I see him before he sees me. He's carrying a bag in each hand, looking back and forth as he tries to find the girl in the plaid. I'm parked at the end of the terminal, where the rain is pouring off the edge of the roof in a near-constant stream. I smile to myself and watch, enjoying the moment of anonymity. He looks underdressed for the weather in only a t-shirt and jeans (though I appreciate the chance to admire the broadness of his chest). We make eye contact from a hundred feet away and he smiles at the same time as I look down. He breaks into a run and I blush at the cliche. As he nears he drops his bags and pulls me into a warm, tight hug.

"Hey, Red."

I sigh and sink into him, hearing the smile in his voice.

"Hey, Admin."

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"That brownish one with the crest? That's a cedar waxwing. Unless it's a female cardinal, but I'm pretty sure it's a waxwing."

I point at a bird flying across the path into a small crabapple beside us. The rain broke overnight and now it's sunny and windy, a perfect day for a walk. The park lies on the grounds of the old county sanitarium, where the patients would grow food. Thus, County Farm Park. In the last century it's been allowed to rewild to various degrees, with a wooded area, wetland, and meadows, along with community gardens.

He holds my hand as we walk around the park, listening to me ramble about various plants, birds, and local history. At the moment I'm geeking out about birds, a childhood interest that's faded but never gone away.

"We also have lots of red-winged blackbirds in the wetland--I assume you have those at home?"

"Probably, I never paid attention to birds much."

"But they're little dinosaurs!"

He snorts and squeezes my hand. I bump him with my hip in reply.

"Seriously though, I think birds are classified as dinosaurs nowadays. Ooooh, I think that's an oriole!" I lean down, looking up into a tree at the bright orange bird. "I haven't seen any in years but I've seen two in the last week."

As I stand up, I see him smiling at me. "Whaaaat?"

He leans forward and kisses me on the cheek, making me blush to my ears.

"Nothing, I just love my geek girlfriend."

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His breathing changes, that soft inhale as one shifts from drowse to wakefulness. I roll over and curl against his side, fitting perfectly in the space under his arm. His chest is firm and warm and I listen to his heartbeat.

"Mmmm, good morning." He strokes my hair. "Sleep well?" I nod as his other arm wraps around me. He's leaving later but we still have a full day together, time enough to enjoy being close. We lie there, listening to the birds and the morning traffic, the wind and the patter of the squirrels running back and forth on the roof.

I break the silence: "I wish you were dead."

He smiles and kisses me on the nose. "I wish you were dead too."

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