The Best Hotdog Vendor In All of New York City, Late Tuesday Evening (NFB)

[glasses_justice]

Alex was practically glowing. Alex was so happy that she wouldn't even object to someone saying she glowed. She'd laugh, uproariously. And spin around and soak it all in.

She loved this city. She loved every last crumbling inch of the old whore. She was homeThat stupid island she'd been stuck on, in Witness Protection, had given her a male body

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[famous_gut]

"Yeah, I don't think I'm big on shoe shopping," Gibbs said taking a bite of his dog. "Though I wouldn't mind checking out that Bobby Flay guy's restaurant. I hear he makes a mean taco."

[glasses_justice]

"Seriously overrated," Alex said, making a face. "And I've heard he's kind of a creep."

She fell into step next to him, enjoying the sounds and smells of the city. Yes, even the really unpleasant ones. It was home and she'd missed it.

"So ... do you usually do the tourist-things, when you come here? If you come here, I guess. This isn't your first trip, is it?"

New Yorkers were strangely solipsistic, at times. It seemed strange to her that someone could have lived their whole life and never come to her city.

[famous_gut]

"Been here lots of times," Gibbs replied taking another bite of his dog. "Had to investigate here a few times. Things sometimes get out of hand with sailors visiting. Especially during Fleet Week. Got to see the Statue of Liberty. Never got a personal tour like this though."

[glasses_justice]

"You get better tours from a native," Alex smiled. "We know how to avoid all the annoying stuff they lie about, on the brochures."

She stopped at a crosswalk, looking up at the skyscrapers around.

"Empire State Building?" she asked. "Someone took you up to the top of it, at night, right? Touristy, sure, but gorgeous."

[famous_gut]

"Been there once," Gibbs said. "During the day. You want to go up?"

[glasses_justice]

"Not the same, in daylight," she said. "But it does seem kinda ... kitschy. How many bad rom-coms feature it, and so on?"

Which was a shame, because the view honestly was spectacular. Maybe the fact that it was touristy was besides the point.

[famous_gut]

"Beats me," Gibbs replied with a shrug. "Never watched a rom-com."

Not intentionally anyway.

[glasses_justice]

"All right," Alex said. "Just you and me, then, and it's not gonna be romantic anyway because I'm entirely in the wrong body for that, so that helps. You interested? Wanna see the most cliche view in the city?"

[famous_gut]

"Hey, I'm just a tourist," Gibbs joked. "You're the one letting me see the sights. Let's go."

[glasses_justice]

"Let's," Alex said. They were close to the building, as it was, just a few short blocks. "Unless it's closed. I guess it is pretty late?"

It turned out the observatory deck was open until 2 am.

"Right," Alex said as they got onto the elevator. "New York doesn't sleep. That's Fandom, where things close by midnight."

[famous_gut]

"I don't sleep," Gibbs smirked. "And I never close. Of course you can't get a good cup of coffee at midnight unless you're in my basement."

[glasses_justice]

"That almost sounded ominous," she teased. "Do you usually tie people up in your basement, at midnight? Anybody I know?"

[famous_gut]

"That's a voluntary thing," Gibbs joked elbowing Alex a little. "And nobody you know."

[glasses_justice]

"Chopping up people and putting them in your basement doesn't count as voluntary," she grinned, elbowing back and laughing. "It's always the quiet ones."

[famous_gut]

"You've been in my basement," Gibbs smirked as he looked up at floor count on the elevator. "I'd rather save it for more... fun activities."

He looked over at Alex with a glance. "Some of them don't even involve a boat."