[ He knows that it is just the intense stress of being chased by large and rather murderous birds, but Cisco feels more than the usual amount of annoyance when Harry sees fit to grumble under his breath about their predicament. Cisco doesn't slacken his pace when he snaps back: ]
Oh yeah, great, thanks Harry, the muttering's really a big help right now!
[ Cisco's hair keeps whipping him in the face every time he looks over his shoulder to check how far away the swans are. There was a moment or two when he thought they wouldn't get away, but they get close to the shore quickly and the birds seem appeased, staying near them and staying alert, but keeping a healthy buffer of distance. He is out of breath, too, from the sudden exertion and also the fear. ]
I don't get it. That guy who rents the boats is here all the time, you'd think the local fauna woulda adjusted to it by now, but no, that'd be too easy. What kind of Hitchcock nonsense...
[ He buries his face in his hands in exasperation. ]
[ Harrison rolls his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh at that. ]
They're used to him. That's it.
[ Sure, they adjusted — to one particular person. Anyone else who dares tread into their territory though? Fair game, apparently. No wonder business was slow even on a clear day like today. He shakes his head, steering them towards the paddle boat dock. ]
You should get your money back.
[ If it were him, ten shades of hell would have been raised with the man in question by now. But this was Ramon's hare-brained idea, funded by him entirely, and Harrison wasn't really feeling punchy at the moment — at least, not towards some guy who practically camped out near the pond. He had better people to argue with. ]
[ He knows that it's probably supposed to be a matter of principle and that Harry is probably right. You don't get to be the CEO of a huge company like his without kicking a fuss when one needs to be kicked, and without being afraid to yell at people when they are not meeting his standards. But Cisco doesn't have it in him. He'll fight bad guys and even face down his friends in a great moral crisis, but he won't chew out the paddle boat guy just over a silly swan situation. ]
The boat's working fine, it's not his fault that swans are totally psycho.
[ The birds in question are circling them still, the one who had started the charge letting out a hiss once or twice. He was certainly a feisty one. Cisco looks past them, along the pond to the pier where the paddle boat guy is at his stand. And then it occurs to him: ]
How are we supposed to get back over there without getting our eyes pecked out?
[ There were supposed to return the boat after an hour, but no way is Cisco dealing with the avian neighborhood watch. He stands in the boat, gauging how far it is to the shore, if he could make the jump. He'll probably end up getting his shoes wet, and he can't help saying: ]
He should know better about the pond. At least warn people first.
[ Harrison turns his head to follow Cisco's gaze, past the swans and towards the pier. That was a problem, wasn't it? They wouldn't be able to work up enough speed to break right through the swans, particularly when they're still all worked up like that. He takes that into consideration for a moment before he speaks again. ]
Got anything left in the basket?
[ Anything — chips, bread crusts, something he could lob a distance away to distract the birds long enough for them to make it back to the pier.
Harrison won't comment on the disaster portion because, well, he'd been saying that since the moment they set foot in the boat. ]
[ For one ludicrous moment he thinks that Harry is suggesting they just sit here and snack on the leftovers until the swans get bored, but then the idea clicks, and Cisco twists in his seat so he can reach the basket in the second row of seats. There's not much left, but it's worth a shot. Certainly better than trying to wait them out. At least, as long as the swans don't interpret the projectiles as an attack rather than a peace offering.
He hands over what's left - some crusts, a few crackers, a single slice of watermelon - over to Harry. His idea, after all. And, well, he probably has better aim, when all is said and done. ]
[ Harrison eyes the leftovers before setting the slice of watermelon to the side. He pedals just a bit, turning their boat so it's facing the pier — as well as the swans. With a grimace, he tests the weight of the crackers in his hand, then throws them swiftly, sending them flying off to the side of the swans, opposite the pier. The sound of food plunking into the water catches their attention, and they immediately swarm over in that direction. ]
Now.
[ He starts to pedal furiously, keeping in time with Cisco's pace so they're not just going in circles. As they get closer to the mob of birds, he takes the crusts and tosses them further out in an attempt to draw them away and keep them occupied for just a little bit longer there. ]
[ They might argue and bicker at times, but when shit gets real (far moreso than the threat of a feisty water fowl), he and Harry have always managed to get into synch, almost reading one another's minds, working together in unison. Cisco doesn't even need the command to alert him; he knows just the moment to start pedaling, and it's much easier to match up with Harry now that he's actually focusing on it. Harry handles the food-throwing and Cisco makes sure they don't get off-course, which still leaves him with hands free so that he can flip the birds the bird as they pass by. Not that they'll understand it, but it's the intent that matters.
It's a bit anticlimactic in the end: Harry's distraction strategy works like a charm, and by the time the swans have stopped squabbling and flapping at one another over the morsels, the paddle boat is far enough away that they don't bother with it any more. Which just leaves Harry and Cisco a small stretch of pond before they reach the pier. ]
Score: humans, one, hell birds, none. Suck it! [ That last being addressed to the swans, obviously. But Cisco doesn't shout it too loudly or aggressively because the last thing he needs is for them to change their mind about the boat being a threat. ]
[ Harrison can't get out of the paddle boat quickly enough when they get to the pier. He shoots a withering look in the direction of the guy in charge of the boats before storming off the pier and onto dry, solid land.
