remember your hometown [sight w/captain crunch]

[attr="class","mtext"]Why the hell was he at the zoo? It was a question that only appeared to hit him after he'd already driven there and paid for a ticket after seeing it advertised on a billboard. Guess he was a sucker for mainstream, cheesy advertisements and animals puns that told him to "Gopher it!" and visit. He was an idiot and it became even more apparent that he had no business being here as he looked at the young families milling about and pointing at the animals...animals that lazed about all day on their lazy asses and shat everywhere. His entrance fee was going to feed this animals, literally flushing money down the toilet and that alone almost made him turn around immediately and exit, but then he figured he might as well get his money's worth.

He meandered from exhibit to exhibit, all the while thinking about the tasks and chores that awaited him back at Rose Park Stable. He was settling in fine at the horse racing establishment and it was nice to have his cousin close and about, even if they did get overly competitive. He looked about the crowd periodically, not finding anyone or anything particularly amusing. He sighed, his feet suddenly growing tired from all the walking and made a mental note to just take a load off and sit for a bit whenever he saw the next bench.

His thoughts turned back to Internal Affair, his juvenile filly and the other mounts he would be riding. His work consumed his life...it was all he had and he worked damn hard to be good at it...to be the best. Besides, it wasn't like he had pressing relationship issues to be worried or concerned with. Family was not in the picture, nor did he ever wish to see his brothers again. He cared only for his cousin and his sister, the rest of his family cold go to hell for all he cared. They had never done a thing to help or support him, looking down on their white collar son doing blue collar work. Bunch of pricks.. That was his family. He shook his head in frustration. Why the hell am I even thinking about them.... He inwardly chastised himself and decided it was time to find that seat. He spotted a vendor and purchased a bottle of water, it was hot as balls outside, as he then looked for a seat. Pale blue eyes surveyed the area and spotted a bench right across from the lion exhibit. He began to head in that direction when he spotted someone else occupying the bench, but he didn't care. He wanted to sit and damn it, he was going to. He walked with an easy and confident stride, in his worn denim and white cotton v-neck. He closed the gap quickly and sat down just as colorful words flew out of beautiful mouth. "So pathetic, fucking damn it." He cocked an eyebrow in surprise at her, wondering if it had been directed at him, but one look told him it wasn't he who was the recipient of those words. He took her in. She was a beautiful woman, but there was a haunted and pained look about her that stirred a protective instinct within him...a feeling he quickly squashed down with sarcasm in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"I have to say, that's the first time someone has said that about me to my face." His voice dripped with dry sarcasm, but he sensed this woman wasn't completely stable. His conscience wouldn't allow him to be too sharp with her. "I'm mean I rather think I'm a great guy...as long as you don't get to know me that is. But, you must already be seeing through my bullshit." he teased and gave her a winning wink...trying to draw her out of her shell...this panic he saw ruling her. He looked about for any hidden danger casually. Maybe she was hiding from an ex-lover? Hell. His instincts told him to leave her the hell alone. Ignore and walk away. But then, he'd never said he was smart. "My name is Aaron...and you are?"

[attr="class","mtext"]She looked like a shaking leaf, sitting there on the bench, eyes looking around frantic like as if the devil himself was about to pop out from behind every corner. He stared at her with an unflinching gaze, his pale irises taking in every single detail about her. He didn't feel concern per say, no that would be too thoughtful and considerate and he knew he didn't have time to be those things, but he wasn't a complete monster. There wasn't a crime either for admiring a pretty face. She had beautiful blonde hair and wide open blue eyes. It wasn't hard to read her with her emotions playing through her eyes like a highlight reel. He decided then and there that he wouldn't be his true sarcastic self, no....It took one look at her to see that one wrong misplaced word to her would send her into a mental breakdown. He couldn't help, but wonder what had made her this way, call it human curiosity more than anything, for it certainly wasn't compassion...at least he'd never admit that.

Caring about other people just opened the door for a world of hurt and hurt from others was something that he just couldn't handle, it would undo him. For all of his pride, arrogance, sarcasm and bravado...he was still human, still a man that needed relationships, but he had to take them on his terms. He attempted a reassuring smile, but he was certain it probably looked more like a smirk or a sneer. Eh, what the hell ever. He nodded as though to encourage her speech when she spoke his name and he laughed at her when she asked the same question he'd asked himself when he'd bought a ticket. "Hell if I know why I'm here. You're right this is a place you don't really come to alone, but I had the day off and I fell victim to publicity stunts....so here I am paying money to watch animals laze about on their asses. Though...the penguins I must say...they were at least amusing." And then she'd mentioned his face and his smile faded slightly, but not totally as a more fake facade of arrogance settled in. He couldn't encourage her to be kind. He couldn't afford to let someone in, even a stranger and so her reverted to his MO - arrogant asshole.

"Don't be taken in by this face doll," he refused to use her name, to make this a more personable conversation, he didn't need friendships, companionship, "Believe me when I tell you that his face is the nicest thing about me." And then he turned the tables quickly. This didn't need to be about him. He didn't need to reveal shit to her and he wouldn't. "Tell me. Why are you here alone? Running away from some crazy ex? Hiding in the zoo where little families are...Makes me think you're hiding from the devil...Not that it's any of my concern." He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and looked away from her, his gaze settling back on the lions across the way, sunbathing without a care in the world. Lucky caged animals. The cost of freedom was sometimes too high...eh, but what did he know...