Not Your Babysitter

[work_wife]

WHO: Robin Buckley
WHERE: Noth Central
WHAT: Musical Shenanigans, Stalking Aliens, Gift Shocks
WHEN: January 10th thru 17th
WARNINGS: N/A

I. Gift Investigation

Robin is not a nosy person. But you can't just let a girl into a barn house full of presents and expect her to fully keep her hands to herself. Right? Right. It's probably nothing, she's not really going to get up to too much trouble. Except...

"Ouch!"

She yelps and sticks a stung finger into her mouth, as if that will make the pain go away. Shouldn't have tried to open someone else's presents, right?

II. Alien ObservationsIt's official. Aliens. Are. Real. Don't pay any attention to her having met people who weren't human or who were human but weren't from Earth, or were from Earth but not her Earth. Aliens are Real. The Agrii are real.

If this isn't the coolest thing ever, Robin doesn't know what is. And so it's really up to her to study them, right? Are they the 'lay eggs in you' aliens, or the 'hunt you for sport' aliens, or really the 'friendly but lost and wishes they had Reese's Pieces' Aliens?

Someone had to know, and so here was Robin, bundled up in her reclaimed battle gear, peeking around the corner of a cabin to watch a group of Agrii in a snow fort building project.

It would be a shame if someone snuck up behind her, really.III. Let It Blow

Listen, if someone's going to give you a really big place where you think you can get away with practicing an instrument for old time sake without anyone walking in, who isn't going to use it? Most people? Well she's not most people.

Robin makes her way to the ice palace, a big case in her hands. Once she gets into the ice palace's main room she sits down and opens the case, pulling out her French Horn. Takes some time to inspect all of the parts, make sure it's in good working order. Then she finally puts it to her lips and starts doing warm ups with the instrument.

It's not music at the moment, just noise. But it's hers. Some small echo of the more normal days of her life.

[OOC: Robin would be a terrible babysitter. So absolutely throw your children at her however you want because she would just be hilarious to have to deal with it.]

Comments

[thepurpleone]

"Robin," Donnie repeats, committing it to memory with a nod.

At least he doesn't seem to have any problem with heights, and as he holds on, he looks around from this new vantage point. It's even higher than with dad! Not that this is a difficult feat these days, dad is only slightly taller than them. He might be a little clingy but that's mostly because it is nice and warm against Robin.

[work_wife]

Yeah, she can feel how cold he is through her clothes, so getting him moving faster really matters.

"Maybe we can set you up a place to stay there. So you can keep warm enough and have food access."

[thepurpleone]

If it weren't for the fact that he had to hold on, taking a nap would be very tempting. It's tiring walking around in snow when it came up to your knees! Still, Donnie yawns, trying not to get too comfortable even as he presses his face against her warm jacket.

"Mm." Warm place and food sounded nice. Better than going back to the lonely little candy house, not that he remembers which one it was that he found himself in.

[work_wife]

"Don't hibernate on me now, or whatever the word is for what turtles do. Wait, are you a turtle? Or are you a tortoise? Terrapin?"

Fuck, she doesn't remember the difference between them.

[thepurpleone]

"Apalone Spinifera," Donnie clarifies after a yawn. "Spiny soft-shelled turtle. 'm not hibernating." He insists this even as he has his eyes closed, just for a second, maybe.

[work_wife]

Okay, that clarifies, but doesn't really help her.

"Okay, whatever it is turtles do in winter then," she says. Finally she can see the lights of the dining building, and she speeds herself up. Better to get him inside.

[thepurpleone]

Brumation, he'd supply, except he's totally not not-napping right now. Donnie probably wouldn't really do it though, he's still mutated by human DNA after all, but the cold's been making him sleepy and it hasn't helped that it's been tiring just trying to get around the snow. Right now he's feeling relatively comfortable and safe. Robin is good peoples.

