Discourse your saving song

[Deleted]

The Central Park Zoo wasn't particularly busy this early in the morning and if he was being entirely honest, Ryker preferred that over the summer crowds that flooded the zoo so badly you had either fight your way up to an exhibit or not see it at all. For Ryker, not seeing something was not optional. He intended to see everything as well as capture everything on film, or digitally whichever he chose to carry that day. Of course seeing everything didn't have to happen in one day. More often than not he'd sit an exhibit all day with his camera in hand, waiting. Today it was an old Canon film camera he brought with him, he enjoyed film as he felt there was more of a learning curve and not everyone could accomplish great looking photos like they can with digital. This day in age, everyone thought themselves a photographer and it was kind of annoying, especially with Instagram around. Green eyes scanned the Amur Tiger exhibit waiting patiently as he had been all morning. He watched and waited for an opportune shot. Tigers curious creatures and often seemed playful more than dangerous, at least to Ryker.

Some days at the zoo his multi-coloured hair caught more attention than the animals and, sometimes it caught the attention of animals too. Peacocks that strut loose in the zoo often fanned out for him, probably seeing him as a threat to the mating game. It was mildly chilly what with the wind blowing and all but it was a perfect day for the zoo. It wasn't so hot you were exhausted by the time you got to the first exhibit and it wasn't so cold that your toes went numb just walking up to the gate.  Not every trip to the zoo was about photography for him though, sometimes he got so caught up in watching, or talking to the animals that he forgot to photograph them. He missed his trips to the zoo with his older cousin, Claus and with Claus gone he would return to the zoo to remember him, feel closer to him even. It was hard knowing the only family you had left had left you behind. He looked at the Tiger, who preferred life solo, and sighed "I bet you wouldn't mind the company of that other tiger in the next exhibit over." he said quietly,  "You might at first but he can't be all that bad, it'd be better than being alone all the time. It's kind of funny though how you grew to be a creature of solitude, most cats have but yet the lion...they remain in their prides, why? Are they just insecure, or is it a power in numbers thing? I can't imagine they're too weak to take down prey themselves, so why prides?" His curiosity was enough to make him seriously ponder that, rather than just simply asking the tiger who wouldn't, nor could she, actually respond. If she had responded though, Ryker might have been taken aback and all in all he probably wouldn't have told anyone, not that they'd believe him. The female tiger watched him though, her eyes locking with his for several long minutes. The feeling was humbling to have such a majestic, large creature staring deep into his eyes and he into hers. The feeling of power that she had overwhelmed him and finally, she broke contact as a squirrel dared her territory. She made eye contact with him and he took off. 

"I don't expect you to answer me, mostly because I know you can't but in a way I feel you have given me a little insight. Maybe it isn't so horrible to be alone, is it? If it was, why would some animals evolve into solitary lives? Humans though, we're meant to be social, like apes y'know. I can't think of one primate that lives on it's own, only coming together for reproduction purposes and then once again parting ways. The animal kingdom is a strange, vast place but I learn something new almost every day." His voice carried a rather thick dutch accent that wasn't as hard to understand as someone who'd just moved here but was understandable enough as if he'd been here for a few years. Some words and phrases were hard for him but overall he'd gotten a decent grasp one the American-English language. His two primary languages had always been Dutch and German, of course those were what he grew up on and he had studied some English in his classes but it never truly stuck with him until he moved here and was around it constantly.

Tagged: Angel; open
Words: 780
Lyrics: "The Feel Good Drag" - Anberlin
Notes: Here.

