truck that made some of the best grilled cheese sandwiches he'd ever had.

They were back in the park not thirty minutes later, spreading their lunch out on a blanket Alice had purchased from a shop they'd passed. At first he'd thought it was unnecessary, but seeing their lunch sitting with a barrier from the grass... it had been a wise choice.

"Really?" Rafael scolded when Alice snatched one of his tator tots.

"I just wanted one."

"Then you should have ordered some for yourself." He said it teasingly, not really caring if she stole his food or not.

"Why would I waste an entire order when I can just steal one of yours?"

He assumed she was smiling because she was normally smiling when she retorted back at him, but he couldn't see her face. He was sitting with his legs crossed, a feat she'd been impressed he'd accomplish. He decided it'd be best not to take her comment about most men his age not being that flexible anymore as an insult... the teasing tone in her voice had been obvious. Alice had made herself comfortable, leaning against his chest as they ate. Their food was within arms reach and he'd lifted the paper tray holding his tator tots off the blanket when she'd stolen one.