"I dunno, just preferably not there." Phoenix mumbled, continuing on in a quicker pace than before. "Some of the guys have a taste for pretty girls, and I hate to break it to you, but you are in fact a pretty girl." He again mumbled, glancing around their surrounding area. Just the mention of the bar, sent him on high alert to watch out for her. Though if she was what he thought she was, he need not worry.
Cicada kept up his pace with a light smile on. She didn’t enjoy seeing him like this and had no idea what brought it on. She gave him a little bump with her elbow, “Aw, you think I’m pretty. But really Phoenix I can handle myself. We’re walking away from the bar anyways. So just forget I asked?”
"I'd love to, but as of the current moment I don't think I can." He mumbled, glancing back behind them a couple times. "And I thought you said you were just a petite track runner. Am I right on that?" Phoenix asked her softly, his hold on her hand a little tighter than before.
“Well yeah,” Cicada responded. She had forgotten she had said that earlier. It had been just a moment of teasing and false innocence, “But that doesn’t mean I can’t handle myself. In fact I’m faster than them so I could probably just run away.”
"You're faster than a motorcycle?" He asked with a raised brow, trying to make himself relax. The conversation wasn't helping though. "Anyways, I just want you to be careful. You haven't lived here long."
"No," Cicada admitted. She looked at him with a soft smile, "I'll be careful okay? If it helps you feel better I promise to be careful."
"I-it would help a bit… yeah." Phoenix said softly, his face creeping in to a soft pink color. "I just don't want to be the jerk that let's you go, and then the next thing I know you're in an abusive relationship. Because of me."
Cicada let out a bit a self-deprecating laugh. She used her free hand to rub her arm her cheeks flushing just a slight shade of pink, "You really don't have to worry about that last bit. Been there, done that."
Phoenix froze, his eyes growing just a bit. "I-I didn't know… I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry." He rambled, feeling terrible for bringing the whole thing up. Just his luck, he thought it was the end of the conversation, but now he had all the more questions.
Cicada took a deep breath and she let go of her arm. She gave him another laugh and smile forcing away the memories of him, "No, no you're fine. Like you said, you had no idea."
Stopping his mindless chatter, he shook his head with a tight frown. "No, it's not really okay. I keep saying things that clearly upset you. Be honest with me, and yourself. You know it's true." Phoenix insisted, trying to relax once again.
Cicada paused as she bit her lip. She let out a long sigh as she let her shoulders dropped slightly, "I, it's just me readjusting. I'm used to someone not caring about my well being and making me pay for everything. So your just throwing me for a loop that's all."
This threw him for a loop. He had to stop in his path, to take a moment. "So I'm the only decent human being you've ever met?" Phoenix asked weakly, looking down at her his own shoulders slowly sinking downwards.
"Heh, no your not the first," Cicada told him with a weak laugh, "I had friends before I met my ex, they just got pushed away. Well shoved away while I was in the relationship. I've been treated like shit for most of my adult life."
"I- I'm sorry." Phoenix whispered, trying to swallow the lump growing in his throat. He started onward once more, but at a much less peppy pace. "If this is bugging you, just say so."
"No, no you're fine," Cicada insisted pushing down her own emotions. She didn't need for them to come back at this moment and continued to walk with a slight smile forcing itself on to her face, "We can keep going. I'm fine."
"You don't have to lie to me." Phoenix told her, as he stared off in front of them as they walked. "This can come at its own time. I don't really care either way. I don't want to push you." He was trying his best to be sweet about it, but the whole thing had rattled him pretty good. He wasn't really sure how to act.
I shouldn't have told him, Cicada thought to herself. It was too soon to tell him, she should have waited until later. The opportunity had just presented itself so well, but it was still too soon, "No, I'm fine really. Let's just keep going and forget I said anything okay?"
Phoenix nodded softly, trying to think of something to keep things from getting awkward between them. Of course that was too late, things were about to be stiff for a couple minutes until they both forgot. "I think there's a park this way."
Cicada smiled and nodded slightly. She knew things were going to be weird for a bit and it was her fault like it normally was. She started to walk again, "Okay, let's go there then. Be a couple of college students in a park."
"We'll probably get odd looks if we go to the playground." Phoenix laughed weakly, trying to push their previous conversation to the darkest part of his mind. "But, I think it could be fun."
Cicada laughed with him as she seemed to bounce back quickly. She had already learned how to put stuff like that behind her quickly, “I say we do it. Who’s out here to judge anyway?”
"I mean, I could answer that question, or just leave it be." Phoenix hummed with a snicker, pulling her along to the park. "So I think I'll just leave it be. Onward to the park!"
Cicada let out another laugh as she quickly caught up so they were walking at the same pace. She knew what type of weirdos would be out this late anyway, “To the park it is!”
Smiling brightly, he jogged his way until they made it to the entrance of the park. He turned around as they made it there, holding a hand out to her. "What shall we do first?"
Cicada caught up to him and took his hand grinning. The earlier conversation still lingering in her mind, but she pushed it out quickly once more, "Hmm, I think the swings are always fun to just sit and talk on."
"Then the swings we will go!" He hummed, pulling her along to the empty swing set. No one was around, because the sun was beginning to set. Clouds streaked the sky, making it darker than it would normally be as the sun was setting.
Cicada laughed as she was pulled along. She had a smile on watching the colors of pink, red, and purple paint the sky and darkened clouds. This was by far one of her favorite times of day. She sat down on one of the empty swings gesturing for him to sit next to her.
Smiling softly, Phoenix sat on the swing she was gesturing to. "What to talk about…" He mumbled, racking his brain for conversation topics to discuss. "Any ideas?"
"Hmm we could always play 20 questions or something," Cicada suggested with a shrug. She had a light smile on as she looked at him.