[work_wife]

"And of course there's no response. Better not die on me, kid," she says as she finally gets close to the cafeteria. "Hold on kid, we're almost there."

[thepurpleone]

He's not dying! Just snuggling a little. This would be super embarrassing if he were his normal age.

[work_wife]

Yeah, they can be embarrassed later. But Robin probably won't associate the kid with the bigger turtle.

She pushes into the cafeteria and then, once she's away from the door, gives a bounce.

"Kid, wake up."

[thepurpleone]

"Mmmn..." Aw but he doesn't wanna...

Donnie rubs at his eyes as he can at least feel the difference in the temperature. He lifts his head, fixing his glasses as he looks around.

[work_wife]

"We're here. You want that pizza or not?" Robin asks.

[thepurpleone]

What a magical word! It perks Donnie right up, and he wiggles to signal he's ready to get down.

"Pizza!"

[work_wife]

There it was. He seems way more active now. Robin crouches down to let him free.

[thepurpleone]

Donnie lets go and hops down. Oh, it feels so much better in here.

He reaches out to grab Robin's hand, tugging impatiently. Wheeeereeeee?

[work_wife]

Okay, she wasn't expecting he'd want to stick by her now. But yeah, she can... probably handle this. She takes his hand and walks him slowly toward the devices further in.

"I think I can probably program a few toppings. What do you like?"

[thepurpleone]

Sorry Robin, you've been designated as the Official Adult and clearly know everything about here. Donnie seems happy once she holds his hand in turn and starts to lead the way. Pizza-making robot machine, here they come!!

"Pepp'roni..." he says, holding up a finger. "Mushrooms..." He holds up a second before staring at his thumb for a bit. No, two's enough. "That's all."

[work_wife]

Being the Official Adult is not normally her status so this was definitely an interesting day she was going to have. Or days.

"Alright. I'll see if I can make a full sized pizza for you, if that's okay."

Once she gets to the replicator she considers it.

"What's your stance on stuffed crust?"

She's heard of it, and it sounds like a great idea, you know, extra cheese and all.

[thepurpleone]

A whole pizza that he doesn't have to share with his brothers?? This child practically goes starry-eyed at the thought. Never mind that it'll hit him again later that his brothers aren't here, right now he's thinking with his stomach.

"More cheese?" he answers after some careful contemplation. That means more cheese, right? Nothing wrong with more cheese!

[work_wife]

"Way more cheese," she agrees before starting to hit buttons on the machine. "So, this only works for each of us for one meal a day. So I'm going to program it all in, read it back to you, then I need you to hit the confirmation button, okay?"

So that it's his use. And come on, she's putting in an extra large pizza. Surely that will last the kid two meals at least.

[thepurpleone]

Donnie at least looks like he's actually listening to what she says. He doesn't say anything right away as he lets it sink in, but it's not long before he nods.

"Okay!"

Most important is the fact that he gets to push the button!

[work_wife]

Of course he does. She doesn't think it's that cool though. Once she's done she reads back everything there and points to the button.

"Power her on."

[thepurpleone]

Clapping his hands eagerly, Donnie hops over closer to the machine, reaching, tippy-toeing. Almost...! He gives a little jump and smacks the button.

[work_wife]

She was just about to offer to lift him. But now the replicator is doing it's 'shimmering' noise like Robin calls it, and bam. A big platter of pizza. She carefully lifts it.

"Go pick a table."

[thepurpleone]

"Ooooooh..." Donnie stares, not that it seems there's much to look at as the Replicator does its thing, but there had very clearly not been a pizza there a moment ago, and now there is! A big beautiful pizza! He gasps, reaching out like he'd take it, but then Robin directs him to find somewhere to sit, so he scrambles off to do so.

There doesn't seem to be any shortage of tables at least, so the hard part is just picking one! Who knows what process of elimination he's using, but finally he counts off from one end and then wanders over to the third one nearest them, pointing to make sure Robin saw before he goes to clamber up to sit.