Fast Eddies, Monday Afternoon

[spin_kick_snap]

It was the last day for the kids on the island, so Kathy was stubbornly refusing to think about that. What better way to put it out of her head for a few more minutes than by collecting the herd of kids that had shown up and heading over to the arcade for a few hours. There was bowling, pool, karaoke, video games, and - best of all - not a single vegetable in sight. Just pizzas, burgers, fries, and sodas as far as the eyes could see.

After a weekend of eating semi-healthily (albeit with much complaining), Kathy figured they deserved a treat.

Rather than the hassle of giving the kids money, Kathy'd just made a deal with the manager. The next few hours were free for every kid who walked in and she'd settle up at the end.

"Okay, so here's $20 worth of tokens for each of you," she said, handing small stacks of coins to each kid. "If you run out and need more, just come over to this counter and ask politely for some more. And don't forget to take turns if you see there are other kids waiting to play whatever game you're playing. And make sure to eat lunch. And--"

Carys tugged on her hand. "It's okay, Mommy," she said. "We know how to be good."

"Right," Kathy said, smiling down at her. And then at the rest of the kids waiting for her to finish her list of rules and reminders. They were all old enough to know how to behave. Time to loosen up a little.

"Go have fun," she finished, swallowing back the rest of what she'd been planning to say. "Go on, all of you, go have fun."

[Open for any AU kid and their parents who'd like to join in the fun!]

Comments

[glitter_and_mayhem]

"What up, losers? Who's gonna help cool cousin Ella practice her video game skillz?" Ella stuck a pose, and blew imaginary smoke off her finger-guns. "I need, like, an actual challenge, here. Not amateur hour. If I wanted to play against suckers, I'd be out in Baltimore."

[spin_kick_mage]

Carys looked up at the girl. She reminded her of her new big sister, Evie, but even cooler and kinda scarier. "What game?" she asked.

Not that she knew any of them. Kirkwall wasn't big on arcades.

[glitter_and_mayhem]

"Pick your poison, half-pint," Ella said, looking at her over her sunglasses. "What do you like?"

[spin_kick_mage]

Carys shrugged. "I dunno," she said. "I never played any of 'em. I'm not even sure what some of these do."

[glitter_and_mayhem]

"WHAT." Please hold while you break Ella's brain, tiny child. "Right. Whichever adults are yours? They're fired. Come one."

"Do you like dancing? I think I see a DDR machine over there."

[spin_kick_mage]

"There's nothing like these in Kirkwall," Carys said, trying to spot anything that looked like it involved dancing. "Umm, I like music? But I mostly just dance with my mom and Aunt Merrill. I don't know any fancy court dances."

[glitter_and_mayhem]

"This isn't fancy, tater-tot. It's fast and fun, and kinda like stomping like a dinosaur sometimes." Ella apparently took after her father in giving people food-based nicknames.

"...uh, you know what a dinosaur is, right?" Since she'd mentioned court dances and all.

[spin_kick_mage]

"Yeah!" Carys said happily. "Mom teaches me in the daytime, because she says that Kirkwall's school system is even sadder than its infr'structure. And then I go for extra lessons with Bodahn in the afternoon, cause he can teach me about stuff that Mommy can't. But dinosaurs are a Mommy- a Mom lesson," she corrected herself, because she was a big girl now. "And dragons are a Bodahn lesson."