2007-08-24: Socially Slow

Starring:

Daphne_icon.gif Rudyard_icon.gif

Summary: Rudyard drops by the zoo with a bouquet of… butterflies. REALLY. Daphne realises that he's not an ass, that he's simply a social FAIL, and, well. He did bring her butterflies…

Date It Happened: 24 August 2007

Socially Slow


Bronx Zoo

Looking neat, well groomed and just a little on the dapper side in business suit, Rudyard approaches the Bronx Zoo. No, the suit isn't out of the ordinary, no really, he just came from work. No really. The bouquet of pretty flowers in hand? That's normal too. Nothing special, just a riot of colorful wild flowers for no one in particular that the florist told him any girl would like. Uncomfortable, fidgety.. he heads for the zoo. Again. FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

—-

The Bronx Zoo can be a rather enjoyable place to be with summer slowly tapering off into fall. The weather is intermittantly cooler if one is lucky, and the animals seem to be more active. Unfortunately, today isn't one of those days. It's hot, it's humid, and every once in awhile, there's a random shower. At least with the clouds, that means the sun isn't out, but the only real relief from the sun is in one of the air conditioned buildings.

Near the birds of prey is the old zebra house, which has been converted into the zoo's main office. That's where Daphne is right now. She's not special enough to have her own desk, but at least she's got access to the place where she can plan a little. The normal schedule never called for bird shows, but given her special talent with them, they're included from time to time. It's likely that the many, many insects around the zoo can tell Rudyard where Daphne's at.

—-

Rudyard is hearing about her location. Yuss. Bugs are noisy little.. buggers.. The entomologist goes straight to the zoo's main office, striding right up to the receptionist and says in his oh so professional and British voice, "HiI'mheretoseeDaphneRousseau,isshehere?" To which the receptionist blinks, causing the man to slow down and repeat his question.. earning an amused look from the woman.. to which Rudy just squares his shoulders, and takes with British stoicism.

—-

Those wacky British! Always clowning around, with flowers, no less. As the phone rings, the receptionist decides this guy probably isn't here to cause trouble, and so Rudyard is pointed down a carpeted hallway, where he will eventually find a room that looks like it used to possibly house animals. It's divided into sections now, and it's carpeted, but it's certainly large enough to have been the place where the zebras were kept once upon a time. There are a few cubicles here, and Daphne's sitting in one, playing with Excel on one of the old, slow computers. The zoo really should consider upgrading, sheesh. She just wants to schedule a block of time for next Friday!

—-

Rudyard darn near just sets the flowers down at reception, thinking about fleeing. Such a lovely idea, since this is stupid. No. Seriously. It's stupid that he can't get his mind off the infernal woman. So what he talks to bugs and she talks to animals? It means nothing! Then… rats.. the woman comes back. Giving a stiff necked nod, he goes in the direction he's pointed in.. almost like a man walking to the gallows. When he gets to the door, he hesitates, knocks, then clears his throat.

—-

Most of the zoo staff don't have to knock on the door, so when she hears that, Daphne instantly jumps to the conclusion that one of the zoo patrons is here to complain. It happens. Someone finds themselves the unfortunate victim of eagle target practice, the llamas spit on their kids, the tigers weren't out and, dammit, they REALLY wanted to see them. Daphne squeezes her eyes shut, stands, makes her way around the walls of the cubicle to the door, and opens it. She expected to see a hot, sweaty zoo-goer with a scowl on his face, but, no. It's Rudyard. "Hi?" is her greeting. Then, "What are you doing here?" …with flowers.

—-

"I.. that is…" Really.. Rudyard doesn't know why he's here.. other than impulse. Maybe the hope he could get the woman out of his head if he did this. "Here," he says ever so eloquently as he thrusts the bouquet for Daphne to take. "They need water." Thanks Captain Obvious, Daphne never would have figured that out on her own. "I was told they would be thought of as pretty." Nevermind the butterflies. They're perched on the flowers, flapping their wings steadily, looking pretty, adding to the riot of color.

—-

Daphne… isn't so great with this whole… Interest? Thing. She, well. She just doesn't have any idea what to do, or what she should do for that matter. So the utter surprise when the butterfly flowers are practically thrown at her is painfully evident on her face. Wait, what? "Uh— " stated equally as eloquently, as she looks from the flowers to Rudy, back to the flowers… "What… what— " Okay, composing self. She is not an awkward person by nature, but this came so out of nowhere, that she's speechless. "They are pretty. Very pretty." Pause. "But why?"

—-

Rudyard isn't good with the whole interest thing either. The man talks to bugs for Christ's Sake. They don't give him much crap, and are easier to converse with. Easier than dealing with .. emotions or whatever. The butterflies offer silent encouragement with a flapping of their wings. <Haaai Daphne!>, they chorus, not that the lady can 'hear' them. But they say hello all the same. "The butterflies say hello," he translates, quietly. "Look. Just take the flowers.. They're for you. Obviously. I still feel horrid about the bee incident, and the last time we spoke, well it didn't go so well. I was still a bloody arse to you."

