This Love

Favorite Day, Part II

Part 2 to the previous one shot!
This is probably 10-12 years after the first
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Angela walked through the Japanese Tea garden in San Francisco with a small smile on her face. She hadn't been there in years. The quiet was so nice compared with the loud rush of New York City. She was starting to love the little life she'd made for herself across the country, but she missed Northern California more than she thought she would. Missed the odd warm winter day, the strange microclimates. She had a feeling New York had tranquil spots like this one, but Juice and Raj had yet to show them to her. Raj's peaceful place was the New York Public Library. It was a stunning building with beautiful architecture, and she knew her boyfriend loved getting lost in there. Finding a table to read or study in. It was his happy place, and while she loved going with him, she sought a place with fresh air. A place where she could breathe. She and Juice had found similar spots on their runs through Central Park, but there were usually other people around. Not to say that she was alone in the tea garden, but everyone around her was quiet too. Just absorbing it all. Mostly because it was in the middle of a work week during winter, so there weren't a lot of people there anyway.

Since the first time Hap had brought her there, they'd gone back to visit at least once a year until he went to prison for a stretch. Then, she'd take the BART before hopping on a bus to go wander around it alone. She liked the tranquility of it, liked slowing down a bit and being alone with her thoughts. She stopped at the koi pond, enjoying the fish like she always had. She'd done some research into them. Loved that they symbolized strength, perseverance, love, and courage. The year before had been a doozy. She'd finally broken things off with Esai, moved away from her family, across the country, and was flourishing in her new life. She'd swam up that waterfall and had become the dragon she was supposed to be just like the koi fish in the legend Happy had told her. She felt stronger, smarter than the girl she'd been back in Oakland.

An idea hit her, and she couldn't help but smile. She forewent grabbing tea at the teahouse and went to the parking lot; she'd borrowed her aunt's car for a few hours, so she didn't have to take public transit. She grabbed her little cellphone from her pocket, dialing a familiar set of numbers. Kozik answered on the first ring. "Angie-pie! What's up, kiddo?"

"Hap around? I think...no, I know I want a tattoo."

"Shit, kid. Now?"

"Now," she confirmed, smiling to herself.

She heard him tell Happy what she'd said, heard Hap reply then Kozik came back. "All right. We'll meet you at Benny's tattoo shop. Hap said you'll know where it is."

Angela grinned; she'd spent a lot of time at that tattoo shop. Had practically grown up running around there while Happy apprenticed. She drove there, excitement bubbling inside of her at the sight of the lights on, Hap's bike parked outside. She parked the car beside it, skipping inside happily. Happy was at Benny's usual station that was decked out in beautifully decorated sugar skulls and intricate papel picados.

Happy was setting up his tattoo machine, or at least making sure it was clean. Not at all committed to actually using it. "What you got, kid?" he asked, turning to look at her.

She sat down on the table by Happy, swinging her legs a bit. "I want a koi fish," she stated confidently remembering the first time she saw the beautiful fish with Happy in the tea garden. One of her favorite memories. "A really pretty one. Right on my hip, swimming downstream."

Happy smirked; he must've remembered that day too. "Downstream means the hardship's over."

"I know. Because it is. For now, at least. I went through a lotta shit, and it's all over now. I'm in a new place with new friends, a new person I love. It's all good, Hap. I'm not fighting anything. It's a reminder that I can do hard things and persevere. That I'm strong," she explained, excitement making her voice shake. "And it's a reminder of one of my favorite days. With you. At the tea garden. You can design it and pick the background and colors, but yeah...that's what I want."