The Architect. [The Blacklist. Donald Ressler X Oc]

Park.

Maggie.

Don winced when I placed the ice pack near his eye, retreating after a few seconds of the coldness being on his skin.

"What happened to you?" I asked, gently placing the ice pack again, he relaxed, keeping his eyes on some papers he was looking through.

"Got maced, almost got inyected with some flesh eating bacteria, then got handcuffed to a suspect, then watched Reddington kill him"

"I believe like one thing out of all of those" I joked, he gave me a side eye and a little smile.

"I can show you the handcuff mark in my wrist" he said, lifting his hand for me to watch.

"Well, that's two" I moved the ice pack on another part of his eye "you're supposed to wear cushioned ones"

"I forgot to grab them from your drawer" he continued with the joke. I laughed quietly, pulling the ice pack and watching the side of his eye, it looked better.

"You shouldn't rub it in next time"

"I'll avoid it being a next time" he said turning the papers to keep reading. "We're adding a new agent to the taskforce, Liz sent me these ones to veto, she liked this one" he said showing me a picture. "Alina Park"

"I like the name Alina."

Don continued reading even after I'd stood up and stored the ice pack back in the fridge.

"What are your plans for the weekend?" He asked, leaving the papers in the coffee table and pulling his feet over it.

"I don't have any yet" I doubled back and sat back down in the couch next to him. "What are you planning?".

"I was thinking about taking Alma to the aquarium" I gasped and launched my hand at his bicep.

"Oh my God the Chicago one has penguins" I gasped in realization.

"So you've been looking?"

"No, I mean I have. But I've always hated zoos, like I don't like to see the animals all caged up and looking sad" Don blanked his eyes at me, then searched in the arm rest compartment for the controller of his PlayStation "and Alma doesn't like animal suffering either"

"She'd like it when she sees a flesh and bone penguin, and besides, you don't have to go to a zoo, there are animals sanctuaries were they take good care of animals"

"I know, but that Chicago aquarium is not that kind of place"

"Alma" Don called over his shoulder, dismissing me. He pressed a few buttons on his controller and waited for Alma to come.

"We're still going, but if she cries about it-"

"Alma" he called again, just as she was showing up around the corner "hey cupcake"

"Hi" she said with a little shy smile.

"I have a surprise for you"

She giddily extended her hands, Don chuckled.

"It's not that kind of surprise, we're going to see penguins tomorrow"