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"Has Yesenia explained what a TV is?"
She nodded. "Like a moving picture box with sounds that you have in your home."
"Pretty much. Well, reality shows are programs that seem as if they're just people interacting and being natural, but they're scripted. Usually they're a little over the top and crazy, or feature some sort of competition."
"People watch competitions on this tee-vee?"
He chuckled. "Yeah. A lot of guys get super into sports during certain seasons, to the point everything revolves around watching games. Er, athletic competitions might make more sense to you."
"Of all the things to have a magical box show you, why would you want to watch something like fencing or horse-racing?"
"Oh, it's not really that stuff that people get really invested in. Baseball, football, basketball—all things you probably don't understand." She shook her head. River continued, "Well, they involve balls of some sort and there are teams for major cities or areas. You see, cheering on a team is sort of like belonging to a community, sharing a passion with others who feel the same way."
"Does London have teams?"
"More for soccer than anything, and tons of them at that."
Nora didn't really know many athletics beyond those from her childhood. Although what River described seemed interesting. "So you have a team to cheer on?"
He shrugged one shoulder. "Not really. I've never been huge into sports, although baseball is okay; I just like books better, I guess. And I had my motorcycle club members to hang with, which was my little community of belonging."
Nora was about to ask about this community of River's, but they reached where the alley met the footpath and she stopped. River followed suit and merely watched her.
People walked by, although the only looks were about her standing in the way.
No one pointed, or laughed, or looked at her with disgust.
Much like River had said, people were doing a double-take at his ears. A few even came up to ask if he was lost.
After the fourth person left with the same question, Nora couldn't help but laugh at River's deep frown. He glanced at her. "What are you laughing at?"
"It's just strange. The first question they have at seeing a handsome fae witch male with drawings inked on the side of his neck is to ask if he's lost."
Lifting his free hand, River stroked the designs on his skin. "I'd sort of forgotten about those."
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him to explain if there was any meaning attached, but then a carriage nearly hit an urchin boy dashing across the street and she jumped.
River touched her cheek. "Are you okay, Nora?"
As she looked up into his eyes, the concern there helped to tame her racing heart. "I think so. It's quite a bit noisier out here than inside."
He studied her a beat and then smiled. "Well, then maybe we should start walking. Because if Yesenia is right, we'll forget about everything after we taste the fucking delicious ice cream down the street."
As he walked, Nora kept pace. "You must still have it in the future, given how much you two seem to love it."
"Oh, fuck yeah. Some of the flavors are amazing. Especially if you hit the shore and get some on the boardwalk. Damn, that shit is good."
"Boardwalk?"
He nodded. "A place to walk around and shop along the seashore."
"Oh. I've never been to the ocean. The River Thames is the biggest body of water I've seen."
"And it's not exactly that pretty or clean, is it?" She shook her head and was about to explain it was better than in the past, but River beat her to it. He pointed to a shop across the street and asked, "What the fuck is that place?"
She glanced at the window displaying an assortment of hats. "A milliners."
"Why the hell would someone want a bird on their hat? Or, damn, are those eggs? And those feathers, Christ, they'd poke someone's eye out."
