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Almost the whole week had been mild, so it was nice, on Sunday, when there was finally some real sunshine. The Doctor and Ace set off early in the morning, but still, by the time they arrived at the park, both his coat and her jacket were off.
Ace bought herself a lemonade, him a glass of water, and them both a slice of cake, before they made their way to a table. She glanced at a teenaged-looking duo sitting together behind her, then sat down with her back to them. She could hear them chattering behind her in a language she didn’t understand, but paid it no heed as she started on the - delicious - cake.
“We should come out here more often,” said the Doctor. Someone in the distance was playing jazz music out of a speaker, and Ace tapped a finger along to the beat.
“Mm,” she said. “We should.”
She pulled a biro from her jacket, on the seat beside them, and started doodling on a napkin in between bites of cake. The Doctor chuckled softly, and though Ace ignored it for a few moments, she eventually looked up.
“What’s so funny?”
He quelled his laughter, though a smile still twitched on his lips. “Don’t look,” he murmured, “but those two teenagers behind you are discussing you. They’re very complimentary.”
“Oh?” Ace remained casual, looking back down at the napkin. “What are they saying?”
“The girl thinks you’re pretty, and her brother thinks the same, but he’s a little too timid to go up and start talking to you. She’s teasing him for it.” He raised his brows. “He’s now saying she should go up and ask you, but she’s saying she has a lower chance of success and isn’t going to start flirting with you while I’m here.”
“You're a real vibe killer.”
“Hm. She’s started trying to tell what the badges on your jackets are. Her brother has helpfully pointed out the little rainbow you have, and is now teasing her about you being a weather enthusiast.” He finished his cake, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket to dab his face. “In any case, she’s repeated that it would be too awkward to try with me there.”
Ace sighed with exaggerated despondency.
“No, actually,” he said, tilting his head. “The brother says that you actually look rather bored - of course, purely in your efforts to not look like you know what they’re saying -”
“Of course.”
“- and you’d probably appreciate being given a distraction. Whichever one of them it is you’d prefer.”
Ace wondered which one was cuter, but it wasn’t like she was mad enough to ask the Doctor. “I might get myself another lemonade,” she said. “And get in a word of my own.”
“Ah,” said the Doctor.
“Oh?”
“Well, the girl has a rather… spirited style of speech.”
“What,” said Ace, “do you think she’s trouble?” The Doctor made a slight face. She grinned. “Sounds just like my type.” She stood up, looking quickly at the two. The boy dropped his gaze, but the girl looked back at her. There was a confident smile growing slowly over her lips.
As Ace walked over to the little café to buy herself another drink, she found the girl’s eyes following her. Once she had got it, she came over to their table, choosing the seat by the girl.
“I hope you don’t mind if I sit down.”
“Of course not,” she answered. “I’m Shou Yuing. This is my brother -”
“Wei Yang,” he said quickly. Ace nodded at him, but her attention was kept by Shou Yuing. She took a long sip of her drink. The Doctor got up and walked away defeatedly, and she stifled a chuckle, looking back at Shou Yuing.
“I’m Ace. And, for what it’s worth, I think you’re pretty too.”
Shou Yuing frowned. “What…?” Then her eyes began to widen.
“He,” said Ace, gesturing her head at the Doctor’s retreating figure, “speaks Mandarin.”
Wei Yang buried his head in his hands. “Fuck,” he mumbled, muffled, into them. Ace laughed, glancing back at Shou Yuing, who it seemed was beginning to see the funny side.
“I hope that’s not given you too bad a first impression of me.”
“Not at all.” Ace smiled. “It saved me from having to guess whether you fancied me or not.” She took another sip of lemonade. “I’ve always found that part uninteresting.”
“Well, I’m glad we’ve skipped it.”
“Yeah.”
She could just hear, through his hands, Wei Yang’s despondent sigh.