Forget going back to the lab. At this point, all he wants to do is go back to the apartment (to go back home, he reminds himself) and kick his feet up and— actually, that was a good idea. He crosses his arms and waits for Cisco to approach him, giving him a stern look. ]
Keys.
[ To the van. No explanation given because no explanation needed. Besides, after the swan incident, Cisco had lost all rights to ask for explanations — at least for today, anyway. ]
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franciscoramon) wrote2015-02-21 01:38 am
no subject
Oh yeah, great, thanks Harry, the muttering's really a big help right now!
[ Cisco's hair keeps whipping him in the face every time he looks over his shoulder to check how far away the swans are. There was a moment or two when he thought they wouldn't get away, but they get close to the shore quickly and the birds seem appeased, staying near them and staying alert, but keeping a healthy buffer of distance. He is out of breath, too, from the sudden exertion and also the fear. ]
I don't get it. That guy who rents the boats is here all the time, you'd think the local fauna woulda adjusted to it by now, but no, that'd be too easy. What kind of Hitchcock nonsense...
[ He buries his face in his hands in exasperation. ]
no subject
They're used to him. That's it.
[ Sure, they adjusted — to one particular person. Anyone else who dares tread into their territory though? Fair game, apparently. No wonder business was slow even on a clear day like today. He shakes his head, steering them towards the paddle boat dock. ]
You should get your money back.
[ If it were him, ten shades of hell would have been raised with the man in question by now. But this was Ramon's hare-brained idea, funded by him entirely, and Harrison wasn't really feeling punchy at the moment — at least, not towards some guy who practically camped out near the pond. He had better people to argue with. ]
no subject
[ He knows that it's probably supposed to be a matter of principle and that Harry is probably right. You don't get to be the CEO of a huge company like his without kicking a fuss when one needs to be kicked, and without being afraid to yell at people when they are not meeting his standards. But Cisco doesn't have it in him. He'll fight bad guys and even face down his friends in a great moral crisis, but he won't chew out the paddle boat guy just over a silly swan situation. ]
The boat's working fine, it's not his fault that swans are totally psycho.
[ The birds in question are circling them still, the one who had started the charge letting out a hiss once or twice. He was certainly a feisty one. Cisco looks past them, along the pond to the pier where the paddle boat guy is at his stand. And then it occurs to him: ]
How are we supposed to get back over there without getting our eyes pecked out?
[ There were supposed to return the boat after an hour, but no way is Cisco dealing with the avian neighborhood watch. He stands in the boat, gauging how far it is to the shore, if he could make the jump. He'll probably end up getting his shoes wet, and he can't help saying: ]
This is a total disaster.
no subject
[ Harrison turns his head to follow Cisco's gaze, past the swans and towards the pier. That was a problem, wasn't it? They wouldn't be able to work up enough speed to break right through the swans, particularly when they're still all worked up like that. He takes that into consideration for a moment before he speaks again. ]
Got anything left in the basket?
[ Anything — chips, bread crusts, something he could lob a distance away to distract the birds long enough for them to make it back to the pier.
Harrison won't comment on the disaster portion because, well, he'd been saying that since the moment they set foot in the boat. ]
no subject
[ For one ludicrous moment he thinks that Harry is suggesting they just sit here and snack on the leftovers until the swans get bored, but then the idea clicks, and Cisco twists in his seat so he can reach the basket in the second row of seats. There's not much left, but it's worth a shot. Certainly better than trying to wait them out. At least, as long as the swans don't interpret the projectiles as an attack rather than a peace offering.
He hands over what's left - some crusts, a few crackers, a single slice of watermelon - over to Harry. His idea, after all. And, well, he probably has better aim, when all is said and done. ]
Worth a shot.
no subject
[ Harrison eyes the leftovers before setting the slice of watermelon to the side. He pedals just a bit, turning their boat so it's facing the pier — as well as the swans. With a grimace, he tests the weight of the crackers in his hand, then throws them swiftly, sending them flying off to the side of the swans, opposite the pier. The sound of food plunking into the water catches their attention, and they immediately swarm over in that direction. ]
Now.
[ He starts to pedal furiously, keeping in time with Cisco's pace so they're not just going in circles. As they get closer to the mob of birds, he takes the crusts and tosses them further out in an attempt to draw them away and keep them occupied for just a little bit longer there. ]
no subject
It's a bit anticlimactic in the end: Harry's distraction strategy works like a charm, and by the time the swans have stopped squabbling and flapping at one another over the morsels, the paddle boat is far enough away that they don't bother with it any more. Which just leaves Harry and Cisco a small stretch of pond before they reach the pier. ]
Score: humans, one, hell birds, none. Suck it! [ That last being addressed to the swans, obviously. But Cisco doesn't shout it too loudly or aggressively because the last thing he needs is for them to change their mind about the boat being a threat. ]
no subject
Forget going back to the lab. At this point, all he wants to do is go back to the apartment (to go back home, he reminds himself) and kick his feet up and— actually, that was a good idea. He crosses his arms and waits for Cisco to approach him, giving him a stern look. ]
Keys.
[ To the van. No explanation given because no explanation needed. Besides, after the swan incident, Cisco had lost all rights to ask for explanations — at least for today, anyway. ]