[Deleted]

TOO YOUNG, TOO DUMB, TO REALISE
THAT I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT YOU FLOWERS
[ A N D H E L D Y O U R H A N D ]
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It was a quiet day at the zoo, most of the kids being in school and most adults at work. Angel didn't have to work and had decided to let Daniel stay home today, a family tradition from his own youth that tended to end by middle school. Daniel insisted he wanted to go to the zoo, and Angel wasn't one to argue against it since he hadn't been in at least a year or two. They took the bus down, ending up near the front gates of the Central Park Zoo. Angel took a moment to get his bearings again, Daniel holding his father's hand and waiting patiently.
Once they finally crossed the street, Daniel face lit up, bouncing a bit by the time Angel bought their tickets. "Dad, I wanna see the cats first!" He said excitedly, pulling Angel's hand once they got past the small ticket line.
Angel looked up to a sign pointing in the direction of certain exhibits, he wasn't normally one for pointlessly walking back and forth throughout any sort of park, but the big cats seemed close enough they wouldn't be missing much of anything if they went straight there.
"Fine kid." Angel finally agreed, letting Daniel pull him toward the big cats exhibit, looking around and snapping a few pictures along the way.
Once they got to the big cats, Daniel began looking at the lions before getting bored, most of them sleeping. He decided to go look at the tigers, and Angel noticed another person there, with what he could only call enviable hair. He tried to not stare, but compared to his own purplish-brown hair, the brilliant colors of the rainbow were amazing in the least. He noticed the stranger had a camera, pulling Daniel away from the stranger's camera shot. "Pay attention and stay out of the way." He grumbled to Daniel, who just quietly apologized to the stranger before returning his attention to the tiger.

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SHOULD HAVE GAVE YOU ALL MY HOURS
W H E N I H A D T H E C H A N C E
TAKE YOU TO EVERY PARTY CAUSE ALL YOU WANTED TO DO WAS DANCE

::327 words:: ::outfit::

AND THE CREDIT GOES TO ALLAFRAM @ CAUTION 2.0 STEAL AND SHE WILL HUNT YOU DOWN! LYRICS GO RESPECTFULLY TO BRUNO MARS, WHEN I WAS YOUR MAN. THE IMAGE USED IS CREDITED TO THE OWNER.

[Deleted]

"Oh, no he's fine." Ryker assured when the little boy was pulled back, out of frame "I'm here all day anyway, I can wait." Ryker wasn't opposed to keeping the kid out of his shots but he also liked the candid shots that came from kids running past or getting in front of the main subject. Ryker narrowed his eyes at the other guy's hair. It was purple but brown? He wasn't sure what to think of it and he wasn't sure how to react. It was interesting but perhaps was caused by improper colouring methods or a readily-available brand like manic panic or beyond the zone. He shuddered softly at the thought and yet managed to crack a smile toward him. He bent a knee to get on the small child's level, quietly telling him about his experience at the zoo. "You know, if you talk gentle to them, they'll respond. They won't say it with words though, you have to watch them. They'll tell you things." That statement alone could have Ryker written off as mental but it wouldn't be the first time. "Wanna try it?" He asked before approaching the barrier of the exhibit. He watched the tigress in her pen as she paced back and forth, overall tired of being locked up this way.  "Hey, you're popular this morning. You have a new visitor and he looks like he likes you a whole lot. Not like those other kids that make noises at you and try to get you to react.'" He smiled as she stopped pacing and looked his way, her ears forward and alert as though she were listening. Ryker assumed it probably helped to speak in a soft and soothing voice to calm her before getting her to look at you directly. "She really likes when you tell her how beautiful she is.'" Ryker said to little Daniel with a smile. He turned to the guardian that was with the small boy and his cheeks went pink. He hoped this company didn't think him completely mental and drag the boy off. If it came down to it, Ryker would leave the tigress, the boy and his guardian as not to ruin the boys time viewing the tigers. 

"He really likes the cats, huh?'" Ryker said while resting a hand on the back of his own neck. Ryker would use this question to judge whether or not the man wanted to talk or if the boy just dragged him here on some guilt trip or tantrum or something of similar sorts. He was avoiding the subject of hair because he didn't really want to be rude and ask what was up with the purple-brown thing. Even for someone with off colour hair it was awkward when he ran into someone with the same hair colour or style or any other non-natural vibrant colour. Ryker was trying his best not to be rude today, it helped talking with the tigeress, whom the zoo had named Marta. She comforted him and he liked to think that he comforted her. She seemed gentle and broken to him and he wanted to fix that and give her what he'd hoped would be a better quality of life. He wished she didn't have to be in a cage like she was but knowing how critically endangered the Amur Tiger is, he could only hope the Zoo would actually help keep the creature alive.