—-

It's very rare that she can actually hear insects, and even then, it's when she's actually trying with a good deal of concentration. So she misses the greeting, but she doesn't doubt that they said something. This might have been weird at some point, but it's all clearly normal now. It's just a damn good thing there's no one else around. "Come on in here for a bit," she says, tucking the butterfly flowers against her shoulder, then reaching for Rudy's sleeve. When he's in, she'll shut the door. It's more private when she knows no one can listen in, even though there are a few windows… There's still a lawn between them and the zoo path.

She's still not sure what to say. Daphne never really expected him to see him again after they spoke about how they're similar and Rudyard kind of dismissed that as a 'so what.' Now? "Well, yeah, you were." Nice, Daphne. Nice. "But it's okay, I don't— Really get you. At all, to be honest. I thought you really didn't care."

—-

Rudyard looks ready to bolt now. Flowers delivered, he sort of said he was sorry. That's good enough, right? Then Daphne's grabbing a hold of his sleeve and tugging him into the room. A brief moment of panic forms on his face, egads, privacy with a woman he's trying to tell himself he doesn't like for whatever strange reasoning. "I don't get myself to be perfectly honest," he quips, trying to sound light about it. "Just because I act like I don't care doesn't mean that I don't."

—-

Daphne'll have to leave the flowers here 'til she goes home. The butterflies, she's not sure what she's going to be about. They're beautiful, but they're also alive, and… Well, for now, she'll just head to the restroom in one of the large room's corners so she can fill the first thing she can reach with water so she can put the flowers in it. That thing happens to be an old metal bucket, but it'll do for now. Ruturning with bucket in hand, she gives her visitor an odd look, though there's a bit of a smile there. It occurs to her quite suddenly that he isn't a pompous jerk, he's just socially retarded. And here she was, ready to forget about him entirely, except she hadn't. Every once in awhile, she'd think of him, wonder how he was doing… There are a lot of bees in the zoo, and so she couldn't help recalling Rudyard whenever one of them showed up. She's even been trying to communicate with insects lately, albeit with little luck. "Maybe we should start over or something. I'll forget that you were a jerk, and you forget that I was an ass, and we'll just… start over." Friends? She doesn't know yet. But the flowers were a good start. She holds out her hand. "I'm Daphne."

—-

Rudyard is very much a social retard. Kids don't really talk to you when you can mouth off every fact about bugs, crushing fun with slug burning through magnifying glasses, etc. So yes. Social retardation here. "I… yes.. that sounds.. yes.. of course." In other words, starting over, good. The offered hand is stared at for a moment, as if he's unsure about taking, then does. "Rudyard.." About to spill off the rest of his name, his title, he stops and shuts his trap.

—-

Yeah, but… Daphne likes that sort of stuff. Granted, she's not as likely to sit around and talk about elephants the same way Rudy might talk about bees, but she doesn't mind it at all. Taking his hand, she holds onto it for a moment, gives it a shake, then keeps holding on. Does she like him? Not particularly, but she has to admit, there's some charm in his weird demeanor, and she did offer to start over. Erase the past, pretend as if they know nothing about each other. Of course, that's completely impossible, but they can pretend. And… the flowers. "Can you at least try to relax a little?" She smiles again, more genuine this time. "I'm not gonna hurt you or anything."

—-

"Sorry," Rudyard says in a mumbled apologetic manner. He's trying to relax. It's a little difficult. "Look.. I.. should probably go. Exhibit to prepare and such." Lies. He's just uncomfortable. ".. Would you perhaps like to have dinner, or drinks? Your choice in places.." Since he has no idea.

—-

Dinner or drinks. That could be a little awkward, neither of them would know what to wear, is it a date, is it not a date, is— Daphne can clear this up. "There's a Pizza Hut close to where I live. Informal, we'll just meet up and chat for awhile, okay? Get to know each other." Looking up, she meets his eyes. Her own narrow a little, she considers, then… "Unless you want it to be a date. Tonight, sometime around eight? It'll get me a chance to get home and get cleaned up a little." And… Find out how to get rid of the butterflies so the ferrets don't eat them.

—-

Rudyard stares. Pizza.. hutt? That.. wasn't what he had in mind. Not in the slightest. Ducking his head a little, he looks away and says in a little mumbled tone, "I was thinking more of a date." Hence suit and flowers. ".. 8.. 8 is good.. Where would you like to go?" Good. Someone has direction here, help the social retard here.

—-

Ahh, that answers a few questions! Now Daphne's starting to get a feeling for where they stand here! It's more than just apology-interest. He's got a crush, and that's adorable. Still, this friendship is still too new to just mercilessly tease him about it, and so she won't, settling for a rather brief - though smug - smile, instead. "You still have my number?" She's sure she gave it to him at some point. Probably after the bees incident in the park. "Give me a call in a couple hours, and I'll have something in mind by then."

—-

"Yes.. Yes, I still have it." Not that Rudyard's about to admit that he saved it to his cellphone and such. Which he felt stupid for doing. Just as much as he feels stupid now for this exchange. "Alright. I shall call you in a couple of hours." He offers a tight smile, it's nervous, maybe more scared than nervous. Quickly, he retreats from the room before he sticks his foot in it further.

(Socially Slow - Part Deux)

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