Tagged: Angel; open
Words: 577
Lyrics: "The Feel Good Drag" - Anberlin
Notes: & Here.

[Deleted]

TOO YOUNG, TOO DUMB, TO REALISE
THAT I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT YOU FLOWERS
[ A N D H E L D Y O U R H A N D ]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hi pretty~" Daniel called to the tiger softly, waving to the tigress as well.
angel leaned against the railing, still keeping an eye on Daniel and this stranger. "Cats, Reptiles... He likes animals, but we don't get to come to the zoo often." Angel explained, shrugging slightly. He watched as Daniel talked to the big cat, tilting his head slightly. "Haven't you seen big cats acting like smaller house cats?" He asked his son. "You're more mature than to yell at an animal just cause it's bigger."
"That's silly." Daniel agreed. He then looked to the stranger, "Are you a photographer? I like taking pictures but my dad won't buy me a camera." He said, playfully trying to make his dad seem like a bad guy.
"That's because you said it was either a digital camera or a phone and you're too young for either. I buy you disposable cameras, don't make strangers think I'm a bad father, too."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SHOULD HAVE GAVE YOU ALL MY HOURS
W H E N I H A D T H E C H A N C E
TAKE YOU TO EVERY PARTY CAUSE ALL YOU WANTED TO DO WAS DANCE

::159 words:: ::outfit::

AND THE CREDIT GOES TO ALLAFRAM @ CAUTION 2.0 STEAL AND SHE WILL HUNT YOU DOWN! LYRICS GO RESPECTFULLY TO BRUNO MARS, WHEN I WAS YOUR MAN. THE IMAGE USED IS CREDITED TO THE OWNER.

[Deleted]

Ryker could only hold back laughter at wee Daniel. "Yeah, I'm a photographer, well a student anyhow." He laughed and shook his head playing along with Daniel's little antics "He won't buy you a camera? Awh shucks, no kid should go without one, but you know what you have to do?" He pushed his bangs out of his face and chuckled "You gotta be responsible and take extra good care of your things. Disposable cameras are really cool too, I like the film." He laughed and pat Daniel's head lightly as he slumped to a sitting position on the ground. He set his backpack next to him and opened it up. Digging in it he looked through his camera gear and pulled out an older Polaroid OneStep camera. He looked at it, and loaded the Polaroid 600 film into it, and took a photo of Daniel where you could clearly see the Tigress in the background. The photo was instant and just needed a minute for the film to come to and show the picture.

Once it self-developed he took his sharpie and wrote across the bottom of the white border. NYC Zoo 2012 and handed it to Daniel "Keep that safe." He laughed. Part of him was ready to give the kid the camera itself but he wasn't sure this kid's dad would be too keen on it. He motioned Daniel to come sit next to him, so he could teach him to load the film in. Ryker handed him a piece of the Polaroid 600 film and showed him where to put the film. "Just put that in here and close this door up front." Ryker said, his tone calm "Now find what you want to take a picture of." He instructed, keeping his tone soft. "Look through this window and when you get the view you want push this button, that's the shutter button." He liked teaching how to work the cameras he owned and he liked helping people who genuinely wanted to learn and despite his usual dislike for kids, he quite enjoyed this lesson. "Now you just watch it develop and put the picture somewhere safe." Ryker chuckled. With that he turned to Angel and smirked 

"He may not be ready for anything other than disposable yet, that's not my call, but I'm gonna ask one thing of you...don't let that passion die. It's hard to find someone genuinely interested in photos and with all the point and shoots and cellphone cameras, the industry is crashing. It sounds weird but don't let that passion die." Ryker sighed softly, a weak smile drawn across his face as he looked down at his shoes. "Even if it's just a hobby..." He added. He wasn't one to give parenting advice but as a photographer watching his industry collapse before him he could only hope Angel would oblige.

Tagged: Angel; open
Words: 477
Lyrics: "The Feel Good Drag" - Anberlin
Notes: Camera.